Are you trying to get noticed on Instagram? It’s both harder and easier than you think. Here are a few tips for building an audience of engaged followers on Instagram in 2023.
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How to get noticed on Instagram in 2023
Use your bio effectively
On your main page bio, you have a limited amount of space to let people know who you are and what you’re about. If you’re running a business and using Instagram to capture and nurture leads, skip the vague or cutesy stuff. Get to the point—who you help, how you help, and why it matters.
Hashtags help categorize your content so they are picked up by the algorithm and placed in relevant feeds. Choosing the right hashtags increases the chances of getting noticed and growing your followers.
Quick tips for using hashtags on Instagram:
Avoid using the same hashtags all the time
Choose hashtags that are unique and relevant to the post
If you use repetitive hashtags, the algorithm will penalize you
If hashtags are not relevant to the content, it also prevents the algorithm from picking them up
Content timing is worth paying attention to and even if you’ve researched this in the past, it’s a good idea to check into every now again to make sure you’re still posting at the optimal time.
For instance, two years ago the best time generally to post on Instagram was 11 a.m. on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. However, while these times are still pretty good, now you’ll be better off posting earlier, such as 5 a.m. on weekdays. That said, which posting times work best depends on the type of content you post and when you normally get the most engagement. So take this tip with a grain of salt.
Instagram Shoutouts
An Instagram shoutout is the best kind of advertising you can get on the platform. It’s (usually) free and acts like word-of-mouth referrals.
Speaking of paid shoutouts, here’s how it works. If you’re trying to gain more organic followers and want to pay for Instagram shoutouts, find a company that works with influencers in your niche and see if that can help you gain traction.
If you’re ready to invest in your social media marketing but you don’t want to do influencer marketing, then you may be ready for paid advertising. This works through your business account in Meta and is a whole other subject I can’t cover properly in this post.
One more thing. You may be interested in my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.
It took a long time in my writing journey before I asked a fellow blogger for some freelance Pinterest tips. Now that I understand the platform? PURE MAGIC. I hope this tip answers your questions about Pinterest. I’ve also included some freelance writing tips.
I don’t know why I hesitated other than it didn’t seem like a fit and I didn’t get it. I didn’t see how freelancers could use Pinterest to generate business.
Other bloggers love Pinterest. Like SO much.
But since I don’t keep a lifestyle blog, I didn’t think there was any point. I mean, isn’t it just recipes and make-up tutorials?
NOPE.
My perspective shifted after I met Shawna, a minimalist blogger and life coach over at Simple on Purpose. She shared about how her business and blog took off after one Pin went viral.
ONE. PIN.
So when the opportunity came, I asked Shawna to review my profile and give me Pinterest tips to improve my sad attempt at…what was I trying to do anyway?
She obliged and provided me with a report FILLED with suggestions. It was 1,000 words long, I counted. She answered all my questions about Pinterest and so much more.
Yes, I had my work cut out for me, and it was just the beginning.
While we’re talking about social media, I wanted you to know about my free ebook outlining five easy ways to optimize your social media profiles. It’s freelance writing tips and social media tips all rolled into one.
You can read the post Five Tips for Optimizing Your Social Media Profiles training and for the ebook, pop your email address into the form below. I’ll send you instructions to access my resource library to download the free ebook.
Once you’re in the library, navigate to the social media section and download the ebook called “Social Media Optimization.”
My freelance Pinterest mindset shift
I’ll spare you the details of how much spring cleaning I had to do on my Pinterest account.
Suffice to say it would have been easier to start from scratch. Because I didn’t know what I was doing I hadn’t done anything right.
Up until this point I had looked at Pinterest as somewhere to go when you’re looking for costume ideas or DIY projects. But that’s a Pinterest consumer.
A freelance Pinterest content creator looks at the platform in a different way.
A content creator looks at the platform and creates appropriate Pins by pairing visually-appealing vertical images with pleasing fonts and a keyword-optimized description. But she doesn’t stop there.
A good content creator also develops a visual brand to stand out from the Pinterest noise and restrains her public pinning to the topics she writes about.
Here’s the most important thing you need to understand: Pinterest is not a social network, it’s a search engine.
Searching for content on Pinterest is a wonderful exercise but Pins also show up as results on all other search engines.
Did you catch that?
If your content is performing well on Pinterest, it may also show up as an image search result in Google.
It then follows that being active and pinning the right content on Pinterest will increase your reach and bring your ideal clients to you.
Pinterest tips for freelance writers
OK, let’s dive in. I’m going to focus on the basics of setting up your Pinterest profile and pinning as a freelance writer.
You can go deep with freelance Pinterest strategy and I’ll be honest, I’m not there yet. While I’m happy with the results I’m seeing from Pinterest, I’m still finding my footing.
What I am certain of is Pinterest is a fabulous marketing tool that many freelance writers overlook.
Because most freelancers are investing their marketing time elsewhere, this is a great opportunity to maximize your return on Pinterest.
When you’re ready to use Pinterest for promoting your freelance writing business start with your profile
Does your username/handle reflect your business? If not change it
Is your profile photo an image of you? If not update it
Does your “about me” description talk about what you do and who you serve? If not, rewrite it
Are your boards named using keywords related to your business or your niche? Update the ones you can and set the others to secret
Have you included a link to your website? If not add it
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Questions about Pinterest? Feeling ready to start Pinning?
Before you dive in, pinning images from across the Internet, remember you are a content creator now. So it’s time to create pins for Pinterest.
Think about what your prospects or ideal readers are searching for on Pinterest.
What are the words they’re using? What problems are they trying to solve? Think about what type of images they’ll be drawn to and the types of topics they’ll be interested in.
Brainstorming and researching may take some time but after you spend some time on the platform you’ll get a feel for how it works and which pins work best for your audience and why.
In general, you want to pin things your ideal clients will:
Be drawn to
Want to read
Find helpful
Repin
Pay attention to
This doesn’t have to be 100 per cent your own content but you should definitely work on adding as much as you can to the platform. Get your writing in circulation!
The images that perform best on Pinterest are vertical, around 600 x 900 pixels.
You can test the sizes out of course (and the rules do change from time to time) but in general, try and stick to vertical rather than horizontal images.
If you JUST CANNOT then square images are also acceptable.
Pinterest tips: create your own images using Canva
Creating images specifically for PInterset ensures your image will put its best foot forward on the platform.
Make sure to use a visually-pleasing image (light images tend to perform better than dark images)
Overlay branding elements like your website or logo
Include your main keywords as a text overlay on the image (and repeat your keywords in the description)
Bonus tip: enable rich pins (if you’re lost, check out the video below from Redefining Mom on how to do this)
One thing to consider is if you want to pin a lot then you may need to create more content on your website to link to. Another idea, pin your samples to a Pinterest board.
Here’s my Writing Portfolio as an example. And yes, I’m custom-making most of those pins.
Even if you aren’t ready to pin you can still use Pinterest in a few interesting ways
Discover potential clients who are using the platform
Do keyword research using Pinterest search
Brainstorm pitch ideas by finding topics related to your niche
I know I already said this but I just think Pinterest is such a great opportunity.
So many writers overlook it because they don’t understand the platform or they don’t believe their prospects are there.
But with 175 million users…there’s a good chance your ideal clients are at least somewhat active on Pinterest.
And wouldn’t it be great to show up as the answer to their question?
I think so!
Do you have additional questions about Pinterest?
Let me know, I’m happy to help your Freelance Pinterest efforts.
One more thing. You may be interested in my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.
If you’re a freelance writer you may have heard people recommend trying to find clients on LinkedIn. And honestly, there’s something to it. If you want to know how to find freelance clients on LinkedIn, read on.
Perhaps in years past it wasn’t a big deal to let the sleeper social media network be a background app but those days are over.
LinkedIn is now a viable option for securing excellent freelance writing gigs.
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How to find clients on LinkedIn | Prospecting tips for freelance writers
I see a lot of freelancers posting in networking groups about how they’re frustrated with low rates from traditional publications and don’t know where to look for those niche clients who pay well.
For freelance writers searching for stable, corporate clients, LinkedIn may be their shining beacon of hope.
There are good reasons for freelancers to consider using LinkedIn to find clients.
For example,
Popular freelance marketplace go-tos like job boards and content mills are competitive and there are more disappointing rates then there are decent ones
Writers are discovering more magazine contracts filled with rights grabs (extending to television and movies) and indemnity clauses, which don’t favour the freelancer
Journalists are finding fewer job opportunities as newsrooms get smaller and dailies are shut down. As a result they’re moving into content marketing or business to business writing
While we’re talking about social media, I wanted you to know about my free ebook outlining five easy ways to optimize your social media profiles.
Once you’re in the library, navigate to the social media section and download the ebook called “Social Media Optimization.”
linkedin for writers: Here is what your profile needs
A professional and/or decent headshot
Accurate keywords describing what you do (nothing fancy or clever, what would your ideal client type into the search bar? Use those words)
A descriptive summary using keywords that will resonate with your ideal client (What problems do you solve? How can you help?)
Plain language—people are here to do business
Bonus: the more niche, the better
How to use LinkedIn to find clients
If you want to learn how to use LinkedIn to find clients, or you want to prospect as a freelance writer on LinkedIn, start by getting acquainted with the platform.
Seriously, before you do anything, figure out how the platform works and learn the conventions. I’ve already mentioned people come here to do business but it goes deeper than that.
Look at what type of articles and other content people publish.
Pay attention to the style of comments people leave. And notice the conversations happening. They’re unique to this platform so make sure you’re aware of platform expectations.
Once you have a handle on the decorum, consider publishing a few articles on LinkedIn Publisher related to your area of expertise.
I know this may seem strange because it’s not directly pitching but if you want to use how to use LinkedIn for prospecting or you want to find freelance work on LinkedIn, this is the path.
Watch what others are doing. Network. Post thought leadership content. Have thoughtful discussions. Pay attention to people in your niche and keep showing up.
These should be targeted at your ideal client and solve a problem they’re having.
Now you’re ready to start connecting and use LinkedIn to get clients
Connection type 1: search the platform to find clients on LinkedIn.
Oh, and make sure you have a good idea of who you’re looking for.
For example, if you’re prospecting for mid-level IT businesses, who do you need to connect with in the company? A marketing manager?
If you’re interested in publishing in a niche trade magazine perhaps you’ll look for an editor. Narrowing your search will help you focus on the best possible matches and will streamline your efforts.
Basically, think of common titles your market would use to describe themselves (CEO, accountant, sales manager, etc.) and use those when searching.
How to use LinkedIn for prospecting: When you’re clear on your prospect then you can look for these people either using the LinkedIn Advanced Search or LinkedIn Groups.
Once you find people who fit your current client focus, reach out and request a connection.
Make sure to add a personalized message to your request but don’t pitch anything yet. You’re just networking at this point.
These people may or may not accept your requests but for the ones who do, send a thank-you message and ask a question. But still, no pitching.
All you’re doing here is getting to know them a bit. Small talk. You could see if they work with freelance writers but I’d even be careful jumping into that question right away.
If the conversation progresses and the manager/editor/prospect wants to see more this is the time to send your Letter of Introduction (LOI).
Connection type 2: Want to find freelance work on LinkedIn? Connect with people who have viewed your profile.
This is one of the best tips for using LinkedIn to find clients.
LinkedIn lets you know who has viewed you profile. Pay attention to this! If the person who viewed your profile seems like a good fit, then send them a connection request with a personalized note.
This more or less follows the same process as above but I might be a little more casual at first, asking questions like what they’re working on these days and what they’re up to in general.
But if it seems like they could use a freelance writer then jump back into business mode and get your LOI ready and send it over.
Regular prospecting on LinkedIn can take as little as 15 minutes per day using the free version where you send a few connection requests, comment on threads or post articles.
But if it becomes an important client source you may want to consider upgrading your account to increase your search and messaging credits, as well as other perks.
One more thing. I think you’ll enjoy my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.
These Facebook Group tips will help you network without going down the drama rabbit hole. Why would you want to participate in groups?
They’re an interesting ecosystem within the social media behemoth.
For example, many successful Facebook Groups provide small, safe spaces for like-minded individuals to connect. And many groups have the added benefit of being secret or private, so your group activities aren’t revealed to your friends or followers.
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Facebook Group tips
Networking is a critical aspect of success in the freelance writing world. Because many writers are also introverts, the idea of networking can seem either overwhelming or needless.
But those who have joined healthy writing groups, they understand the power of networking and collaborating with likeminded people. In this, you discover your tribe and realize you’re not so alone after all.
While in-person groups can be amazing, the isolated nature of the writing life doesn’t always support regular attendance.
That’s where online networking comes in. With more than a billion active users, Facebook is an easy place to find community and networking opportunities. But if you’ve joined groups before, you may understand their potential volatility.
These Facebook Groups tips are intended to help freelance writers make the most out of networking while avoiding the drama.
Groups versus pages
Before we get into the Facebook Group tips let’s do a quick overview of the difference between groups and pages.
If you have a business people assume you have a Facebook Page. This is a convenience for the general public and can function, in its simplest form, as a business card directing prospects to your website or informing them of how to contact you.
Page owners can leverage their pages and use them like a community but this takes a lot of effort and dedication, which is why groups may be a better option for interacting with your followers and fans.
Having a Facebook Page is also required if you want to run Facebook ads, which is something to consider if you’re ready to invest in online prospecting. But we’ll get to that another time.
A Facebook Group is less linear than a page and the group members can have the ability to create content and carry on discussions without the administrator’s approval.
Groups can be about anything (a person, a topic, a website, whatever) and, for many, are an important connection hub for a writer’s networking efforts.
While we’re talking about social media, I wanted you to know about my free ebook outlining five easy ways to optimize your social media profiles.
You can read the post Five Tips for Optimizing Your Social Media Profiles training and for the ebook, pop your email address into the form below. I’ll send you instructions to access my resource library to download the free ebook.
Once you’re in the library, navigate to the social media section and download the ebook called “Social Media Optimization.”
Facebook Groups tips for survival
While a Facebook Page’s success is tied to the number of likes and reach, a Facebook Group can be considered successful even if it’s small.
A group’s engagement and activity is what matters. For some freelancers, creating and moderating a Facebook group make sense but for many others, joining groups is enough.
We’re focusing on how to behave in other people’s groups today since that’s where the majority of freelance writers exist. So here we go.
When joining other people’s groups, here are a few things to keep in mind
Remember, this isn’t your group so don’t act like it is (if you don’t like it, create your own)
Pay attention to the group’s rules and abide by them. If the group rules say don’t share anything from the group then really don’t share anything. If the rules say don’t promote yourself then really don’t drop links and brag your bylines. Respect the group rules
Be kind, genuine and helpful—listen before you speak, if you have a negative emotional reaction to a topic or post don’t respond right away (avoid becoming an Internet troll!)
Make connections, yes. But don’t immediately try and sell something (that’s not how this works). Make sure you’re in these groups for the right reasons or this won’t be a positive experience for you
Watch for ways you can contribute to the group, don’t just take. Maybe you can’t participate in every discussion but if there is a question or topic you know something about, add a tip or two
While these general Facebook Group tips will keep you in good standing my biggest tip is this. Try and add value to the group rather than dissension.
There are so many times I see a beautiful group get sidelined by a disagreement where the moderator doesn’t step in soon enough and the discussion gets out of hand.
When groups go down this route it stops being safe and people become afraid to voice their opinion, lest they get trolled or jumped on.
If you see this happening in one of your groups there are a few things you can do.
Avoid the drama. Consider muting the thread or group for a few days until the storm blows over
There is a chance the group moderator hasn’t seen the drama unfolding so if you think this is the case tag the person in the thread to draw their attention to it
Maybe the group is heading down this new, more volatile direction. If it stops feeling like a safe space to you or you feel like it’s just attracting distracting, unhealthy drama then consider leaving the group
As much as you can, avoid joining in the debate. In my experience, good doesn’t seem to come from emotional social media back-and-forths
For those looking for community, Facebook Groups can be an excellent option.
When searching for new groups to join, ask your friends and colleagues what groups they recommend first.
If you do a general search, keep in mind private groups will more often be safer than public groups.
This is because anyone can join a public group but you have to be approved to join a private group.
Look for groups that mirror your interests, or are moderated by people you admire. And if you do join a group and it’s not a good fit, don’t feel bad leaving.
Streamline your group experience and only stay in the groups you know you’ll be active in.
One more thing. I think you’ll enjoy my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.
I heard of the social media manager title years ago, but never considered I would or could be one.
I figured it was for someone else, someone who went to school for new media or social media management (things that didn’t exist when I did my bachelor of journalism).
But then my LinkedIn job suggestions started getting…obvious.
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But I’m a writer! Who cares about what a social media manager is!
Here’s a splash of what I see whenever I check LinkedIn Jobs to see what’s new and who’s hiring.
Social Media Coordinator
Copywriter
Office Administrator
An Open Letter to _______’s Future Marketer
Client Success Coach
Marketing Specialist
Social Media Manager
PR Consultant
Marketing and Events Coordinator
Brand Publishing Specialist
Keep in mind these are the jobs posted in the past seven days in my area, which LinkedIn thought I’d be a good match for.
If you’re a writer but have collected different skills, experience, connections, etc. you may have a different snapshot. But do you see what I’m talking about?
Two reactions come to mind I must choose between
Wow, this social network doesn’t know me at all
When did I become a social media manager?
So I begin wondering, what’s a social media manager and is it different from what I’m doing now?
Well I’ll cut to the chase, all 10 of these postings are about the same.
The type of work, the skills involved, the experience required, everything. No matter if it’s administrator level, coordinator level or management level. Now that’s confusing!
This tells me something
I need to understand all the ways people think of the skills I have—calling myself a writer without attaching any of the other keywords strips out nine of these jobs. Wow. Yet all require the exact same skills. OK…
What now?
Fluent in social media but wondering how to create a sustainable, effective Instagram strategy? I’ve written an ebook on exactly this topic!
This is a free resource but it’s a part of my resource library and to access it you’ll need a password. Pop your email address into the form and I’ll send it to you.
Once you’re in the library navigate to the social media section and look for “How to Create an Instagram Strategy ebook.”
Here’s what’s in the modern-day social media manager’s toolkit
Fluent in social—all social (paying attention to social trends, dos and don’ts, what’s hot and what’s not)
Strong writing skills (with a specialization in content marketing/copy writing)
A people-first approach to everything (a service mindset, which not only has you listening to your customers and industry chatter but being engaged in your community)
Graphically inclined (not a pro, but you need the basics of design and video production)
Comfortable with social selling (and understanding how this is done)
Competent at SEO and analytics (yes you will have to run campaigns and reports)
Confident public speaker (yes you will have to use Instastories and Facebook Live—you may even have to speak on a panel…in person)
An understanding of human behaviour (you don’t have to have a psych degree but you do need to understand what works and what doesn’t, what people want and what they don’t)
Reasonable budgeting skills (show me the money! Er…show your clients how you’re spending their money!)
Adaptable (this industry is like a river—moving fast and constant, you have to keep up with the changes and adapt as necessary)
Curious and savvy (in order to succeed as a social media manager, you need to know what works—but if you’re ahead of the curve you’ll be able to move your clients’ business strategies forward faster and won’t be distracted by fleeting trends or vanity metrics)
Strong grasp of marketing (specifically strategy and digital, email, and funnel marketing)
If this seems like three jobs in one, you’re right.
And if it seems like a lot of different skill sets wrapped up into one, you’re right again.
But this seems to be where the industry is at these days and if you want to compete, you need at least a cursory knowledge of these tools.
Keep in mind the typical day-to-day tasks a social media manager executes each day are a little less overwhelming: writing and scheduling posts, running ads, replying to fans and creating graphics.
This is where the real value of a social media manager comes in. If you have good instincts and can build a strong strategy for your client, you are going to see great results.
So stay at it and invest in yourself!
By the way, if your social media presence needs a little work check out this free ebook in my resource library. You’ll need a password to access the library so pop your email into the form below and I’ll send it to you.
Once you’re in the library navigate to the social media section and look for “Social Media Profile Optimization Ebook.”
Are you looking to level-up your business on social? Need a social media manager? Let’s chat!
Let me know what problems you’re looking to solve and I’ll be happy to send you a quote.
One more thing. You may be interested in my free resource library. This is where I keep my files, downloads, ebooks, worksheets and whatever else I manage to create. I love sharing what I learn and want to keep adding to this library so it becomes a wealth of helpful goodness.
This is a free resource but I do require a password to access the library itself. You can get access by popping your email address into the form below.
