Coffee marketer Jenn Chen<\/a> has been in coffee for over a decade and works as a writer, photographer, and marketing consultant in the specialty coffee industry. As one might expect of a marketing consultant, Chen has concrete advice on crafting an Instagram strategy from scratch. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First is to take time to plan your strategy. \u201cSpend time deciding on and documenting your strategy,\u201d she says. \u201cChoose a few goals, how you\u2019ll measure their success, and how you\u2019ll post to reach those goals. Describe the audience you want to target. Stick to a brand voice and image, so all the content is cohesive.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The next Chen commandment is to be consistent\u2014stick to a schedule you can execute. \u201cThis is one of the most basic tips out there, but it\u2019s on the list for a reason. People will get too ambitious in their posting schedule and then lose traction when they realize how much work it can be,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n She also recommends keeping a stash of evergreen (i.e., anytime) photos and videos. \u201cYou\u2019ll inevitably find yourself wanting to post something\u2014maybe you already have a caption in mind\u2014but have no media to post with it. Evergreen content like a shot being pulled or coffee being roasted can be used with almost no limits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Showcasing a very different approach, Erica Escalante is now heading operations at goodboybob<\/a> in LA, but before that, she owned and managed Portland-based Caf\u00e9 Reina<\/a>. Looking at resources for crafting an Instagram presence that would not only feel authentic but also increase foot traffic, she couldn\u2019t find online resources that made sense for her caf\u00e9. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs a busy working mom and caf\u00e9 owner, I was overwhelmed by the work it required to post on Instagram consistently. Whenever I would listen to Instagram experts talk about their methods, I didn\u2019t feel like any of them understood the brick-and-mortar piece,\u201d she says. \u201cI didn\u2019t sell products online. I needed people to come in and spend money, to love my business.\u201d She created her own strategy, which she shared on her personal Instagram<\/a> so that others could learn from her work and experimentation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In building a strategy, she first had to decide what was compelling about her caf\u00e9. \u201cWhat was that unique factor that made it worthy of stopping by? I realized those were our beautiful products, our people, and myself. So I decided to show that and make it as genuine as possible. People in our society go to social media to feel connected. Connect them to something real, and real relationships will come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Escalante gets even more granular when thinking about Instagram for real-life spaces: \u201cThey say that Instagram is really your storefront online.\u201d With that in mind, she asks: \u201cWhat are your top 3-5 priorities in your company? Is it people? Quality beverages? Hospitality? Then really focus on showing those things. The pictures and the content need to reflect the heart of the company.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Think about how each photo will reflect your values when planning your Instagram grid. In Escalante\u2019s case, incorporating her caf\u00e9\u2019s people\u2014workers and customers\u2014into photos of pastries and drinks, rather than posting them in isolation, allowed her to showcase that people were the vital force behind the food and drink the caf\u00e9 serves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The world of professional Instagram accounts can be sterile and formal. Industry veteran Umeko Motoyoshi\u2019s Instagram feed for their business, Umeshiso<\/a>, is anything but. Making the coffee world a queerer place by way of selling gay spoons and chopsticks on a sliding scale<\/a>, Motoyoshi\u2019s Instagram page<\/a> is notably fun and absolutely unique.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their top tip is to try making your content enjoyable, so potential customers want to engage with it. \u201cTry to deliver information in a way that\u2019s enjoyable for people to consume,\u201d they say. \u201cIt seems simple, but that\u2019s the key to creating a social media feed people actually want to engage with\u2014by presenting information in a way that\u2019s entertaining and easy.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the things that makes Instagram daunting is it contains two entire social media platforms: the feed, where static posts live, and stories, temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours (initially inspired by the success of Snapchat). Because they are so different, the feed and the story require different strategies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe grid is for permanent information, and the story is for temporary and casual posts,\u201d says Chen. \u201cThese aren\u2019t solid rules\u2014I see accounts that successfully go against them, but it\u2019s a good place to start if you\u2019re new to Instagram. Imagine a new customer researching you: maybe they came across an ad or someone shared a coffee you roasted. They\u2019ll go to your profile page, which will be the first impression they get, so you want to make it a good one!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, your story is more intimate because it engages extant clientele. \u201cYour story is a chance to engage with the eyes you already have on you,\u201d Escalante says. \u201cIt\u2019s great for reiterating things you want to make sure your current audience sees, as well as more casual day-to-day posts that you think they\u2019ll find interesting.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Motoyoshi views the grid as where content useful for future reference lives. \u201cFor example, we have a wholesale program we\u2019re promoting right now, and the wholesale content goes on the grid,\u201d they say. \u201cIt\u2019s an important and ongoing program that we want every person who comes to our Instagram to see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n They also think it\u2019s a good practice to prune your grid, deleting or editing past posts that may no longer be relevant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe story is more intimate,\u201d they say. That\u2019s where they go to share cat photos, memes, and reshare others\u2019 posts when they tag Umeshiso. \u201cStories are also a great way to engage with my followers when they post content about my product,\u201d they say. \u201cIt\u2019s great to be able to reshare what they create.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n While you might think that more followers equal more foot traffic, Escalante would say otherwise\u2014particularly in a brick-and-mortar context like Caf\u00e9 Reina. \u201cHaving a high follower count does not necessarily mean you increase your foot traffic,\u201d she says. \u201cUnless the followers you build are local, you most likely won\u2019t see a correlation between the activity you\u2019re getting on Instagram and your bottom line for a brick-and-mortar store.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t have to be one or another,\u201d says Chen. \u201cAn increase in follower count can lead to an increase in sales.\u201d She notes that when going for follower count alone, the most direct route is to create content with \u201cgoing viral\u201d in mind. \u201cThat kind of content evokes an immediate, intense emotional reaction; it hooks you in like clickbait headlines; it\u2019s short and digestible; it encourages a call-to-action such as sharing the post or tagging someone.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n She says that taking this approach can only go so far. \u201cA company with tens of thousands of followers, filled with viral content, tries to appeal to everyone rather than creating a community of loyal customers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to increase sales, \u201cyou should make it easy for the customer to access you and your products,\u201d she says. \u201cHow many taps does it take for them to go from your post to purchasing a product? Check your posts: do they all read like marketing and sales copy? If so, you should mix it up; no one wants to look at a feed filled with ads.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chen also emphasizes customer experience on and offline. \u201cAim to resolve issues online the same way you would if they came up in person: don\u2019t let direct messages sit for days, brush off complaints, or be rude.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you know if what you\u2019re doing is working? As Chen said previously, knowing your goals and how you plan to measure success is essential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Motoyoshi cautions that there\u2019s no one-size-fits-all approach to success metrics. \u201cYour business goals will define your success metrics, but if you\u2019re only looking at one number, you lose the context for why they\u2019re important. Shares are what I look at because they tell me what\u2019s resonant and enjoyable for my audience. Shares also help my Instagram grow,\u201d they say, noting that the point of growth is not popularity; they need to make sales to sustain their business. So their metrics are directly linked to their business\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Metric-minded by nature, Chen advises looking into tools or platforms that can compile and analyze data. \u201cYou\u2019ll want to identify a platform for regularly checking analytics and metrics. Instagram or Facebook\/Meta Business Manager have some available for free,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ahh, the dreaded algorithm. Like other social media apps, Instagram uses an algorithm to select posts and stories that are likely to engage its users. The algorithm changes frequently and can potentially feel out of step with your business\u2019s authentic voice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/freshcup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1-1024x538.png\")
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Feed Versus Story<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Grow Your Following or Grow Your Customer Base<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Measuring Likes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Be Real\u2014Even if that Doesn\u2019t Mean Reel<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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