If you have a business and have started or are thinking about setting up a business account on Instagram, you’ve probably already read a bunch of material on how to create a successful Insta account. But what about the things you should avoid, steer clear of, or, simply not do? Keep reading to find out five key Instagram don’ts when starting your business.
Don’t start without a plan
If you really want your business Instagram to start off on the right foot, you need to plan before you start. Make sure you:
- Know why you started your business Instagram account
- Have a VERY clear idea about what you plan to share on your feed – and already have content
- Know who your audience is and why your content will be valuable to them
- Set short term, long term, and overall goals for the account
Indeed, planning your Instagram strategy and defining your unique value proposition on Instagram before getting started is so key to avoid falling into the trap of imitating existing content (more on this later). Keep in mind that your plan can and will change as you grow your account, gain more followers, and test your content to see what works. And that’s totally fine. Just ensure that you are always staying true to your brand and its products or services. Some of the other points fall under the “planning” heading one way or another, we thought it was crucial to give it its own section to show how important it truly is to know what and how you’re going to execute your business social channel.
Don’t imitate another account
Instagram has been around for quite a while now, so it can be easy to subconsciously draw inspiration from some of your favourite brands and influencers. Inspiration is fine, but it becomes unoriginal and even problematic once you start relying on content from other people to influence your own feed. Therefore, make a conscious effort not to imitate another account (or accounts).
Ways to avoid imitating other Instagram accounts:
- Define your value proposition – You want your Instagram to truly and authentically reflects your brand, and you need to do this by clearly communicating what you offer to both yourself and your audience. Write down the key info you seek to share, educate, and/or entertain your followers with, and ensure that every single piece of content you post ladders back to those key points. And, of course, those should also ladder back to what your company stands for. Never forget the unique value you’re bringing and never forget to communicate it to your audience.
- Listen to your followers – As mentioned, you may not be aware of the inspiration you’re drawing from Instagram accounts you really admire. Thus, if you notice your followers commenting that you’re copying someone else, take it seriously and do some investigating. Are these one-off instances of similar content choices that happen to be similar, or have you been unknowingly mimicking another account’s style? If you’re confident that it was a coincidence, and, better yet, if you don’t even follow the Insta in question, keep doing your thing. But, if you realize you’re biting someone’s content or overall look, revisit tip number one and get back to defining your unique value proposition. Either way, don’t become defensive if you’re being accused – take your followers’ opinions into consideration and approach their concerns with understanding and respect.
- Create original content – Going on a trip soon? Attending a conference? Saw the opportunity for an amazing photo op while hanging out with friends? Is the light hitting your products “just so”? Keep your eyes open and your cell phone ready for chances to create original content to share with your followers. You definitely want to create a social media calendar and plan your posts, but there’s always room to add some new, spur of the moment images to your Instagram story or save them for future use. Original content is super important and will allow you to demonstrate your creativity while also selling your product or service.
- Don’t stress too much – While you definitely should listen to your followers, you should also listen to yourself! Don’t be too hard on yourself if your content is looking a little bit too much like someone else’s as you’re starting out. Your theme will inevitably evolve, and even if you do plan your content and do your best to be original, it takes time to hit your stride when it comes to developing an Instagram feed that you’re truly proud of.
Don’t be inconsistent
When someone follows you, they are doing so for a reason. And that reason may be that they’re already a customer, they’re interested in what you’re selling, or (but hopefully AND) they simply like your content. But that follow will likely be fleeting if members of your audience realize you never actually post. You may not have a product or service that warrants daily posts multiple times a day (each industry has different standards), but you need to be consistent. Consistency is what followers engaged with your brand not only on Instagram but potentially on your other socials and your website.
Ways to ensure your content is consistent:
- Set realistic posting goals – It’s great if you have grand plans to post every day three times a day, but is it feasible for you? Don’t set too high of expectations for your audience or yourself – you don’t want to come across as unreliable on social media, because people may perceive you as being unreliable in your work as well! Instead, think about the type of content you will produce, how much you can produce, and how to spread it out comfortably so that your followers are happy, and you don’t feel like you’re dedicating your entire life to posting on Instagram. By being realistic about how often you can share content, you’re less likely to fall off the wagon due to feelings of discouragement and will instead feel empowered and on the ball.
- Be open with your followers – You’re more likely to achieve your goals if you communicate them with others. The same goes for posting consistently. Once you’ve evaluated your content situation and are set on the number of times you’ll post a week, let your followers know. In one of your early posts, introduce yourself and your brand, let your audience know what your content is all about, and add a quick note letting them know how often you plan to post. Alternatively, let your followers know when you’re taking time off for the holidays or need to unplug for a couple of days. Everyone is entitled to some downtime, but don’t have your followers waiting for an explanation; let me know beforehand when you know you’re going to take some time away from your feed.
- Create a content calendar – We’ve shared a bunch of resources for social media planning and scheduling on previous blog posts because it is sooo important. In fact, when you’re starting your business Instagram account, it’s absolutely crucial! By utilizing Sprout Social, Loomly, or even the trusty Excel spreadsheet, you’ll be able to effectively plan and execute your social media strategy without scrambling to figure out what to share every day. Take some time to develop your content calendar at least a month in advance. Then, you can schedule your posts using Social Pilot or Tailwind once they’re good to go. This way, you can monitor how different types of posts are doing, as well as give you time to focus on other areas of your business.
- Leverage Instagram stories – If you’re struggling with creating consistent content on your feed, why not utilize Instagram stories?! This is such a great way to share more casual content and get to know your followers through Q&As, polls, and even short video clips or vlogs. When your profile pic is at the top of your audience’s main page, they will be less likely to wonder where you are, and, even better, they’ll be more likely to see you as a person and your brand as accessible. Just don’t forget to save your story content to your Insta highlights!
Don’t expect immediate success
We often notice when someone or something goes viral, but we often fail to appreciate is the hours of hard work it took to get to that level of recognition. In fact, many popular videos can be online for years before gaining that huge influx of views. Similarly, when just starting your business Instagram account, don’t expect to be an immediate social media success. AND, don’t fall into the trap of believing that social media virality = business success.
While you do want to engage with your followers and grow your audience, it doesn’t mean you will or should grow your following ten- or hundred-fold too quickly. It may actually be better to build your presence more gradually in order to have more freedom to pivot your strategy early on in your Instagram journey. And if you’re simply doing everything you can and still don’t see the growth, stick with it! You never know when you’ll catch the eye of potential customers or when your hard work will pay off. You can also take advantage of the services at Creative Boost – we are always happy to work with you to create a strong social strategy.
Don’t forget where you came from
This is key to growing your audience without growing your ego. No matter how far you get with refining your brand and gaining success, never forget how hard you’ve worked and how much effort you put into getting to each new stage. This will help you to be more compassionate when you see new players in your field starting out, and more willing to provide guidance to those who ask. Remaining humble will also help you maintain a positive reputation as knowledgeable in the space, but still willing to adapt to new trends and keep learning how to improve. Of course, you should celebrate your success, but make sure it’s coming from a place of humility and continual hard work.
If you feel overwhelmed that’s ok, you don’t have to do this alone. If you need help with your Instagram marketing you can always get in touch with us and we will help you build a remarkable business profile.