How to Start Your Successful Instagram Business Journey into 2019

By
admin
-
0

Instagram is one of the major apps social media users have an account with, with the most recent stats of more than 800 million monthly active users and that was back in September 2018! Of those active users, over 60% of them log into the app every single day and share over 95 million photos. That alone shows how effective the app can be to support the growth of a business or service. Learning how to set up an Instagram account for those who don’t have a physical store or a website is super easy and convenient. From a business standpoint, Instagram has made it simple and less time-consuming than other sites to help entrepreneurs with little to no start-up accessible funds start and grow their business from the ground up. You can use micro-stories to find out what entertains your audience and quickly grow a following based on those who share similar interests and goals. Here are a few steps I put together to help create a profile and start promoting your business on Instagram without breaking your bank.

 

1. Create a Profile that Lets People Know you Mean Business – Literally!

Your profile is the first impression people see when they click on your page. Here are a few tips to enhance your Instagram profile:

  • Have a display photo that is your logo, if you have one. This will set the tone your brand and be the first thing people see. Aim for a quality profile photo that accurately reflects your branding.
  • If you’re an influencer or a blogger, choose a picture of yourself that communicates who you are and what you do as accurately as possible.
  • Have a username that ideally is your brand name. Try not to make it too complicated and limit the use of symbols like underscores. If you have a website, make sure you link it in your profile.

When it comes to completing the Business Information section, link it to a Facebook page if you have one already created. That way whatever you post on Instagram will automatically post on your Facebook Page for your brand. Choose a category that is the closest to what your brand is about. Lastly, make sure you choose the most ideal contact option so that others may be able to reach you.

Pro Tip: If you don’t have a creative eye but don’t want to pay ridiculous prices for help with a logo, try Fiverr. It has great pro services like logo making, promo videos, and graphic designing individuals who are looking for a quick gig. You can also negotiate and ask for more than one of each service or product to ensure you are satisfied with what you want to be completed for you.

Pro Tip #2: Include a keyword with your name. To make sure those who are in your niche notice your page and can find you, add a strong keyword in your name to help with searchability scores. For example, use the keyword as your ‘middle’ name even if the keyword isn’t apart of your official Instagram handle. If you need help finding a strong keyword, enter your niche into Ubersuggest Tool and see how you can use your keyword to the best of its ability.

 

2.Write an Eye-Catching and Appealing BioFirst impressions are everything and it literally takes a half a second for someone to form an opinion on who you are and what your brand is all about. Your bio plays the key role in the actions someone decides to take once they come across your page. It can make or break the decision for you to be followed, scroll through your content, or even click the link to your website. This is why it is incredibly important to make a great first impression with the content of your Instagram profile and what you write in your bio.

       A great Instagram bio should:

  • Explain a bit about you or your brand and what you do
  • Appeal to your target audience – know your niche!
  • Use your brand tone and voice to help you build a connection

3. Engagement Count Matters more than your Followers Count

You may have over 10,000 followers but only average about 2 comments per photo or video. The following count may seem high but when Google and Instagram see the ratio between your followers and your engagement, it actually does not look so good. This could mean a number of things: people probably like your page and what it stands for but your photos aren’t appealing or have a call to action. In some cases, it could mean the people liking the photo or following the account have been bought from a third party app. Now if you have a lower followers count but a high engagement ratio on your photos, this actually looks better when your page is analyzed by Google and Instagram algorithms. Also, companies that do sponsored ads and affiliate programs will take you more seriously when your ratio is more appealing and you will gain their attention better this way. If you aren’t sure if your numbers add up to algorithmic standards, try to average at least about 10% engagement when comparing your likes to your follower count.

4. Pay Attention to Your Colour Palette on your Account

A majority of the most successful Instagram accounts tend to use a colour palette for their photos. You can either pick colours that relate to your brand or use very soft colours with light backgrounds on your images. If you use a lot of quotes or do a lot of content posts, use the same font styles and alignment for each post.

Another thing that is extremely important is your captions! Captions are a great chance to enhance your content and to connect with your followers or customers. Think of it as a sharing section or a mini-blog. Use this space to ask questions and encourage replies and increase engagement. Try to also make it connect to what your photo is about so it is not messy and stays consistent.

Pro tip: Instagram captions have a limit to 2,200 characters and a maximum of 30 hashtags, so pre-write your captions and edit them in your Notes app on your smartphone before pasting it to your photo.

5. Consistency, Consistency, Consistency!

No matter how great you believe your product or service is, or how important your brand is, it won’t appear that way if you aren’t consistent with your activity on Instagram. This includes publishing and engaging in connecting with other users and how frequently you do so. By staying consistent and publishing regularly, it can help your audience learn when to expect new content from you. Try to set up a posting schedule for your page to maximize engagement without hitting any long stretches without any activity. People have a short attention span and will lose interest quickly, and can even unfollow you for lack of posts.

Pro tip: Use a free posting app like Hootsuite to help set up scheduled posts in advance. That way your page will stay active and interactive while you continue living your everyday life.

6. Respond to Comments and Direct Messages

Responding to comments is a great way to build a strong community on your Instagram page. If someone took the time and energy to share their thoughts or ask you a question, it’s very important to respond back to them and show them you appreciate them and are listening. By responding to comments and direct messages, your audience can be a great way to encourage positive feedback, word of mouth and function as brand advocates without you paying for marketing or ads. The more users feel connected to you, the more they are likely to recommend your product or services to their followers, friends, and family.

Bonus tip: Try creating a brand-specific hashtag

An Instagram marketing strategy to post consistent, quality content that aims to build your brand while also connecting on an individual basis with our community members are the key basics to Instagram success. One-on-one interactions and connections are vital, and by creating a brand-specific hashtag it can allow your community to tell a story about what they’re passionate about both personally and professionally. Also, when people search your hashtag, it can help others catch a glimpse of what your business is all about and see who else endorses your content!

Have any other tips and helpful suggestions that can help others grow their Instagram business? Let us know below!

7 Podcasts You Should Listen To For The Rest Of 2018

By
admin
-
0

Podcasts have become a way of life for some, and a soundtrack to day-to-day activities for others. With that said, here is a list we compiled from asking our subscribers on what podcasts they listen to and recommend. Enjoy and let us know if we missed any good ones we can add!

 

1.TED Talks Daily


Every weekday, this podcast brings you quick listens of universal and relatable topics. Hear thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence, being a Muslim in America, malaria, zoology, and everything in between — given by the world’s leading thinkers and doers. This collection of talks are given at TED and TEDx conferences around the globe and are recorded for audio.

2. Stuff You Should Know

This podcast will have you learning things you didn’t even think long enough about before and increase your random knowledge facts. Hosted by Charles, or Chuck, Bryant and Josh Clark, these two amazing writers simplify and reveal surprising facts about common ideas. They also educate the public about common items and how they work. The diversity of their topics includes things like waterbeds, colourblindness, personality tests, and even things like vomit phobia. You can also check out their website for their archived list and their Youtube channel and subscribe for more content.

3. Journey to Launch: Launching you to Financial Freedom

The talented mother of 3 and entrepreneur Jamila Souffrant hosts this valuable podcast. She hosts episodes and interviews that include how to save money, invest, and how to pay off your debt. She also goes into budgeting, family life, and how to use your time wisely. Jamila uses her own life lessons after being raised by a single mom and learning the concept of hard work. She educated herself on appreciating the value of money from an early age. She goes through her own financial literacy journey and teaches others how to discipline on saving, budgeting, and wisely managing your money.

4. Serial

 


Serial is probably the most famous podcast that started the wave of listening to podcasts. It is hosted by Sarah Koenig and it has 3 seasons to date. In her first season, she dives into the true story of a murder case in Baltimore, Maryland about a high school girl Hae Min Lee. Her ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was convicted and charged with her murder based on facts that are broken down by Sarah. She has recorded conversations with Adnan in jail in the podcast and lets him share his experience with what has happened. Millions of listeners listen to an episode by episode, emotions run high and tough questions are asked and answered. The case is still active and he finally was granted a retrial. Catch up quick if you want to follow the current updates!

In the second season, Sarah looks into the story of Bowe Bergdahl. Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier. He had been a prisoner of the Taliban for nearly five years, and now he was going home. People said Bergdahl shouldn’t be celebrated and some of the soldiers from his unit called him a deserter, a traitor. They said he had deliberately walked off their small outpost in eastern Afghanistan and into hostile territory. For this season, Sarah Koenig attempts to find out why he decided to walk away, into Afghanistan, and how the consequences of that decision have spun out wider and wider. It’s a story that has played out in unexpected ways from the start. And it’s a story that’s still going on.

Season 3’s style changed from the prior seasons. Sarah goes to courts in Cleveland to hear several extraordinary cases to figure out the issues with the criminal justice system in America. She finds troubling technicalities and police conduct that is questionable. She tells a different story every week and helps listeners take a look at the injustice of the justice system.

5. The Vanished


Host Marissa Jones focuses on a different case in each episode about a real-life person who has gone missing and often includes interviews with their friends and loved ones. The cases aren’t necessarily the most high-profile ones, which is the beauty of this podcast. It helps families and loved ones bring awareness and get the word out about people who are still waiting to be found. Also, whenever there is an update about a missing person Marissa’s discussed previously, she updates her listeners. It could update on their court hearing if someone was arrested regarding the missing person, if they’re found alive, or if their bodies were located. Binge listeners can also enjoy this podcast because there are a couple of years of content to dive into!

6.Mufti Menk by Muslim Central

If you don’t already know who Mufti Ismail Menk is, look him up! He is a leading global Islamic scholar born and raised in Zimbabwe. His personable style and down to earth approach to spreading the word of Islam has made him one of the most sought-after scholars of our time. His topics vary and include relatable concepts like Dealing with Loss, Respect and Dignity, and Hypocrites and Forgiveness. He also occasionally has series episodes on things like Supplications, Marriage and Relationships, and Ramadan. For a quick imaan boost daily or even a reminder from time to time on what’s important, be sure to check out his incomparable podcast.

7.Casefile


True crime lovers, this one’s for you! This podcast goes over real-life cases with mysterious twists. It is hosted by an Australian but his identity is unknown, although twitter calls him Casey McCasefile. It’s a little difficult to understand because of his accent in the beginning, but once you get used to it, this podcast will get you addicted!

If you think we missed any other amazing podcasts, be sure to comment and let us know below!

Cyberbullying and What it’s Doing to Muslim Children

By
admin
-
0

Oh, the Internet. The best friend to everyone. Also, the same Internet that allows cyberbullying to be a thing and to be a tool for disaster. Especially if you are a Muslim.

Incidents of bullying against Muslim students, from hijab pulling to cyberbullying, have escalated, and a report done by the Council on American Islamic Relations school bullying report say Islamophobic rhetoric from the U.S. election in 2016 played a role.

The study discovered that out of about 1000 Muslim students ages 11 to 18, more than half reported being bullied and feeling less comfortable at school.

Several students have reported hijab-pulling incidents since the 2016 election. In Minnesota, a family of a female student reported that their daughter’s hijab had been pulled and thrown to the ground. The study also reported that 36% of respondents said they had their hijabs tugged, pulled or offensively touched. Parents fear for their daughters and have begun telling them not to wear their hijabs to school.

In addition to physical harassment Muslims have faced, there have been reports of faith-based harassment online – cyberbullying. Muslim students responded that they often see their peers posting about their faith on social media with 57% of students saying that their peers have made offensive remarks online. Maybe its because when you aren’t face to face with someone, people tend to be more emboldened online.

The media plays a huge role in this. Trump has called Muslims distasteful things, stating in December 2015 “There’s a sickness. They’re sick people. There’s a sickness going on. There’s a group of people that is very sick.” when he was asked if the ban he wants to put in place would include Canadian businessmen who are Muslim.

Not only does it affect Muslim students in schools, but it also has a dangerous second-hand effect on bystanders and observers of harassment to bullied Muslim students.

The impact on Muslim students is devastating. In an effort to be safe from harm and harassment, some choose to dissociate and prefer to not be identified as Muslim and go as far as denying their true faith. This includes taking off the hijab completely and not praying during school hours.

Cyberbullying has impacted our current social media crazed society in morbid ways. We often hear of high school kids being bullied online and suiciding shortly afterwards. A blog we stumbled upon shows a first-hand account of how cyberbullying has impacted a young Muslim woman’s life and the lengths she went through to try to stop it from continuing.

He even told me that I should be crucified, burned, and killed, which frightened me even more. I don’t even know this person…

The comments section of YouTube videos, Instagram photos and videos, and Facebook videos are riddled with intense foul language directed at destroying the self-esteem and faith of Muslims every single day.

Children are extremely impressionable ad their brains are yet not fully formed. The long-term effects of these incidents can cause are endless and horrific to even think about.

Is a Love a Muslim Day enough to counter Islamophobia?

By
admin
-
0

I’m sure you have all seen it – the deeply disturbing viral photo of the one piece of paper that has affected thousands of Muslims worldwide titled Punish a Muslim Day. The letters started circulating in late March, sent anonymously to multiple communities in Britain. It was sent to homes, businesses, and lawmakers. It detailed an extremely disturbing and inhumane point-based system that would AWARD attackers for acts of violence on Muslims. 500 points for “butchering a Muslim using a gun, knife, vehicle, or otherwise.”

 

For many, April 3rd felt like Doomsday. Muslims around the world took to social media to share their thoughts on the hate-motivated campaign. People were sending well wishes and urging Muslims to take care and look out for each other. Many were determined that the letters would not cause them to change their daily habits.

Just as quickly the letters went viral, so did another one – Love a Muslim Day. The letters promised rewards if anyone smiled or threw flowers at Muslims – while 2,500 points were on offer if a family was bought a trip to Mecca. Dozens formed a human chain around a mosque in London. Their message was clear, spread love not hate.

But is it enough to counter Islamophobia?

There may not have been a major incident, but “Punish a Muslim Day” did what it was designed to do – strike fear in the hearts of individual Muslims and those already being impacted by hate crime and racism. Many women refused to leave their homes yesterday, taking the day off work or changing their social plans.

Many argued that the best way to deal with “stunts” such as “Punish A Muslim Day” is to ignore them. Best not give oxygen to whoever is responsible for orchestrating this campaign of terror. We cannot avoid the fact that British Muslims are facing rising levels of Islamophobia, anti-Muslim hate and the mainstreaming of racism in our country on a daily basis.

This “Punish a Muslim Day” is not a one-off day of hate targeting Muslims; for many, it represents the daily structural Islamophobia we are up against and the increasingly poisonous rhetoric directed against Muslims in everyday life. Islamophobia is fully mainstream and is part of our daily public and political discourse.

To counter Islamophobia at its roots, we need a grounded and honest national conversation about the extent of the problem. We also need a strong and diverse anti-racism movement willing to tackle the politics of bigotry and division head-on. “Love a Muslim Day” is a worthy gesture but most Muslims I know are not bothered about being loved – we just want to feel safe and secure in our country. We’d like the right to live with dignity, to be seen and valued as full human beings and citizens without having to prove how good we are.

What are your thoughts on this matter? Comment below with your feedback.

1...345Page 5 of 5