It’s 2019, and if you have a phone, you probably have an Instagram account.

It’s easy to make this generalization because there are now 1 BILLION active monthly users on Instagram. Yes, that’s BILLION with a “B” — PER MONTH!

If those stats didn’t blow your mind, allow me to put that in perspective: That’s about 1/8 of Earth’s population.

Crazy, right?!

Not only that, 500 million of those users are using the platform every single day!

Imagine if your business reached 500 MILLION people a day. Or in a lifetime!

Luckily, you don’t need anywhere close to that many people to support our business for it to be successful.

Why? Because you are in the business of TRANSFORMATION!

IN THE BUSINESS OF TRANSFORMATION

And as a coach, you measure the value of our business by our level of IMPACT.

Impact is how you increase your influence and your income. If you haven’t figured this out already, there is a massive opportunity for impact with Instagram.

In 2019, it is one of the best social platforms to expand your impact, increase brand awareness, and reach new clients.

And the good news is that Instagram is a fun place to hang out! There’s no way 1 Billion people would be using the platform if it weren’t. Am I right, or am I right?

According to Hootsuite, over 25 million companies are using Instagram for business growth, and over 200 million users connect with at least one business profile daily! That just goes to show that if you have a business, you should be using Instagram!

And with its many features, it is basically five platforms in one!

A PLATFORM FOR EVERYONE

You can record and save live video, share pre-recorded videos to IGTV, share content using Instagram Stories, share photos and visuals to your main Feed, and communicate with your audience directly using video, call, & text chat features via Direct Messenger! (Mind = blown!)

Plus, Instagram has a little something for every user, whether you love to be on video, enjoy taking photos, or you’re a really captivating writer!

And if you want to do all three, more power to ya! But, with all of these users comes a lot of noise.

Social media gave everyone a voice. No matter who you are, what you think, what you do, how you behave, what you believe, or where you came from…you can now share your voice with the masses on social media.

Which, as you know, can be a good and a not-so-good thing.

BE A RESPONSIBLE INSTAGRAMMER

These days, it seems like everyone wants to be an “influencer.” Everyone wants to be known for something.

One of the more recent examples of the power that “Influencers” have on social media is found in the Fyre Documentaries on Netflix and Hulu.

If you haven’t seen these documentaries or heard the story on various news outlets, it’s basically an example of how simple it is to convince people to buy into an idea, if the right people are promoting that idea.

The organizers of the epic failure of the Fyre music festival used Supermodels to promote their event on Instagram. (This is an example of doing Instagram for a not-so-good thing.)

I believe that as coaches committed to facilitating transformation in people, you and I have a certain level of responsibility for our conduct on all social media platforms.

And rightfully so, because after all, you have SO MUCH VALUE to offer!

You have a responsibility to share your life-changing thoughts, ideas, and insight with people who need that information the most because transformation begins with a shift in one’s mindset.

BEING AN INFLUENCER

According to Merriam Webster, the definition of “influence” is; “the capacity to affect the character, development, or behavior of someone or something, or the effect itself.”

You are an “influencer”! I’m sure you can think back to a time in your life when you’ve influenced someone. The question is, HOW are you using your influence?

The Instagram definition of influencer has a bad rep because a lot of “influencers” use their reach to promote products and services they don’t really use or believe in.

I believe you can help change that and shift the perception of what it means to be an “influencer” by using your influence for GOOD.

If you become the example of what it means to have real influence, you can use Instagram to make a real impact in the world.

Are you confused on how to do this? Don’t worry; I have the action steps for you to take below!

3 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR IMPACT & INCOME ON INSTAGRAM

1. GET ENGAGED

No matter how big or small your following is, you need to engage with them! If you don’t, how else can you expect them to continue to engage with you?

Instagram is all about connection and conversation. The algorithm now favors higher engagement over higher followers. It’s easy to get so caught up in wanting more followers (I get it!) that you don’t even show up consistently for the ones you already have.

Go beyond a “like” (that’s one of the laziest ways to engage, btw!) Anybody can “like” a photo. But building a connection comes when you actually take the time to reply with a meaningful comment or direct message.

I love responding to my supporters with video or audio messages because it makes people feel extra special and shows you’re willing to go the extra mile!

Set aside time each day to engage with your audience and search relevant hashtags to find new people to invite to your audience.

2. SHARE THE GOOD STUFF

It’s definitely quality over quantity when it comes to Instagram!

Create a content schedule and stick to it! Show people that you will consistently show up — as all great leaders do. This will not only help you grow your audience, it will help you grow your business! (The ultimate goal, after all!)

Your supporters will appreciate you sharing high quality, highly valuable content consistently because it communicates your expertise and shows people that you really care and that you’re credible!

Don’t just throw anything up on your Instagram — share with a purpose! Be intentional with each piece of content you share.

Here are the sharing guidelines I like to follow:

Share at least five “Instagram stories” per day.
Share meaningful content on your main feed at least three times per week.

3. SHARE WHO YOU ARE & THE VALUE YOU PROVIDE

Remember when I told you that 1 Billion people on Instagram? This means that you have to do all you can to capture the attention of the people you want to serve BEFORE they head to your neighbor’s account.

People need to know who you are and what you do within seconds. (Because our attention span no longer exists!)

Be intentional with every piece of content you share. As a good rule of thumb, I advise my clients to include their name and mission statement in their bio.

You get 150 characters, so MAKE. THEM. COUNT.

Bonus tip for you: fill in your “name” with your title for SEO purposes, because it is searchable on Instagram.

IN CONCLUSION

There you go! You can use these tips to start expanding your influence on Instagram right now!

Believe that YOU have the power to impact the lives of so many in a major way using this platform!

Heck, let’s be real! It’s your RESPONSIBILITY!

When you decided to become a transformational coach (or if you’re thinking about it — and you totally should!), you decided to play big, so that you can inspire others to stop playing small.

This is why it’s in your best interest to take advantage of this powerful, (and did I mention) FREE platform to expand your influence and reach people around the world who need your life-changing information and insights the most!

Looking for more ways to hack your Instagram growth? Head here!

Comment below and tell us who your favorite Instagram influencers are!