My Secrets To Instagram Success - Charliemadison Originals LLC

My Secrets To Instagram Success

[Archived post from July 28, 2015]

It’s no secret that Instagram is my favorite social outlet! I love scrolling through all the gorgeous photos, then backing up to ooh and aah at a fabulous dress or drool over the most awesome desserts. But my most favorite part of Instagram is connecting with all of you. It’s so easy to spread a little love – letting someone know they’ve inspired me, leaving a sweet comment for a friend who’s having a tough day, or celebrating a friend’s big accomplishment. And I’ve made some pretty wonderful friends on Instagram! I’m celebrating my one-year anniversary on Instagram and for all you makers and business owners out there, I wanted to share something that turned my Instagram world upside down. You can find me on Instagram at @CharliemadisonOriginals.

Let me introduce my friend, Melissa Camilleri of Compliment. Not only does she run her own jewelry & gift business, but she also teaches a course on Instagram. And she happens to be one of the kindest and most genuine souls I know. I had the pleasure of joining the very first Instagram class she taught and it completely changed my entire outlook on Instagram – since then, I have been blazing a new trail thanks to everything she taught me. And because I had so many lightbulb moments during the course, I decided to become an Affiliate and help Melissa spread the word.  Today, Melissa is my guest here on the blog and she’s sharing her tips and tricks for those of you wondering how in the heck to master Instagram.

[BE SURE TO READ TO THE END FOR MY SPECIAL LINK (+ DISCOUNT) TO HER CLASS]

IF YOU’RE NOT MAKING MONEY ON INSTAGRAM, YOU’RE DOING IT WRONG

Guest post by Melissa Camilleri, Founder of Compliment, Inc. and the 21-Day Insta-course

As long as you haven’t been living under a rock the past couple years, you’ll know that Instagram should be a key component to your online marketing strategy, especially as a product-based business, where what we do is so visual! Likely, you already have a presence on Instagram. If you’re anything like I was when I first started using the platform, your growth has been slow going and your reach not quite multiplying in the way you see it happening for other businesses. It’s frustrating to be in this space. In fact, I know it well. It took me one full year to grow to 1000 followers on Instagram.

But knowing how important the platform was to my overall marketing strategy, I was determined and focused. I observed and took action. I put in place some key strategies that took my Instagram (@shopcompliment) from 1000 to 17,000 the following year. These days, I’m adding an average of 1500 new followers per month, have a following of over 30K and get 70% of my website traffic and conversions from Instagram. I’m selling five-figures month after month, and my Instagram strategy is a large part of that. I have no special photography or tech training under my belt. Just sheer will, an iPhone, plus the mindset that where my attention goes, grows.

Here are four things you can start doing today to give you the foundation to start actually getting seen, building relationships, and making money on Instagram:

1. SHOW UP CONSISTENTLY.

It is essential that if you have an Instagram account, you are posting at least once a day to show up in the conversation that’s happening on IG. Posting consistently will keep you top of mind in your customer’s heads. Did you know that studies show that a potential customer has to interact with a brand a minimum of 7 times before ever taking action? The more you post, the quicker this will happen. That said, you don’t want to overload your followers’ feeds, so I suggest posting no more than 3 times per day, with at least 4 hours between posts.

2. GET SOCIAL.

Interact with the people who comment on your photos. @Mention them back. Ask them questions. Share your gratitude. And don’t be afraid to leave comments on other people’s pictures, too. Be generous with your likes. Follow back people who are consistently interacting with you. It’s called a social network for a reason! Let people get to know you, and seek ways to get to know your followers.

3. POST WITH YOUR IDEAL CUSTOMER IN MIND.

What does she like about your brand? What is on her mind at the time of the day you’re posting? What does she talk about with her friends? Where is she when she buys from you? What are her dreams? What are her problems and how does your product solve them? When you write the captions of your photos, keep her in mind. Write directly to her. You’ll find that your engagement will grow authentically with people who are excited about what you’re putting out into the world.

4. UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR NUMBERS ARE LESS IMPORTANT THAN ENGAGEMENT.

The number of followers you have is definitely important. Followers act like little votes of confidence and give your brand credibility. And because people do what they see other people do, the more followers you have, the more followers you will get. But, what good is a bunch of followers who don’t ever buy your stuff? (I’ll give you a hint: NO GOOD AT ALL.) Numbers aren’t everything. Engagement is what matters most.
By putting these strategies into place you will be taking major leaps in building trust with your followers and turning those followers you do have into raving fans and life-long customers.

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Melissa Camilleri is the Founder + Creative Director of Compliment— a gift brand she launched in 2011 while she was a full-time high school English and AVID teacher. She credits Instagram for helping her grow her     business from a production line on her dining room table to the socially-responsible corporation it is now. At   the urging of her business-owner friends who wanted to replicate her marketing success, Melissa dusted off her teaching hat and created the 21-Day Insta-course to help others market their products, services, and brick and mortar shops. Tens of thousands have attended her virtual courses, participated in her workshops, and studied under her guidance. She believes we rise by lifting others. She lives and loves in Northern California.

HERE ARE ALL THE DETAILS ABOUT HER AWESOME COURSE!

The 21-Day Insta-Course is delivered daily, straight to your inbox, and gives you actionable tasks each day to grow your following of authentic, engaged customers.

You’ll learn:

– How to craft your bio so that people want to buy.
– How to communicate your brand values through images.
– How to engage your following through hashtags, direct messaging, comments, and geotags.
– What and when to post.
– How to find and collaborate with key influencers.
– How to find your ideal customer on Instagram.
– How to present your company in the best, most aesthetic way online.
-How to manage your time on social media.
– & much, much more.

You’ll also get:

– Lifetime access to the 21 lessons and action steps that you can implement with the group or go-at-your-own-pace, taught by an actual teacher who is an expert in adult learning practices
– An audio of each lesson so you can learn on the go.
– Downloadable PDFs to accompany the lessons.
– A directory of course participants so you can connect on Instagram and elsewhere online.
– Access to our private Facebook community where hundreds of other business owners gather to collaborate, share insights, and cheer one another on
– FREE group coaching and collaboration with Melissa during the course. (value $499)

CLICK HERE TO READ ALL ABOUT THE CLASS AND GET $50 OFF THE REGISTRATION PRICE

(*Early bird price of $127 goes up to $177 on Aug 1, 2015.)