Instagram help

[baldkev]

Hello everyone,

I could do with some tips / help.... i have started a side business and started an instagram account etc ( just got a website too )
I did read the previous thread earlier in the year and saw comments about posting regularly and good quality photos etc.... but what if you havent done anything new in the last few days?? At the beginning I thought i would take photos and save stuff back to post when i didnt have much new 'content' but i kinda did that ( it didnt take long )

Ive currently got about 18 or 19 followers ( my friends )
So how do you guys find people??
I will be the first to admit I'm not all that up to date and often my search attempts get derailed ( tools and shiny things pop into my head )

Thanks for any help,
Kev

 

[baldkev]

P.s i read the instagram help info about staying on message and keeping consistent, but i dont want to bore my followers ( friends ) with the same info.

It's to do with bat conservation, so i guess i should i post links to bat info / articles every now and then?

 

[Torx]

What’s your account name? I can at least give you a follow, I like bats. I’ve noticed really well thought out posts / very good photos will gain more followers than lots of content.

 

[danst96]

It's pretty hard to grow organically but keep your content focused i.e. if it's woodwork don't start posting randomly about bird watching, save that for FB or a personal insta account. One way to grow it which is a bit of a cheat If you like is to follow lots of like minded people posting similar content in the hope they'll follow you back which will boost the reach of your profile. I'm not an expert though and I'd not rely on social media as your main stream of leads, I'd use it more as a portfolio that you can direct potential clients to and if it takes off then all the better

 

[Blackswanwood]

If you post your Instagram name or link I’ll follow you as well. We usually have bats but they seem to have disappeared.

Instagram is the only social media I bother with. I agree with the comments above about sticking to your theme.

 

[baldkev]

Thanks everyone.
I need to start doing facebook as theres a few ecolgists groups on there ( i hate f.b with a passion )

One way to grow it which is a bit of a cheat If you like is to follow lots of like minded people posting similar content in the hope they'll follow you back which will boost the reach of your profile.

Great point, i better search for batty people

The instagram link:
https://www.instagram.com/batroostuk/
Thank you

 

[baldkev]

Instagram is the only social media I bother with. I agree with the comments above about sticking to your theme.

Youve got some awesome looking boxes there!

 

[Torx]

Looks good. Original pics of cute bats should gain some followers. Put the website in the bio at the top.

 

[Blackswanwood]

Youve got some awesome looking boxes there!

Thanks - you’ve a few interesting ones on your pages also. I like that roost made out of the big log.

 

[baldkev]

Put the website in the bio at the top

Ah yeah, good point!

like that roost made out of the big log.

Yep, my brother has a saw mill and got that in one of the trees. It turns out it's too big.... the bats would use the internal space, but the entrance is so big that predators could get in. I can either partially block it up or as suggested by someone else, fix it to a tree and see what uses it

 

[Torx]

Put a camera in one and then upload the video when you have dry patches with nothing to post

 

[baldkev]

Put a camera in one and then upload the video when you have

Good idea.... i am ( this week ) about to put up a couple of the log roosts in a woodland to trial them.
At the moment I cant actually use the main roost. As soon as bats enter, it becomes a protected roost space and i have to get a license to move it. So i either need to sell or rent it to someone or write the first one off and use it to prove the bats will use it. I do have a couple of possible leads.
Back to the cameras though, on the main roost theres a small black exterior door leading to an internal compartment which houses a dvr recorder so you can have 4 cameras in there, pointing at opposing corners, with bat poo shields

 

[Chris_Pallet]

Hiya,
Good luck with the Instagram.
I have done exactly the same @woodcatz

My tips -
Post decent high quality bright pictures
Use relevant hashtags
Interact with fellow woodworkers
Go on it as a hobby rather than regimented

Beware of scamers and don't click any links

I find it's more of a community like this forum and to get ideas from. I've never had any sales from it. I've had most of my sale from fb market place.

 

[Simon89]

Looks like some interesting work

make sure to add several hashtagsto each post. If you are not sure what hashtag to use have a look at popular accounts with similar content. This is so important in helping others find your photos.

also consider not posting up 5+ photos at once, you could spread this out over a week with a bit more description for each photo

get a photo of you in there, I think us humans like to see other people!

 

[thetyreman]

one thing I've learnt from it is you need to post consistently because the algorithm picks up on this and will start promoting your posts, you should also comment on other peoples posts that you like, it's very hard work to maintain uploading at least one photo a day, also hashtags are weird they don't always work well, don't post into a hashtag that has 3 million posts, it'll just get lost in the noise, if you want it to be seen choose smaller and medium size ones. I've seen some people grow to over 10 thousand followers and some who never reach 1000 both with the same quality and regularity in the way they post.

 

[baldkev]

Hashtag? I smoked pot when i was younger but haven't done one of those yet ok thanks, I'll look at them tonight.