The Dilemma
I can’t be the only one with a love / hate relationship with the app. Personal feelings aside, I’ve evolved professionally, which a great thing, and to be clear, this post isn’t meant to slight Instagram. If it fits your business goals, I love it.. for you.
Truth is, I’m not entirely sure if it still fits my goals, so I’m looking to make a shift. In addition to an audit, I’m doing intentional research into other platforms to see what does. Pinterest was my first research subject.
4 Interesting Pinterest facts I found:
498 million monthly users
1 in 3 users earn $100K annually
85% of Pinners have purchased from their board
Businesses CAN sell products directly from the platform
Social Media and Time Management
We recently sent out a two-part newsletter on the importance of social media strategy
and consistency within that strategy. Both directly relate to effective time management as a business owner, with a goal to free up time to spend on more necessary points of your business.
On my journey of providing digital media strategy and social media management services, all clients have expressed the difficulty of keeping up with the pace of Instagram. Lately I’ve been facing this same hurdle.
Content Lifespan Comparison (Instagram vs Pinterest)
Instagram's new algorithm is prioritizing engagement and storytelling which can be more time consuming. Their content lifespan is more contingent upon your reach and engagement on any particular post. At its core the IG algorithm is chronological, so your content is often only as good as your last post. Pinterest on the other hand, is more visual and ideal for niche businesses to connect with a specific audience via focused searches. Did you know the content lifespan on Pinterest can last up to a year?! A much better option if you’re looking to create content in a space that’s not as time demanding or temporary.
The Takeaway
In all aspects of life, change is a constant requirement. We make those changes based on an individual need. In the world of social platforms, popularity doesn’t constitute a need. Where Facebook is the “sweet spot” for one business, LinkedIn or X may be to another. In this moment, I’m not sure if I’m abandoning IG altogether, or if it’s a focus shift.
Whatever it is I’m applying the advice that I’d give a client: Don’t focus on social platforms where success and conversion are not priority.
Research. Strategize. Schedule. Repeat.
Hence my sentiment to….
Find the platform that best serves the business' needs, even if it’s not Instagram.
Have an awesome weekend,
-C.
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