You want to reach Millennials and Gen Z’s, huh? Well, then you need to master Instagram and Snapchat and understand the do’s and don’ts of these social media machines. This little nugget of free information will focus on Instagram, but we offer social media training for both.

The DO’s

• Use IG Stories – It puts you front and center.
• Tag others. You already know you can tag others in the caption, but did you know that you can tag other IG users/brands in your Story? Write down (or memorize) the username of whom you want to tag. Take or load an image into the Instagram Stories, click on the screen OR tap the Aa icon in the upper right-hand corner to add text. Type the @ symbol followed by the username, a menu should appear and you can select the correct account.
• Check the video’s audio before posting! Take an amazing video but the audio just doesn’t work or is downright inappropriate? Select the video to upload and hit “Next.” Tap the volume control icon at the top to mute the video’s sound and then click “Next” again. Complete the post and share sound free.
• Hashtags – second to the image, they are king in IG land and they can be the key to your reach. Pay attention to what is trending and strategize how you can pony with other hashtags to be relevant, inspirational or educational.
• An Influencer can change your entire relationship with your customers. You can approach an existing influencer or possibly create your own. Or a bit of both!
• Creativity – Above all, creativity is what is going to capture followers. Whether it’s amazing photos, a notable influencer, or something different (like a scavenger hunt or contest), your followers want to be WOW’ed!

The DON’Ts

• DO NOT OVERWHELM THE FEED. Go back, read that again. Want to lose followers? Load 50 pictures of something all at once, during the peak viewing time of the day. Sprinkle content. Sprinkle it over multiple days, if necessary.
• Times they have a changed and using a third-party scheduler is a NO-NO, despite each social media manager’s desire for a social life. Social media platforms want you to use their system, and are cutting down on bots posting. Instead, use the apps built-in hacks, like “Save Draft” so you can pre-load your messaging before your wi-fi-free vacation, and your trusted assistant can log in and launch them for maximum reach.
• Avoid being BORING! If your business is to sell one thing, you’re going to want a campaign that makes that one thing relatable, and it’s not the same post 200 times. People want to be engaged.

Did you know there is a secret Instagram menu? Do you want to learn the secret handshake that unlocks it? Schedule Instagram training with Leslie Laney. Contact us today!

Here are some topics we’re happy to help you or your organization with, or you can ask for a custom experience:

The Basics of Instagram – How to add multiple accounts to separate personal from business, how to post, how to create stories, exploring filters and other IG tools

Intermediate Instagram – Social media marketing 101, including an introduction to themes and stylization, posting management, including how to hide offensive commenting, start Live videos and join live videos, hashtags and engagement

Advanced Instagram – Exploring the secret menu, creating IG campaigns, using branded and unbranded hashtags to build user content, the power of influencers, Instagram ads management

Instagram Art – Tips and tricks on how to create interesting Stories and Posts using apps, filters, and built-in features.

Snapchat 101 – Getting started on snapchat, profile management, using filters

Snapchat 201 – Using Snapchat Kit and Snapchat Ad Manager Advanced Snapchat – Planning a Snapchat Campaign