Instagram is a one-stop-shop to gain traffic from people outside of your community. The free platform allows you to advertise goods and services in a unique package, and accesses more people than any traditional form of promotion. Kar Brulhart is a marketing strategist, Instagram creator ambassador, and inventor of the HOP Method for selling more on Instagram. She has generated incredible amounts of engagement in her work through this method.
The ‘H’ in the HOP Method stands for Humble Brag. Many creators struggle to properly advertise their work on Instagram because they don’t feel comfortable talking about themselves and their achievements. However, Brulhart has found that sharing your successes creates trust for your audience. To make it easier, she suggests imagining that your posts are like a job interview. You need to humbly communicate your wins to show that you are capable and your work holds value. Rotating these posts into your feed regularly lessens any shame associated with humble bragging. Bury your successes within other stories, or source testimonials to speak on your behalf.
Origin stories are powerful tools for engagement. People want to know who the person is behind the screen, and sharing how you got started can deepen the connection you have with your audience. Start with drawing out a timeline of your niche, and pull moments that people can relate to. The best method to do so is through reels. They provide a musical element to your story, and B-roll footage taken from anywhere can adapt to your message. Instagram users should feel like they just walked into the middle of a great story. Carousels are also a strong choice in promotion because they are twice as likely to show up on someone’s explore page. There is no need to rework the wheel, but making content that can adapt to different forms of posts will save lots of time and energy.
Finally, the P is a reminder to ‘prop up’ your goods or services. Being a salesperson does not come naturally to most Instagram users, so you need to find a niche that works for you and your engagement levels. Use the image(s) you choose as a hook. Try to mimic the trends you see around social media, but rework them to fit your brand mission. The caption of your posts serve as the pitch. Tell the audience what exactly you’re selling and how it may help them. Provide links and use hashtags to sell people on your promotion.
If you aren’t already on Instagram, you are missing out on its impressive ability to promote your goods and services to a unique audience. It is a free advertising powerhouse that allows any brand to find their loyal followers, as well as converting new ones.
