photo by Haley Richter Photography
@haleyrichterphoto
We all know the importance of having a strong social media presence, but most of us don’t always have the time to create and implement the right strategy to make our social media accounts work for us. The other issue is that even with a good social media account, you have to keep updating your strategy to stay relevant for new clients. New clients don’t want what everyone else already had at their events, they want something new and different that will wow not only IRL but potentially go viral on social.
So that leaves you caught between posting new photos you got from a wedding you just did (but was planned 1-2 years ago) or posting photos of new, creative ideas of things you’ve not yet done but want to do in the future so you can attract 2024-2025 couples. Don’t forget that this also applies to other online spots you are listed like wedding blogs, wedding websites and other places you advertise.
Plus you need to do all the weddings you have for the rest of the summer/fall, run your business, make sure your friends and family still know you exist and find a few minutes to eat and sleep. Anyone relate?
It is easy to get overwhelmed with social media and just throw your hands up and ignore it. But it’s not going away. I’d suggest trying something different and more manageable – create a multi-dimensional social media strategy. Updating your Instagram account effectively involves a combination of strategies that focus on content creation, engagement, and optimization.
Here are some of the best ways to update your Instagram account:
Regular Posting: Consistency is key on Instagram. Try to post regularly to keep your followers engaged and interested. The frequency can depend on your schedule, but many successful accounts post at least once a day. Develop a content calendar to plan your posts in advance. This can help you maintain a consistent posting schedule. There are also tools available that can schedule your posts for you.
High-Quality Content: Ensure that the photos and videos you post are of high quality. This doesn’t necessarily mean professional-grade, but they should be clear, well-lit, and visually appealing. Use a good camera or a smartphone with a high-quality camera. Learn basic photography and photo editing skills. There are plenty of free resources online and apps that can help you enhance your photos.
Engage with Your Audience: Respond to comments on your posts, and engage with your followers’ content as well. This can help to build a community around your account. Make a habit of spending a few minutes each day responding to comments on your posts. Also, spend some time browsing your followers’ content and leaving thoughtful comments.
Use Hashtags: Hashtags can help to increase the visibility of your posts. Use relevant hashtags that can help users who are interested in your content find your posts. Research popular and relevant hashtags in your niche. Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post, but studies suggest 9-11 is the optimal number. Don’t use the same hashtags for every post, mix them up to reach different audiences and don’t go for the hashtags with millions of posts – aim for ones that are specific and between 4k – 40k.
Utilize Instagram Stories and Reels: These features allow you to post content that doesn’t necessarily fit with your main feed, but can still engage and entertain your followers. They also provide additional ways for users to discover your account. Use Stories for behind-the-scenes content, Q&As, or to showcase your personality. Use Reels to create short, engaging videos related to your niche. Reels/TikToks can require more planning and a script so make sure what you record is clear, has good lighting and is engaging, educating and/or entertaining.
Optimize Your Bio: Your bio is one of the first things people see when they visit your profile. Make sure it clearly communicates who you are and what your account is about. You can also include links to your website or other social media accounts. Add places you’ve been published or awards you’ve won like “Best of Zola” to add credibility. Use keywords related to your niche in your bio and a call-to-action to guide visitors (e.g., “Click the link below to contact”). You can also include a link-in-bio tool to share multiple links with your followers.
Collaborate with Others: Collaborating with others can help to expose your account to a wider audience. This could involve shoutouts, guest posts, or other forms of collaboration like a joint live video, a post exchange, or a contest. Another great way to tackle this is to join a styled shoot like our TBME content days where you can collab in real time with other pros. You can create things you want to do more of and get pro photos and video to post on your account as well as be tagged on others’ accounts to reach their audience as well. We like to pair our networking events with other purposes to maximize your time like at our State of the Wedding Industry Mastermind events or our TBME (The Bridal Masterclass Experience) styled shoot content days to all for deeper connections to be formed while you are also working on your business and creating content to use for your social media. Be sure to sign up for our email list and follow our Eventbrite page to get notifications about upcoming events.
Use Instagram Ads: If you have the budget for it, Instagram’s advertising platform can be a powerful tool for increasing your reach and gaining new followers. Start with a small budget and test different types of ads (e.g., photo, video, carousel). Use Instagram’s targeting options to reach a specific audience. If you don’t already have a solid understanding of who you are targeting though, don’t pay to play yet. Get some organic traction first as paid ads will only enhance when the algorithm sees your account doing.
Analyze Your Performance: Instagram provides a wealth of analytics data that you can use to understand what’s working and what’s not. Use this data to refine your strategy and make improvements. Regularly check your Instagram Insights to see which posts are performing best. Look at metrics like engagement rate, reach, and website clicks. Don’t forget to use this information on other sites you are featured on such as a profile on Zola or wedding blog site. Good performing content will resonate in other places as well.
Stay Up-to-Date: Instagram is always introducing new features and changing its algorithm. Staying up-to-date with these changes can help you adapt your strategy and continue to grow your account. Follow Instagram’s own account and other social media news sources to stay informed about updates. Experiment with new features as they become available.
If all this seems like another job to do, I get it. In fact, that’s why we are rolling out a monthly membership, Streamline Social. You take quiz to find out what you want your social media to do for you and get a customized template so you know what to do, the types of captions to write, hashtags to use, and media type for the post.
Knowing what you need to do isn’t the hard part. The hard part is the creation and implementation of the strategy. We’ve helped others clarify their strategy and make social media more manageable – even profitable – so your time is well-spent.
We also make sure you stay up-to-date on the latest news. The last thing you need is one more job to do so knowing only what you need to know and understanding how it will change what you do on social media is crucial. That is what Streamline Social does.
Remember, growing an Instagram account takes time and patience – so does updating your account to reach a new group of couples for the coming years. What works best can vary greatly depending on your specific audience and niche. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t see immediate results. It’s important to experiment with different strategies and see what works best for you. Keep refining your strategy and stay consistent with your efforts.
In order for you to increase bookings for your wedding business, you need to implement a multifaceted approach. If you are doing these things and still not getting any results, email me to schedule a 15-minute call to uncover ways you can improve your efforts and book more of the types of weddings with couples you want to serve: hello@thebridalmasterclass.com
