The Secrets to Attracting Your Ideal Client on Instagram in 2021

It’s 2021 and WOW. If you’ve been on planet earth it has been a CRAZY year and a half amid a pandemic and so many changes not just to people’s lives, but social media has changed as well!

As I write this I am 6 days away from my baby due date which means pretty soon I will have 3 kids under 5 so if I go a little crazy or look a little sleep deprived on my IG stories just know that I’m a real human too 🙂 .

Are you ready to start thinking about your feed more strategically and attract your ideal client on Instagram?

P.S. Don’t turn and run because YOU DON’T NEED THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS!

I have built my entire business entirely on Instagram with a little bit of Facebook sprinkled in when I feel like actually spending time on that platform. If you’re here, it most likely means that you either A) like Instagram as much as me or B) you see the opportunity available to you by using it to grow your business.

Here is what you want to make sure you have SUPER clear as well as what you want to focus on to grow:

1. WHO ARE YOU HERE TO SERVE?

It used to be pretty simple when there were less people and businesses using Instagram to get in front of people who would buy from you. But with the ever-changing algorithms you’ve got to be strategic now and if you figure out who it is that you’re actually trying to reach and talk to that one person you will have much more success. Not only will you start to attract the people that will actually be excited to work with you and pay you, but your following will grow as well.

Your bio and page should VERY clearly speak to your ideal client. What do you do? Who do you help? What do you help them achieve? Include a strong call-to-action to either book a call with you, grab a freebie, or maybe purchase a lower priced product.

About 3 years ago when I was REALLY struggling to figure out this whole getting consistent clients online thing, I literally wrote FOCUS on my wrist to remind myself to quit doing and getting distracted by things that weren’t moving the needle forward in my business. And now I get to share everything I’ve learnt with you!

2. SHOW UP + ENGAGE

No more posting and ghosting! You have got to ENGAGE on Instagram. What I mean by this is commenting/liking/reacting + responding to IG stories/responding to comments on your posts, etc. Instead of scrolling in bed at night or during the day, use this time to actually make genuine comments on people’s pages. ESPECIALLY people who could be potential clients.

Instagram is a business. To make money, they need people using their platform so they can
sell more ads to those people.
So…….here’s the secret no one is telling you:
If you can make engaging content that will keep people on their platform longer- they will
reward you by showing your content to more people.

To get more followers you first need your EXISTING followers engaging with your stuff!
When users engage with your content, that not only signals to Instagram your content is
good and can keep people on their platform longer, but the users are more likely to share
and save, and comment on it, helping you get more reach and bringing more eyeballs to
your page.

So engage with your CURRENT followers first, then new potential ideal clients through Hashtags and searches.

3. CREATE CONTENT THAT SELLS A LIFESTYLE/END RESULT

Nobody wants to be sold to all of the time- this is a huge mistake I see a lot of product based brands making. When you think about why people are opening up the instagram app, it’s likely because they are searching for inspiration of some sort. Don’t sell a product, sell a lifestyle. If you can tell a story of why your customer needs to be a part of what you’re doing instead of selling a product, you will have success on Instagram.

When you are creating your content, you don’t want to just list the features of your program or course (i.e. things like “you get these fast-action bonuses and 6 modules!” because noone really cares. They care about how it is going to BENEFIT them. What are they going to get, what is life/business/mindset/health/whatever your niche is, going to look like after working with you?

Your content needs to be strategic as well. You want the types of content you are posting to move someone from new follower to paying client. A promotional post probably won’t hit as well with a brand new follower as well as a “how to” or personal story post would. You’ve got to make sure you mix it up in order to prime them to becoming a paying client.

4. USE STRATEGIC HASHTAGS

Hashtags are important for new followers to find you in the niche you’re in. I recommend doing some research to see which hashtags are really being engaged with in your niche. It’s also important to switch up your hashtags. If you’re just copying and pasting all of the same hashtags onto every single post, you’re missing an opportunity to find new followers. Try adding a few specific hashtags based on the photo you’re posting so it’s relevant to what people are searching for and so your posts pop up in different places.

The truth is hashtags are a CRAAAAZY POWERFUL growth tool Instagram has given you for FREE but most online coaches and entrepreneurs don’t know how to use them properly.

They have the ability to skyrocket your visibility regardless of your audience size, niche, or level of Instagram experience so you can grow your audience and attract more clients to your business. If you want to learn how to leverage them properly, click HERE!

5. MAKE IT PERSONAL + USE WHAT INSTAGRAM HAS GIVEN YOU

You are a business, but you’re also a person. The Instagram algorithm really likes accounts that don’t act like businesses. Don’t sell 24/7, show that you are a REAL person. If you post with a personal mindset versus a business mindset, your account will do much better on the platform. Last but certainly not least, Instagram is all about connections. If you make your account a resource for others and let go of the like count, people will enjoy your content and engage.

After TikTok exploded – it is now the second most downloaded social media app next to Instagram – Instagram has been scrambling to keep up – which is why Reels on Instagram have become so popular. The CEO of Instagram recently shared that “We are no longer just a square photo-sharing app” and now the algorithm and Instagram is pushing video and Reels more than ever. They are essentially competing the most with TikTok and YouTube. You will start to see subtle changes – even on the search page where there are suggested searches at the top to help you find things that Instagram thinks you’ll like or want to see based on your page/what you engage with.

Reels are able to get you HUGE reach – but you want to make sure that while yes you can absolutely mix in some fun stuff, to keep it focused because I have recently seen a lot of others in Facebook groups and on Instagram getting an insane amount of followers (Ex. 10K in one day, 200 in an hour) BUT they were all spammy/bot/fake accounts and these people had to go in and remove these fake followers. So just a friendly reminder that vanity metrics (likes,followers) really don’t matter unless they are your ideal client. As of right now with Reels I would suggest using a super targeted headline to pull in your ideal client and use Hashtags that are specific as well. Hopefully IG gets these issues figured out soon!

PHEW! Okay I know that was a lot but these are things that are most important right now to you growing your Coaching or Entrepreneurial based business on Instagram, so remember – FOCUS and always keep your ideal client in mind!

Do you have questions about Instagram right now? What has your experience been on the platform lately? AND I would love to hear your thoughts – do you like Reels? Or do you prefer to watch an IGTV that is longer? Leave it all below, I’m looking forward to hearing your opinion!

Cheers!

Jess