Alan’s TTIM Stories #69

The intent of this post was a discussion on how to find success through Instagram. The more I researched the subject, the less educational it became and more of a cry for help among the lines of incoherent rambling. The secrets of success through the platform appear elusive.

There is a battle for relevance and followers in social media, with Artificial Intelligence threatening to change the world. Attempting to navigate the complex world of social media can be long and frustrating. How do you benefit from activities on social media platforms? A question more problematic for an introvert.

I joined the ranks a few years ago for posting and promoting other writings. Have I discovered the secret to benefit from the association? Not yet. Still trying.

In 2010, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger began Instagram as a photo-sharing platform. After some naming attempts, they settled on a combination of instant camera and telegram – Instagram. On April 9, 2012, Facebook bought Instagram for $1billion (Meta Platforms).

Instagram added “Reels” video sharing as competition with TikTok. Another addition called “Stories,” involved videos for short-lived updates and additional engagement with followers.

So many questions remain:
Who are your posts reaching? Only followers? General public? Target audience?
How do you increase your roster of followers?

Beyond your loyal followers, the reach of Instagram posts depends on algorithms connecting the topic of your posts with other viewers with similar interests – which leads to the next topic – hashtags.

Explore with me the magic of hashtags, noted as a search & find tool on Instagram. Sistrix lists popular hashtags: love, fashion, style, photooftheday, beautiful, fitness, art, cute, photography, makeup, amazing, lifestyle. If all of these don’t directly connect with your normal posts – join the club. One piece of advice: use restraint. Overloading your posts with hashtags has a numbing effect on readers.

As in any form of social media communication, those who post need to attract attention – stick out in a crowded field. Whichever form you choose make your efforts visually stunning, clever, hilarious, and/or provocative. As an additional challenge, realize the missing WIIFM (what’s in it for me) – the basic tip for successful communication. How does your post positively affect the viewer?

To sum up, here’s the best advice so far:

1. Appeal visually
2. Keep in mind relevance
3. Post content consistently
4. Tell an interesting story
5. Embrace the popularity of videos
6. Build your base of followers
7. If possible, add a CTA (call to action)
8. Promote your Instagram account on other social media platforms

In the never-ending quest for social media relevance, I’ll continue researching to discover the keys to the kingdom. As for the cry for help – if you have any advice, secrets of success – please add to the comments to assist fellow travelers though the confusing maze of social media.

Sources:
Brandwatch (com)
Wikipedia
Web ROI (com)
How to Use Instagram – Beginners Guide 2023 (YouTube)
app.sistrix.com
Investpedia
About Instagram (com)

#Instagram   #usingInstagram   #importanceofhashtags   #socialmediasuccess

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Follow announcements of Alan’s TTIM Stories at Facebook.com/alan.vandervoort or Instagram & Threads vandervoort_author, with all available posts at www.alanvandervoort.com. Novels by the author include: Sandhills – A Novel and Key Largo Summer, found at Booklocker.com and other online booksellers.