Improve Your Instagram With These Simple Solutions

If you've seen my Instagram lately, you've probably seen the six biggest mistakes I think you might be making when it comes to organic growth. I've focused most of my business energy into Instagram for the last year and a half, and I've noticed a huge difference in number and quality of leads. I want everyone to know that they can do it too! The best news of all? These common mistakes have simple solutions.

#1 You Aren't Utilizing Instagram Stories

Not every follower will see your post in their feed, but they will see your story, especially if you update frequently. Consider these points:

Post Instagram stories throughout the day instead of all at once. This give you a higher chance of engagement.
Make it personal. Share your face, your life, what you love, and what you think is funny. People want to know who is behind the brand.
Provide closed captions for your stories. This provides accessibility to those who are deaf or hard of hearing, and the 40% of viewers who watch stories without sound. (I personally tend to tap through any story of someone talking if there aren't captions.)

#2 You Aren't Maximizing Post Options

Make sure when you're posting you include as much information as possible. This includes:

Tagging clients and vendors in the caption
Tagging clients and vendors in the photo
Setting the location
Providing relevant hashtags

More tags = more engagement. Keep in mind that Instagram is currently favoring saves and shares over likes and comments. Create content that people will want to share or save for later.

#3 You're Copy and Pasting Hashtags

Using the exact same hashtags on every single post signals spam to Instagram. Without realizing it, you could be shadowbanned, which means your posts will no longer show up under those hashtags.

Stuck on what hashtags to use? I dedicate two whole pages to hashtags in my Wedding Pro Work Book, but the main thing you want to do is put yourself in the client's shoes. What kind of terms would they be searching in order to find you or your services? What areas do you serve? What kind of clients do you serve?

#4 You Aren't Tagging Vendors

Posting a photo or video from a wedding, event, or styled shoot? Make sure you TAG EVERY VENDOR. Here's why:

CREDIT. Do you know why your feed looks so good? Because a TON of people put in the work to create those images! They deserve to be credited for their work, both by tagging the post and crediting/tagging them in the caption.
ENGAGEMENT. Do you know what happens when you tag every vendor from an event? They come to see and engage with your post! They'll give you a like, sometimes a comment, and will likely share your post to their story for all their followers to see. Tagging multiplies the number of eyes on your work.

Make sure you include a location on the post, too. If someone is looking at other posts from that venue, they'll see yours!

#5 You Aren't Providing A Call To Action

If you're sharing something that you want somebody to like, comment, share, or save, let them know!

On websites, a page without a call to action can be referred to as a "dead end." Guide your followers to do exactly what you want them to do, and make it easy for them to do it. A few examples include:

"Save this for later so you don't forget!"
"Share with someone who needs to hear this!"
"Tell me what you think about it in the comments!"

#6 You Aren't Telling People Where You Are

Even if you travel or serve a large area, make sure people know where you're based. You can do this a few ways:

Make sure a location is set on your profile page
Tag a location on all of your post
Make sure when a viewer clicks through to your website, they see a location or service area
Use relevant location hashtags like #AnnapolisWeddingVideographer and #MarylandWedding

Instagram, when fully utilized as a business tool, can get you SO much organic engagement, leads, and bookings. Apply these methods and track your growth over time. It won't be instantaneous, but consistency + time = results!