Instagram – Once You’ve Mastered the Basics
Instagram- Once You’ve Mastered the Basics : Part 1
Once you’ve got the basic operation and use of Instagram down pat and the followers are rolling in, it’s pretty obvious what a versatile and useful tool Instagram is.
So, now it’s time for the Master class!
Crowdfire
Crowdfire is an app that can be downloaded on iPhone or Android, or used on the computer. Crowdfire is useful in following many users at once. It can be used to find relevant followers and connect with them quickly and easily. In your previous research you should have made a list of competitors or similar businesses etc. which would have a relevant following to your target market.
By selecting the ‘Copy Followers’ option, you can type in a user. It will come up with all of their followers, whom you can opt to follow too in blocks of around 50 at a time.
Crowdfire can also show you who has unfollowed you. This is helpful in two ways. Firstly, it allows you to unfollow users you have lost, therefore cutting down on your ‘following’ count. It also can act as a guide to gauge if your content is working or not. There are always going to be people who unfollow you, but if you are noticing you’re losing more than usual have a look over what you’ve been posting recently and consider re-evaluating your strategy.
Warning: overuse of the ‘follow’ and ‘unfollow’ features on Crowdfire can get you blocked by Instagram, who considers this activity to be a little ‘spammy’. It’s only a temporary block and there are no real repercussions, but just be aware.
(Aussie Expo’s has no affiliation with Crowdfire)
Shout-outs and Reviews
Shout-outs are when one Instagram user posts an image dedicated to another Instagram user to promote them, usually with a paragraph singing their praises and featuring their username and hashtag. This can be helpful as the post introduces your page to a whole new audience of potential customers and gives users the opportunity to browse your page.
Shout-outs can come from a few different places. Family and friends can always give you a shoutout, but the more effective avenues are happy customers or parallel businesses. Consider forming a professional relationship with a business that isn’t a direct competitor, but is in a complimentary market. For example, if you have a candle company, seek out furniture or other homeware companies. If you are selling wine, seek out a glassware boutique or cheese company. You can then team up, help each other out and maybe even take some photo’s of both your products together to feature on your social media. Team work at its finest!
Reviews are also very important when promoting your business via Instagram. If you get an email, Facebook or Instagram message or testimonial from one of your customers, consider posting this on your Instagram with a caption along the lines of “We love our customers” or “We love hearing from happy customers!”.
Find a balance between sales and socialising
While it’s true that your main reason for taking your company or business to Instagram is to generate sales and profit, it’s important not to seem that way to your followers. Don’t make every post about sales and promotion, mix it up with a funny and relevant picture, an image of your customers enjoying your product or even a behind- the -scenes shot of what goes on at your business HQ- people love the idea of an exclusive insight!
Stay tuned for the Instagram Masterclass : Part 2!
