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Photograph courtesy of Your Social Team
2018 has been a tough year for business on social media. The new Facebook algorithm has made that platform a challenge for many companies. Meanwhile on Instagram, engagement is down by a huge percentage; we gain ten followers and lose nine, and everyone is pulling their hair out. But we assure you, there’s no need to panic.
There are things we can do! Here are five tips from Manu Muraro, founder of Your Social Team, to stay relevant and grow your Instagram following in the current landscape:
Provide value
With 70 percent of all American businesses, countless influencer accounts, and everyone’s personal profiles on Instagram, the competition for screen real estate is fierce! People follow too many accounts and will only really notice you, follow, engage, and care if you’re providing real value. So make your account a service in its own. Offer tips, resources, or entertainment. Offer them all and you’ll go far.
Photograph courtesy of Your Social Team
Invest in content
You may have many strategies to grow your account, like giveaways and influencer marketing, but at the end of the day, nothing will help you if you’re content isn’t great. So my tip is to focus on content first (and forever and ever). Work with a photographer whenever possible, improve your phone photography and editing skills, curate beautiful images, create videos, learn to tell a story, and craft better captions to generate real engagement.
Get in front of new audiences
Once your content is top notch, you should focus on collaborations and partnerships. It’s like inviting people to a party: we always want them to arrive after the house is clean, right? So once your feed is ready, collaborate with like-minded brands, work with influencers, go take over someone’s account, host and participate in events. Any actions that will bring new visitors to your beautiful profile will help you grow.
Do more Instagram Stories
With the new algorithm hitting our feeds hard, we should shift our focus to stories and all its many tools. Stories can no longer just be an afterthought but a strategic mix of content that both looks great and adds value. Plus, the algorithm favors accounts who use all tools.
Photograph courtesy of Your Social Team
Keep up with the new trends
Instagram changes at a very fast pace. So be on top of the trends by following great accounts, reading blogs, and never stop learning. Join one of our workshops if you’re interested in learning more.
xoxo,
Manu, founder of Your Social Team
