A Social Media Strategy for Business Owners That Quietly Works
One that doesn’t rely on changes or updates to the algorithm
In 2013, when I started sharing my blog posts on social media, I recall the absolute thrill when I would receive a comment. It was a gentle message that people were reading my content and I was so grateful for that connection.
Similarly, when I would comment on an established blogger’s post, I would feel this warm glow of happiness every time someone would respond to my comment on a blog.
Something about that exchange stuck with me. So much so, that when I started building a social media presence, I vowed to always respond to every single comment or message. Of course, it didn’t exactly go to plan; things rarely do.
Fast forward to 2018 when I started building my business. One of the things I began doing was to tentatively reach out to business owners, way bigger and more established, to ask if they’d be open to an interview. I did this both on social media and via e-mail.
90% of people never responded. They would have seen my message but chose to ignore it.
Similarly, in large Facebook groups, I would comment on threads, sharing my thoughts and the original poster would skip over my comment and reply to everyone else.
Both these instances made my already introverted self shrink further. I ended up deleting comments or un-sending messages on Instagram (I didn’t even know you could do that for a long time!) and generally feeling like I didn’t matter.
In mid-2019, especially when I started becoming more active on Instagram, I promised myself two things:
- I would respond to every single comment, e-mail, or message people would send my way
- I’d do it with intention and kindness, in good time, and without overwhelming myself
Because I truly believe what Maya Angelou said:
People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
The Curious Case of Hashtags
In August 2020 (a year ago), I stopped using hashtags on Instagram. Funnily enough, it was prompted by a question one of my friends asked at the time:
Do I HAVE to use hashtags on Instagram for visibility?
Around the same time, Instagram rolled out reels — videos that could be made in under 30 seconds and used a variety of techniques to keep people engaged with their content. This was to help with the algorithm.
In other words, if you wanted Instagram to show people your content, you’d have to play by their rules and follow their advice on amplifying your reach, getting to as many people as possible.
At that time, I took a three-fold decision:
1. I’d stop using hashtags to improve my ‘reach’
2. I wouldn’t play by the ‘rules’ of the algorithm
3. I’d stop posting at the ‘best times’ when my audience was online
Instead, I’d adopt a different approach — one driven by connection and caring.
Ha, this was so ironic, considering that I was traditionally such a lover of rules and guidelines. But those were 3 of the best decisions I ever made.
Strangely, that’s when my work and my business started to get noticed. From September onwards, I started getting more genuine clients via the platform. Fellow business owners who believed in similar, heart-based marketing principles started connecting with me and my content. Friends started genuinely amplifying my work through Instagram stories, shout outs on their grid, and invited me to be on Live sessions with them.
Freeing myself from the ‘rules’ of traditional Instagram marketing was a liberating experience.
Because it gave me the tools to focus on the ‘internals’ of the business — creation and connection- and ignore the ‘externals’ — reach, virality and a perfect aesthetic on this platform.
When I stopped using Instagram as a tool of distracting social media and started using it as a way to authentically connect with people, the whole ethos changed.
That’s when I could also liberate myself from other stressors — number of followers, number of likes on my content or the act of comparison.
The question is — are you ready to take that chance?
Instagram Making Changes to the Algorithm
Instagram is contemplating doing away with the ‘share to story’ feature that was useful to get your content from the grid seen. It started rolling out a few weeks ago in select countries and is slowly coming to all Instagram accounts over the next few months.
Now, if you want to share a story, you’d have to save the post, go into stories, find the ‘reshare’ sticker and then select the shared post and . . . yeah, I can tell you’re tired just reading that.
I’ve been seeing these panic posts doing the rounds on Instagram and it was also a question we addressed during one of the Q and A sessions with my Intentional Instagram course students.
First, let’s discuss WHY Instagram has decided to do this. In an announcement dated January 31, 2021 (yes, that’s how early they started testing this feature), Instagram explained that people were not keen on seeing grid content on their stories feed. Apparently, this double serving of content can get tiresome for those people who follow your content both on stories and the grid.
Second, Instagram can do this because they can. It’s their platform. They make the rules. That’s the truth.
Here’s why I don’t think you need to worry about it.
1. Your content and your message are the core focus of everything that you stand for. You don’t need shortcuts to amplify your content. Focus truly and deeply on posting what you love and care about. Organically, the ripples will work in reaching the right people.
2. Sharing to stories should be done sparingly. Most of us (and I’ve been guilty of this in the past) would share all of our IG posts to stories. Why? More visibility. People naturally view stories more than they do the grid. This causes oversharing and takes away value from the creator as well as the consumer.
3. Learning to be more prudent in what you share. I think this is actually a good move because it builds a layer of conscious intentionality into your action. Think about it.
4. Want to support other creators by sharing their content? If the new way feels cumbersome, periodically tag them in a story and give them a shout-out. This adds more value.
Do this consistently. You don’t need hacks and shortcuts. Trust me
Main Takeaway
If there’s one thing I advocate above all else, it’s the gentle, conscious need to create from a space of connection. Algorithms change, because they are decided by user engagement and fleeting attention spans.
But connections are built slowly and over time. These are far more resilient in the face of whimsical changes. As creators, your aim should be to build connections, not fight an algorithm. Because the former will endure; the latter will not.
About Shailaja V
Shailaja Vishwanath is a creator and coach with over 14 years of experience in the digital space. She has a deep and abiding interest in minimalism, slow business and gentle productivity. She helps other creators, business owners, homemakers and social media influencers learn these guiding principles of mindful time and energy management. Learn more about her work here.
