What is your best tip/Instagram trend idea for solopreneurs who aren’t into Instagram but should be?
To help solopreneurs discover the best Instagram marketing trends, we asked social media managers and marketing professionals this question for their best insights. From starting off with content you’re comfortable with to having a budget for paid ads, there are several tips that may help solopreneurs venture into Instagram marketing to boost brand awareness.
Here are Your Instagram marketing ideas for 2022:
Start Off With Content You’re Comfortable With
One of the best Instagram marketing ideas I could give a solopreneur who isn’t too informed, or interested, with working on Instagram is to start off by posting content they’re comfortable with posting! Most businesses and entrepreneurs have already been in the Instagram posting game for a while now, so it can certainly be daunting for a solopreneur who hasn’t ever thought of giving it a chance to expand their products, business, or ideas.
While it can also be challenging to even understand what trends are popular and effective on the platform, all solopreneurs who aren’t into Instagram should post pictures, videos, stories, or any general content that they feel is cool or creative. It can be very stressful to see how every one of your Instagram posts does with likes and interactions, or if it even reached your target audience, so you should always start off as open and creative as possible with your content. Regardless of the trends and gimmicks, show content you’re comfortable with!
Chris Hunter, ServiceTitan
Supercharge Awareness for Your Brand Using IGTV
I run an online content creation business in the power tools niche as a solopreneur. What I learned is that if you have a product that can be shown visually, then creating an IGTV channel to showcase your products and provide use cases can be of incredible value. This can also be an alternative revenue stream in which you market other products via affiliate links within your industry.
Mogale Modisane, Power Tools Blog
Use Cross-Platform and AI-Powered Social Tools
If you’re already building a presence on other social platforms, making a move to include Instagram in the mix can be relatively painless, costing you virtually no extra time. Streamline your social media processes with a cross-platform social media scheduling tool, like Hootsuite, and share the same posts you create for Facebook or TikTok on Instagram, too. You can publish on multiple platforms simultaneously and answer DMs and comments from the same space.
Try an AI-powered system to repurpose your content for an even more hands-off strategy. When you create one content piece, like a blog post, the system automatically converts it into dozens of social media posts.
James Diel, Textel
Leverage Your Instagram Bio
Even if you’re not into Instagram, you can still leverage the platform to source new business and channel prospects into your sales funnel. To do so, first make sure to choose a username which is easily recognizable and distinctly associated with your brand. This makes it easier for users to find you when they conduct a keyword search, which is great for your overall visibility.
Next, turn your attention to your profile picture. Make sure to use a professional logo or high-quality headshot, and keep it consistent across the platforms you use. This strengthens your credibility and makes people more trusting of the content that you produce.
Finally, the bio itself: not unlike an elevator pitch, this is where you communicate your market value in a concise and compelling fashion. As a solopreneur, this part is crucial. In 150 characters or less, it must be clear who you are, what you do, and for whom. Once these aspects are complete, your profile will be optimized for attracting clients.
Patrick Casey, Felix
Utilize #discoveredonreels Feature
Excessive options can be overwhelming, especially with so many songs and reels on Instagram, finding the one that is popular can be quite a hustle. For a solopreneur, assuming that they have a lot of work on hand, scrolling 1-2 hours a day is a waste of time.
Thanks to an updated version of Instagram, now you can easily select your songs from #DiscoveredOnReels. It shows all the trendy songs that the majority of the users are using on Instagram.
You simply have to go through the reel, then audio just like you upload and in audio, you’ll have to swipe down until you find the #DiscoveredOnReels feature. You can find new songs that are trending and the old songs will be removed automatically that aren’t gaining that much engagement. Everyone knows how reels are super beneficial for gaining instant subscribers and views. And this feature just makes the process much easier.
Meera Watts, Siddhi Yoga International Pte. Ltd.
Hire an Expert Instagram Photographer
If you’re not into Instagram, I get it. It’s a lot of work to create a highly curated feed and build up your following, which is why so many solopreneurs are scared of it. But I’m here to tell you: it’s worth it.
Instagram is the place where people go to find new brands and products, and it’s a great way to build community around your brand. And the best part? You don’t have to be an expert at taking photos or editing them—your followers can help with that! If you’re not into photography or graphic design yourself, then hire someone else who is good at those things and let them do their thing while you focus on what matters most: creating amazing products and telling a compelling story through your content.
Nick Cotter, Growann
Create Helpful Data in a Gallery Format
Personally, I hate standing in front of a camera and talking as part of Instagram – it’s just not me. I also found that, as an SEO consultant, I would just be talking about different tools and data, and what they mean for an SEO strategy.
I pivoted to creating simple galleries filled with tips and actionable data e.g. ‘4 low-cost link-building approaches’, and they’ve worked incredibly well in not only building an engaged audience on Instagram, but also they can easily be repurposed for other social media platforms. The best bit? My face stays well away from the video!
James Taylor, James Taylor SEO Consultancy
Use Branded Hashtags to Boost Reach
Newcomers to Instagram should be aware that approximately 70% of hashtags on the platform are branded. Hashtags are an excellent way to boost your presence. Instagram users use hashtags to find the content they enjoy, and including these hashtags in your Instagram posts will help you be noticed.
Use hashtags to boost the reach of your advertising. You can see what hashtags other competitors in your industry are using to get a clue about branded hashtags. If you’re posting about a new product, you might want to include your branded hashtags. However, using a combination of branded and community hashtags will result in more engaging content.
Samantha Odo, Precondo
Use a Bio Link Tool
Instagram is a great way to get ahead as a creator, but not every solopreneur can manage adding another platform into their arsenal. If you’re strapped for time, use Instagram as a base station instead. By linking your website, social media, and other platforms within your bio section, it ensures that users can find you wherever you are on the internet.
As Instagram limits you to just one link per bio, I recommend using a bio link tool like Linktree. Linktree conveniently lets you link out to several websites from a single secure URL. It’s free to use, brand customizable, and even keeps track of visitors who check out your page and click on your links. This means that if you’re selling tickets to a webinar or launching a product promotion, you don’t have to pick between linking to one or the other. You can present both and more, ensuring that none of your profile traffic goes to waste. Even if you don’t use Instagram regularly, this is a great way to make the most out of the platform.
Max Wesman, GoodHire
Highlight Good Testimonials
Instagram’s Highlights feature allows you to save and organize other users’ product testimonials in one place. Whenever someone shares an Instagram Story about our product, we’re able to place it into a Highlight with every other testimonial. This gives users who are seeking testimonials a convenient way to watch as many of these real customer reviews as they want, giving credibility to our brand.
People are wary of purchasing products from Instagram ads because they want to see enough good reviews. Using Instagram’s Highlights tool can give potential customers the confidence to buy.
Oliver Zak, Mad Rabbit
Organize All Your Social Media With a Scheduling Tool
As a solopreneur in the travel industry, Instagram and other social media platforms are invaluable tools for growing my business and for keeping my brand relevant. I use Planoly as my visual planner tool and highly recommend it to all solopreneurs. I have found it to be the most user-friendly scheduler out there.
Those who are hesitant about adding Instagram to their social media portfolio are usually reluctant due to concerns about scheduling and planning additional content. But this tool has been a real game-changer for me. I can plan a week or even a month ahead, scheduling everything from posts to stories. And best of all, I can coordinate my content across all my social media platforms.
Using an easy and interactive tool like Planoly and consistently posting across social media, including Instagram, has increased my engagement tenfold.
Todd Sarouhan, Go Visit San Diego
Take Advantage of Templates To Make Tasks Easier
As a solopreneur myself, I know how difficult it is to get everything done each day. Luckily, online marketing is my zone of genius, which makes it easier to fit social media marketing into my daily task list. If you’re a solopreneur who’s not social media savvy, the easiest way to make Instagram an easier task to manage is to use templates.
Caption templates. Graphic Templates. Stock Photos. Stock Videos. The pre-made and done-for-you content that already exists is here to make your life easier so use it! In fact, my best-selling product is a collection of over 100 Instagram Caption Templates for Service Providers. People in every industry are able to use these templates and apply them to their brands. From photographers to bookkeepers – I’ve seen it all! If you haven’t integrated a template into your strategy yet, now’s the time!
Marissa Pane, Pane Marketing
Have a Budget for Paid Ads
Instagram is a very crowded place, and the organic reach on Instagram is <5%. This means that if you’re starting out fresh, it’s going to take a long time for you to get noticed. That’s if you get noticed at all. Instead, I’d definitely recommend setting aside some cash for paid ads. There are tons of things you can do when it comes to paid advertising on Instagram. Some brand awareness or lead generation campaigns might be a great place to start, though!
Which of these Instagram Marketing Ideas Will You Try?
If you’re an entrepreneur who’s been avoiding Instagram, it’s time to try one of these Instagram marketing ideas. Not only are they easy to execute, but they can also be extremely effective in helping you grow your business. Whether you use Highlights to showcase testimonials or use a scheduler to make content planning easier, there are plenty of options that are easy enough for you to try.
Ravi Davda, Rockstar Marketing
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