06 | Is Instagram Dead?
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Episode Show Notes
With the continuous changes and updates to Instagram lately, many business owners are wondering whether the app is worth their time anymore. Many are asking how to increase their reach and engagement and calling out for Instagram to return to the app they once knew. So, in this episode, I’m answering the questions on everyone’s minds right now “is Instagram dead?” and “how can we continue to grow our businesses organically in 2022?”
We talk about:
The changes & updates we’re experiencing on IG
How to adapt to these changes as creators & business owners
Why it’s important to branch out to other platforms
What to do if you’re experiencing low engagement on Instagram
Links & Resources Mentioned:
Episode Blog Post
I’ve been engaging in a lot of interesting conversations with my clients recently about Instagram, and what seems to be coming up a lot are questions like…
“Should we still be using Instagram for our business?”
“Is Instagram still a place where we can generate leads organically?”
“How can we increase our reach and engagement on Instagram?”
I’m going to take a guess and say that you’ve been wondering some of these things questions as well. Am I right?!
There has been a lot of noise recently about the changes Instagram have been making. There’s been a lot of new features added, a lot of updates and a lot of complaints about these changes happening to Instagram, particularly from creators and business owners using Instagram to essentially make a living…
There’s talk about the algorithm changes, the decreased reach we’re experiencing, it’s become harder to reach new people, engagement isn’t what it used to be… And all of this is true.
The one thing you need to remember about Instagram.
I will start off by saying that, yes, it can be frustrating as creators and as business owners when a platform doesn’t work like it used to anymore and the changes being made don’t necessarily work in your favour.
But I think it’s important to remember that Instagram is a FREE platform that you are using to market your business.
Instagram enables you to get in front of your ideal audience, promote your offers and services, sign clients, make sales in your business... and it doesn’t cost you a penny to do so.
So, yes, I won’t deny that the changes can be frustrating… but I think that a lot of people do forget that Instagram is a free platform that they are using to make money .
It all goes back to the well-known phrase “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. While Instagram is a great way to market your business, there’s no denying that Instagram is changing and we have no control over these changes.
So if you, as a business owner, are solely using Instagram to market your business and you don’t have any other form of social media or an email list or a blog or podcast then that is a BIG mistake on your part.
You do not own your social media platforms. Your account could be deleted tomorrow. Plenty of business owners I know have been locked out of their accounts or had their accounts deleted and had to completely start over again and build their audience again from scratch
Now that’s an extreme scenario, but it could happen. This is why your goal with Instagram should be to connect and nurture the audience you build so that you can get them OFF of Instagram and onto a platform you OWN such as your email list. But that is a discussion for another day and one that we’ll definitely have on the podcast at some point.
So, is Instagram dead?
The decreased reach and the changes we’re experiencing right now is a very real example of how you don’t own your Instagram account. But the fact remains that Instagram is still one of the best platforms to market your business on. Instagram allows you to find your ideal client, to nurture them, to build connections with them, and eventually, to convert them into paying clients.
So I’m going to answer the question of “is Instagram dead?” right now.
Instagram is NOT dead.
However, Instagram as you KNOW it IS dying.
A new version of Instagram… Instagram 2.0, if you will, is coming to the surface and this is going to be the new normal. If you want to use Instagram to market your business then you have to adapt to the platform as it grows.
Marketing your business organically isn’t easy. It requires time, effort and consistency - it’s not something that you can be lazy about. What might have worked for you last year won’t necessarily work now - and that’s the same for anything, not just Instagram! So if you want to see a return from Instagram, you have to put the effort in.
If you are not willing to adapt to this new version of Instagram, then that’s okay. But that just means that you are going to have to find a new platform to market your business, whether that be TikTok, starting a podcast, writing a blog or something else entirely.
Dealing with decreased engagement.
It’s no secret that Instagram reach and engagement has gone down for a lot of people.
And before we talk about this, I firstly want to pose the question of…. If everyone’s complaining about and experiencing low engagement right now, is engagement actually low? Or is it just the new normal?
Think about it. If everyone is experiencing the same problem then it’s not an isolated issue specifically for you… It’s the same for everyone and it’s not necessarily a reflection on your business. You’re not necessarily doing anything wrong just because your engagement has decreased.
I will be honest with you - my reach and engagement is the lowest it has ever been. I have been using Instagram for business since around 2018 and typically, I always received great engagement - a lot of likes, a lot of comments, I was reaching a lot of people.
My engagement now is nothing like it used to be… it has declined dramatically! However, even as my reach and engagement has decreased, my business growth and my income has continued to increase.
Now, I don’t rely solely on Instagram to market my business. I also have an email list, a blog, and now this podcast. But Instagram is still a HUGE driving force for my business - it always has been! Instagram has always been, and continues to be, the main way I’m able to attract and sign clients.
So you might be wondering… if my reach and engagement has declined, how is it that my business has continued to grow?
And the answer to that is simple.
My Instagram content strategy is built for SALES. Not engagement alone.
My lowest viewed Stories and least engaged with posts are actually the content that usually ends up making me the most money - that has been the same since I first started my business and even throughout my best periods of engagement.
The content that outwardly appears to not perform so well is often the content that generates the most profit and that is because I know how to leverage the audience I already have.
Creating content isn't about the engagement. It's about the built-in systems and psychology that leads your audience to your paid offers.
As a business owner, one of the biggest mistakes you could possibly make is creating content to build engagement but doesn't yield sales. Because you could have hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers and you could be creating content that brings in a tonne of new followers every day and gets thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, but the content that attracts new audience members isn’t necessarily the content that converts them.
So if you aren’t creating content that nurtures your existing community and takes them through your customer journey with the ultimate goal of conversion, then you are going to struggle to build a sustainable business that brings in consistent income, regardless of what platform you’re on.
You cannot control the algorithm. You cannot control how many people see your posts or engage with your content… but you CAN control your sales skills and your ability to convert those who DO see your content!
I cannot tell you how many captions I've posted that haven't got as many likes as I would have hoped for, or Stories I've posted and been discouraged by low views, but still ended in me signing a new client, or even 2, as a direct result of that content.
You don't need a huge audience to make an impact. You need a small community of your people who truly know, like and trust you. You need a content strategy that is set up to drives sales. That's what will create a successful business.
And as the word spreads about the value you’re providing to both your audience and your paid clients, more and more people will naturally find you.
So if you are frustrated about the Instagram changes, frustrated about the algorithm, frustrated that you’re not receiving the engagement that you want… remember that followers and likes don’t dictate your income. Sales do.
And if you want to learn more about how to create a content strategy that sells, I’ve got an episode coming up for you that’s going to teach you exactly how to do that!
I believe it’s going to be episode 7 so make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast so you can get that in your library as soon as it goes live.
And one more thing I feel like I have to mention is: Not everyone in your audience is going to engage with your content.
You will have a lot of people who are seeing your content but don’t necessarily engage. But they are watching, consuming, and when they’re ready, they will just invest and it’ll seem like they’ve come out of nowhere. But in reality, they’ve been there the whole time, they’re just not actively engaged in the way you might expect them to be.
So many of the clients who have hired me or students who have joined my courses have just appeared out of the blue. But one thing they always say is that my content is what inspired them to take action.
So the next time you feel discouraged, think of those lurkers in your audience who are there, even if you don’t think they are, and continue to show up for them. Show up for the people who need to hear your message, even when it seems like they’re not listening… because I promise you, they are. They might just not be showing it how you want them to.
To conclude.
If there are only two things you take away from this episode, I want it to be this:
1. Before you complain about Instagram, remember that you’ve been given the ability to build and market your business for free and Instagram is a tool that has allowed you to do that. Yes, things will change, but part of the skill of being a successful business owner is learning how to adapt to those changes.
2. Stop obsessing over your engagement and trying to beat the algorithm and start focusing on sharing your message and speaking to the people in your audience who need what you have to offer.
If you have found this episode helpful, please take a screenshot and share it to your Instagram stories because I’m sure there are a tonne of people there who are really struggling with Instagram and engagement and who just need to hear this right now,
As always, I hope you loved this episode and I look forward to talking to you again next week!
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Hey! I’m Tish!
I'm a marketing mentor for ambitious entrepreneurs who want to create more time, freedom & profit in their online business, in a way that feels good to them!
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