9 Mistakes Small Businesses are Making on TikTok (and How to Avoid Them!)

So you’re finally ready to get your small business established on TikTok but worried about making mistakes along the way? No worries, we’ve rounded up the most common mistakes small businesses are making on TikTok that you should avoid. Keep reading to learn what small businesses should AVOID and our advice on what your small business SHOULD DO instead when joining TikTok.

1. Not Joining TikTok

The most common (and the easiest to fix!) mistake we see small businesses making when it comes to TikTok is simply not joining the platform! It might feel like you’re already on so many social media platforms but we definitely recommend small businesses create an account on TikTok. Not sure which social media platforms your small business should be active on? Check out this blog post about ‘Why Your Small Businesses Should NOT Be on Every Social Media Platform’.

2. Not Watching TikTok Videos

The next most common mistake we see small business owners making on TikTok is creating an account but never logging in and scrolling through all of the great TikTok videos! It’s not only fun to watch TikTok videos on a regular basis BUT there’s a few key benefits to being active on the platform. By watching videos and interacting with the content you like, TikTok learns your preferences and will customize your ‘For You Page’ with TikTok videos they think you’ll love. Also, watching TikTok videos on a regular basis will help you keep up with all of the fun TikTok trends!

3. Not Creating Video Content

Not creating short-form video content isn’t just a mistake we see small business owners making on TikTok! Short-form videos are the future and there are so many reasons your small business should be creating video content to share on every social media platform, not just TikTok. It’s easy to create high-quality marketing videos for social media with Boosted, the video making app with tons of templates, stock video footage and great music!

4. Creating a Business Account

Okay, so not everyone will agree with this mistake but we think it’s a big no-no for small businesses to create a business account on TikTok. Typically we recommend small businesses to create a business account when joining a new social media platform however, we actually would consider this a mistake when it comes to TikTok. When it comes to social media platforms like Facebook & Instagram, creating a business account will allow you to see more insights and have more capabilities so why would this be a mistake when it comes to TikTok? Well, most of the commercial music that is trending on TikTok aren’t copyrighted for business use so if your small business created a business account you won’t be able to use all of the great, trending songs! We’d recommend joining TikTok as an individual and sharing about your small business through your own personal TikTok account. Read Next: “Why Small Businesses Should Be More Authentic on Social Media

5. Not Using Trending Songs

Speaking of trending songs on TikTok… it’s a mistake for small businesses (and everyone else!) to not use trending songs on TikTok. If you aren’t familiar with TikTok yet, you’ll quickly learn that music is key to the TikTok experience. Songs start to trend and using trending songs will help increase the reach of your TikTok videos and boost the odds of your small business getting on the FYP faster. Curious about the FYP and why it matters? Read our blog post ‘How to Get Your Small Business Featured on TikTok’s For You Page’ for our best TikTok tips!

6. Not Content Planning

Another mistake we see a lot of small businesses make on TikTok is forgetting to plan out their video content ideas for TikTok. Not sure where to start when it comes to video content planning? Just start scrolling TikTok! Because of all the trends and challenges on TikTok, it’s actually encouraged to ‘copy’ other people’s video content. Check out a few videos in your FYP and see if there’s any videos with trends, challenges or songs that your small business could participate in. Keep a list of ideas as you’re watching, then plan out your content and recreate those videos with your unique spin on it. Looking for more advice when it comes to content planning? You’ll love this article “How to Create a Social Media Content Calendar: A Guide for Small Business Owners”.

7. Giving up on Video Content

If you’ve been trying to make videos within the TikTok app and you are finding it too difficult to create and edit videos on the app, don’t give up on video content all together! We know it can be hard to learn how to edit videos and it can be hard to figure out how to do the transitions and edits within the TikTok app. Instead of giving up on videos if you’re struggling with TikTok, definitely look into an app that makes the video editing process easy, like Boosted’s video making app that helps you create high-quality marketing videos in just a few minutes! Read Next: “16 Essential Video Marketing Tips for Small Businesses in 2021”

8. Not Posting Frequently Enough

A super common mistake that brands of all sizes are making when it comes to TikTok, is not posting frequently enough. TikTok is a quick moving platform and things can start trending quickly so it’s super important to post often. Posting just once or twice a week is definitely not enough – you never know exactly which videos will ‘go viral’ on TikTok so it’s actually best to post as many videos as possible to increase your chances of your videos being watched. We’d even recommend posting as many as 1-2 videos a DAY on TikTok if you’re able to keep up with the content creation.

9. Forgetting to Cross Promote

Okay, so if your small business is on TikTok and you are avoiding all of the mistakes we’ve mentioned so far, great job! The final mistake you’ll want to avoid is forgetting to promote your TikTok account on your other social media platforms. When you are putting in all the effort to create tons of great short-form video content, it would be a shame to not use them across all of your social media platforms! Select a few of your favorite TikTok videos that have done well within the TikTok app and try re-sharing those on Instagram Reels. You can even share the link to a TikTok video on platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn to boost the views on your TikTok videos!

Conclusion

TikTok might seem like a difficult social media platform to stay on top of but most of the mistakes your small business will want to avoid are easy ones to fix. We hope this list helps you successfully get started on TikTok and avoid some of the most common mistakes small businesses make with their TikTok accounts. If you’re looking to learn more about TikTok, definitely check out our articles, “The Ultimate TikTok Marketing Guide for Small Businesses in 2021” and “TikTok Analytics: Everything You Need to Know” for more advice.


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11 Instagram Content Ideas for July 4th

July 4th is upon us! We could all use an opportunity to think about fireworks, BBQs, and pool parties, right?

If your business isn’t based in the USA, it’s still a good idea to acknowledge Independence Day for your American followers.

Here are some content ideas to post on Instagram both feed and stories in honor of the 4th of July.

1. Deck out your workspace in red, white, and blue

Decorate your office, studio, or workspace with red, white, and blue streamers, banners, and wall hangings. Capture the festive atmosphere in a video or photo. For stories, try experimenting with Boomerang or Layout. Add some text and fun GIFs, and you’re good to go.

2. Showcase a specialized July 4th product or project

Create something special for the 4th of July. Decorate a cake with stars and stripes, craft some patriotic jewelry, make a red, white, and blue edition of your custom-made quilts — whatever it is. Then, showcase the product or project creatively to your feed and/or stories.

Some DIY inspiration from crafter @amandakingloff (Note that carousel posts are a great format for showcasing step-by-step projects):

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkwI5hBHVS2/

3. Post your favorite patriotic song

Use the music sticker for stories to post a segment of your favorite patriotic song. Don’t have access to the music sticker, or can’t find the song you want? No worries — you can use VideoBoost to create a video with the lyrics you want and add music to the background.

If you’re a musician, consider performing a cover, or even composing an original song in honor of Independence Day, and sharing the content to your feed and stories.

4. Poll your followers about their July 4th plans

One of the great things about Instagram Stories is how easy it is to encourage your followers to interact with you with very little effort. Use the poll, quiz, or question stickers to ask them about their plans for the 4th of July. Are they planning a BBQ? Watching fireworks? Spending the day with family and friends?

5. Share a historical tidbit

Find a historical fun fact about the 4th of July, the War of Independence, or the founding fathers — preferably one that ties into your business somehow.

Pro Tip: when sharing your selected fun fact to stories, summarize it succinctly. Keep in mind that your followers won’t have time to read too much text, so it shouldn’t be much longer than one sentence!

6. Make a 4th of July tutorial

Find a fun 4th of July craft or recipe, preferably one related to your business, and create a tutorial. Here’s a great Independence Day cooking tutorial from food brand @wildwayoflife:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzf_1x4Himi/

Check out our post on How to Create a Tutorial with Instagram Stories to learn best practices for customizing your tutorial for Stories.

7. Launch a special 4th of July giveaway or sale

Offer a special discount or flash sale, or organize a contest or giveaway! Read our post on How to Run a Successful Instagram Giveaway to learn how and find some ideas.

8. Video your local fireworks show

Who doesn’t love fireworks? Take your smartphone with you to your local fireworks show and capture some good footage. Post your best video to your feed and share some 15-second clips to your Stories, wishing your followers a #happy4thofJuly.

9. Take a photo or slow-mo video of a flag

Is there a flag hanging somewhere near your office, studio, or home? Maybe you can hang one outside your door for this occasion. Get a good shot of it and share it to your feed and/or stories with a Happy Independence Day wish. If it’s blowing nicely in the wind, a slow-motion video of it waving will look particularly cool. Pro tip for stories: You can capture a great slow-mo video using SuperZoom!

10. Post a patriotic quote

Find a patriotic quote that speaks to you and share it with your audience — maybe alongside a photo of the author of the quote, or maybe simply using a red, white, and blue color scheme.

Quote inspiration from home decor small biz @hartandhess:

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bk0MiQFAyLA/

11. Red, white, and blue selfie

You can always dress up in red, white, and blue and post a photo of yourself! If you have additional staff at your business, consider posting a team photo with all of you wearing those colors, or waving American flags.

Action Items:

  1. Pick one or more of these ideas that sound like a good fit for your business.
  2. Plan ahead: if you’re planning to issue a specialized product or craft, or to post a graphic or video, start working on it ahead of time so it’s ready for July 4th.
  3. Add your favorite 4th of July Stories to your Highlights so people visiting your profile can check them out!

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11 Instagram Content Ideas for Service-Based Businesses

For service-based businesses without a physical product, creating content for Instagram might sound like a really difficult task. But we’re here to reassure you that there are actually tons of fun, engaging and educational content that service-based businesses need to be sharing on Instagram. And if you are feeling stuck when it comes to brainstorming Instagram content, we’ve got you covered! Keep reading for tons of unique and easy-to-create Instagram content for your service-based business. 

1. Answer FAQ

As a service-based business, you might notice many of your clients and prospective clients have similar questions. Jot down a few commonly asked questions and create a series of posts to share on Instagram weekly or monthly to answer these FAQs. Not only is this the type of high-quality, educational content your clients are craving but it also helps cement you as an expert in your field!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Emma | Social Media Strategist (@ninety.five.media)

2. Behind the Scenes Video

Who doesn’t love seeing some behind the scenes footage? Next time you are working with a client or wrapping up a project, be sure to quickly record a few short videos or snap a few photos on your phone. Later you can compile these quick clips together to create a fun, BTS video your clients will love! Not sure how to edit video clips together? With the video-making app Boosted, it’s super easy to create videos from photo or video content. Plus, there’s tons of templates, music and font options to create professionally branded videos! Read Next: “16 Essential Video Marketing Tips for Small Businesses in 2021

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER (@rebekahviola)

3. Client Reviews

Have clients that absolutely love your work? This is the PERFECT content for service-based businesses to be posting on Instagram. You might already have a few client testimonials on your website but in order to help drive potential clients to your website to book your services, you need to be sharing these great reviews on Instagram. So don’t be shy about posting these as often as you can!
 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Anita | Chartered Accountant 💷 (@goselfemployed.co)

4. Tutorial

As a service-based business, your followers and clients look to you for educational content in your field and a tutorial is the perfect type of quality content your clients will enjoy engaging with. Choose the topic you want to talk about, write out a few step by step instructions and create a few Instagram Stories or carousel tutorial to share on Instagram. Read Next: “7 Secrets For Entrepreneurs to Get The Most Out of Instagram Stories

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by social⚡️digital⚡️strategy (@lindsaysganga)

5. Mistakes to Avoid

You probably see many of your clients making the same mistakes often. *cringe* Help out your clients and potential clients by (nicely!) sharing a few mistakes people often make with their social media, accounting, fitness, etc and give advice on what they could be doing instead.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Jess | Branding + Web Design (@graceandoak)

6. Mood Board Monday

If you’re a service-based business in a creative field like photography, graphic design or wedding planning, we have a fun and refreshing type of Instagram content to test out… mood boards! Simply compile a few aesthetically pleasing photos and create a mood board to help your clients get inspired!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by TORONTO WEDDING PLANNER (@prettyplans.ca)

7. Time to Hire

If you work with a lot of small businesses, it’s a great idea to share a few signs that they are ready to hire you for your services. As a small business owner, sometimes it’s hard to know when it’s the right time to start outsourcing and hire service-based businesses to help you run your business. Let your clients know exactly what you are looking for in clients that are ready to work with you and signs that it’s time for them to hire you!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rebrand + Launch Copywriter (@aleisekay)

8. Reading Recommendations

Have any great books you’ve read recently? This is a super easy and fun topic any service-based business could share on Instagram! Select a few books you’ve read recently (brownie points if they are related to your service offering!) and create an Instagram Reel to recommend these books to your clients. Not sure how to create Instagram Reels yet? It’s easy to create high-quality marketing videos in just a few minutes with the video-making app Boosted!
 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by JENNA | Virtual Fitness Coach (@jennafit_)

9. Pros & Cons

As a service-based business, part of your job is selling your services and a great way to do this is by sharing the pro’s and con’s of using your services. (Hint: Share lots of pros of hiring you!) You can share these in an Instagram caption but creating an Instagram Reel is even more fun and engaging for your clients to watch! Read Next: “13 Instagram Reels Content Ideas for Small Business Owners

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by SHOSHANA SOCHER | Realtor (@shoshana_socher)

10. Share a Stat

Are there any interesting stats related to your business that your clients might find relevant? Sharing industry-related statistics is an easy and educational piece of content you could share every once in a while on Instagram. Make it visually interesting and be sure to make it clear why you clients should know or care about these statistics. 

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Socialfly (@socialfly)

11. The Lingo

This last idea for Instagram content for service-based business might just be our favorite! There are likely tons of terms you use in your business on a regular basis that are pretty basic to you, but this doesn’t always mean your clients will know the lingo! Share some of the terminology that you use on a regular basis to help your clients learn more about your industry and make it easier for them to communicate with you once they’ve hired you for your services!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by CL Designs | Graphic Designer (@_clieu)

Has your service-based business created any of these types of Instagram content yet? We hope you enjoyed these ideas and can’t wait to see all of the great content you create! 


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Instagram Polls: The Complete Guide for Small Businesses

What is an Instagram Poll? 

An Instagram poll is a poll that you can post to your Instagram Story to allow your followers to vote on various topics. For example, a poll could be created to ask followers which product they like better, A or B. The great thing about Instagram polls is that they are completely customizable – you can use them to ask your followers their opinions on just about anything! 

What are the Benefits of Instagram Polls? 

Instagram polls allow you to view real-time data that is highly relevant for your business. It allows you to better understand your customers and to get feedback from them extremely quickly. You can then use the data from Instagram polls to make smarter business decisions. Everything from product design to marketing can benefit from Instagram polls. 

Another key benefit of Instagram polls is that many followers find them entertaining and enjoy participating in them. After all, who doesn’t like having their opinion heard? Polls are also highly shareable and if you create polls that are interesting enough to your followers, there is a good chance that they will share them!

Essentially, Instagram polls not only help you to get extremely valuable feedback from your customers, but they also help to generate attention for your brand and keep your followers and customers engaged. For all of these reasons, your business should be using Instagram polls regularly if you are not already doing so. 

How to Use Instagram Polls 

The first thing that you need to know about Instagram polls is that they are only available to use through Instagram Stories. So, you are going to have to create an Instagram Story if you would like to use Instagram polls. Don’t know how to create an Instagram Story? We got you covered with this Instagram Story ultimate guide. And while you’re at it, make sure to check out our complete guide for Instagram business categories.

Here is how to create an Instagram poll step-by-step:

Step 1. Create a Story Post 

For your Story post, you can use a photo, text or video for your background. However, if you are going to use a photo for your Story post, then you should try to make the image as relevant as possible for the poll. You do not want to use a random photo because that will confuse your audience. You should apply any filters, text, emojis, or doodles before you post the poll. But, make sure that you leave some room in the post for the poll. 

Step 2. Add a Poll to Your Story Post 

To do this, you click on the sticker icon at the top of the story screen. The sticker icon is the square with the face. Once you have clicked on the sticker icon, click on the poll sticker option. After you have clicked on the poll sticker option, you will be given a choice to add your question and a “Yes/No” poll box will appear. You will then be given the chance to type in your question. You can choose any question that you want to ask. Just make sure that it is appropriate for your audience and complies with all Instagram rules. If you don’t want the responses to be “Yes/No” you can tap on the boxes and write in any responses you want. So, for example, if you want your followers to choose between a red product and a blue product, then you can write “Red/Blue” in the answer boxes. 

Step 3. Position Your Poll 

Once the poll sticker is created, you will have to position it on your story post. You should pick a spot where it fits and looks good. You can move the poll to any area of the screen and you can pinch it to make it smaller or larger, just like you can do with any other sticker. You want to make sure that the poll sticker is large enough to read comfortably, but not so large that it blocks out the rest of your post. This is especially true if you are using a high-quality image that is relevant for your poll – you want your audience to be able to see the image too. So, make sure to choose a position for your poll and then move on to the next step. 

Step 4. Share Your Story and Poll 

After you have completed the first three steps, the next step is to share your Story with the poll! You do this by adding it to your Stories. Once you have posted your Story with the poll, viewers will be able to see the post and respond to the poll question. If your followers have never seen an Instagram poll before, then they may even be given a prompt that explains to them what it is when they click on it. Hopefully, once your Story and poll are live, a lot of your followers will share the poll and give their answers. If they do this, then you can get a lot of valuable data from your poll. 

Step 5. Enable Push Notifications 

Make sure that your push notifications are enabled for Instagram on your phone. This way, you will be able to get a notification when someone votes on your poll. Doing this will enable you to get real-time data on the polls. This is especially helpful if you need the data quickly. For example, if you are struggling to make a business decision that needs to be made ASAP and if you want to hear from your customers before you make the decision. 

Using the Poll Data 

Ideally, you will get all the data that you need from the poll within the first 24-48 hours. If you have never used an Instagram poll before, you might be surprised at how clear the results are. However, even though polls oftentimes show one answer being the clear winner, sometimes the results are more even. 

Instagram Story and poll data are extremely easy to use and understand. All that you have to do is look at the final results of the poll and see which answer won. Then you can take that feedback and use it to influence the business decision that you were trying to make. For example, if you set up an Instagram poll and asked customers if they preferred product A or product B, and if the results showed that they preferred product B, then you can focus a larger percentage of your marketing dollars promoting product B. 

Other Helpful Tips 

One great way to boost poll engagement is to create polls around topics that are trending. For example, if there is a big sports game coming up, you can create a poll around the sports game. People tend to get very excited and enthusiastic about hot trending topics, so you might be able to increase the amount of poll responses by making the polls about those topics.

Another thing that can increase poll engagement is if you use an emoji slider for your polls. In other words, if you let your poll participants respond to the poll with emojis, this can help to boost engagement. This is because many people like to use emojis on Instagram and would prefer to answer with an emoji as to a word. 

Conclusion 

Instagram polls are a win/win. You win by getting extremely valuable data from your followers and by creating higher levels of engagement. Your customers win by getting enjoyment from being able to give their opinions on things that interest them. Instagram polls are a great marketing tool and they can help you to get a much better understanding of the opinions of your followers and customers. If you have never tried using Instagram polls before, then you should give it a shot and see how you like the results. Many companies are very happy with the results that they get and continue using Instagram polls indefinitely. 


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IGTV vs. YouTube

Which is Better for Your Business and Influencer Marketing?

Everywhere you look in 2020, video is taking over the web. From six-second TikToks to YouTube channels with over 100 million subscribers, people just want video. According to a recently updated survey of over 3,000 consumers by HubSpot, 54% of consumers want more video content from the brands they love. You just can’t beat video for engagement, conversions, and brand awareness!

But where should you be sharing your videos? IGTV or YouTube? With all the social media available these days and all of them following the consumer trends, you have several choices when it comes to posting your video content. We’ll take a look at the pros and cons between two of the top video platforms, YouTube vs. IGTV, to help you make your choice. 

Video Length

Your second consideration should be the length of your videos. (We’ll talk about your first consideration in a moment.) IGTV limits your videos to 10 minutes, so if you’re going for a lengthy instructional type or a feature-length entertainment piece, you’re going to want to go with YouTube.

If your account is verified, you can post videos that are up to 12 hours long (Upload Videos Longer Than 15 Minutes). However, if your aim is to fish followers and leads with fun and informative shorts, IGTV might be your best bet. 

Sharing Capability

You’ve probably seen YouTube videos scattered all over the web, shared on social media and embedded in blog posts. Google isn’t worried about losing its position as the world’s biggest video platform, so they’ll let you share your videos all over the place.

IGTV, on the other hand, isn’t as interested in losing control of the content. They also don’t allow you to share YouTube videos to their platform. When it comes to sharing, Google FTW!

Searchability

Because Google owns YouTube, YouTube videos more frequently appear on the first page of search results and it’s easy to search YouTube itself for practically anything. You’ll never see any Instagram TV on Google’s search results, but that’s actually not because of Google!

IGTV only allows their content to be accessed on Instagram, so you can only be discovered or find new content when searching on Instagram itself. This makes searching IGTV for content more difficult than searching YouTube. You can’t just type in keywords or topics. You have to search specific users or hashtags to find related videos. 

Analytics

When it comes to analytics, it’s another no-brainer. Google has entire products dedicated to providing accurate analytics to help you adjust and improve your marketing.

The same goes for YouTube. They show you the in-depth engagement stats you can use to tailor your campaigns. IGTV provides enough analytics to show trends, but they don’t go much deeper. Depending on how much insight you need, either one could work for you. 

Audience

Your first consideration should be your audience. Where are they? What do they do? Who is your target audience? The other factors don’t matter nearly as much as making sure your content gets to the people you need to see it. Before you make any decisions, find your niche audience and build a home there. It’s always possible to branch out in the future.

All of these together will help you understand which video marketing tool is best for you and for your business! Check them all out now!


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Instagram Ideas for DIY Bloggers

Trying to branch out and promote your DIY blog on more channels? The visual focus and fun vibe of Instagram make it a fantastic platform for DIY bloggers.

If you’d like to try but aren’t sure what kind of content to post to Instagram, here are some ideas:

Before/after carousel posts for upcycling or makeovers

Did you know that Instagram lets you post more than one photo at once? You may not have noticed, because you have to swipe to see the remaining photos in the carousel. That’s why it’s a good idea to call your followers’ attention to the fact that there is more than one photo to see.

Carousel posts are perfect for showing a process or before and after photos. Make the first image a graphic inviting followers to swipe left and describing what they’re about to see, then the before photo, and then the after photo.

Here is some before/after inspiration from Freelance Creative @marrahsgotprojects:

Quick Story tutorials

Stories are one of Instagram’s newest and hottest features, and there’s so much you can do with them. The advantage of posting your tutorial on Stories rather than as a Feed post is that it shows up at the top of your followers’ feeds, so it’s more likely to get their attention. You can later add it to your Highlights on your profile, too.

To make a great tutorial with Stories, utilize its unique features: make a different slide for each step, and use stickers and animations to guide your followers to creating a finished product. See our post on How to Create a Tutorial on Instagram Stories to learn more.

IGTV channel with longer tutorials

Set up your own IGTV channel to post longer tutorial videos. Videos on IGTV can be up to 10 minutes long. You can also post a 1-minute preview of the longer video to your feed that will take your followers straight to IGTV video.

You can read more about using IGTV in our post, Should You Use IGTV for Your Business?

@TheCrafty is excelling on IGTV with their original DIY video content:

View this post on Instagram

Follow us on Instagram @the.crafty

A post shared by The Crafty (@the.crafty) on

DIY giveaway

Everybody loves a giveaway! You can choose one of your favorite craft items as the prize — even something small and inexpensive. Don’t forget to promote your giveaway in your Stories and feed. One idea for entry rules is to ask people to comment on the giveaway post with how they would like to use the product.

DIY blogger @honeybuilthome ran a successful 2019 giveaway:

View this post on Instagram

GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL THOSE WHO ENTERED! I’m so excited to to have teamed up with @homeright to give away one free Super Finish Max Paint Sprayer ($100 value). You’ve seen it in action over the last week as I painted my sons room in less than 2 hours and of course on our shiplap kitchen island. I’ve tried several different paint sprayers and honestly can’t say enough positive things about the Super Finish Max. -minimal overspray -smooth consistency as it sprays -different size tips to handle all your projects -a breeze to clean -minimal paint wasting HERES HOW TO ENTER TO WIN 1. Like this picture 📷 2. Follow me 💕 3. Tag a friend in the comments below Optional: 1. Share this post on your instastory gives you an additional entry 2. Share a creative post or “before” on a project that you’d love to use the sprayer on with the hashtag #honeybuilthomeright Must be 18 or older to enter. #honeybuilthomeright #homerightsuperfinishmax #giveaway #paintsprayer #diygiveaway #fearlessdiy

A post shared by Christine Gummersall | DIY (@honeybuilthome) on

See our post about How to Run a Successful Instagram Giveaway for more details and ideas.

Product reviews

Have you discovered an amazing new product lately? Make a review video and post it in your Stories. DIYers are always looking for new craft and DIY products, and your followers will appreciate knowing what you think. You could even get in touch with the company that sells the product and team up for a sponsored post or giveaway.

#ThrowbackThursday

The #throwbackthursday hashtag is a great opportunity to give old projects a second life! Pick an old project you loved… or maybe even one you hated. In the caption, you can write about what you learned from that project and what you’ve accomplished since, or what you might do differently now.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. Once you find your way around Instagram, you’ll discover endless new possibilities for fun and useful DIY content.

Action Items:

1. Create a quick tutorial to post in your Stories.
2. Try a before/after carousel post. Don’t forget to create an opening graphic that encourages your followers to swipe.
3. Set up your IGTV channel and post a longer tutorial video on your channel.
4. Find a product to review or give away and create a review post or a giveaway.
5.  Find an old project for #ThrowbackThursday and schedule a post for this coming Thursday.

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