Help, I’m on Instagram! Now what?

Some have called it: “The next Facebook.”

Since it’s owned by Facebook, that’s a bit of a stretch.

No matter how you look at it, Instagram is the second most popular social media platform on the planet.

Instagram has more monthly active users than Twitter. About 700 million people now use Instagram every month, with about 400 million of them checking in daily. Eighty percent of users are outside of the United States.

In spite of these impressive numbers, I have neglected Instagram for years. To me, it was just one more thing to do, and to be frank, I didn’t really know what to do with it. I’m not an exhibitionist, and I didn’t feel the need to let perfect strangers into my private life that’s far from picturesque. Also, I didn’t want to become one of those people ruining a perfect moment to snap an Instagram photo, instead of experiencing that moment.

Life needs to be lived. Not observed. Observation creates detachment, instead of closeness.

MISSING OUT

As the number of Instagram users started to grow rapidly, I began to suffer from a mild case of FOMO, the Fear Of Missing Out. Was I doing my voice-over business a disservice by ignoring this platform?

Because of its visual nature, millenials prefer Instagram over Facebook and Twitter. Hashtags make it easy to find and grow an audience. You don’t need to have access to your computer to use it, and there is less competition from other small businesses.

As a solopreneur who leads a fairly isolated existence due to the nature of my job, making new connections is vital to the survival of my modest enterprise. So, could Instagram connect me to new clients, and provide me with a fun and effective way to stay in touch with my readers? Social Media gurus have done the math.

Engagement with brands on Instagram is said to be 10 times higher than Facebook, 54 times higher than Pinterest, and 84 times higher than Twitter. Experts tell me that even if I had less followers than on other channels, my Instagram audience would be far more interactive. With so much untapped potential, I decided it was time to give my Instagram account some love!

WHAT TO EXPECT

If you’re already on Instagram, what can you expect from me? Pictures of my cats, and other family members? Photos of food, my visits to the gym, or vacation snapshots? If that’s what you were hoping for, I have to disappoint you.

If Instagram is supposed to be this powerful tool to reach thousands if not millions of people, I want to use it to inspire. That’s goal number one. Goal number two is to increase awareness of the Nethervoice brand (to use marketing-speak), and to drive people to my website. It’s not all fun and games. I have to make a living.

My strategy is to post one picture a day with a quote from one of my blog posts. It’s easy on the eyes, and it will make you think. It reinforces my message, and I hope that those who have never read my blog and book, will get curious. That’s the plan. Will it work? I have no idea, but I’ll keep you posted. Right now I have 338 followers, so there’s plenty of room to grow.

If you’re already on Instagram, you can do me a huge favor, and follow me: www.instagram.com/nethervoice/ I will gladly follow you back. Here are two examples of the type of posts you can look forward to:

Are you on Instagram? What has been your experience, so far? Has it been beneficial to your business, or is it just another way to socialize online? Please share your tips and comments below.

Thanks!

Paul Strikwerda ©nethervoice

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