yo.

I absolutely LOVE drum and bass...

Especially that soulful, liquid drum and bass.

It's great for getting in the zone and working double-time 😉

If you haven't already, check out the sweet beats of Lenzman.

🎧 Headphones or 🔊 good speakers recommended.​
​

​
​

Soooooooooooo... Instagram.

Looks like this platform has been having quite a growth spurt recently.

It has now surpassed 2 billion (that's billion with a 'b') monthly users... and it's been morphing into a video-first platform.​
​

Welcome to the Instagram Deep Dive – Part 1 of 3

(I've broken this up into 3 parts because there's simply so much to talk about, and IG is an important platform for many businesses.)

In today's issue:

• Reasons NOT to be on Instagram?
• How to stay updated
• How the platform is changing
• Top 3 things to focus on
• Who's killing it on Instagram?
  ​

is there any reason your biz should not be on IG 🤔

If you don't have your business on Instagram, you could be missing out on a lot.

Many people expect your business to be there... and your competitors are probably already there.

However, there are still a few reasons to avoid it:

🔵 You're not a visual brand — It may be a big waste of time for not-so-visual businesses to be on IG. If this is the case, Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn may be a better fit for you.

🔵 You don't have the resources to consistently create content — Unless you have the skills or the right team behind you, Instagram marketing can be a HUGE time suck — concepts, filming, design, writing, editing, hashtags, engagement, analytics...

🔵 You're sure how to use Instagram properly — There is a lot involved with effective Instagram marketing, there are a bunch of widely accepted best practices, and engagement is a large part of your growth and lead gen.

🔵 You're already seeing traction on other platforms — No need to spread yourself too thin if something else is already starting to work. It's better to kill it on one or two platforms than to be mediocre everywhere.

🔵 Your mental health would suffer — Social media can lead to more stress, anxiety, and addictive tendencies... and Instagram is one of the biggest culprits. Take care of yourself out there 💙

​

So you've decided the 'gram is good for your business...

here's how to stay updated 📲

​Instagram's business page is one of the best places to get your info and updates — straight from the source.

From there, you can learn all about Stories, Reels, Shopping, and lots more. There's also a page for Creators.

​Social Media Today is a great publication that brings you the latest social media news.

You can also follow Digitally Approved on Twitter — where we curate the latest developments in the social space.​
​

the times they are a-changin' 🧐

On July 1 of this year, company head Adam Mosseri said that Instagram is:

He said they're now focusing on four key areas: Creators, Video, Shopping, and Messaging.

In October, another big announcement came:

(However, they left their short-form Reels separate — most likely to stay competitive with TikTok and YouTube Shorts.)

I think Instagram is moving in the right direction by simplifying their products.

...but here's my first world problem:

We can no longer tap anywhere on a video to mute it!! A tap now opens the video in fullscreen 😕
​

top 3 things to focus on 👀

1️⃣ VIDEOS/REELS

Long or short, video will always be a highly engaging format. On IG, it'll also get you in front of new audiences via the Explore Page 🔍

Upload consistently, 2–3 times a week... more if you want faster growth.

Showing your face makes your brand more personal and authentic, but you can also make videos without showing yourself. Get creative!

You don't need high-end production to make great videos. Just have a decent mic — even an external phone mic or a headphones mic is fine.

​
​2️⃣ STORIES

Posting tons of stories is the best way to stay top of mind.

...since they live at the top of the app and it's the first thing your followers see (your non-followers don't see them).

There are also countless ways to be creative and drive engagement in Stories: use interesting video or animation, make creative layouts, add funny gifs, do polls, ask questions, etc.

If you weren't aware, the "swipe-up" feature in Stories has been replaced by "link stickers" — and they're available to EVERYONE!

​
​3️⃣ SHOPPING

If you're eligible and able to — start selling your products on Instagram! (Currently physical products only 🙁)

The algorithms want people to stay on the platform as long as possible, which is why they want people to shop there.

They would much rather you sell stuff on IG than have you take people off of IG to buy from your website.

​
​who's killing it on Instagram? 🔥

No need to try to figure everything out on your own. Try analyzing what successful accounts are doing.

Here are some big brands and smaller brands to spark a little inspiration:
​

​@tiffanyandco — Founded in 1837, this heritage brand has introduced a new and interesting brand style on Instagram.

They create campaigns that involve social and social-first ideas.

Pairing all this with conversations and stories about style, art, and pop culture, Tiffany and Co. is able to stay relevant and reach younger audiences.
​

​@takearecess — Recess is a sparkling water infused with hemp. They've done an amazing job of turning beverage cans into fun personalities with amusing stories about staying "cool, calm, and collected."

And it's all presented in a soft whimsical illustrative style.

The brand has grown organically on IG and drives its audience to a weekly newsletter.
​

​@biencuit — Bien Cuit is a New York City-based bakery that does Instagram really well.

Their strategy is pretty simple — use stunning, professional product photography to present their baked goods, quality ingredients, and production process.​
​

​@beardbrand — Beardbrand uses Instagram to visually represent the sophisticated lifestyle of their niche market: urban beardsmen.

They use model photos, stylish product shots, and genuine audience engagement.

Their Instagram is for building brand awareness, and they turn followers into email subscribers.

​

Hope you enjoyed this issue!

I'll see you next Thursday for the 2nd installment of this 3-part Instagram series.

...we'll talk about the unicorn strategy, driving leads with your IG bio, and how the IG algorithms actually work.

​

Stay Fresh,
Robert

P.S. Did you know? The first ever Instagram upload was a picture of a stray dog in Mexico posted by IG co-founder Kevin Systrom 📸

​

enjoy today's read?

Please share this email with ONE FRIEND who would love this content. Or you can send them to this sign-up page.
​

​

Want the latest developments?
​🐦 Follow us on Twitter​

Did someone forward this to you?
👉 Sign up here​

​

How did you feel about this week's newsletter?

​😍 🤯 😴 😡 👍 👎​

​