What to post on Instagram in 2020

If you’ve listened to any of my podcast episodes about small business Instagram marketing, you’ll know that you shouldn’t be promoting your product or service in every single post. Nobody likes an Instagram feed that’s one big sales pitch! Here's what to post on Instagram in 2020…

 

 

 

What to post on Instagram in 2020

With all the Instagram algorithm changes that happened in 2019, Instagram is now a very different platform to what it used to be. This means that it's so important you tailor your content accordingly – you can't simply keep posting the same things you used to post to Instagram.

(Well, you could… But it wouldn't get you the results you're after).

In 2020, the main purpose of your Instagram content should be to add value to your audience's lives and to build a connection with your Instagram followers. There are a couple of ways to do this.

Some of the easiest ones are:

• Educating your audience,
• Inspiring your audience, and
• Entertaining your audience.

Of course, you should also be including some connection-building content in there along the way. And, you should still sell on Instagram occasionally… But I'll get to that shortly.

How to educate your Instagram audience in 2020

Educating your Instagram audience might involve teaching them some facts about the problem your product solves, but without making your product the core focus.

For example, let's pretend that I sell a clean protein powder blend. I could educate my audience about the dangers of certain ingredients found in other protein powders. I could also educate my audience about the benefits of the ingredients in my own protein powder.

Or, I could share educational content on other related topics that I know my audience will find interesting. For example, “simple post-workout snack ideas”.

Here's an example of how I use Instagram to educate my audience in my own business:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

The biggest mistake I see people making with Instagram marketing? ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Blindly chasing likes and followers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ If you’re measuring your Instagram success by the number of followers you have, you’re using the completely wrong metric. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ You could have 100,000 followers, but if none of them gives a damn about you, then you're wasting your time. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Mo followers, mo money? Sadly this isn't always the case. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ Join me in my free Instagram masterclass, where I'll be sharing my top tips to get you more of the right followers. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (That is, the followers who might one day become your dream customers and clients). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ 👉 Register at stephtaylor.co/insta or at the link in my bio

A post shared by Hey 👋 I Simplify Marketing (@stephtaylor.co) on Jun 23, 2019 at 11:56pm PDT

 

How to inspire your Instagram audience in 2020

Simple – by showing them content that is inspirational. For example, if your business is a travel agency, you might show your audience pictures of Cinque Terre all lit up at dusk, or the skies of Turkey filled with hot air balloons floating in the distance.

It depends on what your brand is, though. For a fashion brand, it could be outfit inspiration. Or, if your target audience is business owners, it might be a story about another business' success.

Try to steer clear of “inspirational” quotes though – these are a dime a dozen on Instagram and, personally, I think they've been done to death.

How to entertain your Instagram audience in 2020

Entertaining your audience usually involves cats, dogs, memes… I'm only partially joking here!

You could entertain your audience with funny (but relevant) quotes, funny videos – anything that you think your ideal customer or client would find entertaining. It might be some quotes that they can relate to and will find funny.

If you can somehow subtly incorporate your product into this, then you really hit the jackpot. But, don't stress if you can't – not all products or services can be turned into entertaining content.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

One of the topics that came up at @thesalonau last week was competitors. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ They're an inevitable part of running a business. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ (Just like demanding clients and the pesky fact that we don't get sick leave, annual leave or public holidays). ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ But the thing we agreed on was this: Competitors don't have to be a bad thing. They're only a bad thing if you make them a bad thing. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ There's enough sun for everybody. If you have competitors, it means there's a market for what you do, so embrace it and focus on being the obvious choice for YOUR ideal customer or client.

A post shared by Hey 👋 I Simplify Marketing (@stephtaylor.co) on Jun 9, 2019 at 9:19pm PDT

 

Don't forget to sell to your Instagram followers

The idea is that you're providing so much value to your Instagram followers, they don't actually mind when the occasional sales post pops into their feed.

In fact, by this point, they should love you so much that they just can't wait to buy from you!

Now, your turn! I want you to grab a piece of paper and brainstorm what to post on Instagram this year. That is, how you can inspire, entertain, connect with, and sell to your Instagram audience.

Don't stress if you don't think you can manage two Instagram posts per day. It doesn't matter as much these days, now that our Instagram feeds aren't in chronological order. So, just commit to posting as often as you can manage sustainably, and ideally try to create your own Instagram content rather than just reposting images from other accounts. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using one of the many pre-made Instagram templates available on Creative Market.

What about Instagram comment pods in 2020?

Comment pods are no longer as effective as they once were, thanks to the Instagram algorithm changes of 2019. Instead of spending your time engaging in comment pods, focus this energy on being truly social on Instagram in 2020.

(PS. You might also like this: Best Instagram Story Templates in 2020)

Pin this?