Optimize Your Instagram Profile, Increase Your Reach

I hear this all the time from my clients:

"{Social Media is} is something else I have to do on top of all the other things I have to do as an business owner/entrepreneur."

 

I get it - learning how to strategically use Instagram in order to increase your reach and grow your audience of intrigued and qualified ideal clients ON TOP of all the other things you have to juggle in your business can leave you thinking that Instagram should be the LAST priority in your business.

But hear me. Instagram is the top of the funnel for your business when it comes to attracting and inviting new connections into your network.

It's the best way to get information about your business, your offer, what it's like to work with you, and who you are as a person out into the world so that when someone lands on your profile they can navigate around and learn more about you without too much effort.

It's your living business card + your storefront + your personality all in one. It's the party you're inviting people to and you have to make sure you can keep their attention and that you are showcasing what you're all about and why HOW you offer what you offer is unique 

So you need it and you need to be strategic about using it so that you're not spinning your wheels.

Here's how you're gonna optimize your Instagram profile so you can be found and increase your reach.

• Your account should be a public and professional account

  • Go to Settings > Account > Switch to professional account
  • Select a category that best describes your industry - Entrepreneur is a great option if you're not sure
  • After you choose your category, click the button to turn the display off, you don't need this info to take up a line on your profile
  • Choose Creator

• Optimize your Username field

  • Your Username (the field with the @ before it) should tell people who you are, whether that’s the name of your business or your name individually - it should be clear and concise with your name or the name of your business

• Update your Profile Picture

  • Your Profile Picture should be clear with no filters and a solid background. People are more likely to connect with a face, unless you have a team of people and your faces would be too small, in that case you can use your logo for the Profile Picture
  • If you have Canva Pro, you can use the Background Remover under Effects on any picture that you have
  • If you don't have Canva Pro, you can use www.slazzer.com to remover any background from a photo for free

• Optimize your Name field (you can only change this twice every 14 days)

  • The Name field is one of the most important parts of your Instagram profile because it is set up for SEO (search engine optimization) - this is PRIME real estate to attract your ideal client

  • You want to use a phrase and/or keywords that describe your business in words that your ideal client would be using to describe what they're looking for

  • DO NOT put your "I help" or value statement or the full description of your business here, you want it to be a soundbite that gives people that land on your profile an idea of what you do and the unique value you offer

• Update your Bio

  • Your Bio should give more details about who you serve and the outcome you offer with flair and personality
  • It should NOT have hashtags, other account names, or too many emojis

  • DO NOT drone on about yourself here - talk can do that in the about me section of your website or an about me/start here highlight bubble

  • This part is going to take some time because you have a limited amount of characters that you can use, but you can update it without limited attempts

• Include a CTA (call to action) in the last line of your Bio

  • The last line of your Bio should include a CTA that tells your ideal client exactly what to do next
    • to sign up for your email, SMS/text campaign, a lead magnet, a free course, a free recording - something low-risk that offers value toward their pain point or desired outcome

• Include a Link (website link)

  • Your Link should take your ideal client directly to the free offering you mentioned above OR can include a SHORT LIST of links with offers
  • If you have too many link, a confused mind will always say no, so make sure you are thoughtful with the links you include and make sure that your free offering is at the very top

• Update your Highlights

  • Your Highlights should reflect topics that align with your content pillars as a way to give more context to the content you're sharing and guide them to learn more about you and what you offer
  • You should update these regularly so they are relevant and timely

Okay, you're done updating your profile - great job!

Now, what the hell do you do next?

You join Instagram Growth Lab (get your first month for $7 with code IGLTRIAL7), where I teach you all the practical strategies you need in order to stand out and increase your engagement on Instagram.