​You'll see these terms in a few different places including paid Instagram/Facebook advertising and Instagram Insights. Understanding what they mean for your efforts at connecting with your audience has a big influence on your strategy.

So here are a few helpful definitions to help you get clear:

The number one thing I get asked all the time is WHAT DO I POST! 
I use capitals because they typically come to me in that kind of angst-ridden stressed-out place. 
The last time I did a workshop teaching Instagram Marketing, I shared out these 2 little tidbits and I know those attendees aren't the only ones who will find this useful. 
Start with  the Lifestyle Branding. It's important to understand that Instagram does not operate like a non-stop sales pitch. 
If you have questions, let's connect on Instagram and ask me any time!

​While I'm putting the finishing touches on my course, Instagram Marketing Simplified, I'm getting more and more into the specifics of creating and managing a really good Instagram account for a business. 

Today what's front and centre is branding.

According to Entreprenur.com, the definition of a brand is "The marketing practice of creating a name, symbol or design that identifies and differentiates a product from other products.....your brand is your promise to your customer. It tells them what they can expect from your products and services, and it differentiates your offering from that of your competitors."

Long gone are the days of creating an advertisement that is designed to embody everything about your brand for everyone related to your brand.  With non-stop news feeds full of millions, or billions of posts every day, your brand is seen from all angles and many times over.  That means creating interesting, brand relevant content consistently and frequently.  So how does a brand stand out against this kind of busy and demanding playing field?

Truthfully, there's really only one way to do this. That is to sell the lifestyle, not the product or services. Remember, your brand is your "promise to your customer" about how your product or service is going to make their lives better, or how it will hold an important place in the life of your customers.  In general marketing terms, this is called Lifestyle Branding. 

Whether your brand is an actual "lifestyle brand" or not, you need to present it like one on social media. Because social media, by definition, is designed to be social.  It's designed for sharing bits and pieces of your life with those you connect with.  Without the bad parts of course, just the beautiful, shiny, fun stuff which turns out to be a good thing for branding.  You can't run as a non-stop commercial on social media.  People will simply refuse to engage with you.  This mean you need need to be more subtle about  the actual 'offer' by demonstrating how fantastic life is with YOU in the world. 

I’m pretty confident you’re saying, “If we’re talking about Instagram marketing, what does a Mission Statement have to do with anything”?

Stay with me.

If we are going to use Instagram as a clear and cohesive marketing tool for your business, you need some serious clarity about your brand.

​It's a New Year and the best time to learn new tricks for growing your business while committing to moving closer to your goals. 

After four years of learning the Digital Marketing industry and a full year of working my online courses, they are ready to launch. 

I am dying to share simple systems and some basic digital marketing tools with you! I really believe that Digital Marketing is simple when you know how to use the tools.

​I'm going to simplify this. Because that's what I do and that's what I want to help you do too. I meet so many women who really want to run their own business. But they don't think it's feasible. I often get asked if I think it's something they can really do. My answer is HELL YEA! 

​It’s becoming increasingly important to have ‘digital assets’ or documents and webpages that offer value to a targeted audience.  ​If you’re self-employed or trying to manage an Etsy account or a Shopify store, this may seem like an impossible task. My first suggestion is to create a blog. Don’t panic. There are simple ways to create and manage a blog without becoming a blogger. 

​The single most important tool to keep your digital marketing simple is to plan. Keep a calendar of dates that are relevant to your brand, your product, your city or your target audience.  Anticipate what's coming up and the times when you have to get creative and fill in the blanks. It will save you scrambling. 

Creating  seasonally relevant material needs to be part of a bigger marketing strategy so your other efforts will support you during seasons with higher Internet traffic (i.e. competition). If you haven’t been using a big-picture strategy, don’t worry - now is a good time to start so let’s do this!
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