How to Use Instagram to Grow Your Business

Let’s be real: there are a million ways to grow your business. And there are a million ways to use Instagram to grow your business. 

Every business is different, with different products, different customers, a different brand voice. And every business owner is different. Some will take to TikTok because video comes naturally to them, others will take to Threads because they’re funny as heck, and others will find solace in Instagram graphics or email newsletters. 

A good social media strategist – a good marketer – will listen to you, they’ll take the time to learn about you and your business, and they’ll develop a personalized strategy to grow your business in a way that makes sense for you and your business. 

Now…with all that being said, there are foundational Instagram and marketing principles that can be applied to each and every business. I promise. Let’s get into them. 

Step #1: Understand Who Your Customer Is and What Motivates Them

I cannot stress this enough: if you don’t understand who your customer is, what motivates them, what their problems are, how you connect with them, and how you solve their problems with your product, there is no point investing in marketing. 

I won’t even take on a new client if they don’t have a deep understanding of their customer, especially if they’re years into their business. 

To learn how to understand who your customer is, book a Make it Make Sense Instagram Audit or check out this blog post on creating a community persona for your small business. 

Step #2: Create a Social Media Strategy

Once you understand your customer and who you’re marketing to, you can create your Instagram strategy. 

There are a lot of reasons why you need an Instagram strategy. First and foremost, a strategy will help you get clear on your goals and outline exactly how you’ll use Instagram to achieve them.

Secondly, an Instagram strategy includes how you’re going to measure “success”. For example, if your business goal is to get new customers, your Instagram goal should be to increase brand awareness. You’ll measure that goal by tracking your reach and impressions. If those metrics are increasing, you’ll know your efforts are working. 

And, this might sound counterintuitive, but an Instagram strategy can help you have fun on social media again. The strategy outlines everything you need to create Instagram content that actually grows your business, without stress, decision fatigue, analysis paralysis, or time wasted on posts that don’t do anything for you. Which means you can enjoy the process of creating funny memes, writing thoughtful captions, and engaging with your community. 

If you’re a DIY business owner on a budget, download Scale Without Stress for time-saving tools and templates to start growing on Instagram, today.

If your business is gaining momentum, but you’re not quite ready to invest in social media management, book a 48-Hour Fix. Whether you’re stuck on Instagram, burnt out on email, or starting from scratch, The 48-Hour Fix gives you what you need to move forward.

If you don’t have the time but do have the budget, book a social media management project with me. I’ll take care of everything: your strategy, content planning, reporting, content creation, and more so you can focus on what you do best.

Step #3: Plan and Create Your Social Media Posts

After creating your Instagram strategy, it’s time to plan and create content! 

If you haven’t already, grab a social media calendar to plan your posts. Then you can fill it up with graphics, memes, videos, and carousels that help you achieve your goals. 

If you’re struggling with what to post, here’s how I get inspiration when I’m feeling stuck.

Step #4: Track Your Progress and Measure Success

The last step to learning how to use Instagram to grow your business is tracking your progress. You need to figure out if your social media strategy is working and if there’s anything you should do differently. 

I create a weekly and monthly report for my clients so they can see what’s working and so I can recommend ways to improve. It only takes an hour each month and it’s worth it, I promise.

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Wait, Who Am I?

Hiiii! 👋🏻 I’m Sarah, an online entrepreneur & marketer of over 10 years. I went from starting a clean beauty blog right out of high school to managing social media for Canada’s largest wellness retailer. Now I live in the middle of nowhere in North Carolina, helping high-growth entrepreneurs get SEEN so they can build a crazy fun life their business supports, and not the other way around.

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