Another post all about one of my favorite platforms, Instagram. In my last post we discussed the basics. Hashtags, content, engagement and how to attract your ideal client. If you missed it, be sure to read it here.
This week I want to talk to you about the free tools I use to optimize all the business benefits that Instagram has to offer!
Planning your feed
When someone comes to your profile they should immediately notice an aesthetically pleasing page. Your colors should complement each other, the quality of your pictures should be good, and it shouldn’t be too busy. But as you add posts to your profile, you may find that they don’t look as good as you thought they would or maybe the colors are not quite right. I had a similar problem until I found the Preview App.
Just add your pictures and captions within the app before posting them, then arrange and rearrange them until you are happy with the way your feed looks. For a layout that fits my style, I’ve chosen to rotate four stock photos and/or graphics and one photo of myself but something different might work for you, so fool around with it and see what you like! By laying them all out ahead of time, you can ensure all your colors, tones and graphics are complimentary. You can post right from the app, and then set a timer that will tell you when to post. If you don’t want or need a reminder about when to post, just use the Preview app as a guide and post directly through Instagram or a scheduling software. For a full tutorial on how to use this, go here!
Stock Photos
As mentioned above, your feed should reflect your brand. Those little squares are representing you and your business, and you’ll likely only get one shot to make a good impression. So, you need to find great stock photos and photos of yourself to put in the rotation! I download my stock photos from a variety of FREE websites that I have listed and linked below:
I also use the photo editor Snapseed when I need to adjust the tone or saturation of a picture.
Branded Graphics
Occasionally I like to throw a good quote in the mix, and in order to stay on brand, I like to create my own designs. Sometimes it’s just black words against a white background, so you don’t have to be a graphic designer to create your own graphics. I use Canva for all my social media graphics and for basically anything else that requires a little design. The free version is perfect for almost anything, and I only recommend paying when you need extra features like transparent backgrounds or need to add team members. Canva has a wide variety of capabilities that reach far beyond social media, so I’ve added a tutorial for reference if you’d like to learn more.
Scheduling
Before I entered this online world, I had no clue that you could schedule out your social media in advance, even weeks in advance! Who knew?! There is a lot of competitive software out there, and after testing a few apps, I’ve landed on Buffer. You can use the free version for basic capabilities or pay for more advanced features and scheduling tools. With Buffer you can schedule posts for Instagram and Facebook that will directly post, or you can simply add photos and descriptions to a queue and schedule when needed. For an easy tutorial on how to use Buffer, click here.
Spacing your text
I cannot even tell you how frustrating it is that Instagram won’t allow you to add spaces between your paragraphs. It has taken me a few months to find the perfect tool to take out all the guesswork and give me perfect spaces, EVERYTIME! Apps4lifehost is what I would refer to as a hole in the wall website. Just like your favorite little restaurant tucked away downtown, this website isn’t pretty, but the value is priceless! Just enter your text the way you want it to appear in your post and click “convert”. It will copy the text to your clipboard and you’ll be able to directly post to your Instagram or any other software you are using to schedule posts. Game changer! Also, you can also use this tool to create spaces in your bio description as well!
Instagram Audit
I hesitated to give away this little piece of information, because I really hate the follow to unfollow Instagram strategy that so many people are using. But sometimes you might follow someone expecting a certain type of content and later find it’s not a good fit for you. (Which in my opinion is different than the follow/unfollow method). So, I do think that an occasional audit of your Instagram account to see who is following you, who is not following back AND who has unfollowed you is a good idea! For my Instagram audits, I use the Followers App. Download it right to your phone and connect your Instagram account to see all the stats surrounding your following and perform your audit to make sure you’re connecting with people who want to benefit from your content.
I have a bonus thought on this: If you are following just to unfollow, just know that this resource is your worst enemy because the Followers App does show who unfollows! I hope that it will be a motivator for you to quit this icky tactic and work on more meaningful connections instead!
Once you start investigating and looking around, you will find that there are so many more free resources out there. Do you have an tool that you like to use for Instagram? I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments or send me a message!
I hope this short list will help you make the most of Instagram for your business!
