Ep. 25: How to build a strong Instagram community (and why you need one)

Authentic Online Marketing with Ruthie Gray

Do you realize the importance of an Instagram community for follower growth? This is the first of a 3 part series with fellow podcaster and friend, Amber Cullum of the Grace Enough podcast. Amber is also a member of my Instagram Insider community and she’s been learning how to grow her Instagram tribe by cultivating friendships. (Click below for show notes.) https://ruthiegray.mom/instagram-community/ 12-Week Insider Intensive Sign up for the newsletter below to be in the loop when doors open again so you can turn your dream client into your BFF! The IG Insider Newsletter https://creative-creator-6398.ck.page/ab5350d864 Amber Cullum, Grace Enough Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/grace-enough-podcast/id1451341449 Why you need a strong Instagram Community I realize that many of us are solo entrepreneurs, trying to grow and broaden our reach and establish a solid Instagram platform. Today I want to share something you may not be aware of. If you changed that one aspect, could radically change not only your whole approach to Instagram, but skyrocket your following! Now, Amber is already big on community, in fact, we’re both members of the Christian Podcaster’s Association! But what she discovered by being in my Instagram community is,there is much more to learn by doing Instagram alongside a group of Christian women. Christian women who want to reach their target audience and grow their platform. This short conversation took place near the end of our interview and refers to my 12-Week Insider Intensive Instagram training. You can find the link in the show notes to learn more about this thriving group, and how you can develop collaborations, learn the inner workings of Instagram, and grow your platform exponentially in 2021! Building a platform through a strong Instagram community Ruthie: It's all about community. It's not about how many likes you get it's about how the people engage. Community is something that we really stressed in our membership this fall. With that said, what are some things that you learned through community? A community of colleagues [00:00:23] A: Obviously you've mentioned one of the first biggest things with insiders is we hear that word community, but, what does that mean? Well, number one, community doesn't happen in one month. And so month one, I was kinda like, well, is this really doing anything? Well, no, just like real life, once you spend more and more time with somebody even online on a weekly basis, celebrating, critiquing, sharing, saving, paying attention to what they're doing, it benefits you and it benefits them. That's one of the big things. A community of followers I also learned the value of reaching out one-on-one and direct messages. And I did that before, but it was more when someone asked me a question. For instance, I do a " Would you rather" question, and there might be one that I just am like, 'Who would ever do that? If there's any person who picks this one, I'm definitely going to reach out to them in the DM and be like, really what made you say that?' And I've done that a number of times now, and it's allowed me to maybe get to know them a little bit better or just laugh a little bit. Because sometimes they're like, Oh, I just picked that one because I wouldn't do either one! And so I learned the value of that through, not just what you guys said in the insider group, but watching the other people in the group, just watching a variety of people and that makes a difference. Community through Calls To Action [00:01:57] And then, the value of a call to action and being really careful to not make that call to action seem programmed or forced. That is a hard thing to do, but the only way you can learn to do it is by practicing it. And so sometimes they do seem a little forced, some get great responses and some don't,