Ask an Expert: How to Grow on Instagram and Stay Profitable During COVID-19
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
Photo: Hoàng Chương for Pexels
While the world combats the spread of COVID-19, many brands and businesses have been forced to put this year’s projects, goals, and even production, on hold. But the good news is that since social distancing began, Instagram has seen a 40%+ usage increase and Instagram Live sessions are up by 70%.
That makes Instagram the best place to communicate with your audience and support your business goals right now. While your marketing may take a gentler approach and tone this quarter, now is a great time to revisit your Instagram strategy and find simple ways to reconnect and revive your sales strategy, according to Taylor Loren, the head of content marketing at Later.
Scroll on for her expert tips on how to grow your business on Instagram right now and stay profitable during COVID-19.
Post More Often (and Then Post Some More!)
Communication is key in a crisis, and when it comes to Instagram, your posting cadence can take your engagement up a serious notch.
If you find yourself with extra time on your hands, try to show up more often for your followers. Now’s the time to sit down, embrace the moment, and check-in with your community.
Take, for example, ADAY founder Nina Faulhaber, she regularly posts to her Instagram Stories and feed revealing snippets of her new stay-at-home life, and hosts Q&As on the ADAY Instagram profile about how she’s running the business from home.
And while quantity is important, always keep the quality of your content in mind! That’s not to say you need to turn up full glam—loungewear and top knots is totally okay right now!—but review what you’re sharing with your audience. Every post should still have value and serve your already engaged audience.
Tip: Aim to post on Instagram Stories at least 5 times a week—that means people can come back to watch every single day, and that’s how your audience will build and grow!
Build Out Your Content Offering
Turn your Instagram profile into a content hub for your followers. It’s time to share more with your audience, whether that’s your industry knowledge, training guides, and workshops, or simply your favorite WFH tips.
Here are a couple of ideas on how to add valuable resources to your Instagram profile:
1. Create a New Digital Offering
Think about creating a short video course or Lightroom presets—it doesn’t need to be overly complicated or perfect, it just needs to be out there!
Design platform Over was quick to provide their followers with dedicated graphics to better communicate during COVID-19, a great example of a useful and thoughtful resource to better support their community.
2. Focus on Product Education
While you may not want to push heavy sales messages at the moment, mapping out some dedicated product education posts and Instagram Stories can be a real asset!
For example, OUAI Haircare, a modern haircare brand, shared a series of Instagram Stories as part of a campaign to promote its “Chill Pills” bath bombs.
They start with several stories introducing the product and outlining how it benefits buyers and then follow with a quick and snappy tutorial and a final call to action to shop.
3. Craft Awesome Captions
According to research by Fohr, the average caption length has more than doubled since 2016. And in 2020, our feeds are filled with an average caption length of 405 characters, which averages out to be 65-70 words.
Influencers like Sarah Nicole Landry, Quigley Goode, and Jenna Kutcher are all masters of the long-form caption, but brands can also get in on the action. At Later, we like to share valuable insights within our captions, so readers can get a snapshot of our blog posts, reports, or courses as they scroll the feed.
Tip: If you’re looking for more tips and guidance on writing captions for your brand, you can tune in to Later’s free video workshop!
Find Simple Ways to Monetize on Instagram
Even with the current climate, there are still ways to make money on Instagram!
Small changes to your content strategy, like including more shoppable stickers to your posts, focusing on product education, and optimizing the link in your bio can all drive traffic to your website and make more sales!
If you’re in the restaurant and food sector, you might want to check out Instagram's recent announcement—businesses can now share gift cards, food orders, and fundraiser stickers in stories and on their profiles. Once your story is live with any of the new stickers, anyone who views it can tap to make your purchase.
It’s also a great time to think about affiliate marketing. By working with influencers, you can cast your net further and have trusted influencers in your network introduce your brand to new audiences and potential customers.
Finally, if you’re an influencer or content creator now's the time to approach your dream brands and businesses to collaborate with, especially if you’re a micro-influencer with a strong engagement rate. In this current climate, follower size doesn’t equal influence, so it’s worth reaching out and pitching to brands!
There’s no denying that it’s a challenging time for businesses of all sizes, but staying profitable during COVID-19 doesn’t mean pushing sales and promo codes on your followers.
It’s about finding ways to stay connected to your current community, and growing together through the hardship. So it’s time to get creative, start posting more often, and finding simple, but meaningful, ways to promote your brands and products on Instagram!
About the Expert: Taylor Loren is the head of content marketing at Later. She was named a LinkedIn Top Voice for social media marketing, and you can follow her on Instagram at @taylor.loren for more Instagram tips and a look inside life at Later.