Social Media has been around for decades and has been even more prevalent in our world since the birth of smartphones. It is constantly evolving in its viability as it has paved a way for a whole generation. Musicians, entrepreneurs, influencers, videographers, and a myriad of other creatives can now reach a larger audience with the press of a button. The dilemma of this new era of social media is that there is a pool of content, that most creatives get lost in and it’s a feat cutting through the noise.
I’m currently on a journey of understanding the value of the business but equally the art itself. Ultimately people want content. With the attention span of most adolescents, they consume content like nothing. For me, one of the best things I can do is to make sure my content is excellent. Making sure the art is pleasing or its something the audience would want to hear or see is a huge element. If I have a new single dropping, I want the post to capture the audience's attention within the first five seconds. Also, another important aspect that might seem small, is your thumbnail pattern. As people are either scrolling through their feed or going through your profile, the first thing you see is the thumbnail. High-resolution-aesthetic pleasing pictures capture the attention of viewers and create more engagement. Another way to create engagement is to let people in your world; bringing people into the fold of your day-day creates a sense of them knowing you. If all you post is content about your music, it can sometimes become monotonous. Most of us are most are multifaceted and people want to see that.
All the things stated above can generally be applied to most social media, but Instagram has some detailed insights and features that allow you to maximize your engagement. Firstly, is the Insight mode itself. Insights is a function within Instagram that algorithmically organizes data regarding your posts. Digital Marketing Company describes it as, “especially helpful for businesses when you take into account what separates Instagram from other social media platforms”. It breaks down your followers and how they connect with your content down to your likes per post, profile visits, and which days to post. Having access to these live statistics will allow me to strategically post in order to obtain optimal reach. Lastly, is the use of promotions. You can, in fact, have amazing content and yet be overlooked, with the most obvious part of marketing, promoting. Promotions create brand awareness and in turn traction to your post. Also, promotions are complimentary to the algorithm, which very much speed-oriented. You genuine have a 10-minute window for you “test audience” or 20% of your followers to engage before it reaches a peak, but with promotions, it can create momentum and visibility. Another great thing about promotions is that it’s customizable and allows you to target a specific demographic.
Instagram is an ever-evolving tool for future business owners. The functions are so personalized and enable a greater reach. To build a brand on Instagram it takes knowing your algorithm, having good content, and being authentic and transparent.
