In this blog, I discuss the best way to get noticed on Insta, how to treat your followers, and tips for increasing engagement. On top of giving advice, I tell you how to take action.
This is a space to learn something new. Teaching beauty business owners how to use Instagram is my absolute pleasure. I want to point out your bad habits and how to fix them. Are you ready? Let’s get started.
Insta Success: Doing What You Do Takes Guts
Standing out from the crowd is hard among millions of amazing influencers. You may feel intimidated by the size of the beauty industry.
That’s okay! You are not alone in that feeling. This is all I can tell you: Be confident, and take that first step.
Over the years, I’ve seen tons of procrastinators. My friends, family, and connections always tell me, “I want to start a business.” I tell them, “Well… Just do it!”
I procrastinated on Instagram for many reasons. I felt like I was too late. I felt inferior to other big profiles. My follower count felt too small, and I didn’t feel original. My “stand out from the crowd” energy was at zero.
I’m here to tell you. Those feelings were lies. I deserve recognition and engagement, and you do too.
Never be intimidated by the size of Instagram or other beauty accounts. Your makeup brand, skincare product, and salon services matter.
Insta is an amazing place to grow an engaging following. If you sell products or services, then you fit. There is no “missing the train” on social media.
You don’t have to get popular on Instagram to be successful. The best way to get noticed includes being genuine and personal. If you want to grow your beauty business, start with being a real human being.
The results are consistent with your experience and habits. Show up every day. Take initiative. Reach out, and never be afraid to ask for help. Plug your products. Leave shyness and apprehension at the door.
How will you find your place in the multi-million dollar trade? Remember these tips and tricks for upcoming Insta beauty businesses:
- Stand out from the crowd.
- Sell emotions before products.
- Put an original spin on your brand.
Learn to Brand: Your Face Is Your Most Original Feature
Brand uniqueness comes from character. Successful brands tell their story and show their emotions. Help consumers understand your message. Do this in an about page, a few social media posts, your bio, etc.
Try to pick a unique and easy-to-read username. Millions of accounts use Instagram, and customers get bored with repetition.
Also, having a username with underscores or numbers seems unprofessional. Seeming inadequate makes it harder to build trust with your customers.
To create a successful brand, you need a username that screams originality. Use a phrase with personal meaning, describe your product, and carve your spot in the beauty industry. Using Instagram for business means treating your account as an expert setting.
Your focus should not be gaining more followers. Instead, focus on engagement. That includes anything from likes and comments to clicks on your website.
Using Instagram for business means creating relationships with customers. A big following has nothing to do with that; believe it or not!
Personal Branding: Keep Those Pretty Selfies Coming
Let your Insta followers see your face. Take more selfies! Your Insta followers want to connect with you. They crave your personality and looks. Never hold out on a beautiful selfie.
Selfies are the easiest way to stay relevant. In the old days of social media, entire accounts used to revolve around selfies. People connect with faces the easiest. A smiling, friendly face tells a story better than any beauty product.
Being friendly helps too. When you are approachable, your brand gets seen. Keep things light and comfortable. Arguments are for Facebook and Twitter. Positivity and helpfulness are for Instagram.
Does Selling on Instagram Make You Uncomfortable?
Aggressive sales tactics make some people uncomfortable. You hear “persistence is key,” but asking more than once feels weird. I understand! You feel slimy and weird, pushing your items onto other people.
Take it in this context instead. Your potential clients have a problem. You are the ideal person to fix that problem, and you know that. This is a resourceful way to look at it. Taking a problem-solving approach is a great way to build relationships with your customers.
Leave Vagueness at the Door. Get Specific With Your Audience.
Take a look at these questions:
- Who is your ideal customer?
- What do they look like, and what are their interests?
- How often do they shop for your products?
- Where are they from?
- How do they prefer to order their makeup, skincare products, salon services, or clothing?
I’ll give you a reason to get specific. You can find your ideal customer in Instagram’s hashtags. Your target audience lives in the hashtags. You need to seek them out, and bring them to your account.
Here’s Exactly What I Do.
I make a post, and I add the best hashtags for that post. It has to loosely match other great posts.
Once I create a post, I browse the recent hashtags in my caption. I see similar posts; then I check out their followers, likes, and comments. If they match my target audience, I engage with them and hope for a follow.
Once they follow my profile, I have them in my grasp. I keep them engaged on my Insta posts by tagging them, asking questions, watching their stories, and sending offers. That’s it! That’s my secret.
Here is an example:
My ideal customer purchases natural skincare products. They are female young adults with skepticism for random chemicals in most beauty products. They want to understand everything on their label.
A natural line of skincare products is suggested on their feed, and all-natural products mean something to them.
What do I do next?
- I create a post that talks about natural skincare products.
- I find the right hashtags.
- I research them beforehand to make sure that my picture and caption matches.
It doesn’t end there. After I make my post, I visit the hashtags in my captions. It may look something like this:
- #naturalskincareproducts
- #beautyisnatural
- #cleanskincare
I click the hashtags in my captions. I browse the recent tab, and I see who engages in similar posts.
If there are any likes and comments, I check to make sure that they match my target audience. If they match my target audience, I engage with them, follow them, and watch their stories.
It’s that simple!
Don’t Use Popular Hashtags. Use Effective Hashtags.
Hashtag research is number one. While Instagram posts are hit or miss, it’s important to make your presence known.
Here’s a secret: You aren’t doing yourself any favors by using popular hashtags.
Research the best hashtags after you make a graphic and caption. Take inspiration from the actual words in your captions. Think of what the algorithm will do. If you have pictures of makeup brushes, then research makeup brush-related hashtags.
Instead of posting in a spot with 1 million other eager businesses, try using fewer popular hashtags. I use Meta Hashtags to find interesting and original tags.
Step by Step: How Exactly Do I Use Meta Hashtags?
- I relate a hashtag to my post.
- I search for a popular hashtag.
- I find hashtags with under 20 posts per hour and over 15k posts in all.
- I plug it into my caption.
- I see what works, and I delete what doesn’t work.
That simple method gives me over 50% reach in the hashtags per post. Believe me; it works.
Pay Attention to Changes in Your Metrics
Let’s get technical. We always hear about changes in Instagram’s algorithm. There are truths and lies to that.
Here’s the real truth: Instagram’s algorithm changes constantly. It is a bot that revolves around constant growth. Manipulating it is useless. The secret to Instagram’s algorithm changes is to show up, be consistent, and post interesting content.
Do not blame your lack of reach on the algorithm. Take a look at the post, and ask yourself these questions:
- Do the hashtags match the caption and picture?
- Does the picture seem relevant to the hashtags?
- Do I compare to other similar posts?
- Did I fail to engage my followers within the first hour?
If you answered “no” to any of those questions, then the problem is not Instagram’s algorithm. It’s your post, and you need to polish up your next one.
Thank you for reading!
Don’t worry. Your Insta success story is right around the corner. Businesses in the beauty industry everywhere are in tip-top shape. There is no reason why you should not be the same.
Do you enjoy reading my Insta tips and tricks? Test the tips in this article, and let me know how they work.
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