How To Grow On Social Media (And What My DMs Looked Like Today)
When I started my career, I managed social media accounts for brands and businesses. I marketed myself like crazy. Even though I’m off the social hamster wheel now, people still hit me up now and then for advice. So much has changed since I was running accounts. But a few principles have stayed the same.
You can eavesdrop on me and my cousin’s conversation on Instagram DM, if you like.
Caroline:
Hiiiii! I just became social media director for my opera company in town. Drop any/all tips? 😍
Me:
Amazing!
Reels.
Reels is the only way to grow on IG right now.
As a general principle for now and the future, any time any social media platform releases a new feature, they want people to use it. So they adjust their algorithm to reward people who do use the new feature. Carousel IG posts got a ton of traction when they first came out, now it's Reels.
Second thing: it's a local opera company, so you gotta think local. Celebrities and famous singers have the biggest social media followings, so anything they post gets good traction. But the rules don't apply to them. Take inspiration from other locally-focused organizations here, not big creators. How can you bring value to people who love the local opera? Is it behind the scenes content? Interviews? Clips of songs? If you constantly ask yourself "what do the people want to see" you'll find the right track.
Third and most important: consistency is key. Slow growth over the long term is the only thing you can predict. Don't set any goals shorter than 9 months. Set long term goals for quality and quantity of content. Don't set goals for quantity of followers, because it's a slow climb up. But it's cool and meaningful if you ignore the numbers and focus on consistently making good content.
Good luck!
*That’s the end*
I sat down to write today’s blog, then I got distracted and checked Instagram. But then I spent ten minutes writing advice to my cousin, so this counts as today’s blog. Hope you enjoyed it. See you tomorrow.
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