We’re Halfway Through 2020 - Time to Check In On Your Instagram!
I’m never one to wish away time or be glad that time is flying so fast, but I can’t say I’m particularly sad to say good riddance to Q1 and Q2 of 2020. Anyone else feeling this way?
One thing that COVID-19 exploding in 2020 did for social media is highlight how important it is not only to have a strong social media presence, but also to have a strong strategy for your social media.
How many times over the past couple of months have you found yourself asking, “What do I post now?” in the midst of so much uncertainty?
If your social media strategy was strong, you probably had a leg up when answering this question.
So now that we’re looking forward to the second half of this crazy year, it’s time to check in on your social media. Pull up your Instagram page and follow along with me…
YOUR BIO
How does your bio look? Do you have…
An identifiable profile picture of you or your brand logo?
A non-fluffy description so when I’m spending the 2.5 SECONDS most people spend to determine whether to follow you or not, I immediately get what you or your brand is about?
A bio that matches the bios on your website and other social channels to ensure you’re consistent?
A way to easily get in touch with you? Don’t make people click all through your website just to end up on a contact form.
A link to your website to learn more?
If you have a Linktree, make sure it’s updated and only has 3-5 links max.
Need some inspiration? See below. Use your iPhone notes to create the emoji lists and then paste these into your bio. Note you only have 150 characters.
WOULD YOU WANT TO FOLLOW YOU?
Get on your desktop and zoom out on your feed. Would you want to follow you? What is missing? Are your images and videos appealing? Is there a photo of your face in the last 9 photos? People want to work with people. Now get to work on planning some posts out so you’re more consistent and strategic.
See below as an example of how we helped take Honey & Lavender Events’ feed from random to strategic and beautifully curated.
INSTAGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
On Instagram, how are your highlights? These are easy to forget about and abandon. Do you need to delete any that aren’t relevant any longer? Do you need to create some fresh Instagram Highlight covers? What do you need to talk more about in Stories to create new highlights? Think about your FAQs.
LOOKING FORWARD
Now… what are your social media goals for 2020? Is it a bigger follower count? Is it to post 5 times a week? Is it to make more connections so you gain a loyal customer base? Is it to showcase your work more cleanly? Make sure you know your goals.
Do you have enough content readily available to execute your goals? Might be time to plan a (socially distanced) photo and video shoot so you have a batch of images and videos to pull from to ensure you are consistent and strategic. It doesn’t even have to be with a photographer. Set your iPhone on a tripod, bring in different outfits and record a few videos to post over time.
Finally, do you have time carved out to plan out your content? And do you know when you’re going to go out and engage with existing followers and new accounts to bring them to your profile and hopefully make that follower count climb? These are two of the most important things you can do to grow.
Friends, don’t save your social media posts for 9pm on the couch when you’re exhausted and expect to gain any followers. In fact, you just may be losing followers if posting on Instagram is an afterthought. Now it’s more important than ever to be present on social media while we don’t have stores, restaurants, in-person conversations, or events to rely on anymore!
You can do this! Give your Instagram a healthy update and spend time strategizing for the remainder of 2020 and you’ll have a leg up over all your competition. 😉
Have questions? Shoot our team an email at hello@pinckneypalm.com.
-Erin, Founder & CEO