How long will it take?
This of course depends on the amount of work you put into promoting yourself and posting on the platform but with some consistency it usually takes 6-12 months to reach 1k. After that you have the momentum and growing your following will become easier. After you surpass 2k followers you will be considered a micro-influencer!
Instagram terms you should know:
Instagram handle = your name on Instagram should be memorable so people can easily find your account (when using Instagram search)
# hashtags = are used to describe topic of the post, they help people find relevant content on Instagram (when using Instagram search)
blue tick = the badge, placed next to the user’s name, establishes that the account is an ‘authentic presence of a notable public figure, celebrity, or global brand’
highlights = circles under main Instagram picture, often used to represent services of the company
Private or Business?
The main difference between private and business account is that private accounts can be hidden from general public and only visible upon request, but private accounts do not show engagement statistics.
PROS OF A
Business Account
- Contact button
- Address & location
- Follower Analytics
- Ad capabilities
PROS OF A
Private Account
- Private setting
- Higher organic reach
- Ability to connect multiple Facebook pages & profiles
Other things worth knowing..
- if you choose to follow an account, posts from that account will start showing in your feed (Home icon in Instagram).
- it is the best for your brand if the number of followers is higher than the number of people you follow.
- some posts in your feed will say ‘Sponsored’ – all of these these are adverts! Anyone can advertise like this, but this is a paid service (you pay Instagram to show adverts, to people who may be interested in your services). To advertise on Instagram you don’t even need to have an instagram account! But you do need to have money to advertise (just like Google adverts) and it is a complex thing to set up.
- it is important to post content which people want to see. For example if you own a beauty business people may prefer to see a picture of you (owner/ ambassador), rather than picture of a treatment. But this does not mean they won’t be tempted to book a treatment anyway. Also, it is more important that people comment on the content than just like the content. It is a good idea to look at other successful accounts and see what content they post. Different types of posts could include: promotional posts, beauty tips, selfies, posts from events, before and after photos, etc…
- it is important to analyse and adjust your posts. For example if you notice weekend posts are more popular you may want to post an offer on the weekend. Or you may notice that posting selfies results in increased following, you will naturally try to create more of such posts.
The Challenge
In order to succeed you will need a little research, some strategy and most of all consistency. But we are here to help. It’s now or never, the quicker you start the better! Tell us about your journey in the comments. Let us know how long it took you to reach the 1k follower mark!
If you need help with your social media g or would like us to do it for you call now: + 44 (0)7513 633 470
