GROW YOUR AUDIENCE ON INSTAGRAM BY MAKING TIME FOR ENGAGEMENT.
Building an online community is at the heart of social media marketing. It’s called SOCIAL media for a reason 🥰 Making connections with people - whether they are ideal clients, other small business owners, or industry leaders - is the best way to spread the word about the services or products you offer.
As a business, building and nurturing your audience is a must. But how do you find these amazing people? And, once you’ve found them, how do you get them to click that “Follow” button and become part of your community? The answer is simple: Engagement.
Like, Comment, Follow
Engagement is the term we use to describe the interactions you have with other people on Instagram. There are many different ways you can show up and engage with people on social media, but the three simplest ways to engage with new people on Instagram are to like their posts, make relevant and thoughtful comments, and to give them a follow.
Before you go click-wild, make sure you take a minute to think about who you are engaging with. You want to make your time on social count. Remember, when you engage with new people on Instagram you are introducing yourself and your business to them. It’s like your virtual wave 👋Spend your time engaging with people you want to see engaging with you.
How Do You Find People To Engage With On Instagram?
So now we’re clear on why we want to engage with new people on Instagram and some of the different ways you can do it, but how do you find these amazing new people to engage with? When you are looking for new people to engage with you will have to do some research and some networking. Here are some of my favourite ways to discover new people to connect with on Instagram.
Location, Location, Location. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Open up the search function on Instagram (the little magnifying glass icon) and type in a location that your audience would check in to. It could be a city or a more specific location like a local shop, gym, park or restaurant. Try a few different places and see what posts are suggested to you. Scroll through the location-based suggestions and look for people you want to connect with. Once you’ve found someone that feels like a good fit, like the post, make a thoughtful comment, and give them a follow. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Be A Hashtag Detective!
Use the search function to explore a hashtag your audience is using. (Of course, first, you’ll have to check in with your audience and figure out which hashtags you want to focus on. Here are some tips to do a quick & dirty hashtag audit!) Some ideas for types of hashtags to search include lifestyle hashtags, community hashtags, or industry-specific hashtags. Search a few different hashtags and as you find people who you want in your community… like some posts, make some intentional comments, and follow them.
Do Some Networking.
Get to know your existing community members a little better! What accounts are your ideal clientele following? Take a look through their Following list and find out. Once you find some new accounts to follow, engage. (Just in case you forget what that means: like, comment, and follow!)
Engagement Is The Key To Growing Your Community On Instagram
Schedule time for some intentional engagement every week. Think of it as a handshake to introduce yourself to new people to build your Instagram community! The more people you get to know, the more opportunities you will have to show your stuff and connect with your ideal clients. For more tips on engagement and building your online audience, join me on Instagram @socialkatmedia. Let’s find your ideal clientele together!⠀⠀⠀