Personal Branding
11 Guidelines for Beginners on Instagram
A change of perspective
It is so easy to get caught up in the demands of modern life, the constant focus on success, appearance, and popularity. However, it's important to remember that we’re here, on Instagram, to connect with each other.
Let’s dive in
01.
Slide in DMs
respectfully, of course
The first golden rule: it's essential to connect with fellow creators regularly, even if you have a non-business account. Instead of solely promoting your products, engage with others by commenting, liking, sharing, and using all the features available on Instagram. Remember, it's a social platform. Show support, express how much someone inspires you, or how their perspective impacts your life. Don't be afraid to make genuine connections and friendships.
02.
Account Type
personal or professional
There are two types of Instagram accounts: personal (where you can make your profile available only for followers) and professional (business or creator type). Generally speaking, business accounts are best suited for brands, and creator accounts are for influencers, public figures, personal brands, and content creators. Here’s how you can switch the account type. Give it a try!
In 2022, almost everyone used the creator account type because it came with benefits:
Access to built-in analytics for up to 90 days.
Full music library on Instagram.
Inbox sorting so your DMs can be sorted into Primary, General, and Requests boxes.
Access to Instagram’s “Creator Studio,” which displays all your stats in one convenient location.
Add contact options with additional Call-to-Action buttons to your posts
03.
Check your BIO
make it relevant
Instagram BIO = a short summary about yourself or your business, displayed underneath your profile photo to other users, that gives followers a sneak peek into the content on your feed. And because your bio is typically the first point of contact for new visitors, it has to be clear about who you are and what you do.
Here are some tips:
Keep It Short & Sweet
Include Relevant Keywords about your profession (#photographer, #personalchef, #lifestylecoach)
Use a Link in Bio Tool (to display a website)
Show Your Personality (don’t keep it TOO professional)
Include a Call-to-action (visit my website, book an appointment)
Add Your Contact Info (email and/or phone number)
Add Your Branded Hashtag (#thefabsquad, #yourcoolbrandedhashtag)
Use Emojis sparingly (or don’t use them at all)
04.
The Perfect Feed
nobody “really” cares anymore
Four years ago, many Instagram users wanted to paint a picture-perfect image of their lives, bodies, and lifestyles. Heck! Everyone wanted it! And to that end, we edited our pictures and spent countless hours planning the perfect feed. But that's no longer the case in 2023. More and more people are embracing life most authentically and humanly possible and showcasing it on social media.
Our advice is to take advantage of this. Stop spending an eternity curating the perfect feed (just learn the basics of photography). Instead, focus more on what you want to communicate with your audience & potential clients.
05.
Communication
take them on a virtual coffee date
Do you have a business or a personal brand on social media? Awesome! Now what? You need to create posts and interact with your followers, right?
However, some of us miss the mark here. When you post something, you're not just posting for yourself. You're posting for your audience. For example, if you're excited about a new recipe you've tried and want to share it on Instagram, ask yourself this: "What can my followers learn from this post?" Maybe they can learn a new cooking technique or discover a unique combination of flavors. Keep your audience in mind when creating your posts.
06.
Tone of Voice
let your personality shine
Developing a strong social media brand voice is just as important as having a great visual identity. It helps people recognize your brand when they see your posts.
Creating a brand persona with actual personality traits is also helpful. What would your brand be like if it were a person? Would it be friendly or badass? Funny or formal? Young and cool or reserved? Look for adjectives to fully round out this brand character. If you have a personal brand, your tone of voice should reflect your personality
Our advice is to be genuine and true to yourself. Avoid using language that doesn't align with your true self, such as speaking like a Harvard professor or a stand-up comedian. Be authentic.
07.
Captions
tell a story
Crafting the perfect Instagram caption can be a challenge. Most of us tend to scroll through our feeds without a specific reason.
A good Instagram caption that makes you stop scrolling has a catchy phrase in the beginning, explains what the photo is about, tells your followers to take action, or makes you laugh/inspires you.
Moreover, captions are a considerable opportunity to build a stronger relationship with your audience. And while celebrities like Beyonce can get away with no captions, for brands and personal brands, lengthy captions that tell a story drive great results.
It’s NOT about how short, long, sweet, or dramatic is the caption, as long as you keep it relevant, interesting, and engaging.
Also don't forget that a well-crafted Instagram caption with a strong call-to-action (CTA) can help encourage your followers to comment on your posts, leading to increased engagement.
08.
Hashtags
explained
Instagram hashtags are a way to label and categorize your content. They then help Instagram serve your posts to relevant users. Hashtags have always been the heart of much debate, especially following Instagram’s recommendation to only use between 3-5 hashtags.
However, using relevant, targeted hashtags (keywords) on posts is still one of the best ways to get discovered by new audiences on Instagram.
We advise using as many hashtags as you want (max. 30) if you can keep them relevant. If your post is about a new food recipe, don’t use # about cars or make-up. Instead, you can use a variety of # related to the ingredients you used, food’s origin, techniques (e.g., #almondflour, #naturalingredients, #foodfromfrance, #frenchmethod, #macaroons)
09.
Have a plan
you can’t nail it everytime
Every social media specialist has a plan & so should you!
Before you start, ask yourself these questions:
Who is your ideal follower, and how do they interact with your page? (e.g., they don’t interact with your posts published on the feed but are very active on stories)
What are the primary subjects you want to talk about? Pick between 3-5. (e.g., cooking recipes, cooking tools, ingredient talk)
Can you develop at least ten post ideas related to those topics?
How many times can you post per week?
When is the best time to post based on your followers' activity? (Check your account insights for this information.)
What actions do you take after posting? (e.g., engaging with followers, posting more on stories)
What conclusions can you make after consistently posting for a week or a month?
10.
Make mistakes
as many as you can !!!
First off, don't sweat it if you make mistakes - it happens to everyone. Second, getting your posts seen by people can be challenging, and there's no magic solution. Sometimes, it just depends on the platform's algorithm.
But if you focus on building real relationships with people, you can create a tight-knit community that's really powerful. Don't worry about getting as many followers as possible - it's better to have a smaller group of people who are really into what you're sharing. That can lead to more sales and opportunities down the road. Keep posting, failing, trying new things, and connecting with people in a genuine way. It'll pay off.
11.
Inspiration
& research
If you're really trying to build up your online presence & you’re committed, it's a good idea to check out other people in your field. Look at both big accounts and smaller influencers to see what they're doing right. Check out their posts, captions, and how they respond to comments. You can save some of their posts to use as inspiration when you’re creating your own content.
Another thing to think about is what inspires you in your daily life. Do you love art, nature, or technology? Whatever it is, think about how you can showcase those interests on your Instagram page, while still being relevant to your niche. This will make your content unique and help you stand out.
Recap Time
IG cheat sheet
Connect with others
Get inspired
Stay true to yourself
Create a plan and stick to it
Post for your audience
Check your account type
Create a relevant BIO
Focus more on creating meaningful content
Tell a story
Use relevant hashtags
Make mistakes