Instagram Strategy That Actually Feels Good with Michelle Gifford

PodcastMarketing

Jun 3

Episode 957: Show Notes

When it comes to Instagram, it is so easy to get stuck in the cycle of chasing trends, but today’s guest, Michelle Gifford, is here to remind us that sustainable Instagram growth doesn’t come from constant performance! It comes from purpose. Michelle is an incredible Instagram strategist behind multiple six and seven-figure brands.

She’s helped business owners grow their reach, amplify their voice, and drive real results without losing themselves in the algorithm. Instagram is an incredible, free tool that business owners can use to grow their business. In this episode, we’re talking about what it really means to create content that converts, positions you as the expert, and still feels good to make! We get into what’s working on Instagram right now, what you should stop doing, and how to reset your strategy if you feel stuck or discouraged! If you want to use Instagram as a true business growth tool, then this episode is for you!

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How to Drive Sales on Instagram

Michelle wants you to realize that there are different goals for different kinds of Instagram content. If you have a brand message and can create content that supports that brand message, then you start attracting the right people, and it starts moving down your funnel seamlessly. This is where the ‘track, nurture, sell’ method comes into play – content is created specifically for attracting new followers, content that nurtures those followers and helps them trust the brand, and then sell to them! If you start applying this marketing funnel to the type of content you create, then it changes how you show up and how powerful your content can be.

Recently, Instagram has changed its algorithm from follower-based views to content-based views. So it doesn’t really matter how many followers you have; it’s more about how people are responding and reacting to it. If you’re a new content creator, this is fantastic because you can come on without having loads of followers and still reach millions of people. If you already have a following and you are just pivoting a little bit, Michelle wants you to commit to content because that’s usually what it takes to train the algorithm again. If you are testing out new content, you have to give yourself grace to try new things and look at your algorithm for feedback.

Some of the Trends That Are Performing

At the moment, Michelle has noticed that carousels are quite popular on Instagram, specifically when you add music, because then it shows up on your reels feed as well. She also wants you to know that the creators on Instagram who are the most successful are the ones who are creating signature content – something they can be known and recognized for. This is something worth developing and will take some trial and error to perfect. If you want your stories to perk up, give yourself a 24-hour reset period where you don’t post at all, and then come back with a picture that gives your audience a reason to DM you in response. That increases story views by quite a lot.

How to Test Out New Content

If you’re dipping your toes into these strategies, Michelle advises that you spend some time consuming content on Instagram and researching what is resonating and doing well to get some ideas for custom content you can create. Then, test it out! Create content for a couple of weeks with that format to see what takes off. If you’re feeling discouraged because something isn’t working, Michelle wants you to recognize that nothing you do really well took you only a week to accomplish! Most people who find that Instagram isn’t working for them haven’t developed a good enough strategy. If you start treating Instagram as an actual marketing strategy, it will work!

So what does this look like? Put it in your calendar! Once a week, Michelle wants you to do some Instagram strategy, plan ahead (2 weeks at a time), and look back on what’s working and what’s not. It’s important to decide how you like to create, whether that’s batch creating or creating daily, and commit to it. If you are taking Instagram seriously, then you show up and create differently. You also need to ask yourself how important Instagram is to your business and what your resources are in order to create a sustainable posting schedule. And this is when you may want to hire someone to help you!

Overcoming Common ‘Visibility’ Fears

So many people are terrified of showing up as themselves online or are just afraid of being behind the camera. Michelle wants you to know that this is a skill that you can hone and learn! If you absolutely hate seeing yourself on camera, start to use the Marco Polo app to help you get used to seeing yourself on camera. She also doesn’t want you to allow the potential judgment from people to affect the potential capacity you have to help and serve. The sooner you realize that you showing up on Instagram isn’t about you, it’s about how you can serve, the easier it is to overcome these fears.

It's also important to consider how much of gaining a following is necessary for you to accomplish your goals. Michelle wants you to check your ego and ask yourself how you can attract the right people. Instead of just trying to get more followers, focus on how to connect your followers and views to something that will move the needle in your business. She wants you to know why you want more followers and then go out and get them! Michelle leaves us with her final thoughts about Instagram, why it needs to be taken seriously, and how you can shift your mindset to leverage it to your business’ advantage.

Quote This

If you’re taking Instagram seriously, then you show up different and you create differently.”

— Michelle Gifford

Highlights

How to Drive Sales on Instagram. [0:04:32]
Some of the Trends That Are Performing [0:13:14]
How to Test Out New Content. [0:16:15]
Overcoming Common ‘Visibility’ Fears. [0:26:17]

OUR Guest:

Michelle Gifford

Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | Podcast

Michelle Gifford is a social media expert, marketing agency CEO, and business podcaster who helps entrepreneurs confidently market their businesses with clear messaging and actionable strategy. A seasoned entrepreneur and mom of five, she’s guided hundreds of brands to six- and seven-figure success and built a supportive community for women balancing business and motherhood.