Consider your favorite Instagram profiles…
Odds are likely 100% that these folks post native content on the platform.
That means they’re posting content that is meant to be consumed on the platform. It’s not meant to take users away from Instagram. It might even help keep the users on the platform for as long as possible. Showing them the content they want to see as often as they can.
With social media, it’s easy to see all the people using it and think “I can get some of those folks back to my website or app…” But the social platforms don’t want that. And they shouldn’t. They want to keep their users as long and as often as possible.
For marketers, this doesn’t mean that it’s not valuable to use a platform such as Instagram. In fact, it can be very beneficial. But the key to the entire thing is aligning your efforts with those of Instagram. In other words, create native content.
Step #1. Writing Blog Posts
If business blogging is a way you’ve chosen to create content, and the stats would say that’s a fine choice, then the first focus is to create blog posts on a consistent schedule. That’s really the starting strategy for any type of content you’re going to create and for any channel that you’re going to create it on.
If you’re starting from scratch, it’s best to pick a strategy. I don’t want to say to pick any strategy, but that’s really what it comes down to. You can look at others in your industry. You can look outside your industry. You can make decisions based on your gut.
The reality is that over time you’re going to learn what works and what doesn’t. That’s why it’s also good to leave room, especially early on, for experimenting.
So a brand new blogging strategy might be:
- 1 post per week
- 1,000 words per post
- An additional one post per month that is shorter or longer
Choose a strategy. Commit for at least a year. Stay focused on the creation and not so much on the analytics for now. After a year, start digging into the analytics. See what’s working and what might not be hitting home. You’ll have developed a great routine for creating content and now you can start making strategic and data-driven decisions.
One final key with blogging is to separate the ideation from the writing. Schedule time to brainstorm ideas. Put them on a basic schedule with notes. Then when it’s time to write you already have an idea and notes to go on.
Step #2. Creating Snippets From Posts
Now comes the time to use Instagram as a marketing tool.
When you finish a blog post, go back and scan through it and take out or highlight a few snippets that you can use on Instagram. You’re looking for about 100 words or so that will make for a great post on the platform. A tip. A quote. A story.
Something that you feel fits well with Instagram. Obviously without having used Instagram a lot you won’t know for sure. But the more you do this strategy the more you’ll learn what makes for a great snippet.
From a 1,000-word post, you can probably get 3-5 snippets without any issue. Some might be 50 words. Some might be 150. You’ll get the hang of it after a few times.
Step #3. Image Strategy
Instagram is an image channel. The images are what get the attention. For your snippets, you’re using the description area. The snippet will work to give context and meaning to the image.
You can use free stock photography from a source like Unsplash to go along with your snippets. You can also start building your own library of photography and videos. You can do it with your phone. Photos of yourself. Photos of your team, your office, your local area, etc.
The thing with Instagram is that there aren’t any rules. That’s both fun and frustrating. One photo that you think fits the perfect formula will do poorly and a random photo will do really well. You just don’t know. So give yourself permission to experiment.
Conclusion
You might be thinking…how does this help my blog…
With Instagram and with all social media, it’s about building your profile on the platform. From that, you indirectly build your profile and awareness for yourself and your brand off the platform. People aren’t just using Instagram all the time. Just like they’re not using any platform all the time.
The more awareness there is for you, the more people will seek you out. They’ll seek out your blog, your website, your other social channels. Many don’t have the patience for this strategy to work. They try to force links into their Instagram profiles. They don’t create native content. They often struggle to get results.
Align your blogging and snippet strategy with what Instagram wants. This is the best way to market your blog posts on Instagram or on any social channel.