Growing a successful Instagram account and monetizing it requires a strategic approach. In this blog post, we will break down a 30-day plan to help you grow your Instagram following, increase awareness, and ultimately make money from your account. This plan is designed for business owners, marketers, and influencers looking to enhance their social media presence.
Day 1: Define Your Audience with Semrush Persona
Understanding your target audience is crucial. Use tools like Semrush Persona to create detailed profiles of your ideal followers. This will help you tailor your content and marketing strategies to meet their needs and preferences.
Example:
Consider how @foundr, a digital magazine for entrepreneurs, tailors their content to aspiring business owners and startup founders by sharing motivational quotes, success stories, and business tips.
Day 2: Find Out User Issues with Answer Socrates
Utilize tools like Answer Socrates to discover common problems and questions within your niche. This will give you insights into the challenges your audience faces and how you can address them with your content.
Example:
@mindbodygreen, a wellness-focused account, uses audience insights to address common health and wellness concerns, providing practical tips and advice.
Day 3: Identify 3-4 Problems You Can Solve for Your Niche
Based on the data gathered from Answer Socrates, identify 3-4 key problems your audience faces. Create content that offers solutions to these problems, positioning yourself as an authority in your niche.
Example:
@latermedia, a social media scheduling tool, frequently posts content that solves common social media management problems, such as optimal posting times and content ideas.
Day 4: Find 15 Competitor Profiles on Instagram
Research your competitors by identifying 15 similar profiles on Instagram. Analyze their content, engagement, and strategies to understand what works and what doesn’t in your niche.
Example:
@glossier, a beauty brand, might analyze competitors like @milkmakeup and @fentybeauty to refine their content strategy.
Day 5: Analyze the Profiles with HypeAuditor or Instract
Use tools like HypeAuditor or Instract to analyze the engagement rates, follower demographics, and content performance of your competitors. This will provide valuable insights into successful tactics you can emulate.
Example:
@nikewomen uses competitive analysis to stay ahead in the fitness and sportswear market by understanding what engages their target audience.
Day 6: Find Out All Offers the 15 Competitors Have
Investigate the products, services, and offers your competitors are promoting. This will help you identify gaps in the market and opportunities to differentiate your offerings.
Example:
@plantpeople, a CBD brand, might explore competitors’ product lines to ensure they offer unique products and superior customer experiences.
Day 7: Consider Buying a Few Offers for Research
Purchase a few products or services from your competitors to evaluate their quality, customer service, and overall experience. This firsthand knowledge can inform your own product development and customer engagement strategies.
Example:
@traderjoeslist, an account dedicated to Trader Joe’s products, often reviews competitor products to compare and highlight Trader Joe’s unique offerings.
Day 8: Write Down Good Ideas from Other Products
Document ideas and strategies that stand out during your research. These can be related to product features, marketing tactics, or customer service approaches that you can adapt and improve upon.
Example:
@aerie, a lingerie brand, might note innovative marketing tactics from competitors to enhance their own campaigns.
Day 9: Identify What Makes Your Content Unique
Determine the unique elements of your content that differentiate you from competitors. This could be your brand voice, visual style, or the specific problems you solve for your audience.
Example:
@refinery29 is known for its distinctive voice and focus on women’s issues, setting it apart from other lifestyle brands.
Day 10: Combine Steps 1, 3, 6-9 in a Sales Strategy
Integrate your audience insights, identified problems, competitive analysis, and unique content elements into a cohesive sales strategy. This strategy should guide your content creation and promotional efforts.
Example:
@barkbox, a subscription service for dogs, combines customer insights and competitive research to create targeted marketing campaigns that resonate with dog owners.
Day 11: Create a TOFU, MOFU, BOFU Sales Funnel
Develop a sales funnel with Top of Funnel (TOFU), Middle of Funnel (MOFU), and Bottom of Funnel (BOFU) content. TOFU content attracts new followers, MOFU content engages them, and BOFU content converts them into customers.
Example:
@hubspot effectively uses a TOFU-MOFU-BOFU strategy by providing free educational content to attract leads, engaging them with in-depth guides, and converting them with product demos.
Day 12: Begin with Your High-Ticket Low-Volume Offer
Start by promoting a high-ticket, low-volume offer. This could be a premium service or product that delivers significant value to a select group of customers.
Example:
@tonyrobbins offers high-ticket coaching and live events, targeting a specific audience looking for intensive personal development.
Day 13: Do a Mission Post to Find 5-10 High-Ticket Clients
Create a compelling post that clearly outlines the value of your high-ticket offer and invites interested followers to reach out. This mission post should inspire action and convey urgency.
Example:
@marieforleo might use a mission post to attract clients for her B-School, a premium business training program.
Day 14: Get People to DM You if They Are Interested
Encourage interested followers to send you a direct message (DM) for more information. This personalized approach helps build relationships and trust with potential clients.
Example:
@thefinancialdiet often invites followers to DM for personalized financial advice and consultations.
Day 15: Qualify Them with a Few Questions in DMs
Engage with interested followers in your DMs by asking qualifying questions to determine if they are a good fit for your high-ticket offer. This helps ensure you are focusing your efforts on serious prospects.
Example:
@chelseakauai, an influencer and adventure photographer, might qualify potential clients for her photography workshops through direct conversations.
Day 16: Get Qualified People to a Discovery Call
Invite qualified prospects to a discovery call where you can discuss their needs in detail and demonstrate how your offer can help them achieve their goals.
Example:
@lewishowes uses discovery calls to connect with potential clients for his coaching programs and courses.
Day 17: Send DMs to People Who Like/Follow You
Reach out to new followers and those who engage with your posts via DMs. Thank them for their support and introduce them to your high-ticket offer, inviting them to learn more.
Example:
@rachel.cook, an entrepreneur and business coach, frequently uses DMs to build personal connections and promote her coaching services.
Day 18: Connect with Your Tribe and Get on Calls with Hot Leads
Engage deeply with your community by responding to comments, hosting live sessions, and nurturing relationships. Schedule calls with hot leads to further discuss your offer.
Example:
@mindbodygreen regularly hosts live Q&A sessions to connect with their audience and address their wellness concerns directly.
Day 19: Pin a Case Study to Sell High-Ticket (Check Mine)
Highlight a success story or case study on your profile to showcase the results your high-ticket offer can achieve. Pin this post to your profile for maximum visibility.
Example:
@neilpatel, a digital marketing expert, often shares case studies to demonstrate the effectiveness of his services and attract high-ticket clients.
Day 20: Do a Big Collab 7-14 Days Before Offer Launch
Partner with a complementary brand or influencer to expand your reach and create buzz around your upcoming offer. Collaborations can introduce your account to new audiences.
Example:
@weworewhat, a fashion influencer, frequently collaborates with brands to co-create products and promote them to her large following.
Day 21: After You Fill High-Ticket, Focus on Scalability
Once you have secured a few high-ticket clients, shift your focus to scaling your business. This might involve automating processes, creating lower-priced offers, or expanding your team.
Example:
@amyporterfield, an online marketing expert, scales her business by offering courses and automated webinars alongside her high-ticket coaching.
Day 22: Transition into Group Coaching for Lower Ticket
Offer group coaching sessions to make your expertise accessible to more people at a lower price point. This approach can help you reach a wider audience while maintaining profitability.
Example:
@bossbabe.inc offers group coaching programs that provide value to a large number of participants at a more affordable rate.
Day 23: Build More Sustainable Onboarding Processes
Develop efficient and scalable onboarding processes for new clients. This ensures a smooth and professional experience, setting the tone for a successful engagement.
Example:
@thefemalefoundercollective streamlines onboarding for new members to ensure they feel welcomed and supported from the start.
Day 24: Consider Hiring Appointment Setters
As your business grows, consider hiring appointment setters to manage your schedule and ensure you can focus on delivering value to your clients.
Example:
@angieleeshow, a business coach, employs a team to handle scheduling and administrative tasks, allowing her to focus on coaching.
Day 25: Look into Help for Community Management
Engage with your community consistently by responding to comments, messages, and tags. If your following grows significantly, hiring a community manager can help maintain high engagement levels.
Example:
@thedrybar, a hair salon chain, actively engages with their followers and responds to customer inquiries promptly, often with the help of a dedicated team.
Day 26: Repeat Steps 13-20 for Group Coaching
Implement the same strategies used for high-ticket offers to attract and convert clients for your group coaching programs. Consistency and repetition are key to success.
Example:
@chrisburkard, an adventure photographer, might repeat these steps to fill his group photography workshops.
Day 27: Create a TOFU Evergreen Product (Under $200)
Develop a low-cost, evergreen product that can attract new followers and customers continuously. This product should provide significant value and serve as an entry point to your higher-ticket offers.
Example:
@kayla_itsines offers affordable fitness guides and challenges that serve as entry-level products, leading to more comprehensive training programs.
Day 28: Now You Have a Complete Sales Funnel
With a range of products and services at different price points, you now have a complete sales funnel. This allows you to attract, engage, and convert followers at every stage of their customer journey.
Example:
@marieforleo’s sales funnel includes free content, books, online courses, and high-ticket coaching programs, catering to a diverse audience.
Day 29: If You Enjoy 1-1 Work, Scale Step 12; Otherwise 22/7
Decide whether you prefer one-on-one coaching or group programs. Scale accordingly by focusing on either personal coaching (Step 12) or group sessions (Steps 22 and 7).
Example:
@jamesclear, author of “Atomic Habits,” offers both personal consulting and scalable online courses to reach a broader audience.
Day 30: Use Stan Store, Stripe, Manychat, Xero as Tools
Leverage tools like Stan Store for e-commerce, Stripe for payment processing, Manychat for automated messaging, and Xero for accounting to streamline your business operations.
Example:
@iamtrellish uses these tools to manage her online boutique efficiently, from sales to customer service to accounting.
By following this 30-day plan, you can systematically grow your Instagram following, increase brand awareness, and monetize your account effectively. Stay consistent, engage authentically with your audience, and continuously refine your strategies based on performance and feedback.