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There are plenty of ways to grow a strong social following, but many small business owners rely on good content and luck, overlooking approaches that could help them reach larger audiences more quickly. 

By integrating other marketing tactics, specifically paid advertising, SEO (search engine optimization), and community building, into my social media strategy, I was able to grow my audience on Facebook and Instagram to 70,000.

And, by thoughtfully nurturing those followers with valuable content and a human touch, I’ve been able to turn these social platforms into a strong sales channel, helping me scale my business coaching company from $20,000 in debt to seven figures.

The best part? My approach is not all that complex — these are best practices that any small business owner or service provider can easily implement. Read on to learn exactly how my team and I do it so you can start growing your following (and your bottom line) ASAP.

We use ads and SEO to bring people into our orbit (not to sell to them)

I could easily spend this entire article giving you best practices for running social media ads: verifying your offer before you pour money into promoting it and constantly testing to see if new ads have better returns, for example.

But I think the root reason our ads have been so successful is that we’re not using them to drive a direct sale. Instead, we approach ads from a top-of-funnel perspective. 

The bulk of our ads encourage people to join our Facebook Group to watch a free three-part training that's driven notable results for past participants.

Starting a community like this is a common practice for high-ticket service providers like myself — it allows my target users to feel part of something, to build a relationship with me before committing to buying, and to get a sense of the value I can offer so they want more. Just joining the free group is a low ask, so our ads tend to have a 6-10x ROAS (return on ad spend). 

While paying for marketing a non-revenue-generating product can be scary, if we can nurture even one percent of those free users into paid customers, the return on ad spend is worth it. We have generated over $1,000,000 in revenue from members of our Facebook Group converting to paid customers.

That’s not to say there aren’t free ways to grow your top-of-the-funnel followers. In fact, we saw some of the biggest follower growth when we thought about the SEO of our profiles.

At the time, the Facebook Group was called “Purpose Driven Female Entrepreneurs.” While it may seem like a broad name like that would appeal to more people, it actually made it harder for the right people to find the group. 

After thinking hard about who we were really trying to serve and polling our audience about the terms they use to describe themselves, we changed the name of the Facebook Group to “Female Social Media Managers & Agency Owners” and made sure the description included other audiences we target: digital marketers, graphic designers, and service-based entrepreneurs. 

Now, when folks search for these terms in Facebook Groups, my group shows up toward the top. 

The group grew by thousands overnight after implementing that change. We added similar keywords to my Instagram profile (instead of just having my name) to improve discoverability there.

Ultimately, we still do paid ads too, because we turned $156,000 into $1.095 million in revenue generated, and $659,458 in cash collected last year. Anytime I can multiply $1 invested like that, it’s a strategy I stick with. 

We use content to give followers a taste of working with us

Many business owners believe that if they’re investing in ads, they don’t have to put in any other work, and that’s simply not the case. Our ads have always had 7 to 10x return on ad spend, and that’s because we’re simultaneously creating organic content to engage and build trust with new followers. 

The guiding philosophy behind all of the content we create — from posts to Facebook and Instagram Reels to lead magnets — is that the faster we can give followers a taste of the types of wins we could get them, the faster they’ll opt into our paid offerings. 

To understand what will resonate with my target audience, I like finding ways to quickly test content ideas, and then doubling down on what resonates. If I have an idea for advice my audience might be excited about, I’ll write up a quick post to throw in the Facebook Group or do a 30-second story. If it gets some traction, I may develop it further into a reel or story post. 

The topics that are driving the most sales get built out into lead magnets, like our free upsell training. Plenty of people go through that training, get massive value — like turning a $1,000 client into a $3,000 client — and never pay me a dime. But plenty of other people go through that training, get some wins but want more support, and reach out to work together because we’ve built that trust and connection. Wanting everybody to win ends up being a win for us. 

While I love supporting my audience for free, I’m also not afraid to sell — I like to balance adding value and also giving people opportunities to raise their hand to work with me. When you have a healthy mix of both types of content, it guides people down the funnel. 

For example, we do monthly testimonial posts and while they don’t often get as much engagement on our social platforms as my value-based content, customers will bring them up on sales calls and say that’s what ultimately converted them. It’s critical that sales and marketing always be communicating so you can understand what’s working based on your ultimate conversion goals instead of vanity social metrics. 

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June 10, 2024 by simon weiner Internet

With its constant improvement and regular addition of new features, Instagram’s companion app, Threads, is speedily, steadily growing its user base. 

In April 2024, almost a year on from its rocketship release, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared that the Meta-owned platform now has more than 150 million active users.

That’s pretty impressive, but perhaps what’s especially notable is that the social media platform now has more active users in the U.S. daily than Twitter/X and Business Insider reports. 

Despite the many Twitter alternatives out there, it’s Threads that seems to be filling the void left by ‘old Twitter’ for many fans of the fast-paced, text-heavy platform.  

Instagram Threads is emerging as a class all on its own when it comes to community building on social media and is a great way to connect with fans and customers. Creators and marketers who ignore the platform are missing a trick. 

If you’re unsure about whether or not to join Threads, I hear you — there are so many social networks to choose from. Surely adding another one into the mix, especially one as new as Threads, is going to drain your time without delivering much return on investment? 

I’d argue the opposite — Threads is the platform you should be carving out a space on right now. For one thing, it’s a far lower lift than most other networks, and it's really easy to repurpose your content from elsewhere.

For another, it may soon become a powerhouse when it comes to boosting reach and visibility, thanks to its close partnership with Instagram and the fact that it connects to the Fediverse (don’t worry, we’ll get into all that below). 

Bonus: Threads is also incredibly fun. 

If you’re late to the Instagram Threads party, fear not — we’re just getting started. This guide will help you understand how to use Threads effectively, from starting your account to growing a dedicated following.

What is Threads?

Threads is a new text-based app by Instagram designed for “sharing text updates and joining public conversations,” according to Meta. 

While you can post photos, videos, and GIFs on the platform, text-based threads (see what they did there?) are the order of the day. The app bears a striking resemblance to Twitter but with a distinctly Instagram feel. 

In order to create a Threads account, users will have to have an Instagram account. Instagram features popular threads in users’ feeds on Instagram, and Threads users can tag Instagram accounts on Threads, even if the user they’re tagging doesn’t have Threads. 

Unlike Instagram, however, the new app is built for conversation. Users can post public or private threads, like, comment on, or share public threads, follow other users, and build their own followings in turn. 

How does Threads work?

To understand Threads (and the Threads algorithm), you first need to understand the Following feed and the For You feed. 

The Following feed is exactly what it says on the tin: a feed showing content from all the other Threads users you follow. Right now, this content is not ranked by an algorithm — all the threads you see are in chronological order. 

The For You feed is where the Threads algorithm comes into play and where, if you’re a creator or marketer, you want your content to appear to grow your engagement and following on Threads. 

The algorithm ranks content on Threads in the same way the Instagram algorithm does: it serves the content to a small cohort of your followers and some non-followers and gauges their reactions (do they linger on the post? Or like, comment on, save, or share it?). These interactions (and thousands more) are signals that carry different weights in the Threads algorithm.

In a nutshell, the more engagement you receive on your Threads posts, the more valuable the Threads algorithm thinks they are. The more valuable the algorithm thinks your posts are, the more likely they are to appear in another Threads feed.  

Here’s a full guide to the Threads algorithm that will take you deeper. 

Why Instagram Threads?

Despite being tied to Instagram and modeled after Twitter, Threads is emerging as a powerful option in your suite of social media platforms. It might not quite have the sheer volume of monthly active users that the likes of Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram have, but growing a following on Threads does come with some pretty unique benefits. 

Here are some reasons to consider getting active on Instagram Threads:

Light(er)-lift content

Threads is perfect for sharing quick, spontaneous content. While sharing photos and videos is possible, Threads is not primarily a visual platform. Text-based content is Threads’ bread and butter. 

Now, the idea that whipping up a text Thread is simple is easy for me to say as a writer, but think about it: how long does it take you to edit an Instagram Reel, carousel, or TikTok video? Even Instagram photo posts, with all the aesthetic edits they often require, are usually more time-consuming than writing the caption. 

While adding another social media platform into the mix, whether you're a marketer or content creator, should not be taken lightly, Threads will not require the time, energy, and resources required on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Compared to these platforms, it's a relatively easy win. 

A gateway to the Fediverse

The Instagram app is not the only one Threads connects with. In March 2024, Threads started allowing U.S. users to connect their accounts to the Fediverse, a decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms and other online services. The Fediverse (federation + universe) includes social platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky.

Opting into this means your Threads content will be visible on these platforms. Users will be able to follow you from there, even if they don’t have a Threads account themselves. 

Make headway in a niche community

Instagram Threads has a unique take on hashtags (just called ‘tags’) that sees them behave more like subreddits (community subgroups) than hashtags on other platforms. Instagram head Adam Mosseri shared in an update that the goal was to “help us build a space that really fosters healthy conversation.”

Versatile content

I touched on this above, but it’s worth spelling out: it’s easy to repurpose content from pretty much any other social media platform. Everything you’ve ever posted can be reused (preferably with an update or a twist). Instagram Stories, TikTok videos, LinkedIn carousels, Twitter threads: all the media you create for these posts is supported on Threads. 

Now, that doesn’t necessarily mean just sharing the videos you’ve posted elsewhere (you’ll definitely want to remove the watermarks, for starters). Beyond that — what about your captions? The fact that Threads doesn’t require a multimedia upload like other channels leaves the doors open for you to turn your captions into standalone threads as well. 

Of course, this goes for new content, too — anything you have planned for another social media platform can live on Threads, too. 

Improve Instagram visibility (and vice versa)

Threads and Instagram are best viewed as partner platforms. If your goal is to grow your Instagram following, I’d argue that being active on Threads is a must. 

Anecdotal evidence suggests that getting active on Threads may boost the reach of your Instagram content. While there’s no word from Instagram on this, it’s worth noting that the platform does reward creators for engaging with its new features. 

Rumors notwithstanding, your Threads content may benefit from being featured on Instagram (Instagram has been sharing top-performing threads in users' feeds in an attempt to drive sign-ups).

Here's an example of how it shows up in Instagram users' feeds:

It’s also a great way to connect more deeply with your followers, where conversations are easier to follow than in Instagram comments and DMs.   

If you have an Instagram following, you won’t start from scratch

If the fear of seeing that little ‘0’ next to your name on Threads is what’s putting you off, I have good news. One of the brilliant things about Threads is that it leverages your existing Instagram following. 

So when you sign up through Instagram, all your followers who are already on Threads will be sent a notification, with an easy-to-tap follow button right in their activity tab. 

How to create a Threads account

Have I convinced you to join Threads yet? Here’s how easy it is to get up and running on the platform:

1. Download and install the Threads app: Download Threads from the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
2. Log in with Instagram: Use your Instagram account to log in. If you don’t have an Instagram account, you’ll need to create one on Instagram.com or the app. There’s no need actually to use this Instagram profile if you don’t want to. You can opt for a private profile and don’t need to post on the Instagram account in order to use Threads. Your Threads and Instagram accounts are effectively the same accounts — you cannot create a Threads account separately. If you have multiple Instagram accounts, you can create a separate (but connected) Threads account for each one.
3. Set up your Threads profile: Customize your Threads

If you’re not an experienced content creator, it might be difficult to determine the best length for Instagram Reels to get the best results. And knowing the ideal number isn’t everything – your metrics might tell you something entirely different.

In this article, we explore everything you need to know about the ideal length of Instagram Reels and other Instagram content – according to the team themselves.

How long can Instagram Reels be?

Like TikTok, Instagram allows uploads of longer videos, as IG Reels can be anywhere from 15 seconds to 15 minutes in length. However, unlike TikTok, Instagram sets very clear boundaries for how long a reel should be to perform well (this is an important caveat).

When filming a video within the Instagram app, users can choose from various specific durations —15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, and 90 seconds. Everything from the reel templates to the ideas you’re shown all cap at the 90-second mark, and you won’t be able to film additional clips. 

But while you can’t make reels longer than 90 seconds within the app, you can upload longer videos than the available time limits in the content uploading section of your app. The video will just be cut off after the allowed time elapses.

Once you’re done editing your video, add eye-catching graphics, a call-to-action (CTA), and hashtags to increase your content’s discoverability in the Instagram feed.

Can you upload longer Instagram Reels?

Yes, you can upload any video up to 15 minutes, and it will automatically be turned into a reel. 

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A post shared by Instagram’s @Creators (@creators)

When you upload a video filmed or edited outside the Instagram camera, there’s no need to choose a specific video length. You’ll have access to most of the same editing tools and functionality of the reels process (no music or extra clips, so make sure to add that before you upload).

Make sure your video fits the expected Instagram Reels dimensions of 1080 x 1920 pixels so it fits neatly into the feed and gives the full-screen experience.

If you want to upload a longer reel, simply go to your camera roll and select the video or videos you’d like to upload and they’ll pop up in the editing area.

How long should an Instagram Reel be?

Although you can create reels up to 15 minutes long, they shouldn’t be over 90 seconds, according to Adam Mosseri, CEO of Instagram, as they can hurt distribution, and the algorithm will not prioritize longer reels.

June 10, 2024 by simon weiner Internet

With over ten years of social media expertise, freelance social media consultant Val Razo often hears from small businesses that they lack social proof. In this article, Val explains the importance of social proof and shares tips on how small businesses can encourage social proof on Instagram.

At the beginning of my social media marketing career, when I worked in a digital marketing agency and we helped global supplier of cat and dog food Royal Canin establish and maintain an Instagram presence, my team lead asked me to seek customer reviews people wrote about Royal Canin and repurpose them for Instagram.

I knew that people would pay attention to peer recommendations, but I couldn’t have predicted that those posts would get 6x higher user engagement than usual.

Yes, in the era of social media paid ads and partner collaborations, social proof plays a key role in business growth.

As specified in the recent Local Consumer Review Survey, 75% of consumers always read customer reviews, 59% expect a business to have between 20 to 99 reviews, and Instagram is the second most popular platform for finding customer reviews after local news.

A few years later, when I started providing SMM consulting for small businesses, I emphasized the importance of social proof for several clients who wanted to prove their brands were trustworthy and could solve customer pain points.

The phenomenon of social proof and its common types 

Social proof (also known as informational social influence) is a psychological and social phenomenon that occurs when people don’t know how to act in a given situation and copy the actions of others. In other words, social proof is what helps uncertain people learn from others and make their decisions based on what other people would do.

People crave social proof, and when it comes to Instagram, they also use the platform to read what other customers think. Damian Grabarczyk, the co-founder and growth marketer of PetLab Co., says: 

"At PetLab Co., social media is our primary growth channel, and we heavily invest in it to raise awareness, engage our target audience, and cultivate a loyal customer base. One of our most effective strategies is leveraging social proof on Instagram. By sharing authentic customer reviews and real-life feedback, we build a community where potential buyers can see the positive experiences of others. This approach enhances our credibility and gives new customers the confidence to make informed purchasing decisions. The result has been a notable increase in sales and customer loyalty, demonstrating the power of social proof in driving sustainable growth."

The company often shares customer reviews on its Instagram feed, but its followers use the comment section to read more real-life feedback from others, just like in the example below:

Social proof includes customer reviews, but it’s not limited to this content type. Here is the list of the common social proof types:

• customer reviews
• user-generated content
• influencer endorsements
• case studies
• customer testimonials

Why should small businesses bother with social proof on Instagram?

During the first stages of the customer journey, when people become mindful of your brand or seek out options, they pay close attention to peer recommendations as they help them make the right purchase decision. Thus, it's important to post social proof on your profile. Moreover, it can encourage other customers to share their experiences.

According to the social proof statistics, 82% of customers search for friend recommendations before making a purchase, 77% of small businesses use social media to reach their customers, and testimonials can increase conversions by 34%.

Social proof is the secret weapon that makes you any different from other businesses that hope for the attention of the same audience. Here are some reasons to bother about social proof:

• It creates a strong brand image
• It boosts brand awareness
• It increases business trust
• It reduces purchase anxiety

Instagram is one of the most popular sources for social proof, with its user base of 2 billion people and diverse ways of sharing brand-related information. 

For small businesses, Instagram isn’t the most obvious place to encourage social proof: its customer base is small, and there is a lack of samples. But when you know actionable ways to get social proof on Instagram correctly, you can get wonderful results. 

Case in point: 

When one of my SMM clients, My Bright Journal, decided to encourage social proof on Instagram in 2017, we selected several niche Instagram influencers who could be interested in reviewing the parent-child journal in exchange for branded freebies. 

Below is an example of social proof from My Bright Journal.

After collaborating with three influencers, we started receiving feedback from other users. They were ready to allow us to post their images on the profile,, and other followers made orders directly on Instagram. 

Obviously, there's no one-size-fits-all solution to encouraging social proof, so you must find out what works best for your business. Thus, it's important to analyze data, and this research by Coupler.io claims that 92% of marketers find data analytics valuable, and 45% of them recommend doing a marketing strategy review quarterly. It can help you experiment with ways to encourage social proof and get results.

Now that you see the potential of Instagram for collecting social proof let’s walk through the process step-by-step.

1. Set a good example for potential contributors

According to the chameleon effect, it's in human nature to imitate each other's behavior unconsciously, which means people make behavioral changes to match the behavior of others. When it comes to social proof, people are more likely to share their experiences with others when they see other customers' feedback. Thus, it's important to set an example for Instagram followers if you want to encourage social proof for your small business. 

Here are several ways to do it right.

Publish a mix of branded content and social proof

Most people who run small businesses without understanding how social media works want to use Instagram as a channel to post branded content and promote their products or services. 

Although it may seem logical to businesses, I teach my SMM clients to publish a mix of branded content and social proof. This not only promotes their products in a natural way but also sets an example for other followers to create social proof.

Take a look at this strategy in action from Along Story. The company publishes reviews on its profile as posts and Instagram Story highlights.

What I would recommend for this business is to make a better Instagram feed. Instagram is all about visual content, so your feed has to be cohesive and eye-catching. To plan your feed and make sure published posts look good, you can rely on Buffer and therefore keep your content organized.

Here's why using Buffer helps to organize a mix of branded content and social proof:

• It helps to edit your images right in your account: It's no secret that some visuals require a few tweaks to match your brand identity, especially when you use content made by your customers. Buffer's integrations and editing tools make it easy to make stunning visuals within the same composer.
• It allows you to preview your posts and make sure your feed is appealing: Buffer helps to visually plan your feed and schedule different content types (posts, Reels, Stories) to stay organized with a mix of content.

Collaborate with Instagram content creators

As a small business owner, you may have trouble obtaining social proof from existing customers. However, working with Instagram content creators—users who are focused on creating content for businesses in need—offers more opportunities for small businesses to get a trove of customer feedback to use on their Instagram.

Reach out to content creators who could create Instagram collab posts and therefore promote your business among their followers while creating social proof for your Instagram profile.

But connecting with the right content creators who can deliver wonderful results is important.

Case in point:

When Giuliana Prosecco decided to find new, fresh ways to gain content to repurpose, they launched a brief on content creator asset-sourcing platform Popular Pays to connect with relevant content creators and manage collaborations in one place.

With the help of Popular Pays, Giuliana Prosecco had 13 influencer partnerships, and this campaign resulted in 4.2M paid and organic impressions, as well as 40 assets to repurpose. Promoting these assets helped Giuliana Prosecco build brand awareness in a manner framed by endorsements from influencers, helping to build social proof in the minds of audience members.

Below is one of the examples of this campaign:

Repurpose old social proof for Instagram

Apart from the fact that social proof encourages potential clients to make a purchase decision, it doesn't take much effort to create, as you just repurpose fan-made content for Instagram.

For example, if your business receives Google reviews from visitors or clients, you can repurpose these reviews for your Instagram feed. Gemma Ferrar, a certificated sleep consultant, is a great example to draw inspiration: