Okay, I admit it… sometimes I’m a “hater” but I’m working on that… [mea culpa]

More specifically, when I say “hater” I mean my misperception about certain things. For example, my irrational decision to never eating Indian food. Even though I have so many friends who are die-hard Indian cuisine aficionados, I resist it completely. It’s because of that one time (not at band camp), that I got food poisoning. The worst three days ever! That was enough for me to draw the line in the sand and make a final decision that I was never going to eat Indian food.  Pretty harsh, I know.

Well Similarly, I had a misperception about Instagram, because I thought for a long time that it was just a social media platform that my kids were on.  My two boys (16, 14) go background and forth between their SnapChat, Instagram and “Finsta” (total side bar:  What’s a “finsta“? – well, it’s a fake Instagram that kids have so they can post what they really want to post about and not have to have their parents spying on their social media activity).  So clever, right?  Kids are always going to find a way… I know when I was a kid I had some ninja maneuvers around where I would be and with whom.  Ahhh, to be a teenager again…

Back to Instagram. Sure, I’ve had an Instagram account for a while, periodically posting here and there with no real plan. I know better and know that sporadic activity is not going to create any sort of momentum.  I’ve been more of a Facebook loyalist since pretty much everyone in the world is on Facebook.  And, most internet marketing influencers and people I watch are on Facebook. Especially, since we geek out about Facebook ads and what’s happening with the latest in algorithm changes.

So, why Instagram?  What changed?  As with anything, it’s there’s an uptick in activity, there’s a reason why. And, I have to take a closer look objectively.

Since last year I started watching more news about Instagram’s level of activity, how more people were on there for marketing purposes and leveraging influencer marketing.  Like when Kim Kardashian drinks her fit tea, has the packaging strategically placed right by her favorite Vuitton bag and casually sipping her tea posts that she can’t live without it…

Several months back, Instagram started implementing features which were very similar to those that were working so well on SnapChat.  You can see the trends on how the timing of this shows why people were moving back to Instagram here.

I was also watching how many of my clients had made huge inroads in building their tribe on Instagram and with the use of hashtags, the chances of someone finding you were ever higher than on Facebook. So if you are an artist, you can use hashtags strategically to appeal to your perfect customer.  And the bonus is that right now, this functionality… the ability to grow your tribe is essentially organic. You don’t have to pay for this, vs. on Facebook where it’s very much “pay to play.”

So I finally decided to commit to posting consistently on Instagram and engaging purposely with ideal customers and building rapport.

What’s happened over the past six months? I’ve been able to grow my email list by offering value on Instagram and using more of a pull strategy vs.being “that guy” who is always promoting their thing. I’ve also incorporated some automation into the mix as well. Best part is that the same efforts I’ve used on Facebook to grow my email list have gotten way more traction on Instagram.

In fact, I’m really not on Facebook as much as I used to be. While I do run traffic for my clients on Facebook and peep in every now and again, I’ve found that my efforts are definitely converting more on Instagram.

Listen, I’m not breaking any speed records with hundreds of thousands of followers, but what I am doing is connecting with people intentionally and inviting them into and my world.  Pretty cool.

Are you interested in growing your own reach on Instagram?   Give it a shot, or like I mentioned to some realtors at a recent presentation, hire an intern to do this for you. I would definitely give Instagram a serious look. I’ve put together a quick half hour free training where you can learn some fundamental Instagram strategies that will help expand your reach as a business owner.

By the way, let’s connect on Instagram! MY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT – CLICK HERE

The Bigger Question:  Should I get a Finsta?  🙂