Where’s the balance between being real on Instagram and being professional?
You’ve probably heard dozens of times that to truly connect to your audience, you’ve got to be authentic. You’ve got to be relatable and find an even playing field where they can look up to you but also see a bit of themselves in you at the same time.
Viewers turn into clients or customers when they feel like they really connect with you. However, as relatable as you’d like to be, you can’t let this get completely in the way of remembering that you’ve still got a business to run.
Show Your Personality Through Your Captions
You already know that Instagram is all about the visuals. This is why it’s vital that your images are aesthetically appealing and relevant to your brand. If you want to showcase your personality a little bit at the same time, try doing so in the captions.
If you’re having issues figuring out the perfect brand voice for your product, try talking to a professional or an expert who can help you decide what resonates the best with your brand. Have your personality shine through your captions, and keep your images nice and professional.
Be Personal, But Don’t Overdo it
Everyone is going to approach their Instagram image a little differently, but as a general rule, we recommend not posting too many selfies. This being said, though, most customers appreciate being able to associate a face with the brand, so it definitely has its place. We suggest choosing a day of the week to make your posting personal, and you can even include some fun facts about yourself in the caption. This way, your audience gets a weekly insight into your life without it being too much about you.
Make the Most of Instagram Stories
Instagram stories are a platform to be fun and casual – and temporary. Because they disappear after 24 hours, they’re a great way to post fun bits of your day to your followers. Because they’re not a permanent part of your Instagram, this is definitely a great way to show the more casual, fun side of you, without going overboard or ruining your brands’ general image.
Don’t Be Too Real
One of the biggest things that people get confused when they think about being real on Instagram is exactly that – just how real. There’s definitely a delicate balance between being honest, transparent, and open with your followers and then being overboard to the point that you put them off, and they begin to unfollow you.
While it’s important that your customers can see your personality shine through from time to time, when you start to blur the line between being real and being a professional, your audience starts to get confused – and put off.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, everyone’s brand has a different aesthetic. This means that everyone is going to have a different comfort level around how much they share with their followers and how they do so.
While some followers are going to love seeing the more real side of you, most are there for your product. The better you can be at balancing the two, the better you’re going to come across.