How to Build a Community on Instagram
My biggest bugbear with Instagram is all the talk about the algorithm.
I feel like on every other social media platform (which all have algorithms btw) no one talks as much about the algorithm as they do on Insta. There’s so many people sharing tips to “beat” or “please” the algorithm; selling courses on it, etc. Let me tell you the algorithm is not there to be beaten – in fact its there to help (but that’s a topic for another day).
More than that, if you want to enjoy your time on Instagram and build a business on it, then you should be focusing on your community, not the algorithm.
In fact, it’s what Instagram is there for; the headline statement on their ‘about’ website is “Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together.” They have designed a platform to build communities; so why are we trying to please their algorithm, when we should be focusing on pleasing our community?
Your community are the real people behind the ‘gram. The people who support you, who recommend you, who buy from you.
Focus on creating content for them, and if it works for the algorithm along the way then bonus!!
Having a community on Instagram means you:
- Can truly connect with people online
- Will focus less on reach & vanity metrics
- Can share content that people want to see
- Are more likely to convert followers to clients
The biggest plus – having a community online makes it all a lot more enjoyable! You’ve got people in your corner, to talk to and connect with – its the SOCIAL of social media.
Tips for building a community
Here’s some tips whether you’re just starting out or looking to develop your current community:
ENGAGE
The first step is to engage with those already engaging with you; respond to comments on your content, thank people for sharing, respond to responses to interactive Story stickers.
Engage with other people’s content – reciprocate the support shown to you, comment (genuinely) on their posts.
MESSAGING
Getting into people’s DMs, in a genuine, authentic way, can help to quickly build a relationship as you’re having a 1:1 person to person discussion.
How to do it genuinely? Send message replies to comments left on your posts, reply to Stories, follow up on responses to interactive Story stickers.
Make it more real by using voice replies rather than typing; build that personal connection.
CREATE CONTENT FOR THEM
Focus on what your community will find valuable when planning your content. What questions do you get asked frequently? What challenges are they facing right now? Your content is not about you & your business; its about your community.
If you’re not sure what they’d like to see then ask them – be specific in your questioning, very open & general questions may not get a response, so instead ask “what questions do you have about XYZ” or “last week I shared content about A would you know rather hear about B or C”.
Use your Insights to understand what they enjoy & engage with so you can create more of the same.
COLLABORATE
Find new audiences by collaborating with others; find people who fit with your business and look for ways to collaborate. Whether that’s sharing advice, going “Live” to talk about certain topics, or looking to work together on a joint offering. Collaborating can build your network and get you in front of a new audience, and potential new people who will want to be part of your community.
Don’t forget to use the Instagram ‘Collaboration’ feature to maximise this.
BE AUTHENTIC
Gone are the days of the “Insta perfect” feed and pictures. Yes, they still exist and we do all like to swoon over an insta worthy cake but people also like to see the real person.
Show up as you are – not everyone will like you, but that’s ok – you don’t need everyone to like you.
Also we can all see through the fake preamble to sales chat can’t we, so just don’t do it. Build genuine connections with people and then the selling won’t feel so icky.
RECOGNISE & ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION
Credit the people in your community for their questions & suggestions. If you’ve learnt something new from them, or they’ve inspired you, let them know.
If you want more community involvement (client feedback, photos, etc) then consider incentivising this with discounts / small prizes.
So next time you’re feeling frustrated with Instagram, or wondering what you should do for the algorithm, remember it’s not about the platform – it’s for the community it facilitates.
I want you to enjoy using Instagram to build your community and grow your business; to find out more about how I can help you do this click here to view my Instagram services.
Or if you’re not sure where to start or have some questions, then get in touch to book a free 30 minute clarity call, we can chat it all through and work out how I can best support you. Book a call here.
What is Trending Audio on Instagram Reels? And how do you use it?
When it comes to reels one of the top pieces of advice to boost views is to use trending audio, but does this leave you confused? Do you know what people mean by this term? And most importantly, once you find some trending audio do you know what to do with it?
Instagram Reels will be 2 years old this summer and their main purpose is to ‘entertain’.
Audio (the sounds or songs that go along with the short video) forms a key element of this entertainment. Instagram want you to enjoy the content (so you’ll watch more), and also to inspire others (so they’ll create more); this is where trending audio comes in.
Trending audio (songs or sounds) refers to audio that is gaining popularity.
It is not so much about numbers, in fact there are many audios that have been used thousands of times but are not trending. It is more about the momentum; indicators like it being viewed more frequently and more & more people using it, or saving it, to create their own original content.
Here’s a few common questions about trending audios to help get you confident and having fun with using trending audio.
So firstly, how do you know what is trending?
When you’re scrolling through reels, you can identify a trending audio by the small arrow next to the audio title.
The manual way to find trending audios is to simply look out for them whilst you’re scrolling and watch for the arrow – if you see one, which you enjoy, then save it
If you don’t want to scroll, or just want more inspiration, then there are a few accounts that publish regular trend reports. Two to check out are the @creators account and this blog from Later that is updated regularly.
So how should you use Trending Audios?
Trending audios can be used in a variety of ways, and don’t worry they’re definitely not all dance routines or pointing – I know you don’t enjoy those!
For some it will be obvious; there will be a trend around what to film or show to go with the audio.
For others you may need to get more creative, and try out some different ideas to go along with the audio. Check out other reels that have been created using that audio for inspiration; but remember to keep it for inspiration don’t copy someone else’s content.
If you like an audio but not sure how you would use it then you can:
- Save it for later when you have time to plan how to utilise it for your niche
- Film the reel anyway and worry about what context to put with it later on. This is a great way to batch create reels; using short audios to film a few at a time – you can then save them as draft to edit later.
Should you use the trends with a set ‘template’ or are they too popular?
Following the ‘template’ of the trend is fine and will help inspire others (likely why it has gained the momentum to be trending). If it is a very popular reel in your niche, then some may feel they’ve already seen it many times and start to lose interest. This though is very much personal choice.
Even when following a template, always make it your own & add your own personality wherever you can. This will help keep people engaged.
Is there a time you should not use trending audio?
As with any content the key is to ensure what you are sharing is consistent and relevant.
- Consistent with the rest of your content; ensure it aligns with what your account is about and what your audience expect to see from you
- Relevant to you, your business & your audience
Some trending audios can be fun but if they’re totally random compared to what your business is about and the audience you want to build then just keep them for your personal account.
Trending audios are more likely to be seen by more non-followers so it is an opportunity to attract new people into your audience; keep the content relevant to what will appeal to your ideal audience.
Does the trending audio need to align to your niche?
Many trending audios start off in one niche but then will quickly expand out to others. The fact that the momentum builds around them to make them trending often means that they cross different niches.
As before, if you can ensure that the content you’re sharing is consistent & relevant then you don’t need to worry about which niche it started off in.
What about captions & hashtags?
Audio is only one element of your reel. When creating your reel you need to consider all other aspects – the visuals & edits (text etc) you make are the other key element.
But that’s not to say the caption and hashtags aren’t important too. As with all content it is important to include a caption – you can add more explanation & context to your reel and prompt discussion.
For hashtags, you don’t need to use any specific hashtags that go along with the trend (unless they’re relevant). Stick to adding hashtags that are relevant to your niche.
Hopefully this helps answer some questions you may have around trending audio. When it comes to reels my key advice is to just have a go!
Some will work and some won’t, but its through this process that you’ll discover what you enjoy creating and what your audience enjoy consuming.
I want you to enjoy using Instagram to build your community and grow your business; to find out more about how I can help you do this click here to view my Instagram services.
Or if you’re not sure where to start or have some questions, then get in touch to book a free 30 minute clarity call, we can chat it all through and work out how I can best support you. Book a call here.