Shiny New Clients! Podcast Summary
Episode: What to post on Instagram Stories for your business!
Host: Jenna Warriner
Release Date: October 31, 2024
Introduction: The Power of Instagram Stories
In this episode of Shiny New Clients!, Jenna Warriner delves into the strategic use of Instagram Stories to attract and engage with your business's ideal clients. She emphasizes that Instagram Stories are a goldmine for connecting with your most dedicated followers and hottest leads, rather than a platform for expanding your overall follower count.
“Instagram stories are not the place to grow your following because 99.9% of the people who see them are the people who already follow you.” – Jenna Warriner [00:45]
Understanding Your Audience: Engaging Your Biggest Fans
Jenna explains that the majority of your Instagram Story viewers are your existing fans who regularly engage with your content. These individuals are already invested in your brand, making them prime candidates for conversion into paying clients.
“These are the people who could very well be ready to buy right now if you say the right thing to them.” – Jenna Warriner [02:10]
She highlights the importance of recognizing that your Stories audience often consists of friends, family, and loyal followers who have a keen interest in your offerings. By tailoring your content to this group, you can leverage their support to promote your business organically.
Authenticity and Trust: The Value of Unpolished Content
Jenna advocates for authentic, unpolished content in Instagram Stories, drawing a contrast between polished feed posts and the raw, spontaneous nature of Stories. She argues that real, off-the-cuff moments foster deeper connections and trust with your audience.
“What would make you believe someone more? Watching a perfectly polished clip of them on TV... or watching someone live who is speaking freely and flowing.” – Jenna Warriner [04:30]
By appearing genuine and confident in your Stories, you demonstrate expertise and build trust, making your audience more likely to engage with and purchase from you.
Common Mistakes in Instagram Stories
1. Overproducing Stories
Jenna warns against overcomplicating Instagram Stories with excessive editing or graphics. She compares it to Snapchat’s overly curated content, which can feel inauthentic and disengaging.
“I would rather see your face. I want to hear you talk to me and feel like we're on FaceTime together.” – Jenna Warriner [07:15]
She encourages business owners to keep their Stories casual and relatable, akin to having a one-on-one conversation with a friend.
2. Neglecting Story Optimization
While many focus on optimizing posts and reels with hashtags and trending audio, Stories often get overlooked. Jenna emphasizes the need to apply similar optimization strategies to maximize viewer retention and algorithmic reach.
“You gotta optimize it if you want to get the most views possible from your followers.” – Jenna Warriner [09:00]
She references her previous podcast episode for listeners seeking detailed strategies on enhancing their Story performance.
Finding Content Ideas: The Importance of Frameworks
Facing the "what to post" dilemma, Jenna suggests using structured frameworks to guide content creation. This approach alleviates the stress of a blank canvas, providing clarity and consistency in your Stories.
“Having a framework for your stories helps you have guidance. Otherwise, it's like blinking cursor syndrome.” – Jenna Warriner [11:25]
She introduces her “Strategic Stories” five-day Instagram Challenge, designed to offer daily prompts that align with key content types necessary for effective storytelling and engagement.
Strategic Stories: The Five-Day Instagram Challenge
Jenna presents her Strategic Stories challenge as a solution for business owners struggling with content ideas. This mini-course provides five days of strategic prompts tailored to various Instagram Story types, ensuring a balanced and impactful presence.
“Whether they are helping you get more engagement, improving your viewer retention, creating product awareness, or posting sales content.” – Jenna Warriner [13:50]
Participants not only receive actionable prompts but also gain insights into marketing psychology, enhancing their overall marketing skills while consistently showing up on Stories.
Engaging Your Audience: Encouraging Interaction
To boost engagement, Jenna advises making Stories feel like direct conversations. This involves using personal language, maintaining eye contact with the camera, and simplifying response mechanisms.
“Using the word you, speaking to one person, making eye contact – it's about creating a direct connection.” – Jenna Warriner [15:10]
She suggests incorporating interactive elements like polls and vote stickers to make it easier for followers to respond, thereby increasing the likelihood of initiating direct messaging conversations that can lead to sales.
Conclusion and Call to Action
Jenna wraps up the episode by encouraging listeners to join the Strategic Stories challenge, providing links in the show notes and directing them to her Instagram bio for easy access. She reinforces the importance of consistent, authentic Story content in nurturing relationships with existing followers and converting them into loyal clients.
“Enjoy the five-day challenge. I'm so excited for you to start showing up more.” – Jenna Warriner [16:55]
Listeners are left with actionable strategies and the motivation to leverage Instagram Stories effectively to fill their business calendars with perfect clients.
Key Takeaways:
- Leverage Existing Followers: Focus on engaging your current audience through Instagram Stories.
- Be Authentic: Share unpolished, real moments to build trust and connection.
- Avoid Overproduction: Keep Stories simple and genuine rather than overly edited.
- Optimize Stories: Apply engagement strategies similar to those used for posts and reels.
- Use Frameworks: Implement structured content prompts to guide your Story creations.
- Encourage Interaction: Make it easy for followers to engage with your Stories through direct conversation cues and interactive elements.
By implementing Jenna Warriner's insights and strategies, business owners can transform their Instagram Stories into powerful tools for attracting and nurturing high-quality clients.