The session I watched today was all about marketing on Instagram.
Now, let me tell you, I have mixed feelings about this, for myself. I don't feel like I am a salesman AT ALL.
When I first started my Instagram account, I started it to engage in the teacher community. I started it to use it to perhaps post about products or TPT things. I started it to engage at a distance with people, people I didn't actually see on a day-to-day basis. I liked this.
Maybe you know where this is going...
Then, Instagram and Facebook became one. Instagram started encouraging my Facebook friends to checkout my Instagram account. I did NOT like this. I felt less like I could use the platform to do as I wanted because it could potentially be a topic of conversation face-to-face. I wasn't doing anything shady, but I don't like to be the center of face-to-face attention, especially if it's something I never intended for my in-person friends and colleagues to be a part of.
I know, this line of thinking is probably ridiculous...
Now, for me, Instagram has been used more for posting about me than as a way to engage with the teaching community.
If I'm honest, I don't like it. I'd prefer for it to be the way it was. An anonymous teacher somewhere engaging with other anonymous teachers about the things teachers have in common.
So...
I don't know how much of Michelle's advice I will be willing to follow without having a panic attack and thinking everyone around me is judging my salesmanship.
I think I could do better with my hashtag game and set up a 'Note' with a bunch of pre-chosen hashtags.
I also think I could do better with replying to people who do comment. Michelle said it should be 4 or more words. I'm usually a short and sweet gal. Why can't an emoji say it all? 😉
I could also try to do shoutouts when there's some product in the picture.
And...
Remember, Instagram is not real life... although, for me, I guess it is real life, LOL.
Perhaps more importantly, how you interact with your followers is far more important than how many followers you have. Quality over quantity.
Have a great day!
