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It’s National Selfie Day, Reader! You know what to do...

In today’s edition:

• Today's Tip of the Day is for AI tools

• Instagram marketing without the 😵‍💫 burnout

• Instagram rolls out live streams for Close Friends

• Additional industry news from Instagram and YouTube

Looking for AI solutions to help streamline your workflows? Need an easy way to find and research them?

Check Out FutureTools.io

This comprehensive library organizes the best AI tools by function so you can quickly and easily find what you’re looking for!

Today's advice is provided with insights from Matt Wolfe, a featured guest on the AI Explored podcast.

On YouTube: AI Explored With Michael Stelzner

Last month, we launched a new show called AI Explored. Each week, we’ll bring you experts who focus on putting tools like ChatGPT (and others) to work for business. You’ll discover exactly how to use AI for your business without any of the confusing jargon.

And since so many of our fans love YouTube, we’ve also launched a new YouTube channel featuring episodes of the show.

Check it out now and subscribe.

A Winning Instagram Strategy in 5 Simple Steps

Tired of putting a lot of effort into making great Instagram content and not reaching as many people as you used to? You're not alone. 

The constantly changing algorithm can make it hard to stand out and have long-term success on the platform.

The "ACCEL" framework can help you create a sustainable Instagram strategy using Reels, Carousels, and photo posts without getting burned out.

Audience: Find Your Ideal Follower

The first step is to identify your target audience. Just like marketers find their ideal customer, you need to find your ideal Instagram follower. 

To do this, look at your niche, see what successful accounts are doing, and figure out who they are speaking to.

Content: Choose Your Default Format

First, identify the content format that will help you reach your goals. 

For example, Reels are great for reaching more people to grow your audience because people share video content more than static posts. Carousels are excellent for building trust and driving conversions because they're like mini eBooks or PDF guides that deliver value and end with a call to action. Single-image posts, like infographics and checklists, are also effective for building trust.

Next, identify your dominant content type—the format that you can create easily and at a high quality—and focus on creating the majority of your posts in that format.

Consistency: Develop a Sustainable Content Creation and Posting Schedule

Aim for 4–5 weekly posts, with 3 out of 5 being your dominant content format. This allows for variety while focusing on your strengths. One post can promote your products or services. Another can be a single image giving a behind-the-scenes look at your brand.

As you brainstorm content ideas, look at the comments on posts by other accounts in your niche. See what questions people are asking and what they're talking about. This will give you ideas for content that will perform well. Use Instagram's "Collections" feature to save these inspiring posts in topical folders for later. 

Instead of creating single posts from start to finish in one sitting, make the process more manageable by creating content in five phases: 

1. Content ideation

2. Writing 

3. Designing or filming

4. Editing 

5. Scheduling

By focusing on each phase, you can create a week's worth of quality content in about two hours. Consistently following this routine can build authentic relationships, grow visibility, and drive more engagement.

Engagement: 1 Hour a Day

This one-hour engagement routine will maximize your impact without causing burnout:

• 15 minutes engaging with recent commenters on your last post

• 15 minutes replying to Stories and starting DM conversations  

• 15 minutes interacting with Explore page content, commenting on posts in your niche

• 15 minutes split between saving 3–4 inspiring posts to recreate later and commenting on larger niche accounts

Liftoff: Leverage Instagram's Features for Growth

The final part of the "ACCEL" framework is using Instagram's various features to grow your brand and business. 

For example, Instagram's collab feature lets you create joint posts with up to three others, exposing your content to multiple audiences for improved reach and engagement.

To drive traffic to your latest product offers, use a single, clear call to action in your bio link. 

Automation tools can drive additional traffic via DMs and comments.

Today's advice is provided with insights from Lucas O’Keefe, a featured guest on the Social Media Marketing Podcast.

🗞 Instagram Reels Updates: Instagram has introduced several updates to enhance the Reels experience. These updates include sharing Reels exclusively with Close Friends, inviting up to five collaborators, adding music captions, and improving Templates with better discovery, inspiration, effects, and editing. Source: Instagram

🗞 Instagram’s Live Streams With Close Friends: Instagram has launched a new feature that allows users to live-stream exclusively to their Close Friends list. Up to three accounts can join the stream. Source: The Verge

🗞 YouTube Updates: YouTube is improving its Editor Policy by removing the length limit on videos eligible for editing. This update will be rolled out to all creators in Studio by the end of June 2024. Additionally, creators can now select and moderate multiple comments in Studio's "Published" tab. YouTube is also testing comment topics summarized by AI on Shorts. This experiment is rolling out on mobile to a small number of viewers and Shorts with large comment sections. Finally, YouTube is adjusting Shorts titles and descriptions on Android devices. Source: YouTube

Did You Know?

Nomophobia is the fear of being without a mobile device.