To say that 2020 was a year of ups and downs is putting it lightly. It was especially turbulent if you are a business owner. Your company likely had to contend with some major upheavals, stressors and challenges. In fact, 92% of small businesses reported that they had to “reinvent themselves” in order to weather the Covid-19 crisis.
But it’s 2021 now and things are picking back up again. 2021 will be another year of reinvention and, we can all hope, a better and brighter one for the growth of our businesses
One of the platforms businesses are using to reinvent themselves and grow their business is Instagram. So we talked to Dilara Aydyn, social media marketing expert and an Instagram specialist about how to grow your business and your customer base on Instagram
“Most businesses have been using Instagram for years but with the constant changes, they are tired, confused and I don’t blame them. It seems like every time we turn around there is a new algorithm update that makes it harder and harder to grow an audience and keep them engaged.”- said Dilara
She says that many regret not taking IG more seriously when it was less competitive; but those people have been given a second chance
“Right now you have the second chance to hit your goals, because organic reach is high, as long as you do things the right way!”
1. Get clear on who you are as a specialist.
I know you might be a multitalented person, and I understand that you think you need to be showcasing all of your skills – because the more, the better, right? Wrong. If you are not focused on 1 skill of yours, you can never stand out. Think of any successful online entrepreneurs you know… what do they have in common? That is right! Each of them is well known for a specific skill.
2. Get clear on who you are serving.
I know, I know, “but I can help way more people if I
don’t have to niche down” – trust me, I understand how you feel about this one – because I used to feel the exact same way!
The truth is, you can’t attract “everyone” and serve “everyone”. It just doesn’t work that way.
The clearer you are on who you want to serve, the easier things will be for you in your entrepreneurial journey.
3. Have a clear message
This one is sort of a combination of points 1 and 2
What do you do and who do you do it for? The way you talk about your business has to be consistent – whether you are speaking to someone face to face or writing your ad copy, crafting your posts or content for your website. There are millions of businesses out there, and if you want people to remember you – you need to stick with your message.
4. Do your research
Look up the people who already established themselves as experts in your industry.
See what they are doing and how they are doing those things. You may get some inspirations from them – and let me say right away that copying might be tempting, but that is like robbing yourself of the chance to BE YOU, even before you get started.
5. Create a BUZZ
Before you officially launch your Instagram page, create some buzz around it, use your email list (if you already have it), an existing audience on any other social media platforms, or take an advantage of Facebook groups! The idea is not to ask people to follow you in exchange for a follow back but to actually get people who are TRULY interested in what you do. Do you see how important it is to nail points 1, 2, 3?
6. Connect with other experts
And finally, when you launch the account, you will already have some fans cheering you on, your next move would be populating your page with 9 relevant posts (that is the number of posts you need to fill up the “grid” of a brand new account) and start connecting with other people from your field – both big, and small. Remember that you can’t succeed alone, and you always need that support from others.
If you’re looking for professionals to help you grow your Instagram, reach out to Dilara via Instagram
She’s been in the marketing field for over eight years and has even built one of her accounts to over 30K followers.
