Put Instagram To Work For Your Service Business

Put Instagram To Work For Your Service Business

Instagram can seem challenging when you don’t have a physical product to showcase, but I want to say to you, get creative. Instagram is one of my favorite platforms to spend time on. I love all the pretty pictures, and just enjoy the overall interaction, it feels cleaner and less distracting than some of the other social media channels. As a business coach, Instagram would not immediately seem like a great fit, but I’ve found it to be the channel I feel the most connected with my audience.

I personally enjoy taking pictures, so Instagram gives me a platform to share that activity, as part of my business “brand”. One of the reasons I enjoy Instagram so much is that it does allow you to show a little personality in terms of your visuals, it gives a nice behind the scenes look. Of course some accounts keep it strictly business, with no behind the scenes and some accounts use only curated pictures. For me, Instagram feels more personal than some of my other channels, because I feel by taking the pictures myself and sharing them allows me to feel more authentic in that space, which in terms opens up my writing to be more free flowing, less over-thought.

I feel like a lot of service-based businesses see Instagram as a challenge to come up with content for. I will say, if you truly hate to come up with visuals for you website or blog than Instagram may not be the channel for you. It is of course all about the visuals. But, where your service-based business can shine is using Instagram to connect with your audience. The picture draws them in, and then the caption “captures” them You can share your expertise, make a connection with your audience, and share tips on a daily basis. The more your audience gets to know you the stronger the connection you can make with them. Just like at a party, you tend to gravitate towards the people who share similar interests to you. Giving those little behind the scenes and insight into what you like gives more points of interests that people may be able to connect with you.

Here are a few suggestions to get you thinking about what kind of content you can share:

Show Your Inspiration To Your Audience

What drives you and why? What do you think might be inspiration to your audience? Where do you find inspiration?

Share tips, share things you have learned, share tiny lessons you learn from working with clients, ways and how you learn or grow, share wins, share fears.

Show Your Service In Action

This is easier for some services than some, but it is all doable, you just have to get creative. If you have a service-based business that results in a visual product than by all means show the result: New website? Show that. New logo? There you go. Hair-stylist? Show the end result. For more non-tangible results, you can share reviews from happy customers, you working on a project, things that inspire your work, content you create, tools of your trade you are utilizing.

Use Video

Don’t forget that video is an option with Instagram too! What a great way to get a short tip to your audience and for them to get to know you better. Video really brings YOU to your audience.

Show What Happens Behind The Scenes

Show where you work, how you work, things that you enjoy, things you eat, your desk, your pets, your kids.

Participate In Major Holidays or Not So Major Holidays (national donut day anyone?)

Don’t let it take over your account, but these days are a great way to connect with potential new audience members. Again, it’s the hey, we have something in common effect.

Get Inspired

I think the best way to get inspired to get your service based business going with Instagram, is to learn from those already doing it. I love seeing what other service providers are doing on their profiles. I’ve curated a few to get your inspiration sparked, click on the picture to explore their accounts further.

Emily Scott, Creative Coach

Rosie Morley, Content Polisher (copywriter)

Laura Enfinger, Virtual Assistant

Alison Monday, WordPress Wizard

Stephanie Rubio, SoVerve™ Marketing Group

Allison, Infopreneur

Kyla Roma, Minimalist Business & Marketing Strategist

Seed Social, Social Media Marketing

Also check out my post for some other awesome service-based Instagram ladies. Thank you to @rayneparvis, @erinshebish, @wildflowerspixels, and @corythomsen for commenting on why they use Instagram for their businesses! Make sure to check out their profiles linked above or in the comments of the below post!

Are you using Instagram? If not, why? If yes, what do you like about it?

Grab 50 Instagram Prompts with Hashtags to get your Instagram game started! Click below to download!

Original article and pictures take bloomhustlegrow.com site