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Franklin Kaplan
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Franklin Kaplan

With nearly every business under the sun on Instagram, it can be hard to gain a following. While Instagram is one of the most engaged and most popular platforms, it seems like getting noticed by customers, partners, and fans can seem like a daunting task. However, with the right plan in place, you’ll not only start to separate yourself from the pack but shine through as well. Invest In Quality Branding Although often considered a luxury by some, having a quality brand for your business is an absolute necessity. As most of us see hundreds (if not thousands) of brands per day, we naturally have an eye for those who’ve put forth the investment into their image versus those that haven’t. Granted, this doesn’t necessarily mean your branding needs to be expensive or even super flashy, but it does have to hold a sense of authenticity for what you’re offering. How do we come up with an authentic brand? It all starts with where your values lie. According to Fobes, 64 percent of consumers say that shared values are the reason they have a relationship with a brand. No matter if it’s a global behemoth like Nike or your neighborhood pizza place, we pledge allegiance to brands based upon their core set of beliefs or value, which, can often be seen when we argue with our friends over topics like who has the best pizza in town or what shoes are the best designed. Building a brand is less about flash and more about substance. After all, if you’re going to get people on social media to socialize about your media, it has to come from a place they believe is special too, which all starts with the core beliefs you share with your base. Always Implement The Standards With a brand you feel great about established, it’s smart to develop some standards around it specifically for Instagram. Brand standards often define the look, feel, and attitude of a brand, which includes aspects like nomenclature, aesthetics, and mission. Specific to Instagram, your brand standards should also include items like what hashtags to use when/how often to post, and even what type of content is most advantageous to produce. A lot comes from knowing your audience and how to reach them consistently. A smart place to start with your brand standards is to simply list out a lot of the items above, starting with your ethos/vocabulary and then working towards how you’re going to express that visually. From there, it’s good to look at Instagram-specific brand standards for your industry; for example, posts with at least one hashtag gain 12.6 percent more engagement. No one wants to overdo the hashtags, so learn which ones work for your brand with an engagement agency like HashtagsForLikes.Co. While brand standards are flexible, that initial draft of your ethos will set the bar for years to come. Although it’ll be hard work, once you’ve drafted your standards, running through the motions of Instagram management will feel like a breeze. Have The Proper Tools In Place Not investing in the right tools upfront can cost you quite a bit in the long run. Although finding the best Instagram tools isn’t easy, a general rule of thumb is that tools should make your processes run more efficiently. For example, 70 percent of Instagram users watch stories daily, so finding a solid mobile editor that can assist with visual elements is a smart move. Furthermore, the proper tools can help you decide how effective your efforts have been, including what type of audience you’re currently capturing, as well as how to branch out into new demographics. However, before we get too into talking about what type of tools, let’s take a step back and look at what the proper tools for you mean. The most important factors to preparing yourself with the proper tools are first looking at where your skill set lies as well as what your current budget is. For example, let’s say you’re a great writer, but an average photographer. Utilizing an easy photo editing app like VSCO or Polarr could be an excellent choice for helping out with those visual elements while staying within budget. Additionally, don’t forget to search through platforms that help with everyday Instagram needs, such as scheduling, posting analytics, and even assessing influencers. Yes, the sky’s the limit with the right tools in place, giving you the proper foundation you need to start building out your base and growing your influence. What are ways you’ve fo

Mar 21, 2019

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An Aussie and a Welshman, out there in the world going beyond the usual destination guides and delving deeper into the whys and hows of the nomadic lifestyle. Because you really ain't living until you're traveling. Find out more.