Creating content on any social platform requires a well-planned strategy. It’s not something you can do blindly. A winning content strategy on Instagram is a combination of creativity and data-based decisions that so many businesses would love to know the secret ingredient of. And, sadly, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to it all.
But do not despair! There is a general framework that you should follow that will allow you to reach the ultimate goal: turning your Instagram followers into superfans.
What are Instagram Superfans?
Word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools in business, and Instagram has the ability to take it to a whole other level. Instagram superfans are more than followers who like and engage with your content. They go a few steps further than that: they advocate for your business, and often do so out of free-will.
Because of the relationship you’ve built with them, they will spread the word about you to their followers, getting your business in front of new people.
So, how can you turn your followers into superfans?
The first step is to truly understand what your goal on Instagram should be. Stop focusing on the number of followers, and focus on building a high-quality audience instead.
Once you understand this, simplify your content and break it down into stages. More specifically, relate it back to a 3-step sales funnel, which includes:
- Capturing your audience’s attention
- Converse with your audience
- Convert your audience
Let’s break each of these stages down in terms of what content you should create.
1. Capturing your audience’s attention
A general rule of thumb is 50% of your content should be spent on this first stage of the funnel. This first step is all about creating engaging and entertaining content that brings value to your audience. Remind your followers why they’re following you.
A trick is to maximise the platform’s latest features in this stage, as the algorithm will automatically push it more. That’s why reels in this stage work extremely well. Find trending reels on the platform and apply them to your niche.
2. Conversing with your followers
In this stage, maximise your stories and highlights. This is where you create a more intimate relationship with those who follow you. Focus on a two-way conversation with them by showing up behind the camera, and talking to them as though it was a real-life conversation. You can also use the help of stickers in this stage to facilitate replies.
If you want this stage to work, it is important to put a face behind the business so that your audience can build that connection.
3. Converting your audience
In this final stage, it’s all about converting your follower into a superfan. The way to do this is to authentically engage with your audience. This stage is quite straightforward, but it can get overwhelming if you already have a large following.
In simple terms, you want to strengthen the relationship with those followers that are already warm from the previous stages. That means, replying to their comments, directly messaging them, and replying to their stories. The key part of this engagement routine is to do it without expecting anything in return. You shouldn’t be asking for anything, you just want to build a real connection with them through genuine conversation!
The quality of your audience is the real key to a successful Instagram strategy. You need to be selective about who you add to your following, and be very focused on creating content that will connect with them on an emotional level. That’s how you can maximise the power of word-of-mouth on the platform, creating true Instagram Superfans!
