3 minute read
Social Media Instagram Tips
Brilliant Tips Of What Works And What Doesn’t On Instagram
I didn’t plan to create a business that uses Instagram as a marketing tool.
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I set up my Instagram account to talk openly about mental health and find friends when I moved to a new city.
But what I learned from doing it this way round is that showing up as a real person on social media will always get positive results.
I got to know my audience as people first and as customers second. This meant that when I eventually started promoting my freelance services and my new book Out of Office: Ditch the 9-5 and Be Your Own Boss, my followers were already engaged with my content and more likely to buy from me. I created a community who are my biggest supporters.
A lot of business owners use Instagram as a marketing tool, putting up product images and sell their products without thinking about the human element of social media and that can come across as disingenuous. With that in mind, here are some dos and don’ts for what works best on Instagram.
DO be yourself. I mean, really, be yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of making content that you think you should be making. Stay true to your roots and your personality, even if that includes showing up with messy hair, dark circles under your eyes and something to complain about. Sharing your failures alongside your successes is a simple way to get your followers on your side. Try and fake it and you’ll blend into the masses while rendering yourself exhausted from the charade.
DO write in your own voice. Captions are the place where you can really express yourself. Don’t worry about sounding smart or well-read. Instead, write the way you talk and include personal anecdotes - these will always stick
in people’s memory. Don’t be afraid to use colloquial terms (I’m from Glasgow so I always use the word ‘wee’ when I mean small) but stay away from buzzwords or anything that comes across to pushy or sales focused.
DO think about the emotional impact. Instead of panic posting a photo of your breakfast, think about how you want people to feel when they look at your Instagram. As a mental health advocate, I always want people to feel validated in their feelings, so I talk a lot about depression and anxiety in a bid to help people feel less alone. It’s not that everything you post needs to be deep and meaningful. If your aim is to make people laugh then that’s OK too! Tell people a funny story or reflect on an embarrassing moment. Connecting emotionally with people is rewarding and has a lasting impact.
DON’T make your caption one single block of text. Longer captions are great and can often reel your followers in, especially if you’re telling a captivating story. But try to break up big chunks of text by leaving lots of white space, making each paragraph no longer than two sentences. Experiment with different formats, such as bullet-point lists with emojis to represent each point you want to get across.
DON’T use too many different fonts or designs. This can work for some accounts, but if you want to create a cohesive look on your grid
Pictured: Fiona Thomas
then pick a few key colours and use them in any graphics you make or subtly introduce them into each photograph with props like flowers, paper or clothing. When you do make graphics, pick one or two fonts that are easy to read and use them consistently.
Article By Fiona Thomas
