Before you started building your therapy business on Instagram, you might have thought that growing it, well -- is easy because you've seen other therapists do it really well.
Months passed and you have this realization that IT IS NOT easy at all! 😅
Hey, welcome to my world!
You might have already some grasp on what to do but you know you can do better, especially if you're doing it yourself.
I'm sharing my Instagram Process in FIVE STEPS!
Here we go! 😎
STEP 1: CONTENT PLANNING
This is the process of mapping out your content for the week or month which also includes:
what content form you'll use (single photo, carousel, Reel, IG Story)
what content you want to share,
writing your captions,
and choosing what hashtags to use (relevant to your content)
Your content pillars will definitely come in handy on this step!
Content Pillars is one of the topics that I discuss in my FREE GUIDE: Instagram DIY Kit. If you'd like to explore it, get your copy here.
STEP 2: DESIGN
Once you're done crafting your content, it's time to make your visuals!
Decide if you want to use a single photo, a carousel, an IG story, or a Reel for your content.
From there, you can go to Canva and choose the correct template for the design that you'll be making.
If you feel stuck when designing, Canva offers a lot of design templates that you can draw inspiration from.
Experiment, mix, and match and have fun until you find what feels right and what would represent your brand well!
PRO TIP: Always use your branding colors and brand fonts for consistency.
STEP 3: SCHEDULING
Schedule your posts strategically. 'But, MJ - how do I do that?'
If you already have 3 months' worth of data, check your Instagram insights on when your audience is highly active/online.
Choose the top 3 schedules - go from there and experiment.
Otherwise, type on Google the best times to post and choose three times that would work for you. Work with those posting times for at least a month, and then adjust as needed.
Next is for you to use tools like scheduling apps like Facebook Creator Studio or social media management tools to help you plan and schedule your posts -- so not only are you working smart, you wouldn't have to cram and manually post!
These tools can save you time by allowing you to schedule posts in bulk and if you want to subscribe to their paid plans, they will provide detailed analytics about your posts too!
Examples of these tools would be Plannthat.com, Later, Planoly, and Hootsuite.
STEP 4: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Now that your content and visuals are set, it's time to reach out to your ideal audience!
You don't expect people to come to you first. 🤷♀️
This means that you will connect with your ideal audience genuinely -- build rapport, and genuine relationships. You can also do the same thing when connecting with other mental health professionals.
Start doing this 30 minutes, 2x a week, and work your way up from there - depending on your capacity.
It's important to remember that community engagement is not a one-time thing but a long-term commitment to building relationships and creating a strong sense of community with your ideal audience. 😍
STEP 5: INSIGHTS REVIEW & STRATEGY EVALUATION
On a monthly basis, review your Instagram insights to see what worked and what needed to be improved.
This way, you'll know what you should continue doing, and what needs to be adjusted.
This also ensures that you're always delivering content that resonates with your audience, and not just staying on top of trends for the sake of doing so.
If you're still starting out, this will feel like a lot - and IT IS!
I'm not trying to scare you 😅
I'm telling you the reality of what it's like to grow your Instagram account for your therapy/coaching business.
This way, you can adjust your expectations and make them realistic and reasonable.
Starting out on Instagram can be a daunting task and it takes time and effort to build a successful Instagram account, but it is possible with the right strategy. ✨
Looking for more support?
HERE'S HOW I CAN HELP YOU 👇
◾ Instagram DIY Kit - you can get started using my FREE guide so you'll be familiar with the basics and start practicing and applying them.
◾ Grow Your Therapy Business on Instagram - once you're ready to upgrade your skills but still want to DIY, sign up for my self-study Instagram program.
◾ Instagram Management - you're starting to grow and you want additional help! Sign up for this monthly service and get dedicated support for the next 6 months.
Cheering you on,
MJ 💕
