Let’s Get Social

A BIG congratulations to Elizabeth, who just welcomed her adorable baby boy Tommy into the world!

My friend and social media maven, Elizabeth McNevin of Sociale Consulting, is here to give you the top tips for keeping your engagement up! Elizabeth has been in the social media industry for 10 years, working with brands like WeddingWire, and now she’s here to give us the insight.

1. Engagement. You may hear this word a lot in the social media world, and that’s because it has a ton of meaning. Engagement not only is the number of times someone comments/likes on your image. It also means how you, as a brand/small business/etc. Interact with others on a daily basis. It’s so important that you are taking the time to find others within your niche and could become part of your audience. This is how you grow organically, and believe me, IT TAKES TIME, but it’s so worth it! Try this: take 5-10 minutes of your day on the “Explore” feed or search a trending hashtag in your industry (such as, #darlingweekend). Then, comment on at least 3-5 pictures from people who you don’t know because chances are, they have no idea who you are either. If you’re really digging their style, give them a follow. This will likely lead to organic growth and it makes your profile organic because you are showing a human side to your brand.
2. Hashtags. There is a ton of debate around hashtags and I hear you, it can get confusing! The important thing to know is that every single brand is different. Some brands don’t use hashtags and they see higher engagement on their posts, some use 2-3 hashtags and others use 5-10 hashtags. My recommendation is to stick to no more than 5 hashtags per post, but, for me, less is more. ALWAYS use hashtags that have at least two words. Instagram has started to ban hashtags that are overused and flags it as spam (for example, use #bohowedding instead of #boho). Try this: Only use two-worded hashtags. Test your hashtag usage for a week at a time to determine what’s best. Go one week without using hashtags (you can do it, it’s just one week!), then try one week using 2-3 hashtags per post, and finally, try one more week with using 5-10 hashtags per post. Which week performed the best for you?
3. Geo Locations. To get discovered more organically, geo-tag your images to boost exposure. Like hashtags, Instagram users use geo locations to find content tagged at that specific location. Try this: Next time you’re sharing an image from a photoshoot/wedding/traveling, geo-tag the specific location (not just city/state/country) that you’re visiting.
4. Instagram Stories. What is the first thing you see when you log onto Instagram? The Stories feature. Not only can you give your audience behind-the-scenes content, you have the ability to have personal conversations with your followers because they can direct message you right from a story. Bonus, if you have over 10,000 followers you can also link to your content! Instagram users have claimed that they see more engagement on their feeds when they use Instagram Stories, likely because followers are getting to know you / your brand on a more personal level and interacting with your content more. Win-win! Try this: Aim to post on Instagram Stories every other day (Instagram Stories last for 24 hours, so if you can’t do it every day, give yourself a day in between). Share behind-the-scenes from your blog, photoshoot, wedding, even what’s inspiring you right now. I promise, it’s not as scary as it seems!
5. Have fun. Don’t stress! Instagram should still be a creative platform for you and your business. I promise you’ll get into a rhythm of best times to post, how often you should be posting, the number of hashtags to use, how many times to post on Instagram stories (okay, this sounds like a lot).

Have a question for Elizabeth? Leave it in the comments below or email her at hello@socialeconsulting.com.