How Instagram Can Help Attract Dream Clients to Your Creative Business
The results are in, and it’s clear that you're ready to rock Instagram for your creative business. But now you’re wondering "how" exactly to do that.
You know Instagram is a powerful marketing tool, but maybe you're stressed about switching from using it for fun to creating content that attracts your dream clients. Or maybe you're using the app for your small business already, but you need some tips on how to grow the RIGHT audience. Either way, you’re in the right place!
Today, we will dig into the power of Instagram, how to use it successfully, and what you need to strengthen your online presence as a whole. Let’s do it!
PS. if you haven't taken the quiz yet, check it out here! :)
Why Instagram is the perfect social media platform for creative business owners with a visual flair
Instagram is the ideal social media platform for creative business owners who want to connect more personally with their biggest fans and find new potential customers.
As a visual platform, Instagram is perfect for showcasing beautiful handmade products and baked goods! Creative businesses succeed on Instagram because they usually have access to massive amounts of high-quality photos of their work. Having original visual content is valuable and minimizes the need for a graphic designer and stock photos.
Instagram tends to attract a younger/ trendier audience. It’s a great place to establish yourself as an expert or leader in your industry by sharing tutorials, inspiration, or behind-the-scenes secrets. Instagram requires consistent engagement and content sharing for growth and is not ideal for someone who won’t post regularly. As a highly visual platform, successful users have to be willing/ able to share high-quality photos and videos.
What is unique about Instagram?
Unlike other social media platforms, Instagram is built for sales! 81% of people use Instagram to help research products and services, and 130 million Instagram users tap on shopping posts every month!.
2 in 3 people say the network helps foster interactions with brands. AKA, Instagram is a place to CONNECT. You will succeed on this platform because you put the “social” in social media. ;)
Fun Instagram facts:
1 billion monthly users
51% of users are female
90% of Instagram users follow a business
Instagram is ideal for...?
Instagram caters to small business owners who have photos to share and things to say. You have many ways to share your stuff - posts, stories, reels, IG Live, etc. Ideally, you're going to create content consistently with a clear focus and an easy-to-identify audience.
If Instagram is your jam, it means you are confident and social! You feel comfortable telling stories about your product or brand, and you’re excited about being on a visual platform. There is no “hiding out” here… Instagram is a place to be SEEN.
Annnnd if that doesn’t feel 100% true yet, that’s okay too. The biggest challenge new business owners have with Instagram is that they aren’t confident - they are scared to show their face and try new features. But once they do, BAM! They are excited (because they see results!).
Are your customers young? Instagram users are! More than half of Instagram users around the globe are 34 years old or younger, and only 14% of Instagram’s users are over the age of 45.
(It’s critical to know who your ideal customer is. If you’re still working on this one, no worries. Check out this blog post for some tips!)
How to be successful on Instagram as a creative business
Girl, you’re tech-savvy, and your products are on-trend. You’ve got an eye for the aesthetic. You already love hanging out online, so let’s put your Instagram account to work and get the word out about your creative, handmade products!
With all the new shopping and e-commerce features rolled out this year, it’s easier for brands to sell products directly within the app. If you’re not using Instagram’s shopping features yet, check out our post on how to sell products on Instagram.
I get that it can feel overwhelming to decide where to start and how to approach Instagram in the “right” way. But the best bet is to get clear about your goals and take ACTION (instead of overthinking & procrastinating).
Quick hacks to nail your Instagram game:
Get crystal clear on WHO your ideal client is. When you think of your dream customer, what characteristics do they have (Male/female, age, married/single, family, income, hobbies, style)? Think about what they love and how your product speaks to them or solves a problem for them.
Decide how best to SERVE your ideal clients. Think about what they need and want: tips, encouragement, connection, or entertainment (or most likely, a mix!).
Commit to a REALISTIC posting schedule. Your posting schedule won't look like all the IG influencers you follow. Consider starting with 2-3 posts/week and increasing if/when you feel comfortable.
Create a content plan! The best way to show up consistently and intentionally on IG is to plan and schedule posts in advance. This step will help you avoid the burnout of creating/posting daily!
Use the right tools! Having the right tools can make a huge difference too! Check out this post with my must-have tools for marketing your creative business on social media.
A few common Instagram mistakes to avoid:
Feeling pressured to follow someone else’s posting schedule! Keeping up with the “social media gurus” and posting x times per day/week is a common pitfall. (Can I let you in on a secret? They probably have a team of marketers helping them create all that content, and they’re serving a completely different audience than you!)
Worrying too much about vanity metrics. Yes, it's good to measure your Instagram growth to ensure you're on the right track, but MORE followers are not always the answer. You can have hundreds of thousands of followers with very little engagement because your audience doesn’t trust you or feel connected to what you’re sharing. On the flip side, you can build an entire business with less than 3,000 followers (I know because I did it!) if you’re speaking directly to your biggest fans and connecting with them in a real way.
Skipping hashtags. Figuring out how hashtags work and which ones to use can be an overwhelming or frustrating part of Instagram, but it’s worth the effort. Adding the right hashtags can help you reach a much larger audience - and better yet, YOUR ideal audience. Creating a solid hashtag strategy takes time, and that’s why I offer hashtag research in my 1:1 Strategy Sessions.
Waiting until your Instagram game is PERFECT. The absolute WORST thing you could do is not to start because you’re afraid you’ll mess up. Spoiler alert: You will. 100% of social media users have posted something that wasn’t perfect or didn’t have the impact they had hoped for. The best/only way to get better is to get started. And remember - Instagram moves fast… and people have short attention spans. ;) No need to worry about your mistakes being front and center forever!
Okay, girl. Deep breath. There are so many ways for you to be successful on Instagram - and the great thing is that you aren’t doing it alone! Before long, you will find your IG community and feel more confident about what you’re doing. The key is to consistently show up, be true to who you are, and share your stuff!
Going beyond Instagram:
I know we JUST started talking about Instagram and how you’re going to start sharing quality content consistently. BUT! I always encourage my clients to think about how they can work smarter, not harder.
One of the advantages of Instagram is that Facebook owns it. Because of this, it is super easy to post to Facebook and Instagram simultaneously. Double the exposure for half the effort. Yes, please. With Instagram as your focus, you can select "auto-post to Facebook" in your Settings, and this will automatically post your content to your Facebook business page at the same time.
Hint: For most of my clients, I recommend setting up business profiles for Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest even though you will focus most of your efforts on one platform at first. It never hurts to start building a presence on a second platform in case you decide to add it as you grow! You will show up when potential clients and customers search for you - no matter what platform they prefer. And on a more practical note, you’ll claim your username on all platforms so no one else can take it, and it will be ready for you when you want to expand your marketing efforts or outsource your social media content creation later down the road.
Let’s put a bow on it!
Whew, that was a lot. But I need you to do one last thing for me.
Just say “no” to overwhelm!
Remember, Instagram is a tool (a very powerful one) that can help boost your business by growing your dream audience and attracting paying customers for $0.00.
But as lovely as that sounds, Instagram is not magic. And it’s not exactly FREE either.
Without a plan or strategy in place, you might spend hours a day figuring out what to post and when, stressing over what images to use, and googling “are reels only for dancers and teenagers?” This approach will eventually lead to overwhelm and burnout. I’ve seen this repeatedly happen with the bakers and makers I serve.
Repeat after me: I am a creator and a business owner. Instagram doesn’t own me!
It’s time to treat social media like your assistant. Instagram can help you grow your customer base, but it doesn’t get to boss you around and steal all of your time. With the right action plan in place, you can use Instagram to deliver a clear, inviting message to the exact group of people you’re looking for - and you can do it in a few hours a week (not a day). Are you ready?
