LAUNCH YOUR INSTAGRAM
1. When did you get on Instagram?
I joined Instagram in 2012 when I was a senior in high school.
2. What topics do you post about?
I post about motherhood, entrepreneurship, and social media growth and I fuse my faith into all of my content.
3. How did you decide to post about those topics?
I used to post a lot of lifestyle stuff and fashion, I’ve actually switched my niche a few times lol but when I really started seeing growth was when I started answering the questions people were most coming to me with: motherhood, and social media.
4. What steps did you take to make your Instagram account more appealing?
I use a feed planning app (I use Preview for my personal account and Planoly for my business account) and I make sure to edit the photos in a similar fashion/same Lightroom preset. Also using basic photography principles like making sure the composition in the photos makes sense and works well together in my feed.
5. Which types of posts seem to get the most engagement for you?
Honestly, the posts about huge pivotal points in my personal life tend to get the most engagement, but I’m trying to move a little further from that type of content and keep my personal life a bit more private.
6. How do you combine your faith with your Instagram account?
My faith is such a huge part of my life, it fuels everything I do, however, it can be hard to show up on Instagram authentically without being way too preachy so I try to naturally incorporate my daily or weekly testimonies about what God is doing in my life and show people how He is working in my life – I always allude everything back to Him and never hesitate to speak on things He places on my heart.
I always ask for clarity from the Holy Spirit before I post something a bit heavy and I remind myself how important it is to be obedient when it’s something that may not be the easiest for me to put out there.
GROW YOUR INSTAGRAM
7. What strategies have helped you gain followers?
The most obvious but easily forgotten strategy on social media that has helped me gain followers – being social! Finding accounts and people that I genuinely align with and am inspired by and engaging with them and their audience. Building real connections is so much more important that follower count.
8. What tools have attributed to your growth?
The feed planning apps I mentioned before, Preview and Planoly have been VITAL in helping me stay consistent on IG without burning out. I also use Asana (project management tool) to plan out my content and organize my life lol.
9. What has been the most effective way to increase engagement?
Definitely not hashtags anymore haha. For some reason, they don’t seem to be working at all right now, but I would have to say, like I said before, that creating genuine connections with people who are in your target market and with similar accounts and creators has been super beneficial in increasing engagement. You have to engage with people if you want them to engage with you.
10. How has faith played a part in your growth?
Sharing my testimonies, values and beliefs helps attract my tribe and it also repels those people that aren’t for me. The impact is soooo much more important to me than income or any numbers, so just getting even one DM from someone saying how much sharing my testimonies or anything I post has helped them in any way is the best kind of reward and growth I can get.
MONETIZE YOUR INSTAGRAM
11. How have you monetized your Instagram?
I began working with brands as an influencer and content creator and I also get many leads for my branding and web design business through Instagram.
12. What tools have helped you monetize?
Video and photo editing apps. Canva is a huge time-saver for creating beautiful, on-brand graphics as well!
13. What is your best monetization advice to Instagram influencers?
Know your worth, then add tax and gratuity! lol but seriously, don’t be afraid to pitch to brands, to negotiate to get paid for your time and hard work. Make sure you are focusing on the value you bring to the brand and not solely why how you can benefit from working with them.
14. What is the best advice you have personally received as an influencer?
Don’t be afraid to say no to opportunities that don’t align with you.
15. What are some daily things you do that attribute to your Instagram’s success?
I show up authentically and connect with my community on a personal level. I provide as much value in education and life lessons as I can.
16. What are your thoughts on faith and money?
Well, first and foremost I try not to sweat the fact that I’m not where I would like to be financially because the bible tells us that the riches of this world don’t mean anything essentially and this always helps take the pressures off my shoulders because I know that God will supply me with more than I need if I am a good steward.
INSTAGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS
17. What Instagram tool do you recommend and why?
I highly recommend a feed planning app like Planoly. You can plan your stories and feed posts, auto-post them and pre-plan your captions. It’s been essential for me.
18. What business course do you recommend?
I recommend Shine with Julie Solomon, I haven’t taken it myself but have heard amazing things!!!
19. What business book do you recommend?
I honestly am not a fan of reading business books, I go to the Bible for everything I need. (:
20. What other resources do you recommend?
I love listening to podcasts, a few I highly recommend are:
21. List your social media links (and blog if you have one).
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