How to develop an Instagram Strategy

Author: Jake | Created: 10-01-2022

Is your Instagram marketing failing to deliver? On Instagram, do you want to reach out to more of the right people?

In this article, you'll learn about the key components of effective Instagram growth and nurturing techniques, as well as when to apply each one.

Why an Instagram strategy is important

Let's start from the beginning and discuss why you need an Instagram strategy. Shouldn't you be able to simply share your images and stories? Is it really necessary for them to have so much planning and strategy?

Of course, the answer is yes. Before you can successfully market on Instagram, you must have a strategy.

If someone claims to post often on Instagram but isn't seeing any results, it's likely that they didn't spend enough time examining their goals or creating a plan to achieve them before they began posting content.

The problem with this strategy is that no one can really define what it means to "publish consistently." As a result, businesses that are new to Instagram may post every day for a few months, and if they don't see the results they anticipate, they will become frustrated and angry that Instagram isn't working for them.

This is why having a plan is so crucial. You can't expect postings to be effective unless you have a strategy in place.

This article will show you how to create an Instagram strategy for your company.

1. Establish a goal for your instagram

When developing an Instagram strategy, the first step is to try to reverse-engineer what your plan would look like, starting with your aim.

If you want to grow your brand on Instagram, your posts and content will be completely different than if you want to generate sales. As a result, identifying your aim is a crucial first step.

Once you've decided on a goal, start working backwards to define the type of material that will help you achieve it.

If you're new on Instagram, you're probably going to prioritise growth at first—at least in the beginning. Many businesses strive to hit the coveted 10,000-follower milestone before attempting to monetise or improve their revenues.

It's crucial to understand that having 10,000 followers isn't a condition for success, and it certainly isn't a guarantee. It's a popular target that many new businesses strive for, but you can notice success even before you reach 10,000 followers.

2. Outline a growth strategy

Instagram is one of the best locations to promote your brand and show your customers the human aspect of your company right now. It allows you to establish a more personal connection and develop the crucial know, like, and trust component.

Choosing a person for your brand. Someone who appears in pictures and behind the scenes in stories and reels—is a wonderful approach to personalise your company and give your audience the connection they seek. Of course, this does not imply that you should remove all of your logos and replace them with that person.

A good Instagram growth strategy has three critical elements: intentional growth actions, consistency, and early adoption, in addition to having a face for your brand.

Intentional growth actions

Any action on Instagram that directly leads to the growth of your account is considered an intentional growth action. It's all too simple for people to become distracted and fall into an Instagram rabbit hole, scrolling endlessly without purpose. That scrolling isn't assisting you in your development.

You must replace that scrolling activity with deliberate growth acts if you want to grow. Publishing new Instagram clips, communicating with potential clients who aren't already following you, and occasionally posting or engaging on normal Instagram posts are all examples of this.

You may also host an Instagram room, which is a type of Instagram Live where you can invite up to three more people to join you. When you do this, Instagram sends out notifications about the live to all of your followers, allowing you to reach out to new people.

The majority of these actions will assist in bringing you and your brand to the attention of new people and introducing you to a new audience.

Consistency

"Consistency" on Instagram does not always imply posting every day.

It's far more vital to post at consistent intervals that your Instagram followers can count on. This could entail publishing several times per day or perhaps several times per week. A schedule that works for one company may not be suitable for another. What matters is that you create a posting schedule that works for you, isn't frightening or exhausting, that you can realistically stick to, and that your audience can rely on.

Early adoption

Instagram has been around for a long time and shows no signs of slowing off or disappearing. In reality, Instagram releases and improves features on a regular basis to keep the platform relevant as user expectations and needs change.

Businesses and individuals who adopt new features early on have historically reaped the most benefits. Businesses who started posting Instagram stories regularly first benefited more than others who started later. And now, with Instagram Reels, early adopters will reap greater rewards than those who wait.

3. Develop a successful strategy for Instagram

A successful Instagram nurture strategy focuses on deepening the connection and relationships you have with your existing audience. An Instagram growth strategy focuses on getting your business in front of new eyes to grow your presence and brand identity; however, an Instagram growth strategy focuses on getting your business out in front of new eyes to grow your presence and brand identity.

Intentional nurturing acts, constancy, and vulnerability are three critical characteristics of a successful nurture plan.

Intentional nurturing actions

Intentional nurturing actions are similar to intentional growth actions in that they aim to replace unproductive Instagram scrolling with activities that aim to nurture an existing audience into a deeper relationship. This may be uploading an Instagram storey to your profile, going live, or commenting on posts made by your followers.

Instagram Live, like the Instagram growth plan, can be utilised to nurture your following. You would host the nurturing live yourself, rather than inviting other Instagram producers to go live with you like you would in the growth plan. This enables you to have a more personal discussion with your audience, allowing them to form a stronger bond with you as a person and the face of your company.

When it comes to the Instagram algorithm, engagement is also quite significant. Two measurements are used in the algorithm to determine what Instagram will display you in your feed. Your recent interest and relationships are one of these elements. In essence, Instagram estimates how much you'll care about a specific post based on your previous interactions with related material or profiles.

If you engage with your audience on Instagram by sending them private messages and they react, the algorithm interprets this as a deep relationship and a desire to see more of your material. As a result, the system will push your material to them more frequently. As a result, commenting on their content, especially when they respond, signals to Instagram that you want to be seen more.

Consistency

Consistency on Instagram for your nurturing approach is built on a timetable that you design and can stick to so that your audience trusts you. This could include setting aside time to create and share nurturing content, as well as leaving and reacting to comments on your own posts.

You may also use Instagram's storey enhancement features, such as polls and questions, to increase engagement and foster relationships with your followers.

Vulnerability

Finally, becoming a little vulnerable in front of your existing audience is an important part of a successful Instagram nurturing approach. For different firms and brands, this might mean different things. For some, it means sharing a little piece of what goes on behind the scenes or in their personal life. If any challenges in your life have arisen, for example, talking about them on Instagram can help you and your audience connect more deeply. It also offers a safe environment for people in your audience to be vulnerable in front of you.

Of course, being vulnerable doesn't mean sharing your deepest, darkest secrets, and what you share as a marketer is entirely up to you. However, everything you disclose that can lead to a relatable moment of vulnerability between you and your audience is an opportunity to strengthen that bond