Instagram Marketing is a Marathon not a Sprint
The saying “It’s a marathon, not a sprint” is often applied to various situations that require long-term commitment and dedication to excellence.
This applies to great relationships as well, where sticking by someone despite challenges and external factors is essential.
It is a commitment that demands dedication and persistence from beginning to end. Instagram marketing falls into this category.
While it may be tempting to believe that marketing success solely relies on finding the right software and achieving desired outcomes, the reality is far more complex.
The real world is not a sales pitch; it is filled with complications and consequences that must be considered.
It is easy to fall into the mindset that things should be quick and convenient, but anything worthwhile in life requires sacrifice.
This means letting go of the expectation that things should be easy and fast. This is what it means when people say something is a marathon, not a sprint.
Instagram marketing is no exception, as it requires effort and hard work.
The potential and upside of Instagram marketing are evident.
With over one billion active users and millions of people constantly seeking social media updates, the platform holds great traffic potential.
It is tempting to dive in and expect instant results. However, adopting a short-term mindset and focusing solely on immediate success will lead to disappointment.
Long-term commitment is crucial for Instagram marketing.
To succeed in Instagram marketing, one must invest significant time, focus, and attention to detail.
This is because the process involves identifying patterns, which take time to develop. These patterns only emerge after consistent effort and traction.
It is easy to prematurely celebrate when certain patterns seem to be driving traffic to your website, but it could be a statistical anomaly or indicate flawed strategies that need improvement.
Additionally, positioning your brand effectively on Instagram requires sustained effort, time, and focus.
In conclusion, Instagram marketing is a long-term commitment that demands time, dedication, and attention to detail.
It is not a quick and easy path to success.
Understanding the need for sustained effort and focusing on long-term goals is essential in achieving desired outcomes on this platform.
You will Fail on Instagram if you Don’t Choose To Brand
If you lack a brand, you essentially have a commodity according to a well-known saying. It is evident why competing solely on commodities is not a wise approach.
Commodities are interchangeable goods, such as rice, corn, wheat, pork bellies, and chicken.
Regardless of where, when, or from whom you purchase them, they remain the same. The only distinguishing factor is the price.
However, relying solely on price competition is a recipe for failure. It is not something producers desire to witness.
Unfortunately, without building a brand, people will judge based on price alone. This applies to Instagram as well.
Without establishing a brand, your content will blend in with the rest and fail to stand out. It will merely be another face in the digital crowd.
People are drawn to brands because they seek a connection and a persona that aligns with their aspirations, fears, dreams, and values.
They understand that the persona portrayed on social media may differ from reality, but they are captivated by the image projected.
This phenomenon occurs with brands and celebrities alike. Failing to play this game on Instagram will result in a lack of community and ultimately, brand failure.
While expertise in content is valuable, it can only take you so far. It is essential to go the extra mile and engage in branding.
Without branding, you become generic and forgettable. Being just another player means missing out on financial success, leaving no lasting impression.
Therefore, having a brand is crucial.
Don’t Let the Fear of Fake Influencers Keep you from Instagram Success
As the saying goes, “fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”
This saying captures the misconception that many people have about Instagram influencers.
By now, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re likely familiar with the term “Instagram influencers.”
It’s common knowledge that Instagram has the power to drive a significant amount of traffic. And this is not just any traffic, but traffic that actually converts.
The potential is immense.
Numerous online store owners consistently earn tens of thousands of dollars each month because they have connected with the right influencers.
So, what exactly do these influencers do? They are Instagram accounts that people pay attention to.
It all comes down to the credibility and authority these individuals hold.
When they post a photo of an alcoholic drink, a fashionable item of clothing, or even their pet dogs, their followers go wild.
It’s no wonder that celebrities like Kim Kardashian can charge thousands of dollars for a single post. Their posts have the power to generate a massive amount of buzz.
Not only do they call their own Instagram followers to take action, but they also create a ripple effect across various media platforms.
Blog posts are written, press releases are issued, and a chain reaction of direct and indirect marketing occurs. The bottom line is that influencers deliver results.
Unfortunately, finding affordable and genuine influencers can be challenging. Why? Because advertisers like yourself are willing to pay top dollar for influencers.
As a result, fake influencer accounts are popping up all over social media, including Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.
The danger lies in the fact that these fake accounts also have fake followers. Identifying real influencers becomes a difficult task.
The good news is that it’s not as complicated as it seems. By investing time and paying attention to the right details, you can find genuine influencers.
The key factor to consider is engagement. Look at both the total number of followers an account has and the average number of engagements their posts receive.
By evaluating these metrics, you can establish a ranking system for different accounts. Additionally, pay attention to the type of commercial posts they publish.
If they give you a significant level of flexibility, assuming their followers are genuine, then they are worth considering.
By following these steps, you can tap into the immense earning potential of Instagram. It all comes down to harnessing the power of genuine influence.
Remember, the crucial phrase here is “real influence.”
After digesting the information above, you should be equipped with the knowledge to differentiate between authentic influencers and impostors.
Community Engagement Doesn’t have to Burn Up Your Time
If you’re involved in Instagram marketing, you’re likely aware that people don’t want to feel like they’re another statistic.
Unfortunately, some popular influencers on Instagram have let their fame go to their heads.
They reach a point where their egos become inflated, and as a result, their accounts start to decline.
It’s not because they did something terrible or embarrassing, but rather because they fail to connect with their followers.
The secret lies in engaging with your audience.
When someone likes or comments on your content, make an effort to respond and show them that their presence matters to you.
This simple act sets you apart from other influencers who neglect their followers.
By making your audience feel appreciated and valued, they will stick around because they know their engagement has an impact on your page.
However, manual engagement can be time-consuming and physically draining.
Thankfully, there are software tools available that allow you to automate certain actions on your account.
You can set up “recipes” where specific actions trigger further engagement. This ensures that your community continues to feel valued and important.
The use of software doesn’t have to be obvious to your followers.
As long as you provide the content they came for and engage with them genuinely, they won’t mind if you’re using automation tools.
Overall, it’s crucial to make your audience feel that they matter. Fortunately, you don’t have to do this manually.
With the help of sophisticated software, you can maintain a strong connection with your followers without expending excessive time and energy.
As long as you deliver valuable content and engage with your community, they will be satisfied, regardless of the tools you use.
How to Save Money on Instagram Original Content
Time is often equated with money, a concept we have all heard countless times.
It’s a phrase that has been thrown around in various contexts, to the point where it may have become tiresome.
Unfortunately, many people fail to internalize this fundamental truth and end up squandering their time, and consequently, their finances.
However, it’s important to remember that while time can always be converted into money, the reverse is not always possible.
Nonetheless, it is possible to acquire money and purchase someone else’s time.
One crucial aspect to acknowledge is that one cannot buy back their own time. Once a minute has elapsed, it is lost forever.
Whatever we choose to invest our time in, it invariably grows. By dedicating time to expanding our knowledge, we become more intelligent.
Nurturing our relationships with time results in deeper, more meaningful connections.
Similarly, investing time in making money leads to increased wealth, while dedicating ourselves to our careers enhances both prosperity and influence.
Time acts as the fertilizer of life, yet so many people waste it.
If you wish to save money on creating original Instagram content, it’s essential to prioritize your time.
While you can’t compromise your following with subpar photos, it’s equally true that you may not have an abundance of time to dedicate to capturing high-quality images.
So, what can be done? This is where attention to detail and a touch of creativity come into play. Consider organizing original photo contests within your community.
It may sound straightforward, but each niche has its own set of contest rules.
Research these guidelines, learn from successful brands, and conduct contests within your community.
It’s likely that you’ll need to hold multiple contests before achieving the desired results, but persistence is key.
How does this strategy work? Well, you invite your community members to submit original photos based on a specific theme.
However, there are a few important prerequisites. Firstly, the photos must meet certain quality standards.
Secondly, participants must understand that any submissions become your property.
Lastly, they must guarantee that the content they submit is their own intellectual property.
By implementing this approach, you accomplish two things simultaneously.
Firstly, you acquire a plethora of high-quality, niche-specific content without having to spend money. After all, this is a contest.
Secondly, as part of the contest, participants are required to promote their involvement. This, in turn, drives free traffic to your account.
This is how the game is played, and it’s crucial to play to win rather than to lose. So, why wait? Launch your contest today.
How to Create Better Content than your Competitors
There are numerous aspects in life that prove to be more challenging in practice than in theory.
It is crucial to grasp the concept of reverse engineering, as it is a powerful marketing strategy.
However, the frequent use of this term has caused it to lose its clarity and meaning.
Many individuals are unaware of what is being conveyed when it is discussed, leading to miscommunication.
This lack of understanding can be attributed to people’s tendency to overlook context and not delve deeper into the subject matter.
Consequently, conversations often become ineffective as participants talk past each other.
If you truly desire to surpass your competitors and achieve better outcomes, it is essential to adopt the approach of reverse engineering.
To implement this strategy effectively, start by identifying the trending themes.
If you observe that your ten competitors are consistently discussing the same topics, it indicates that your target audience is interested in these subjects.
The reason your competitors focus on these topics is because there is a demand for them.
By analyzing their patterns and observations, you can capitalize on their strengths and avoid their weaknesses.
Improving upon your competitors’ content is one of the most effective ways to leverage their strengths.
To achieve this, consider making your content more comprehensive.
While there are many concise descriptions of photos available, ensure that your images are up-to-date.
Additionally, incorporate multimedia elements into your landing page content.
When redirecting Instagram traffic to your page, including photos and videos is a minimum requirement.
Moreover, strive to present your content in a clear and easily understandable manner.
Confusion often leads consumers to disengage, so it is crucial to avoid any complexity.
Finally, format your content in a visually appealing manner, utilizing high-quality images, appropriate fonts, and well-spaced text.
Once you have enhanced your content, share it on Instagram to maximize its reach.
When examining your competitors’ strategies, take note of the influencers they engage with and the hashtags they employ.
Utilize this information as a starting point rather than an endpoint. Through this process, you will discover that certain hashtags generate higher levels of traffic.
Expand your visibility by branching out from the initial pool of hashtags you have reverse engineered from your top Instagram competitors.
Master the One-two Punch of Instagram Marketing
Instagram marketing and boxing have a lot in common.
Just as fighters like Muhammad Ali and Manny Pacquiao use combinations to knock out their opponents, successful Instagram marketing involves a one-two punch strategy.
Pacquiao’s devastating southpaw punch is like delivering the right information to your audience at the right time and place, while Mike Tyson’s uppercut represents the powerful impact of targeted messaging.
The goal is to generate by engaging your audience effectively.
To implement this strategy, start by attracting people with high-quality Instagram posts.
Then, direct them to an article that addresses their needs and establishes your brand’s credibility.
As their interest grows, encourage them to explore further by clicking on internal pages.
Ultimately, the aim is to convert this traffic into valuable leads for your mailing list or squeeze page. Your mailing list becomes the driving force for generating results.
The secret to success lies in reverse engineering your competitors’ content.
Rather than starting from scratch, improve upon their best content by replicating their ideas and distribution channels.
By sharing your content with relevant accounts and using appropriate hashtags, you can increase its visibility and attract more viewers to your profile page.
This paves the way for delivering your powerful one-two punch to interested consumers and achieving conversions.
The beauty of this approach is that it doesn’t require excessive effort. You don’t need to constantly come up with groundbreaking ideas.
Instead, focus on enhancing existing content and leveraging its potential. The key is to prioritize conversion in all your Instagram marketing efforts.
Whether it’s making a purchase, joining your mailing list, or downloading a valuable resource, the ultimate goal is to convert viewers into engaged customers.
By utilizing primary content on Instagram to captivate viewers and encourage shares, you can expand your reach and maximize the impact of your one-two punch strategy.
The more people see your profile page, the greater the opportunity to convert them into loyal customers.
How to Call Instagram Users to Action the Right Way
The saying goes that while you can lead a horse to water, you cannot force it to drink. How many times have you come across this phrase?
How often have you found yourself trying to convince someone until the very last moment, only to end up unsuccessful?
It can be distressing and incredibly frustrating. Putting in all that time, effort, and attention to detail, only to it amount to nothing, is disheartening.
The main issue lies in the details.
Many Instagram marketers focus on the big picture, saying the right things at the right time, using the right content, and connecting with influential individuals.
These are all important aspects, and they are on the right track. However, they often overlook a crucial factor that ultimately determines success or failure.
If you fail to prompt your audience to take action, all the time and energy spent on capturing their attention and gaining their trust goes to waste.
It simply disappears into thin air or, to put it bluntly, goes down the drain. Regardless of the analogy used, it is a complete waste.
Sadly, many Instagram marketers falter at this critical moment. They fail to motivate their readers to take the desired action.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying they haven’t made an effort. I’m not claiming that there is a complete absence of call-to-action texts.
However, when we examine their call-to-action statements, they might as well have omitted them altogether. That’s how ineffective they are. And why is that?
It’s because most of them lack creativity.
Phrases like “Click here,” “Visit my profile page,” “Check out my profile for more information,” or “Click on the link to find out more” simply don’t resonate with people.
They don’t care about that generic stuff because they’ve seen it all before. When they encounter these phrases, they mentally tune out.
It’s as if those words never appeared on the screen. They become completely blind to them.
Instead, focus on crafting compelling, content-specific call-to-action statements for your meticulously planned and high-performing content.
Avoid the repetitive copy-pasting of phrases like “Click on the link” or “Check my profile.” Those simply don’t work.
Furthermore, you need to generate excitement within the reader about the content awaiting them on your profile page.
Make promises, address their fears, needs, and insecurities. Essentially, tap into their psychological motivations. That’s why it’s crucial to be as descriptive as possible.
Don’t just go through the motions or use forgettable boilerplate text.
Lastly, you must address the reader’s needs. By doing so, you establish yourself as an authority.
Most of your competitors are merely going through the motions, mechanically producing generic texts that have little impact.
It’s a waste of time, akin to talking to someone who is just babbling without any substance. That’s how pointless it can be.
But you have the potential to achieve so much more. You can achieve far better results. That’s why it’s vital to address the needs of your readers.
Unfortunately, no one else can figure this out for you. Firstly, people aren’t mind readers.
Secondly, you are in the best position to understand what your readers truly need.
Utilize that information. Leverage your position to create a call-to-action text that genuinely compels people to take action. The payoff can be tremendous.
It would be a shame to put in so much effort to bring people to your page, only to fumble at the very last moment.
eCommerce Stores Work Best in Instagram
When it comes to Instagram marketing, it’s interesting to note that there are numerous perspectives from supposed experts in the field.
Just like the saying goes, “there are many ways to achieve a goal.”
Just as there are different routes to take when driving in a city, there are also various approaches to monetizing Instagram.
However, I have a different viewpoint when it comes to Instagram and monetization.
While it’s possible to promote an AdSense page using Instagram traffic, it would be a waste of a valuable resource, akin to using a Ferrari as a door stop or paperweight.
The most effective way to monetize Instagram traffic is by establishing your own online store.
Now, you may think this is impossible because you lack a warehouse or the desire to manage physical products, including returns and refunds.
But let me dispel those concerns.
Thanks to dropshipping, all of those worries can be put to rest.
Simply create an account with Shopify, install the Oberlo plugin, select products from AliExpress, and voila! You have your own dropship store. It’s truly that simple.
When you use the Oberlo plugin to populate your store with products, the software will automatically order from the AliExpress vendor when someone makes a purchase from your website.
This entire process happens seamlessly and automatically behind the scenes. You won’t need to wake up or be present to fulfill orders.
The best part is that, if you set your profit margins correctly, your Shopify store can generate substantial profits. How substantial, you ask?
Well, it’s not uncommon to find charms on AliExpress for $1, with $1 shipping, and then sell those charms for $15 or $17 in the United States, resulting in a profit of up to $15.
When it comes to monetization, Instagram and eCommerce stores go hand in hand. They are a perfect match.
Instagram attracts those who are interested in products and influenced by others. People are drawn to personas, dreams, and perceptions.
They may be aware of reality, but they prefer to immerse themselves in a dream. This is why they follow Instagram personas.
Tap into this dynamic and leverage it to sell tangible products. Even if things don’t go as planned, your profit margin is significant enough to absorb any setbacks.
The key is to start with low-cost ad mentions from influencers. Begin slowly and target smaller buyers to minimize potential losses.
Avoid putting yourself in a risky situation.
While there is a chance of getting burned, if you understand how to navigate this approach, these targeted ad buys, shout outs, and other forms of promotions from Instagram influencers can greatly contribute to the profitability of your online store.
The potential profits are substantial enough to ensure a successful venture.
Are Posts Time Really Important to Instagram Marketing?
When I think back to my first experience using a bot or software to post content on Instagram, I realize it wasn’t my initial choice.
It wasn’t a well-thought-out strategy for Instagram marketing. In truth, I started just like everyone else, manually posting content on Instagram.
Upon analyzing my statistics using Google Analytics, I was amazed by the results.
Despite my online store being based in the United States and my products being dropshipped from China and India, the majority of my customers were located on the east coast.
It was surprising to discover that they resided near the eastern seaboard.
Why is this significant? Why should you be interested? Well, here’s the thing: when I manually conducted my Instagram marketing, I operated on California time.
As you may know, California time is three hours behind eastern standard time. So, what do you think happened? There was a discrepancy in terms of my sales volume.
I was only capturing one-third of the demand from my target audience because I was operating in a time zone that suited me.
I was functioning based on California time. If only I had marketed a bit earlier in the day, I could have reached 100% of my potential audience.
This discrepancy translates to lost revenue.
I was settling for only one-third of the money I could have been making until I finally realized that using software like Hootsuite would allow me to target eastern standard time.
The best part was that I could automate my posts and be free to sleep, work out at the gym, shop at the grocery store, take my child to the park, or engage in various activities while the software handled my posts.
I didn’t have to be physically present.
The timing of your posts does matter. It’s crucial because it’s all about visibility.
You want your target audience to find you on Instagram when they are available and actively browsing their updates.
This is challenging to achieve manually because you can’t be in multiple places at once.
You have numerous other responsibilities, commitments, duties, and obligations to attend to.
Who has the time for that? Who has the focus?
Thankfully, software allows you to focus on the timeframes that yield the highest conversions and tailor your posts accordingly.
For instance, if you know that you make more sales within a specific time range, you can target all your posts for that time period.
Software simplifies your life and avoids the unnecessary hassle of messing up a post.
No one wants to deal with the manual copy and paste that may not turn out as intended.
In other words, prioritize success, focus on what works, and aim to scale up your efforts.
Post a Comment