Are you looking at the whole picture when measuring the success of a post? Are you struggling to genuinely connect with your followers on Instagram? If you're nodding your head, you're not alone. It's easy to get caught up in the numbers game, chasing likes, shares, and followers like they're the ultimate markers of success. But here's the truth: it's not just about the numbers; it's about the people behind them.
Today, we're pulling back the curtain to reveal our secrets to building a community who not only support your values but also your business. It's a paradigm shift from quantity to quality, where authenticity reigns supreme. Join us on this journey as we explore why being authentically YOU are the golden key to online success.
What's in this blog post:
- Be Authentically YOU
- The Post that Started It
- Niche Down your Audience
- Don't Miss the Whole Picture with Insights
Embracing Authenticity
What we’re all trying to build through social media is a community, right? A community that turns into customers, friends, referrals, and partners. And what we post is meant to bring in and attract our dream customers, and also repel those we aren’t meant to work with.
As business owners, we’re on Instagram to stay connected to current and past customers and help the right new people find you, so they can become buyers.
The Post that Started the Conversation
The story of how we lost hundreds of followers due to a single post is a testament to the power of authenticity. This post received the HIGHEST engagement of the entire year. And so when a post drives big reactions, it’s worth reflecting on.
The post was to celebrate Pride month. It’s a photo of our CEO, Morgan, and her spouse, and it talks about love and acceptance and what pride month means to us.
This picture! Cute, right?
We believe that people connect with people, people buy from people…so sharing something so important to our team is exactly what we should be doing to share our values and build connections with our followers.
Niche Down Your Audience
To be successful online, especially a personal brand, requires some level of connection, value, and vulnerability…that is what people want to see. And that means that what you post WILL NOT resonate with every person.
If you are trying to talk to everyone, you are talking to no one. So a certain amount of unfollows is completely expected for so many reasons.
Imagine you're a Health coach for busy moms, sharing quick recipes, workout ideas, and time management skills. Your post MOST LIKELY won't resonate with a man looking to bulk up quickly over the summer. The language, the tactics, the problems you are solving are not his problems. And that's perfectly fine. He’s not your target audience. So try not to obsess over vanity metrics. Instead, focus on building true connections and providing value to YOUR audience.
You are special, and you deserve to share your products and/or services with those who will enjoy it. And those that don’t have complete freedom to unfollow. So when you are assessing your insights on Instagram, I hope you consider the whole picture vs. panic when you see unfollows.
Don't Miss the Whole Picture with Insights
When we are looking at our insights, if we just saw the unfollows and were like “OH NO! We shouldn't post about that anymore”, then we are actually missing the whole picture…when you then see the post got the most LIKES of the year—you can see that it resonated with our people, and that matters more.
Losing followers isn't a setback; it shouldn’t spark panic. Pay attention to those who respond positively to your vulnerable posts. They're your true supporters, the ones who will stick around and become loyal customers. Keep showing up as you! Share what makes you and your mission unique.
And the ones who unfollow? Well, they're not your people, and that's okay. It's about quality, not quantity.
And if you’re ready to build a community of true supporters on Instagram… Join our FREE TRAINING! The 3-Step Customer Attraction Blueprint will show you how to attract customers from Instagram without the dance routines or tech headaches. Click HERE to register!
Conclusion
In conclusion, while we wish our pride post was celebrated in all corners of the world, it’s not. But it doesn’t mean we stop speaking about our lives and what matters to us. It means we double down on it. People can unfollow you for MANY reasons—it can be that it’s just not their time to be your customer or you are just not for them. But when you're authentic and vulnerable in your post, the right people will find you. This applies to any business posting about anything.
Keep being you on Instagram, and watch your true supporters grow.
