How to use Instagram Stories to Create Content Your Audience Actually Wants
I love the new features Instagram has been rolling out lately. And as someone who sometimes struggles with what type of content to create, I think Instagram has begun to solve my problems. Let me explain.
The Polls Feature
Many people have been using the “polls” feature for a while to ask their audience “this or that” questions. Sometimes the questions are just for fun like “Starbucks or Dunkin’” “coffee or tea?” But I want to encourage you to begin using your stories a little more strategically. Several months ago (and now I’m kicking myself because I can’t find if I took a screenshot of the results), I asked my audience if they like business tips or goal setting tips. The majority of my audience wanted more information on goal setting. This was huge for me. Mainly because when it comes to business stuff, I always felt like there was someone better to teach that, but goal setting I can do!
Use Poll Results to Create Questions
Now that there is another way to ask easily questions in your Instagram Stories, I really want you to use these for your business. The first time I asked a generic question: “what questions do you have for me about life & biz?”, which resulted in crickets. This was also the first day this was being used by everyone, so not a great start. I decided to start reframing my questions. In order to get back to blogging (I haven't blogged since Jan 18!), I wanted to know what type of questions people have about goal setting since this was the Poll result. So I just asked. I guided my viewers into a question that wasn’t so open-ended but also gave me content for my blog. It was easier for them to answer that question than it was to think of anything to ask me.
Make it fun and easy
Hear me out, I still want you to create the fun "get to know you" polls. I think it is an easy way to even find your ideal people and it lets people get to know you and create that relationship, but I don’t want you to waste your time only posting fun questions. If you’re going to spend time on your business and on social media, make it profitable for you. Use that time wisely, survey your audience and make it easy for them to respond. They may not sign up for your newsletter right away or respond to a reader survey, but a quick question on IG? I’m pretty sure they will.
A Quick Warning and a Quick Tip
On the flip side: don’t post questions every single day just to gather content. I would recommend building it into your weekly social media plan. I would answer a few that day, and then screenshot (is it really screenshoot in present tense? That doesn’t sound right..?) them all to use as upcoming content pieces. And you main find some that are repetitive and you can create a FAQ page or a whole series around one topic!
I think I'm going to start asking questions on Tuesday and Thursdays because those days are a little lighter for me work-wise, so I'll have the time to answer! Come join me on IG to ask me anything!