#f*ckimhungry: Turning Your Passion into Business with Instagram
The Craziest (SMARTEST) Thing I've Ever Done
Owning a business? I would sum it up by saying it's difficult, time-consuming, stressful, frustrating, scary, rewarding and fun - all in the same hour some days! The last two - rewarding and fun - are what make the other five words worth it. After all, if you told me I would be where I am today several months ago, I would have laughed hysterically in your face. From starting with just a raunchy phrase and some quirky taglines, I built Incredibly Hungry Apparel and F*ck, I'm Hungry into a rapidly developing business. Between packaging the clothes in our signature takeout boxes, taking care of our online store and running our Instagram, Incredibly Hungry Apparel consumes me day and night and I honestly wouldn't have it any other way.
Now look, I may not be a business major but I always say, I know what I like. Seeing the "in-your-face" aesthetic, our signature pizza logo and offbeat captions come to life, I could not be happier! The one social media tool that allows me to be as successful as I am today is none other than Instagram. Luckily, my passion and understanding of the platform allows my brand to speak for itself and let the people respond (which is how I like it!)
Curating my business on Instagram is the smartest thing I have ever done - so I thought i’d share the tips I use to develop an organic following and viewership.
My Five Tips for Organic Instagram Success
Make sure you are posting at least daily. Your followers want to know that you are active or even better, cannot wait to see what you post! Your aesthetic, patterns and overall theme matters, especially if you post more than once a day. Your filters, structure, colour scheme and desired multimedia work in synergy together.
2. #AnalyticsAreBae (specifically for when it comes to knowing what day and time to post)
The beauty of having a business account on Instagram is the fact that you can actually measure your success. From knowing how many weekly impressions you generated to the demographic and geography of your followers, everything is at your fingertips. Measure, measure, measure and NEVER forget that understanding your analytics can only help you.
3. #HighQualityPhotography (especially if it is one of your main themes)
We are all victim to posting a blurry/horrible selfie or reposting of one of our favourite blogs but I cannot stress the importance of high-quality Instagram pics. It may not seem like it but people are always looking for accounts that deliver above-average quality because that speaks volumes about their overall brand and image.
The point of hashtags is to get your content out there to several people with just the click of a button. At the same time you want to keep it neat and clean. Believe it or not, there IS such thing as too many hashtags. One amazing tip I use today is the “multiple dot method” which looks a little bit like this:
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# # # # # If it sounds time consuming, it definitely is but I can guarantee no one will be off put by your visible tags.
Just like business is nothing without customers, your Instagram is nothing without active engagement. Your followers want to like your posts, comment on your videos and of course, buy your products! If they have questions or comments, don’t leave them hanging. Beyond everything that you do, communication is what separates you from the other companies that just sell products. Remember that.
*BONUS* 6. #CollaborationNation
In my opinion, Instagram is the ultimate hub for collaboration. I've worked with influencers and bloggers across North America that I consider to be "some of the coolest people I've never met." Instagram opens doors that you never even knew existed! If you were like me in the beginning, it is hard to put yourself out there - but trust me, you’d be surprised who responds back, especially if your business is genuine. Moral of the story is: always be open to new opportunities if they are going to bring your business success.
The Not-So-Ugly Truth About Instagram For Business
Personally, Instagram is MY best social media tool. I love the visuals and believe it is the best way to engage with anyone that wants to work with me or buy my products. The best advice I can give? Make sure your business Instagram is aligning with your list of goals and objectives. Relying on these tips as a guide, I understand the importance of using Instagram as the main tool to assist in my business’ success. Creating beautiful photos, content and using the appropriate hashtags will get you far, but it is still a business that needs to generate profit and popularity. Do yourself some good and take the time to understand how Instagram is going to lead your business to success, wherever you see fit.