Instagram, what the heck is actually working these days? Let’s dive in!

OK, I should say, one person’s opinion on what’s actually working for a regular human running a small business in 2024. And not doing gimmicky things like follow-for-follow schemes or follow/unfollow hacks (eww, sorry not sorry).

Note: I’ve been getting messages about folks enjoying and wanting more content on marketing, photography, tech, social media. One big one that comes up a lot is YUP, you guessed it: Instagram.

With that, I thought I’d write a post on all the things that are actually working for us.  However, it turned out to be SO ridiculously long. So, I had a choice: edit it down to make it more digestible, or break it apart.

10-Part Series

I decided to go with a 10-part series and really get into the nitty gritty. I’m peeling back the curtain here, because I don’t think this gets talked about enough in our industry (yet everyone is using it and playing the game). 

Social media can sometimes feel awkward (at least for me), so writing about it behind the scenes felt a little bit awkward and exposed too. But I decided to publish it anyway, and I hope it’s useful to see how someone else is using it. 

This first post is an intro teaser and a place to collect all of the links as a table of contents. I’ll be rolling out the entire series over the next few days/weeks. Part 1 is available now, but they will all be linked here eventually. 

Aside from being far too long for one post, breaking it out into parts aligns with how I actually use them. Not every post needs to have each element, but most posts have a combination (and all have Part 2). As you read through them, take what aligns with you and leave what does not. The most important thing is following your inner guidance and heart (I truly believe they already know where we need to go).

My Story

I’m not an Instagram expert, nor do I have millions of followers. But I do have an engaged following. I know this because I am engaging with folks, of course, but also because brands who want sponsored content often tell me this. I rarely do sponsored content, though I don’t have any issues with it.

As an aside, I actually like seeing what people I trust recommend. I think it’s fairly obvious when a sponsored post is authentic (see Part 2 and Part 6, coming soon ). The main reason I don’t do them is because of time, but that’s for another day (I do some though with brands I really love, like the Herbal Academy!).

So while I may not be a social media expert, Instagram is an invaluable tool for our business. It brings in thousands of people to our newsletter and connects us to new flower lovers, gardeners, florists, wedding clients, and customers (and ahem, friends!!).

I’m also just a normal person who started my account with zero followers, zilch. I’ve never really been one for social media. However, I loved photography and was told to get my work out there, I had to share it. (This was long before I had a farm). I posted pictures of random things with weird filters and had no idea what I was doing.

Fast forward, I started a business and wanted to get intentional with my content. However, I wanted to do it in a way that felt authentic to me! Navigating this world can be kind of strange, but you learn so many things over time. And over time, I’ve found what truly works for me in a way that feels good to me.

Figuring Out What’s Moving The Needle

As someone who runs a small business, it is important for me to know what’s actually moving the needle. And this can be somewhat challenging with Instagram at times. Algorithms and trends are constantly changing, but there are things that are consistently working to move the needle in our business.

Some of these things are free, others are paid (but like, not paying for followers or weird companies to promote our account LOL have you gotten those emails??). The last one is my absolute, newest favorite. I’ll share actual examples in each part, so that you can see these in action and implement some for yourself if you so choose. Let’s dive in!

Instagram: What’s Working 10-Part Series

Part 1: Define What “Working” Means for You & How to Measure It

Part 2: Authenticity (Authentic Content AND Authentic Engagement)

Part 3: Creating Engaging Content (4 Pillars)

Part 4: Consistency & The Long Game (this one stat is a real eye opener)

Part 5: Building Your Profile Like A Business Card + Portfolio

Part 6: Not Being Afraid to Sell or Put Yourself Out There (this not only changed my business but my life)

Part 7: Treating Instagram Like a Tool (7 Ways)

Part 8: Reels, Carousels, & Relevant Keywords/Hashtags (what’s better according to recent data and optimum settings)

Part 9: Giveaways & Ads (but they’re really only effective when . . .)

Part 10: My Newest Favorite Tool (that creates engagement, streamlines communication, and has added thousands of people to my email list and generated even more dollars in revenue)