It’s no secret.
It’s really not.
There is a simple explanation on how I started the AVLtoday Instagram the second week of January 2018, and in early October, we hit 10K subscribers. That is without paying for likes or using bots.
How? We post like we’re people.
Here’s the conundrum – Media companies publish wonderful articles, do incredible research, and work their asses off for their readers – They don’t want all that work to go to waste! So, they base their Instagram strategy on that content.
The problem? Instagram is not a place people go for information. They don’t go to learn about the latest non-profit in your city, or about the new economic boost to your region. Instead, they’re on Instagram to 1. Be inspired 2. Be encouraged 3. Ignore their own lives. No seriously. Instagram is the ultimate “zone out platform”.
Instead, media companies should mirror what they love to look at – cityscapes, food porn, and sunsets. Now, that doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be some meat there. A cityscape can be a lead into a caption about tourism or affordable housing. A coffee photo can be a supportive caption about having a great day.
An added bonus to this is that by curating these photos (by asking permission from readers), through building a strong leading market Hashtag, you not only have a growing library of photos but strong engagement strategy.
The result is that followers will learn that the media company is trust worthy. A friend. This will lead to readers, subscribers, and more.
Mary Willson 