Top 5 Instagram Mistakes

Most of the time, we provide a list of strategic Instagram to-dos for our clients but there are often quite a few don'ts to be aware of.  

Here are our top 5 mistakes we come across most consistently on Instagram:

1. Forgetting to add a geolocation + hashtags. These are two easy ways to gain more brand awareness by reaching an audience that may not be following you (yet!). 

2. Not optimizing your bio. You only have 7 seconds to make a first impression. Make it count. Your "future" followers should be able to decipher who you are, what you have to offer, and what they can expect from you in those first few moments so they can click follow with confidence. 

Items to optimize:

• Name field and username: These are the only searchable items on your bio. Make sure they have keywords your ideal customer search for. 
• "I help" statement: Your bio should reflect who you serve and what you do. 
• Call-to-Action: Give your audience a little champagne by offering them a freebie or giving them a reason to click your link. 
• Location: Always add your location. It gives people a connection point with you, but also lets potential customers know where they can find your store and that you're in their hood. 

3. Constantly selling: Oh boy! I see this all the time. Social media is meant to be social. Selling is fine, but unless your audience feels like they trust and know you, sales may be few and far between. Infuse more posts about you, your why, create a connection. 

4. Not including a strong post headline and call-to action. Capture our attention with that first sentence. Make us want to click "read more" and then follow it up with a question, this or that, or request that entices your audience to take action. 

5. Not showing the person behind your brand. You need to be visible enough to show there is an actual human being behind the account. Share your day, share a behind the scenes, do a reel with a few tips that could help provide value to your followers. Whatever you do, make sure you humanize your brand. 

Ultimately, it's about truly understanding who your ideal customer/client is and making sure your social media matches their needs, that they feel connected, and that you're doing all you can to organically make their way into their feed. 

Now go optimize that Instagram! You can do this!!