Transcripts
1. Class Introduction: Instagram started
as a way to share life's highlights
and fun moments with friends and family. Like many of you, I
used Instagram to capture special milestones
and snippets of my life. Little did I know that
this casual platform would become a significant
part of my professional life. A few years ago, my husband and I started a
small online perfume business. Back then, e commerce platforms were just beginning to take off. Businesses began to recognize the potential of
online shopping and started using social
media platforms like Instagram and Facebook
to sell products. It was during this
entrepreneurial journey that I realized the untapped potential of Instagram for businesses. It wasn't just a
personal diary anymore. It had become a
dynamic marketplace perfect for showcasing
brand stories and products. Hi, I'm Christine,
and I'm here to guide you through the world
of Instagram marketing. With a marketing
background and years of industry experience
in digital marketing, specializing in social
media marketing, I'm here to help you unlock the magic of Instagram
marketing for you. As I ventured into
freelancing and managed social media accounts
for virus brands globally, I developed a deep
love for Instagram. Its visual appeal,
engagement potential, and unique community
captured my heart. After years of refining my skills and gaining
insights from diverse clients and specialized programs in
Instagram marketing, I'm excited to share
my knowledge with you. We'll start with the basics of Instagram marketing and then move on to setting up
your business account. We'll also talk about
Instagrams algorithms, different types of posts, and how to create a
good content plan, and we'll learn about hashtags, keywords, and how
to use Instagram insights to understand
your audience better. To help you apply your
new found skills, I've prepared an exciting
class project for you where you'll create your own Instagram marketing
content strategy. Also included an
Instagram workbook to serve as your guide and
help you ace this project. By the end of this class, you'll know how to use Instagram for marketing
your business. Whether you're just
starting out in social media or you
own a business, and you want to
promote it online, this class will teach you
everything you need to know to do well in
today's digital world. If that sounds exciting, move on to the next video
and let's get started.
2. Class Project: Welcome to this class. I'm excited to have you
here ready to learn how to make the most of Instagram for your brand and business. Let's start off
with a fun project. These projects aren't
just assignments. They are opportunities
to see what your classmates are up
to and learn together. I encourage you to join
in on this project. It's easy. Just
share a picture of your progress in creating your own Instagram
content strategy. You can post it on our class project gallery
for feedback from me. Feel free to share
any challenges you face or the story
behind your photo. I'm here to help you
every step of the way. Throughout the course,
we'll cover lots of topics and you'll get to try out each lesson step by step. Take pictures of your progress and share them with the class. It's not just about
your own growth, it's about helping and
inspiring each other. I also included an
Instagram workbook to serve as your guide. You can access it under the
Projects and Resources tab. You can also start a
project whenever you want, whether it's after a lesson on algorithms or another
topic that interests you. Take a photo or screenshot
of what you've learned. Share it in the project gallery, and tell us a bit
about your project. I'm so excited to see how you
bring your ideas to life. Good luck.
3. Introduction to Instagram Marketing: And we are officially diving
into Instagram marketing. In this lesson, we are going to build a solid foundation for understanding the
power and potential of Instagram as a
marketing platform. Instagram created in 2010 by Kevin Strum and Mike Krieger, is now owned by Meta Platforms Inc. Facebook's parent company. With over 2.4 billion
monthly active users, Instagram became a
massive platform for marketers to reach diverse
audiences worldwide. You've probably noticed that Instagram is all about visuals. Whether it's photos,
videos, reels, stories, or live broadcasts, it's a space for telling stories
through engaging visuals. This makes it perfect
for marketers looking to connect with their
audience in creative ways. Now, let's take a quick look
at Instagram's journey. Initially, it was just a
place to share photos, but it quickly evolved into
a powerful marketing tool. Business profiles were
introduced in 2016, followed by advertising tools, shopping features, and
enhanced analytics. Then there's advertising
and shopping on Instagram. Instagram has become a
powerful marketing platform with the introduction of
ads and shopping features. Businesses can use
sponsored content, Carsel ads, and shoppable posts to sell directly
on the platform. Recent data shows
that more businesses are using Instagram
for E commerce, making it a key channel
for driving sales. Now, let's talk about Instagram's role for
businesses today. First, visual storytelling. Instagram's focus on visuals, makes it perfect for
businesses to showcase their products and brand
personality in an engaging way. Did you know that over 80% of Instagram users Follow at
least one business account. Second, direct connection
with audience. Businesses can
connect directly with their audience through
features like messaging, comments, and interactive
elements in stories and reals. This builds a sense of community and loyalty
among followers. Finally, powerful
collaborations. Instagram offers features for brands and creators
to work together. Features like branded
content tools, collaborative stories and posts, live collaborations,
and shopping tags. In short, Instagram is a
game changer for businesses. Its focus on visuals
sets it apart, capturing users attention
in unique ways. Throughout this course, we'll explore strategies,
share best practices, and engage in practical
activities to help you make the most of Instagram for your
marketing efforts. In our next lesson, we'll get hands on. We'll set up your account and explore the differences
between personal, creator, and business accounts. See you there.
4. Setting Up Your Instagram Business Account: In this lesson, you'll
find out why having a professional Instagram account is important for your
Instagram marketing. You'll also learn how to start your Instagram
account step by step. But first, let's understand the difference
between a personal, creator and business account. This helps you choose
the right type of account based on your needs. There are two types of accounts. Personal and professional
Instagram accounts. Personal accounts are
for personal use. While professional
accounts can be set up as either creator
or business accounts. I've created a table to
help you understand better. The first row lists the account types personal
creator and business account. Now, in the first column, I have listed all the
available Instagram features. Each account has its
unique features, so let's explore
them one by one. Personal accounts are
best for personal use. A creator account
is for individuals who want to create content
and build communities. While a business
account is for brands, businesses and influencers with a clear monetization strategy. Personal accounts don't have access to insights
and analytics, while a creator
account has access to a professional dashboard
to track performance, unlock professional
tools, and access to educational information
curated by Instagram. A business account
also has access to an in depth insights and
analytics dashboard. Then promotions and ads are only available on creator
and business accounts. A creator account allows
you to promote posts while a business account gives you access to ads and promotions. Moving on, we have
contact buttons. Contact buttons are again, only available in creator
and business accounts. The only difference is that creator accounts have
the option to hide their contact information in business category
for privacy reasons. And that business account has
an additional action button called shop that they can
display in their profile. Then we have Instagram shopping. For personal accounts, Instagram shopping is
only available for personal use to shop from your favorite brands directly
from the Instagram app. Now for both creator
and business accounts, they have access to create
shoppable posts and stories linked to an
online store or catalog. The only difference is
that for creator accounts, it needs to be connected to a Facebook page for this
feature to be turned on. Branded content tools are only available in Creator
in business accounts, for partnerships with
brands and influencers. Now moving on to the DMs. The rec messaging filters are available in creator
and business accounts. You'll have access to primary
general and request tabs. These in boxes are
helpful to organize your messages and
control notifications for easier reference. Then Instagram live features. Both personal and
business accounts have access to basic
Instagram live features, while a creator
account has access to additional live features. Then finally, Instagram Music. Both personal and creator
accounts have access to an extensive music library on Instagram and are intended
to create content. However, business accounts can only use royalty free
music on Instagram. In summary, each type
of Instagram account offers unique features tailored
for different purposes. A personal account
is ideal for sharing personal moments and connecting
with friends and family, but it's not designed
for marketing. Now let's clear up any confusion between creator
and business accounts. Creator accounts are perfect for personal brands,
artists, athletes, bloggers, influencers,
and anyone aiming to create content and foster
communities on Instagram. Meanwhile, Business
accounts, suit brands, businesses, and influencers with clear
monetization strategy. Instagram offers
amazing features to support you whichever
professional account you choose. With that understanding,
let's set up your account. Get ready for a quick
demo in the next video.
5. Creating an Instagram Account: To create an Instagram account, the first thing you need to do is download the Instagram app. Go to your devices App Store, either App Store for IOS or
Google Play for Android. Then search for Instagram
and click Download. This will prompt you to download
the app on your device. Then open the app by
tapping the Instagram icon. Now, click on Sign up with
email or phone number. You can enter either your e
mail address or phone number, and then tap next. Then choose a unique user name that represents
you or your brand. For example, my user name
is Christine Sosalz. I combined my name
and what I do, a social media manager, to create a unique user
name for my account. You can also use your first name and last name for
personal brands. Just make sure
that it's concise, yet easy to remember. Then create a strong password and tap next. Now you're in. The next step is to
complete your profile by adding a profile photo
or a brand logo, filling out your name, contact info, and bio section.
6. Understanding Instagram Algorithm and Features: Have you encountered this? Let's say a friend
sends you a couple of cute puppy reels from
Instagram that she enjoyed. You opened those reels, then you actually
found them funny. You enjoyed the content so
much that you liked it and decided to check
out the creator of that reel and binged
on their content. Then you might
also share it with your friends or post
it in your story. A few days later, while mindlessly scrolling
on the reel tab, you found more of those cute puppy videos and
even some similar content. Now, your feed is suggesting
more of those cute puppies. I actually experienced
this recently. My friend kept sending me funny reels and I
enjoyed them so much. I was there laughing at my seat and stayed on the app to
binge on similar content. Well, those my friends are examples of Instagram
algorithms at play. In this lesson, we
are going to dig into Instagram algorithm and
learn how it works. We'll uncover what makes
content appear in your feed and explore how the algorithm shapes your experience
on the app. Imagine the Instagram algorithm
as your personal guide, carefully selecting and
organizing content to make sure that you have the best time scrolling
through your feed. But wait, you might ask me, why do Instagram
algorithms exist? Well, when Instagram started, they used a chronological
feed to display content. You'll see the
latest updates from your friends at the top
of your Instagram feed. However, as more and more
people join the app, it became impossible
to display everything. That's why Instagram developed
and continuously updates a system that displays content based on what the user
cares about the most. Thus, the Instagram algorithm. Instagram's algorithm
is a complex system that decides what users
see on their feed, stories, and explore page. It's not just one algorithm, but a mix of different ones. These algorithms focus on showing content that's relevant, engaging and based on
each user's behavior. As we talk about the algorithms, keep in mind that we also cover each Instagram
feature like reals, stories, and explore page. Each feature has
its own algorithm customized to how users use it. Instagram also uses signals. Signals are information from
activities of the users. From there, they make a
set of predictions or educated guesses at how likely a user will
interact with a post. Each Instagram feature
has different signals. Let's get to know
them one by one. First are feed and stories. These are places where app users want to see
the content of people, they're closest to
such as their friends, families, or communities or brands they care about the most. The signals that algorithms
are looking for are number one is content
information and performance. How popular is the post? What is the content about? How long is the content? Where is the location
of the post, and what type of content is it? Number two is info about the
creator and relationship. Your interaction with
the creator within the past few weeks and how interesting the creator
might be to you. Number three is
your past activity. This is based on
individual preference, what you liked, and what type of content format you
enjoy the most. Next up, we have reels. Reels are designed to entertain users and
stay on the app. Just like my case
example earlier. The majority of content that
you see on your real stab are from people
that you don't know and are related to
your interests. The most important thing to
take note on reels is how likely people are going to watch your reels until the
end of the video. The signals are number
one, your activity, which reels you've liked, commented on, shared, or saved. This curates your real stab based on your interests
and past activity. Number two, interaction
with the creator. Even if you don't
follow the creator, Instagram looks at your
past interaction with the creator and suggests content
that might interest you. Number three, info about the
real such as audio used, quality of the video, the virality factor of the
video or its popularity. And Lastly, info
about the creator. Instagram considers
popularity to help find compelling content
from various creators. This allows each creator
to find their audience. Next top, we have Explore page. This is a unique feature on Instagram meant for
discovering new things. It is like a grid of photos and videos tailored
to your interests. You'll find content and
creators you might enjoy. Based on what you have liked
and engaged with before. For example, if you've been
watching cute puppy videos, your Explorer page might show more puppy content or
even cute cat videos. The signals are number one, popularity or
virality of the post. How many and how
quickly users liked, commented, shared
or saved the post. Number two is history of
interaction with the creator. You might not be following them, but you've somehow interacted with their content in the past. Number three is your
activity and preference, what you've liked, commented on and interacted
with in the past. Finally, number four is
information about the creator. How other users have interacted with the creator in
the recent weeks. To rank high on
Instagram's algorithm, share content that interests your followers and
tells your brand story. Post high quality
photos and videos, and follow Instagram's
community guidelines. In summary, Instagram's
algorithm is a complex system that ranks content based on
various factors. Its goal is to provide the best content and
improve user experience. It adapts and learns
with new technologies. We have covered reals, stories, and likes
in this lesson. Next, we'll explore different Instagram post
formats in more detail.
7. Discovering Instagram Post Formats: From captivating
single photo posts to riding the wave of the
latest trends with reels. Instagram has something
for everyone. In this lesson, we will
explore each Instagram format, including carousels, reels,
broadcast channels, and more. We'll dive into their
special features and figure out the best times to use
each one to its fullest. Instagram offers
various post formats to cater to different content
types and user preferences. First, we have
single photo posts. These are single
high quality photos. It is best for showcasing
a visually striking image. You can highlight products, events, or even moments. It is used to convey
a concise message. You can also add in music along with your photo to
make it more unique. Next up, we have carousel posts. It is used to upload
multiple photos or videos in a single post where views can swipe
through the carrousel. It is best for
storytelling through a sequence of images
to share a photo dump. Display a collection of
products or services, or to share step by step
guides or tutorials. Then we have stories. Stories are vertical,
full screen photos and videos that disappear
after 24 hours. It is best used for
snippets or behind the scenes content,
limited time promotions, and engaging with followers through interactive
features such as pulls, stickers, questions, and more. Next up, this is probably the
hottest topic today, reels. These are short form
videos up to 90 seconds. It offers creative
tools like music, effects, and text overlays. It is best used for entertaining
and engaging content, participating in the
latest trends or challenges in showcasing
creativity and quick tutorials. Then we have Instagram Live. These are real time
livestream videos. During a live,
viewers can interact by commenting or pressing
the reaction buttons. Instagram Live is great for hosting live Q and A sessions, collaborating with
other creators and announcing the
latest brand updates. Overall, Instagram
Live encourages direct engagement with your
audience in real time. Then the most recent feature
is a broadcast channel. Broadcast channels are public, one to many messaging
tools made by the creator. It is designed to help
them directly reach their audience and form
deeper connections with them. This is where creators post their latest updates behind the scenes moments using photos, videos, and voice notes. It is also a great
place to do pulls, question boxes, and even vote on YouTube thumbnails or
reels cover images. In short, Instagram offers many features to help you create and connect
with your audience, building a strong
online community, knowing how to use
each post format, allows you to vary
your content strategy, catering to different
ogens preferences, and boosting your
presence on the platform. Next, we'll delve
into developing an effective content strategy and cover all the
content pillars. See you in the next lesson.
8. Developing an Effective Content Strategy: I hope you found the
earlier lessons helpful. Now, let's dive
into the secrets of creating captivating
Instagram content. In this lesson, we
will focus on crafting an effective content strategy that truly engages
your audience. Our goal, not just
grabbing attention, but sparking meaningful
interactions. Now, let's explore
some key points from successful content
types on Instagram. Number one, visual storytelling
with images and videos. Use high quality visuals
to tell your story. You can try carousels, reels, and other formats to create
engaging narratives. Number two, using reels
for short videos. Reels are perfect for
creative, short form videos. Use them to entertain your audience and showcase
behind the scenes moments. Number three,
interactive content. Encourage user
interactions with polls, quizzes, and questions in
your stories and posts. Engaging content often gets
more visibility on Instagram. Number four, sharing authentic
behind the scenes content. Give your audience a glimpse of your daily operations and team. Authenticity builds
trust and loyalty. Now, here are some tips for creating visually appealing and engaging content that captures attention and sparks
conversations. Number one is investing in high quality visuals with good photography
and videography. Use high resolution images and videos to captivate
your audience. Remember that Instagram is
a visual first platform. Culture prioritizes
aesthetically pleasing content. But how do we do this? Here are a few tips for enhancing your Instagram
marketing visuals. First, master composition, Nail the rule of thirds
for balanced visuals. Experiment with angles and framing to keep
things interesting. Second, chase natural life. Opt for natural light for
vibrant crisp results. Avoid harsh sunlight
favoring soft, diffused light during
the golden hour. Third, craft a story. Make your visuals tell
a compelling story. Whether it's product
showcases behind the scenes glimpses or
customer experiences, ensure your content conveys a clear message and
stirs emotions. Incorporate these tips into your Instagram strategy
for stunning content. For a deep dive
into photography, check out photography
classes here on Skillshare. My personal favorite
is Rose Nenes class, Product Photography, beginners guide to
props and styling. Number two is by writing
captions that captures interest. Craft compelling captions
that compliment your visuals. Tell a story. Include
a compelling hook on your captions and visuals. Ask questions and include a single call to action
to encourage engagement. In writing captions, you can follow popular copywriting
frameworks such as Ida or attention,
interest, desire, action. Another popular
copywriting framework is pass or problem
agitation solution. Number three is by utilizing
the Instagram features. Explore the viruous
features Instagram offers, such as filters,
stickers, and GIFs. Experimenting with
these features can make your content more
dynamic and sharable. Number four, effective
hashtag strategy. Research and incorporate
relevant hashtags to increase the discoverability
of your content. Mix popular and Niche hashtags to reach a
broader audience. We will also cover this topic in more detail in
the next lessons. Number five, engage
with your audience. Respond promptly to comments, direct messages, and mentions. Actively engage
with your audience to build a community
around your brand. Now you're all set. It's the perfect time to start developing your
content strategy. To craft out your
content strategy, let's answer this Instagram workbook to serve as your guide. Before planning
out your content, you can carve out your
strategy for the month, and just pull out this document whenever you are creating. Whether that's weekly, bi
weekly or on a monthly basis. If time permits, I do
suggest doing it weekly or bi weekly to keep your
content fresh and relevant. You can access this workbook
under project instructions. This workbook is available
in the resources section. You can download it and start planning out your
content strategy. The first step is
define your objectives. Clearly outline your
goals on Instagram, whether it's brand awareness, engagement, or driving sales, having a clear objective
guides your content creation. The second step is
know your audience. Understand your target
audience demographics, preferences, interests,
and behaviors, also known as your
customer avatar. List down content types they enjoy and creators they follow. Tailor your content to
resonate with them, ensuring it adds value
to their experience. Then the third step is to
determine your content pillars. Content pillars are
the main topics or themes that form the foundation
of your content strategy. They help guide your
content creation by providing a
structured approach to consistently deliver valuable and relevant
material to your audience. We will discuss all about content pillars in the next
lesson, so stay tuned. Then finally, we have
consistent brand aesthetics. Maintain a cohesive
visual identity. Consistent use of
colors, filters, and themes creates a recognizable brand image
increasing brand recall. Going back to our
Instagram workbook, use this portion to plan out how your
feed will look like. This is where your brand kit
would also come in handy. And that's all about crafting your content strategy
for Instagram. We have laid out a lot
of tips and ideas here. What's next is for you to start strategizing and plotting your content and keep exploring. In the next lesson, we will talk deeper about content pillars and places
to find content ideas.
9. Where to Find Content Ideas: Welcome to another
lesson where we will talk about the world
of content pillars. This will be your
guide in creating a powerful Instagram strategy. We are breaking down
the six E and C, a fool proof formula to keep
your content games strong. Discover how your unique
skills, analytics, and your community
struggles can fuel your creative engine.
Let's dive in. Here are content
pillars to remember along with content
ideas for each pillar. For easy reference, I call it six E and C. This
stands for educate, empower, excite, engage
events, tie and collaborate. First content pillar is Educate. You can do this by sharing informative content related
to your industry or Niche. For example, how to
tutorials and guides, tips and tricks relevant
to your audience, fun facts or industry insights. Second content
pillar is empower. This offers a glimpse into your daily operations or behind the scenes offering
authenticity and connection. You can do this by empowering
your team to share the company culture such
as employee interviews. Sharing office or workspace
tours or sneak peeks. Then we have excite. You can do this by highlighting your products or services
and their benefits. Showcasing product features,
highlighting social proof, and sharing creative ways to use your products are some
ways to build excitement. Fourth content
pillar is engaged. It is done to share
your content that uplifts and inspires
your audience. It must be relatable to
your audience as well. Sharing success stories,
motivational codes, and inspirational messages are some ways to create
engaging content. Fifth content pillar is events. Share content related
to events, occasions, or even social media celebrations
relevant to your brand. You can do this by sharing
live coverage or highlights. For social media celebrations, you can create theme posts, special promotions or
seasonal product launches. Sixth content pillar is entice. You can do this by sharing
user generated content or UGC, customer reviews
or testimonials. This type of content entices
more potential buyers towards your brand and smash
their possible objections. Of course, you need to entice
users to share content too. You can host contests or challenges encouraging
user submissions. Finally, we have collaborate showcase collaborations with
other brands or influencers. You can do co created
content with influencers, joint giveaways or promotions. Collaborating with
brands, influencers or content creators
allows you to tap new markets and drive
traffic to your brand. Now, you don't have to create content for each content pillar. Choose three to four content
pillars per month that you would think would fit for that month's theme and strategy. And would also help
your content planning. What I do advise is to
make sure that you explore different content pillars
and try to find the balance. Moving on, here are more places to find
content inspirations. Sourcing content ideas
from various sources is essential for a well rounded and engaging
Instagram strategy. Let's get to know them more. Number one is your
unique skill or experience or passion as
a creator or business. This allows you to
showcase authenticity. Authenticity builds a
stronger connection with your audience as
they get to know the real person or story
behind the content. In addition, your
unique perspective, skills, or experiences set
you apart from others. By creating content around
what makes you unique, you differentiate yourself
in a crowded digital space. Are you a fitness trainer, a photographer, or
even a cake baker? Share your expertise, passion, or unique experiences and incorporate it into
your content strategy. Number two is from
your insights and analytics for data
driven decision making. Analyzing your Instagram
analytics provides valuable insights
into what content resonates most with
your audience. Look at which type of content your audience
enjoys the most. Analyzing the demographics of your audience is
equally important. You can refine your approach based on the content formats, themes or captions that
generate higher engagement. Ultimately, improving
the overall performance of your Instagram account. You can refine your approach based on the content formats, themes or captions that
generate higher engagement ultimately improving
the overall performance of your Instagram account. Number three is finding your community's common
struggles or questions. Addressing the common
struggles or questions of your community demonstrates that you value your audience's needs. This ugen centric approach
fosters a sense of community and shows that you are tuned in to their interests. Creating content that
directly speaks to the challenges or queries
of your community, makes your content more
relevant and relatable. Number four is from
relevant industry news. Keep abreast of the latest news and trends in your industry. Follow reputable sources,
subscribe to newsletters, and set up news alerts
to stay informed about developments that
matter to your audience. You can share key takeaways, insights or summaries
of industry news. Break down complex topics into digestible content that
your audience can easily understand all
while incorporating your personal touch and
expertise in the field. To summarize, it's
important to gather content ideas from
different sources to keep your content
fresh and relevant. By incorporating ideas
from various sources, you create a comprehensive
content strategy that reflects your unique voice, data driven optimization, and understanding
of your audience. This approach not only keeps
your content engaging, but also strengthens the bond between you and your followers, building a loyal and
supportive community.
10. Discoverability on Instagram (Hashtags and Keywords): Hashtags and keywords aren't just random symbols and phrases. They are your secret weapons for boosting discoverability
on Instagram. But here's the plot twist. Hashtags alone won't sky
rocket your Instagram growth. It's time to move beyond the old Hashtag strategies
and embrace a new approach. Forget about the magic
number of Hashtags. Instead, let your
content strategy and messaging take the lead. In this lesson, we will dive into the nitty
gritty of Hashtags. Then we will answer a workbook together to jumpstart
your Hashtag research. If you're going to ask me, are hashtags and keywords
important for Instagram? My answer is a big yes, and it is mainly
because of two reasons, enhance visibility and
content categorization. Hash tugs and keywords
serve as search parameters, significantly enhancing the discoverability
of your content. Users often explore content by searching for or following
specific hash tugs, making it a powerful tool
for increasing reach. In addition, Hashtags
categorize your content, making it easier for
users interested in specific topics to find
relevant posts like yours. This organization contributes to a more streamlined and
enjoyable user experience. However, hashtags aren't the
key to Instagram growth. In fact, they are just a
piece of a big puzzle. They do help categorize
your content so that your target audience may be able to find your
content better. Now that we've set the
expectations with hashtags, let's dive deeper into it. You don't have to dump a bunch of hashtags like we used to. Yes, you can still include 30
hashtags to your captions, but you don't have to anymore. With the advancement of technology and with
the rise of AI. The algorithm also reads the keywords in your
graphics and your captions. With that being said, we now have a new approach
in Hashtag research. Here are some key outdated
hashtag strategies and what to do instead. First outdated
Hashtag strategy is relying solely on hashtags
for Instagram growth. What to do instead
is to focus on your content strategy
and messaging more. Is it reaching the
right audience? Is your content
relatable or enjoyable? Second outdated tug
strategy is listening to different gurus telling you
to use only three hashtugs, then others say use ten, while others say use 30 htugs? It might have worked
for them, yes, but you will only get
confused which one to follow. Now, the best thing to do is to decide based on your
insights and analytics. Test different sizes of hashtag sets before you
decide on your sweet spot. Now, let's get into the
meat of discussion. Hashtugs are all
about relevancy. Relevancy in the sense
that once you've chosen your content pillars and laid
out your content strategy, you need to make sure
that you are choosing htugs that are relevant to
what you are talking about. Hashtags should be
relevant to three things. Your content topic, your
visuals, and your niche. Number one is your topic. Add hashtags relevant
to the topic or what you are talking
about in that specific post. Number two is your visuals. Add relevant hashtags on what
you can see on that post. Is it a workspace, a travel destination
or a product? Number three is your niche. Add hashtags that relate to
your niche or what you do. Now, let's have a
look at this example. In our table here, we have questions to ask examples and possible
hashtags to use. For example, your industry is skincare, specifically
vegan skincare. And you are posting
about a tutorial video on skincare routine
incorporating your products. You can use Hashtag Easy
morning routine or Hashtag, get ready with me
morning routine. Then for your visuals, let's say you are showing a glowy skin or your
skincare product. You can use the Hashtags
Hashtag glowy skin and Hashtag clean
skin care products. Finally, for your niche, you can use Hashtag
vegan skincare, Hashtag clean beauty movement, and hashtag genderless beauty. Make sure those hashtags
are relevant to your niche. You can totally DIY your
Hashtag research by using the Instagram search
feature and do this exercise. Now, if you are
ready to invest in paid apps for Hashtag
research and strategy, I would definitely
recommend Flick Hashtags. Slay dot SO is another Hashtag tool used
by popular creators. Aside from your hashtags, make sure that
relevant keywords are also sprinkled
throughout your content. Keywords in your visuals, text on screen, your
hook statement, and in your caption. The algorithm also
reads those parts, which helps categorize
your content on Instagram. Now, that is all about Hashtags. In summary, hashtags are one of the key elements that contributes to your
Instagram growth. Relying entirely on Hashtags
isn't a strategy at all. You have to look at your whole
content strategy and test out your content and pair it
with different hashtag sets. Remember that hashtags
are all about relevancy. Now, let's put these
into practice. Head over to the next lesson for a quick practice about
hashtags. Good luck.
11. Quick Practice: Following our steps in the previous lesson
about Hashtags, fill in the table to practice your Hashtag
research skills. You don't need to use
Paid apps for this. Simply head to Instagram and use the search bar
and start practicing. You can do this
for your business, your own Instagram account, or for a sample business. Totally your choice.
12. Instagram Insights: So why do we need to
understand Instagram insights? Because it is a
powerful analytics tool provided by Instagram to help businesses and creators understand how their
content is performing. It offers valuable insights
into the audience, content reach, and
engagement metrics. Accessible for Instagram
business accounts and creator accounts. Insights is instrumental in refining content strategies
and optimizing performance. Let's get to know
each key metrics. Number one is reach. It represents the
total number of unique users who have
seen your content. It indicates the potential
size of your audience and how effectively your
content is being distributed. Then number two, we
have engagement. It measures the total interactions
your content receives, including likes, comments,
shares, and saves. High engagement signifies that your content is resonating
with your audience, contributing to
increased visibility. Number three is impressions. This indicates the total number of times your content
has been displayed, including multiple views
from the same user. It provides insights into how frequently your content
is being viewed, aiding and understanding
its overall impact. Now, insights are helpful, so you can optimize your content and make
data driven decisions. Here's how you can use your insights to refine
your content strategy. First, audience demographics. Leverage data on
your followers age, location, and gender to tailor content to
your target audience. Then we have content
performance. Identify top
performing posts and understand the elements
contributing to their success. Analyze the type of content resonating most
with your audience. Whether that's reels,
casels, stories, and more. Then we have optimal
posting times. Use insights to determine when your audience is most active. Schedule posts during peak times to maximize visibility
and engagement. Next up, we have
follower growth. Track changes in your
follower count over time. Analyze periods of
growth or decline and correlate them with
specific content or campaigns. Then hashtag performance. Analyze the performance of
posts with different hashtags. Identify which
hashtags contribute most to reach and engagement. Next up, engagement metrics. Understand the type of content that generate the
highest engagement. Adjust your strategy based
on insights into likes, comments, shares, and saves. Finally, we have story insights. Evaluate the performance
of Instagram stories. Learn which elements such
as pulse or quizzes, drive the most interaction. In the next minute demo, let's speak into Instagram insights together.
I'll see you there. Now, we are going to
explore Instagram insights. To check out your insights, I will be using my
Christine socials because I have here
some insights already. Go to your profile, and then up here, you'll see the
professional dashboard. So let's click that. And it will take you to your
professional dashboard. So far, this is the overview
of your performance. You have here accounts reached, accounts engaged, total followers and the
content that you shared. First, let's explore
the account reached. Up here, you have
an option to check the last 30 days or
the previous month, and you'll see here a graph
of the accounts reached. So you have the non followers
and also the followers. Your impressions are right here, and you'll see the
reach by content type. It shows that you can
reach more people That are non followers
through your reels, and then you can connect with your followers
through your stories. Down here, you have the top content and you can
select C to check it out. At the bottom right here, you'll have the
profile activity So these insights measure
the number of actions people take when they
engage with your profile. The visits are the number of times your profile was visited, and external link taps, the number of taps on any of the links on your
Instagram profile, and business address taps, the number of times your business address on
your profile was tapped. So let's go back. Next, let's check out the accounts engaged. So in here, you'll see the insights on the accounts that you have successfully
engaged with. So it shows that I was
able to engage with more followers the past
month than non followers. And by content type, you'll see here
stories, post reels. Now, when we scroll down, you'll see the top content based on engagement right here, and we have here the
content interactions and post interactions. Then we also have here
top post based on likes, reels interactions,
story interactions. If you want to save your insights, just
simply screenshot, and then save this in a presentation or in a folder so that you can
see your insights better. We also have here
total followers. And you'll see the insights
of your followers. You'll see the growth
overall follows and follows. At the bottom, you'll
see the top location, top countries, and
the age range, and also the gender
of your audience. We also have here the most active times
of your followers. So we have here the rs and
the You also have here the content that you shared for the last 30 days
and the insights. Now here, you have
the tools that you can use on your
professional dashboard. So you have the achievements, add tools, branded content, save replies, frequently ask questions and
monetization activity. And then finally, down here, you have tips and resources, so you can check out
inspiration from other creators on what's
trending on Instagram. That is all about
Instagram insights and make sure that you check out your insights frequently so that you can optimize
your content strategy
13. Final Thoughts: Congratulations on
completing this class. We covered a lot of
ground together. First, we explore the world
of Instagram for businesses, highlighting its visual appeal and importance for
marketing success. Next, we walk through setting up your Instagram
business account, guiding you through the
process step by step. We also delved into
Instagram's algorithm, helping you understand
how it works and how to leverage it for a
great user experience. Crafting a killer content
strategy was our next focus, tailoring it to your brand and audience to keep things
fresh and engaging. We shared secrets for sourcing fresh content ideas and unlocking the power of
hashtags and keywords. Now that you've gained a comprehensive understanding
of Instagram marketing, it's time to put your
knowledge into action. Start strategizing,
creating content, and engaging with
your audience to build a thriving
presence on Instagram. Remember, mastery
comes with practice, so don't hesitate to dive in and get hands on with Instagram. As we bring this
class to a close, whether you had a
fantastic time or found it incredibly
valuable or both, please consider
leaving a review. Your feedback is invaluable and helps shape future classes, ensuring they continue to
inspire and empower others. To leave a review, simply head to reviews. Click on eave Review. Answer a short questionnaire
and hit Submit review. Your thoughts
contribute to spreading more creative joy and shaping the future of
learning experiences. Thank you for being
part of this journey, and I wish you all the
best as you continue to explore and Excel in the
world of Instagram marketing. If digital marketing,
content planning, and productivity are your thing, hit that follow
button to stay in the loop about new
classes and giveaways. Don't forget to join
the class project. If you're sharing your
work on Instagram, tag me at Christine
Social's and at Skillshare. I can't wait to see your creations until
next time by for now.
Kristine Sacdalan, Digital Marketer & Course Creator
