3 Instagram Mistakes You are Making

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When you start using Instagram for business, things can get pretty confusing and frustrating.  Why can’t I get the followers I want and the interaction I need to get my post seen?  Well, maybe you are making these subtle mistakes that are blocking you from being an Instagram rock star and trust me when I say, I want you to be an Instagram Rock Star.

Here are the 3 Instagram Mistakes You are Making

that are Blocking Your Success

1. Instagram is supposed to be social

Too often we forget that we are there not just to post but to build a relationship.  I believe that social media isn’t really for selling your product, but it is for helping people get to know you and building friendships and bonds and letting people know you are here to serve.  When we show up everyday selling, selling, selling, guess what, people are going to turn you off and tune you out.  When you spend all your time selling, you become a commercial and no one watches commercials anymore.  Let’s have fun and be fun on Instagram so people know who you are and what you’re about.

Symptoms of this gaff:

 –you post it and forget it

-you don’t interact with anyone or comment on anyone else’s posts

Cures for this gaff:

1.  Ask questions

2.  Interact with your followers and respond to their comments

3. Build a community by commenting on other accounts

Ideas:

-spend 5 minutes a day posting on friends’ posts

-reply to EVERY comment

Girls who know what’s up

Natashia Mclean from Canary Jane

She wrote this personal post on a day at church and she had 66 comments and she responded to all of them and engaged her audience.  She has built a loyal following by building relationships.

This is me: I am Michelle Gifford

Here is one of my favorite posts on my account.  91 comments and it is because I asked a question and I NEEDED my audience.

2. Instagram isn’t about you.

I love you, so when I say this, just know that it comes from a place of love.  No one cares about you or your business.  They just don’t.  (Well, that’s not true.  Your mom cares and I care, but no one else does.)  Most of your followers care about how you teach, entertain or delight them.  Because you’re in business you must know that you are here to serve your followers.

Symptoms of this gaff:

-posts consist of mainly product pictures

-the only comments you are getting are from other people in your industry

Cures for this gaff:

Think about your audience, why do they follow you?

Ask: how can you serve them today?  Can you educate, entertain or empower them in some way?

On your next post, don’t just post a product picture, post something that will make their day better or ask a question and get advice

Ideas: Teach them some skin care tips, tell a funny story, give them examples of how you use it, let them into a look at your day

Girls who know what’s up:

Kylee Ann of Kylee Ann Photography

1. Notice that this photographer is not just posting a picture of her latest photo shoot, but is talking about something personal and letting people be social with her by asking a question.  5 Gold Stars to you, Kylee Ann.Meet Miss Cara Brook, the girl behind the Maskcara empire.
2.  She does talk about her makeup in her feed, but most of her time is spent sharing about her, her trials and triumphs.  In this post, she didn’t talk about her flawless makeup, but more talked about her flaw filled life.  And guess what, her followers respond to it.
   

   3. You forgot to add You into Instagram

This might seem confusing because I just told you that Instagram isn’t about you and it really isn’t, but it is about the unique voice that you bring to the scene.  You probably think that you don’t have anything unique to offer, but you would be dead wrong.  You were born with special gifts, talents, insights and experiences, this makes you invaluable to the world.  Don’t hide “YOU” by having blah captions.  When someone reads your writing, they need to be able to tell that you were the one who wrote it, not some robot, but a living breathing, fascinating person.

Symptoms of this gaff:

-use a lot of cliches, trite words or too ernest.  Cliches should be used like yellow peppers on my sub sandwich (and that means sparingly)  Did you see what I did there? No cliche and you got the picture and my personality

-don’t show the dirt.  Sometimes we just like to show the pretty parts of our lives and when we write our words make it sound like things are perfect and clean.  Turns out that isn’t real and your followers can sense that.  If you want people to relate with you, then you have to show the real you.  There is a caution here, you do not need to bare all, actually I’d rather that you didn’t share all of those skeletons, but don’t be afraid to talk about you bad day, messy buns or childhood messes.

-you could exchange your words in the captions of any other person in your industry and no one would know the difference.  Yikes!  You do not want this to be you.  If someone could read your words and have zero idea of who actually wrote them, you’re in trouble.

-your words sound manufactured.  Are you taking your words and phrases from your business leaders, descriptions of products or anything else?  If so, you are forgetting to interject you.

Cures for this gaff:

1.Get in the writing mindset.  For me, this means finding a quiet place for five minutes so that I can get away from distractions and get down to business.

2.Think of your audience as one specific person.  Too often we think of our followers as a sea of people.  Guess what, they are living breathing people. And they have lives and they are giving up a place in their feed for you.

3.Write like you are writing to a friend, because you are.  You wouldn’t sit down with a friend and list all of the product specifications and if you did, they would either laugh at you or walk away.

Girls who know what’s up

Alison from The Alison Show

If you follow her you know that she cannot help but inject all of her amazing personality into each post.  When you read her words, you know it’s her and that is exactly how it should be.

Melanie Burk

She makes the messy of motherhood look elegant and sweet.  She bares her soul to her followers and uplifts and inspires in every post.

 

Alright, friends.  Now that you know a little bit more about some things you can improve, you might need some personal help.  I’d love it if you joined my Facebook group so that I can cheer you on.

Click here to join my Facebook group.

I’d also love a comment from you letting me know what your #1 Instagram tip is.