Is Instagram Dead? - with Lauryn Griffiths

Verity  0:00  
Hey there, I'm Verity Sangan. And this is the competent CEO podcast, the show that takes you behind the scenes of starting and running your small or not so small business. We will cut through the misinformation and bad advice about starting and running a business and give you actionable tips and advice that you can implement to grow and scale and achieve your business goals. Let's dive in. Hello, everybody. And welcome back to another episode of the competency EO podcast. I am absolutely delighted to be joined by Lauren Griffiths today, Lauren is a social media manager for female coaches. She is a mom of two but pending her third. And she has got six years of content creation experience. Lauren, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited that you're here. I'm

Lauryn  0:46  
so excited to be here. And you know, it's my first podcast appearance. So what a great way to start the year. I am so pleased to be joining me here. So yeah, I'm a social media manager. But I've been in content creation for six years. So I've had a blog, I've done YouTube, and Instagram. I'm on Tik Tok. You know, I practice what I preach. So, I don't like to call myself an expert, because I just think social media is so temporary. And you know, it's always changing. So I don't think you can really be an expert on it. But yeah, I like to think I know my stuff. So yeah, I am expecting my third baby during June. And yeah, I'm very excited to be here. So thank you for having me.

Verity  1:38  
No, thank you so much for coming on. I'm so excited for the conversation that we are going to be having today. Because you and I have been talking for, I want to say a few months now about Instagram, you've you've helped me with my Instagram, which is why I really wanted you to come on the podcast so that everybody can benefit from your, from your knowledge, because Instagram is the place where you really shine at you know at the moment, and you're really focused on on your Instagram. So what I really wanted to do was open up with this massive question I can see you chronicle well know that. I know that you know that it's coming. But it's the question which I find has been circling for a couple of years. It comes through, you know, waves and patterns and stuff. But the big question out there is is Instagram dead? Is it worth us using Instagram in 2023?

Lauryn  2:30  
I see so many people saying this in different ways, you know, saying should I go over on Tik Tok? should I even bother with Instagram? It isn't working, you know all of these things? And the answer the short answer is no, it isn't. It's just always evolving. And when it comes down to it, I think is a mindset shift that people have to have, they're looking at it in a way that they want to have success in a short amount of time, and they're getting attached to that outcome. So the question should really be, you know, is it a quick Is it a quick way to get loads of followers getting loads of customers, clients, and skyrocketing your business? Most the time, it isn't, you know, you'll see these accounts that grow really quick. Businesses that blow up all of these things, it's always been the same. But ultimately, these things take time. It takes getting to know what content fits with you, what you're aligned with your style. And then obviously, the algorithm has a big impact. But I think when I say a mindset shift, what I mean is, it's not letting the algorithm you know, not seeing the algorithm is this big monster that's, that can kind of take control of your, you know, how you see your success on Instagram, people will say, Oh, you know, the algorithms done this, or, you know, when they brought in reels, and they will boost and reels people were saying they couldn't just do a normal post, and it was all about reels. But actually who makes those rules, you know, you can still post those things. And it's just having that mindset of, you don't always need to please the algorithm, which sounds really bad. Because you would, you'd think a social media manager would say, you know, do everything the algorithm likes, and that is important. But what I'm saying is a lot of the content that ends up doing well, that people are drawn to is different, because if everyone does what the algorithm likes, it becomes all the same, it becomes all the same trends. It becomes you know, people like merging into each other because they're not being their authentic, authentic self. They're getting too attached to it and too attached to the outcome. So I'll take a breath because that was a lot of a lot of information there. But yeah, I really analyse this and kind of, you know, work with a lot of different people and on their Instagrams and their businesses. And once they get over that detachment from what success looks like on Instagram, they start to thrive, because that's not all they're thinking about. I love that.

Verity  5:26  
That idea of just, you know, thinking about what it is that your audience actually wants, and also what you're comfortable with, with putting out there. And one thing that I was thinking of was, you were saying that there was, I can't think of who it was now. But there was that incident in the news a few weeks ago, or a couple of months ago, whenever it was of that influencer, who had like 10s of 1000s of followers on I can't remember if it was Instagram, or Tiktok. But regardless, you know, 10, content, Instagram, launched a T shirts, great brand or something, and she couldn't sell a single one. Now, and I think that just goes to show that you don't need hundreds of 1000s of followers to be successful, nothing magical, like for followers, and people run incredibly successful businesses, with three digits worth of followers. And I think that's a really, really important and sobering thing that you were saying, Yeah, you've got to be comfortable with the content you're putting out there, it's got to suit your audience.

Lauryn  6:34  
If you're not enjoying it, your audience can sense that if you're, if you're not showing up in a way that you're aligned with and aligned is such a big word for me, you're not going to be fully putting yourself out there, you're not going to be showing up in a way that lights up your audience as well that, that magnetise them to your content, you know, and, and it takes time people if they're new to Instagram, if they're new in business, if they're still finding their feet and with their business and what they want to do, it can take time to find that flow, and find the content that they enjoy and that their audience enjoys. Because obviously, what you enjoy is great, but it has got to appeal, and attract and serve your audience as well. So yeah, I think my biggest bit of advice is detached from, you know, the outcome of followers of likes of engagement. And and that sounds so, you know, you'll get so many different people saying so many different things on this. But if you get so caught up in those, that you're not actually enjoying the content you're putting out and then you're on your audience on what is the point, you know, you're not actually going to grow. If you're not enjoying something, it's not sustainable, you're not going to do it long term. So obviously, it is important to see that the content you're putting out, is it working or not, you know, are you getting engagement from it? Are you getting reach from it? That is important, but if you're obsessing over it, it's just not good for you. It's not good for your your mental health as well. Because social media is such a big part of our lives now.

Verity  8:09  
Absolutely. Love that advice. So so much. I really do. I want to pick up on something that you said though, you mentioned about stories, posts, carousels, reels, there seems to be so much or so many different types of content that we've come up on on Instagram. So what is the difference between stories, posts, carousels and reels. Okay,

Lauryn  8:31  
so on Instagram, it all started out with just a post, which is a you know, a single image or a single graphic. So a graphic could be something you've done on Canva where you see like a diagram or, you know, some text or a quote, that is a post. A carousel is the swipe ones I like to call them, where you can swipe across and read bits of information or people can do it with photos. And they are really really big at the moment. You know, they're kind of hadn't hadn't had with reels, which I've really noticed. reels are the ones that we're all addicted to the video content so any video that is uploaded to Instagram now is posted as a reel. There's so many different types of reels, you know, you'll see the trends, where people are like lip syncing, or they're doing something funny. They're pointing at a screen you'll see original content where somebody's talking you through something teaching you something there's so many different kinds of reels you can do. And yeah, I think reels had been a great thing for Instagram. Everywhere is obviously been taken over video content. So it's it's not something that everyone liked. However, what I always say is See whether people like it or not, we all find ourselves watching them. So we're definitely you know, we're definitely drawn to them. And it's because of the society we live in. Now, you know, we like, we like, a quick, what's the word, you know, like Amazon next day delivery, we want the information there. And then so instead of sitting and reading, we listen to reels, we get that burst of information, that bit of humour, that bit of inspiration. So that's why reels do so well. Stories. So stories are actually separate, because they're not on the grid. So when I say grid, that is obviously where all the photos and videos appear. And your username stories are in the little circle along the top of Instagram, and you'll see someone's picture and then you'll click on it. And if they've put a story on, that's where it will appear. So stories I like to say are behind the scenes of your life, your business, and that perfect for connecting with your audience. So your grid should all be about value. And how I break down value is educational, inspirational, humour, or solving a problem. So that is, there are all things that are valuable. And then your stories can be anything, everything and anything that's going to help you connect with your audience. So yeah, stories have their own algorithm as well. Which means that, you know, you can post them on there, people may see your stories more than they see your actual posts on your grid.

Verity  11:42  
That's really useful to to know that there is that separate, yeah, algorithm. But I think that's a great breakdown of all of the different all of the different types of content that you can that you can post on on Instagram. And I'm sure that there are probably some people now thinking, Oh, my gosh, that sounds so overwhelming. Yeah, yeah. So much work to be to be putting into that. So how do you have any any like top tips for people dealing with this sense of overwhelm when it comes to posting content on Instagram or on any social media platform, but particularly on Instagram?

Lauryn  12:19  
Yes. So first and foremost, it, I would say, you know, protect your energy from social media, so actually have your boundaries there. If you're spending, just take note of how much time you are spending on it. And if it's becoming too much, obviously, I'm no, I'm no counsellor, I'm no, I will just say that. But if it is becoming too much, just first, take that step back. Because if you're always on it, you're always seeing it, you're not going to want to be consistent on it, and you're just gonna get overwhelmed. So that is the first step. If you are somebody who you know is on Tik Tok all the time, because that is very addictive, we will do it sometimes or Instagram is becoming a place it's not fun for you. Definitely just take note of that. But moving on from that kind of point. You need to have simple systems in place that make it an easy and fun process for you. So making it easy. And that doesn't mean that all the followers and likes will flow in. But it means that it's something you can continue to do without getting burnt out and overwhelmed. So the first thing you need to do is decide, you know, how many times a week do I want to post? What days do I want to post on? And what content types do I want to post so, you know, there are accounts that just post carousels, it just posts reels. I say to my clients, if you can do a variety of all of them. They all have their place in your content plan. They all serve different purposes. But it's got to be something that feels good for you. So if a real of you sitting there talking to your audience is a big no, then that's not going to be something that you show up to do. And it's going to make you feel more overwhelmed and put off than ever. So yeah, create a simple plan. And it's literally as simple as what days what content types don't get caught up on the times. There's not really a perfect time to post there's more optimise you know, there's times where more people will be online. But if you only post at that perfect time, life happens you don't post a six o'clock in the morning. And then you write yourself off when actually that post you put out could be the reason you get a new client or a new customer. So I think just taking away all that pressure that you put on yourself to get it all perfect, and it's just taking massive action. So that's my first. The first thing that I would do is create that plan. Then there is is content pillars? So when I say content pillars, people kind of like, Oh, what is that I don't know what that means. It is literally themes in your content. So it's really, really simple. And I recommend just picking three to five themes that will shape your content, shape your message, and make it appeal to your ideal clients or customers. So, you know, I'm not going to give examples because I've, it just depends on your business, there'll be so many different business models, ideal clients, customers, but just think about what do you want to be known for? What are you passionate about? What can you deliver to your audience? And what what are your audience searching for? What questions do they have? Sorry. And you can take inspiration as well, from other accounts that are, you know, have the same ideal clients don't copy, but just take inspiration, and see what's working for them.

Verity  16:03  
I love that so much. Because I think sometimes you're right, people do get really caught up on content pillars, and I was having a conversation with somebody the other the other day, actually. And it was amazing how many content pillars they had, they had something like 10. And I was thinking, Yeah, I was like, wow, that's like holding up an entire group temple. I was like,

Lauryn  16:29  
yeah, if it works for them, and what if something works for you keep doing it, but it was overwhelming, is just, you know, you couldn't even do one a week, because there's seven days in a week. So straightaway, for me that's like, an I don't, unless you really want to I don't say, you know, post seven days a week? Because you just don't need to. So, yes, three to five. Plenty.

Verity  16:55  
Yeah, it's like it's manageable, isn't it? And what is what is feeling aligned with you and with your with your business, as well.

Lauryn  17:04  
And the thing I will add with content pillars, they are not set in stone, your business will evolve your notice, you know, all I'm getting more engagement on this thing. I feel aligned with this, I feel like I'm called to talk about this, you can literally cross it out in a bit of paper and change that content pillar, it doesn't matter. You're, you're in the driver's seat, you get to choose. So don't feel like you've got to spend weeks thinking about your content pillars just write down what feels good for you. Now, if something doesn't work, change it. Or if something shifts in your business, then you can change it.

Verity  17:40  
I've just had a question pop into my mind, which I've just thought about, which is around people feeling spammy when it comes to engagement. So I spoke to somebody a while ago and they said, you know, what can I put at the end of my posts? Because she said, I just feel like I'm constantly saying to people, DM me, DM me, DM me? And she goes, I feel like I'm just spamming people constantly. But I'm not actually getting anyone to DM me I'm writing, not translating. So what kind of advice do you have around encouraging engagement from your posts or reels or stories?

Lauryn  18:19  
So first of all, we'll just go through the importance of adding call to actions. So a call to action is literally given an instruction at the end of your post or on your post if it's the carousel or a post on a reel. So a call to action would be something like if you want to say for me, if you want to attract ideal clients through your social media, DM me with this however, if you're always saying DM me, and it feels spammy, or you're not getting the results, what I would say is just take away the DM with DM me and just say, you know, PS, and I have availability to work with me if you're ready to speak to your ideal clients and you know, attract more ideal clients, something like that. Obviously, I'm using examples for you know, a female coach or for a social media manager, put what fits, but the truth is if they see that transformation that you're listing, so if you're a personal trainer, if you want to be in in the best health for 2023, I have spaces to work with me. If they see that and they're like that is me. They will message you, they don't need someone to say DMA. They know how to contact you. So you can literally take it off if it doesn't feel good, or it's not actually getting you more messages. Another great thing that works, and it's really simple is when you actually do a post. If it's a carousel, it works perfectly. The end slides, make it a call to action. But it doesn't have to be, you know, DM me I like this post, it can literally be like PS. If you're a woman that is looking to, I don't know, go from couch to 5k, or run 5k, or I can't think of an example right now. So for me, I'd put something like, if you're ready to create powerful content that brings you more ideal clients. You know, remember that I offer this service. So it's just kind of, you can do it in a way where you are literally dropping that hint at the end. And it feels less spammy to people. So just change the way shift the way that you're doing it. But keep using call to actions because people sometimes need that direction, the next step or a reminder, to like something to save something, always give a reason why. So if you're going to put save this POST, PUT, list the transformation. So save this so that you can become healthier in 2023. Or save this if you want to create the best curls for your heart, you know, if you're a hairdresser or something. So Alyssa transformation, remind them of why they should save that post, why they should like it, you know if they can relate to it. If they found it funny, double tap this post if you've ever been in this situation, you know, things like that, making it relevant to them, and giving them a reason to do it. That's what I would say.

Verity  21:38  
I think that's brilliant advice. I really, really like that. It's like you said it's just it's shifting that perspective from being so salesy, I suppose and if you're feeling spammy, just shifting it slightly. And seeing how that works for you, like you said, just play around and see, see what's working best with your audience and for your arrangement rates there. I love that. We have talked about so much this episode. There are so witness, okay, all day, we'll have to get you back on, like a whole Instagram series. But what I would love to ask you though, is for any of our lovely listeners listening today, if there is one tip that you would like them to take away, or one nugget of information you would like them to take away from this episode, what would it be,

Lauryn  22:27  
it would be to really marry the process of creating content that feels good for them, creating content that they know is fitting, and really speaks to and serves their ideal client or customer. So Mary, that process of doing that, divorce the result? And if you do that, and I don't mean you know, don't have goals, don't check your insides. But I mean, stop getting so caught up on it. Do what feels good. Learn what your planning customers want from you. And just do that. And if you can take away that pressure. And that end result, then that's actually when you'll start, you'll start thriving Instagram.

Verity  23:08  
Brilliant. Oh, not for our lovely listeners who want to catch up with you and find out a bit more about you. Where can they where can they find you? And how can I get in contact?

Lauryn  23:19  
Yep, so my Instagram is at Pt socials. PT has an E. So it's E y. I am on Tik Tok as well, which is also peachy socials. And that's quite a new account, but I am over there. And yeah, you can put me a message. I've got some freebies that you can download. And my inbox is always open. Fantastic. I'm gonna put that link down in the show notes that so people can catch up with you using those links. But otherwise,

Verity  23:48  
thank you so much for joining us today. Lauren. It's been an absolute pleasure for me. I

Lauryn  23:52  
love it. I feel like I need to, I need to get on more podcasts that it's just nice having a chat and yeah, just being able to help as many people as possible. So thank you.

Verity  24:04  
Thank you so much for joining me for another episode of The Confident CEO Podcast. Before you go I would absolutely be overjoyed. If you could take just two minutes to leave me a review. In Apple podcasts. Reviews are a great way to tell Apple podcasts how much you've enjoyed the show. And it helps the algorithm to push out the podcast and more people, thereby helping us to help empower even more badass business women to grow their inner CEO and grow to be the competency of their business that they can be. I love to shout you out in your reviews as well. So you never know you might be hearing your name on the podcast in the next episode. Thank you so much and I'll see you next time

Transcribed by https://otter.ai