Such an important topic, finding your niche audience on social media. Let’s help you find them and keep them.

So here are my Top 8 Tips!

#1 - Know your Ideal Client (ICA) and Know Your Content Pillars.

Go deeper than just the basic gender age, niche it down when finding your “Ideal Client” (aka ICA). Knowing your content pillars helps because you know what you talk about you can find what kind of listeners. Also, if you are lost on Content, put out market research, ask your followers in Instagram Stories. (If you need more help reach out to me.)

#2 - Look at Your Stats.

Kind of related to step 1, but not completely. We tend to forget about our current followers and keep searching for more. We forget how many people, a hundred people, etc. really are! Just imagine being in a room with those numbers. Even if you have a smaller following I guarantee your ICA is in those numbers. Don’t neglect your following! But, look at your statistics, IG is pretty good at breaking those down for you.

#3 - Audit Your Profile.

This is a huge part. Once you get in front of that ICA you need to speak to them. Keep them, get them to want to smash the follow button. Speak their language. Does your bio speak to your ICA? Show your personality. What problem of theirs do you solve? Have a targeted profile. Keywords. Try to step back with virgin eyes or ask friends their opinions…or even ask your ICA.

#4 - Find Your Competiton.

Look at your competition. Don’t steal from them or poach their people! Do not copy. But, look at their followers, see what the trends are. This is strictly research. You’re allowed to follow if public. But use it to gather information.

#5 - Hashtags

Find what hashtags your ICA use and hang out under. The rules of this are always changing, but it’s best to think of hashtags as the seasoning on that dish you already created.

#6 - Collaborations!

Super fun way to gain followers. Share your audience. Not always best to collab with someone that is your competition, but if similar and slightly different go for it! Great for going live, podcasts, guest blogging, story takeovers, so many ways! Get creative! Even if it’s just basic shoutouts, give it a shot, get in front of other people’s audiences.

#7 - Interact!

Just getting the “follow” isn’t enough. You have to create a relationship! Interact! Stories are a great way to get or give interaction, as well as dm’s and posts.

#8 - Get them Off the Platform!

I say this a lot! Get them off the apps and in your email list, because what do you do if they delete that app? You don’t own your followers, but you own your email lists. Remember to use it. Not super easy but use those ICA’s needs to create offers, get them on that list. (I also offer a email training if you need it.)

I know I said it in a few of the points, but seriously, if you have any questions or need more deep details please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! This is my jam, my area of expertise and I love helping. Now go find your people! :)

Before I dive into some easy points to get that engagement to convert into sales, let’s address the elephant in the room. The whole IG world is just in a slump. It isn’t just you. It’s just a matter of fact engagement is just down in general. More people are on the app and that also means more creators. But don’t let it get you down, this is where knowing your audience will be key, which I’ll address, ICA’s (Ideal Client Avatars) are just an important topic. You may be also questioning if it’s possible to make sales when your follower numbers are such and such… And, the answer is Absolutely! Yes! The 10K Follower Swipe-up Feature isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Trust me I’ve seen the numbers, and this isn’t just based on one account, we all see it. That swipe isn’t all it’s cracked up to be and neither are numbers so don’t worry about getting your followers to a certain number, focus on taking care of the people right in front of you! Your current audience, your people, now that’s what matters. Let’s focus on those people and how to sell to them.

Now for the fun! 5 Points of Turning Engagement into Sales:

1. Get into those DMs - Post in stories to encourage people to dm you or use their stories to start a non-sales conversation. Build up a connection, don’t be spammy, and start off with sales pitches. No one likes that.

2. Return the Love - As we like to say in my FB group, “Don’t Post & Ghost!” Reciprocate the post interaction. I want you to especially pay attention to the top 20 people interacting with you. If they are supporting you, support them back. Trust me it pays off, ties in with the “Like-Know-Trust” Factor.

3. Bring Value - Being the expert on a topic. Don’t over or under-sale your level of expertise. Play around with your amount of sales vs non-sales posts.

4. Consistency - I will preach this over and over again, but be consistent! Show up, stories/lives, like #3 build-up that connect for the “Like-Know-Trust.”

5. Understanding Your ICA’s Needs - Speak directly to your ICA. They will know you have the solution for their problem and there’s the sale.

Try it, try it all, and get back to me! If you need help and an extra little push just reach out to me. That’s what I’m here for. Also, if you want to stay in the loop, make sure to sign up for my weekly emails, especially after the recent social media outages. ;)

If you have been in or around marketing for a bit you may have heard this term, “ICA” aka Ideal Client Avatar. And it is important for you to have and know yours. It is important to know who you are selling to, talking to. It’s easier to speak with one than to speak to the masses. This will matter from writing your bios to finding the best hashtags to locate your clients. ICA is so important and I’m pretty sure you have heard me mention it a few times now. So let’s find your ICA!

Who are you selling to? How do you find your ICA?

• Think of your past clients. Who did you absolutely love working with? If you haven’t had a client yet, who do you envision working with?

• Give them a name, a REAL Name.

• What’s their Age? What do they identify themselves as? Not just gender, but like in their bio, like “Mom” “Wife,” etc…

• What do they do for work? Hobbies?

• Where do they hang out in “real life” but also online? What Social media Apps? (Sprouts Social, actually had a pretty good updated article to help you with that.) But, you really want to know that, because you need to be on that app. You need to be where your ICA is. Join/Hang in the same groups. Be a presence, love on them, share your expertise.

• Where does your person shop?

• What problems does your ICA have? (How can you solve/help them?)

• What do you love about your clients?

For Example- Brooke. She is in her 30’s. Mom, wife, photographer. Very busy. Likes True Crime and Podcasts. Shops mostly at Target and Amazon…

*You do not have to be the same/similar to your ICA. Sometimes it may work out that way, but it is not necessary. (My example, just kind of worked out that way.)

Remember - what stands out in your business is YOU! Be different. Your knowledge. Your point of view… Be YOU! You are what makes your brand/business stand out.

Need extra help in envisioning your client? Don’t hesitate to reach out to me.

Disclosure: This site may contain affiliate links. Your clicks or use come to no extra expense for you. Though, I may receive a commission if you purchase from them.

Getting the most out of the Dollar.Eighty method, get that engagement!

Okay, let me back up a little, you probably are asking what is “$1.80”???

Fair enough. “Dollar.Eighty” is a method created by Gary V. to help create engagement and growing followers on Instagram, by “putting your 2 cents in.” Aka, your comment = 2 cents, get it? Lol! So put in your $1.80; 10 comments on the top 9 posts under 10 different hashtags: 90 comments a day to see growth. What makes this easier and work, is now there is a Chrome Plugin for the Dollar.Eighty method to help you find and connect with other profiles.

The plugin even helps you monitor your commenting goals. It tracks the amount you have done through the plugin. It cuts down on your time by saving comments, in case you want to reuse them.

The Dollar.Eighty site also allows you to do up to 10 comments a day for free but ideally, you want to do 90 (if you have time and are really committed to the growth).

You are also able to save your top 10 hashtags through the free version, but with the paid or free month trial, it also lets you save location tags as well as more comments, etc.

Now, what does all this mean for you and how do you make this work to help you?

Know your ICA (Ideal Client Avatar). The more specific the better! You aren’t searching based on your hashtags, but their’s. Like I may use “#BossBabe” but it’s big and broad, and my ICA may use a niched down like “#etsysmallbusinessseller.” Or like I would be “#WeddingPhotographer” but my ICA would be “#ISaidYES” or “#Engaged.” See the difference? So think of your client, who you are trying to help. Who you want to sell to. What kind of person are they? Their demographics or psychographics.

Are you a location-specific business? Then you want to look at where, physically what locations your client would be, what park, what stores. *This is where the paid version helps a little more than the free one.

So think about your ICA, the more specific, the more you know about your ICA the better in helping you to spot them. (Plus, it’s easier to speak to 1 person than it is to address the masses.)

Another big thing that will help you get the most out of the Dollar.Eighty challenge is to make sure your Bio is Optimized! When you are commenting, and your ICA goes to your profile, they want to see clearly what you do. What problem do you address? What do you solve? Make your value clear. They want to see themselves reflected in your bio.

Last but not least, as always, have good content! (I know we’ve addressed this one, but it’s worth repeating.)

So truly, try to take on the challenge, and best of luck with your growth! Have questions? Want me to help you find the right hashtags or help guide you towards your ICA? Feel free to reach out. I would love to help you!