Use the features. Instagram has some incredible features like Stories, Lives, Guides, and recently Reels too. By using these features, you’re helping people consume your content in the way they want. And when you tap into something new that Instagram seem to be prioritising, like Reels at the moment, this can help you too. If you have a look at your Explore page, you’ll see what type of content is appearing the most. At time of writing, Reels takes up a double height space at regular intervals.
As a part of our series about How To Leverage Instagram To Grow Your Business, I had the pleasure of interviewing Rhea Freeman.
Rhea Freeman is a social media expert and small business coach based in the UK. In addition to running membership groups, Rhea is also the founder of the Small & Supercharged Podcast and a Facebook group of the same name designed to help small businesses and influencers in the equestrian and rural space. She’s an award winning PR adviser, #SheMeansBusiness accredited trainer and Facebook Certified Lead Trainer.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I started offering a freelance PR and marketing service to small businesses, predominantly in the equestrian and rural sector, some 15 years ago before eventually going to work for one of my clients in a full time capacity as their marketing manager. After a few years, I moved back to being self employed, but this time with a clearer focus on social media, because the rewards and returns it was starting to deliver were very interesting, very good, and incredibly cost effective. Over the last 10–11 years, social media has become a bigger and bigger part of what I do, simply because of the awesome power it has. Now, in addition to working with my clients and helping them grow their businesses and their audience through their usage of social media, I am also a #SheMeansBusiness accredited trainer and a Facebook Certified Lead Trainer too.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started this career?
I guess one that relates really well to this subject is the first time I got recognised at an event because of my presence on social media. Because I was fairly fast to embrace videos, Lives and posting on a consistent basis, I got onto quite a few people’s radars. Having someone who I didn’t know or recognise come up to me and start chatting to me at a show was really interesting because it proved what I believed, and cemented the fact that we don’t know who is watching us online. And while this can sound a bit creepy, it’s also rather brilliant as we can be impacting people’s lives (in small and large ways) without really knowing we are.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I think mistakes are really just part of the process, and I know that whenever something goes wrong, I always try and think ‘what is this teaching me?’. My photography skills have really improved since I’ve embraced social media more. Looking back on early posts, I can see a LOT of mistakes and images that simply wouldn’t make the cut now!
Ok. Let’s now move to the main focus of our discussion. For the benefit of our readers, can you explain why you are an authority about Social Media Marketing?
I’ve been coaching small business owners about how to effectively leverage social media for around a number of years now. In addition, I am a #SheMeansBusiness accredited trainer- a programme run by Enterprise Nation and powered by Facebook, and I am also a Facebook Certified Lead Trainer. I have also completed a number of additional Facebook Blueprint Certifications.
Which social media platform have you found to be most effective to use to increase business revenues? Can you share a story from your experience?
I use Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter the most. I would say that Instagram is brilliant for brand building and speaking to my target market, but as a lot of the work I do with my memberships is focused around Facebook groups, I would have to say Facebook.
Let’s talk about Instagram specifically, now. Can you share five ways to leverage Instagram to dramatically improve your business? Please share a story or example for each.
Of course… the first one is be consistent. Simply showing up is huge on social media. When people are rather sporadic with posting from a business point of view, it can also send out message about how they are in their business, and this could mean that they’re flaky. I always liken it to a TV series- if you know a show is coming on the TV every Sunday night, you’re more likely to invest your time into it and the characters, aren’t you? If it’s random and unreliable, I think most of us would turn off/not bother/find something else to occupy us!
Use the features. Instagram has some incredible features like Stories, Lives, Guides, and recently Reels too. By using these features, you’re helping people consume your content in the way they want. And when you tap into something new that Instagram seem to be prioritising, like Reels at the moment, this can help you too. If you have a look at your Explore page, you’ll see what type of content is appearing the most. At time of writing, Reels takes up a double height space at regular intervals.
Make your content better. You don’t need to use a professional photographer or videographer if you don’t have the budget, but you do need to be putting out the very best content you can with what you have. There are LOADS of tutorials, videos, you name it, to help you improve your photography skills, and you can do amazing things on your phone too. Up skill. Quality images and video make it easier for people to consume your content, more likely that they will, and it also presents your business or brand as professional — which is what we all want!
Get your face on board. People buy from people- it’s as simple as that. If you’re a small business, tell us all about you and let us see YOU! If your business employs a lot of people, get them involved too. This adds a human connection and an extra point that allows people to connect with us through. This is what we want!
Remember, it’s a two way thing. Engagement is really important on social media- it’s the thing that turns casual viewers into buyers. And YOU can influence it. Yes, make sure you put out good content, invite responses and replies, but the KEY is that when someone does respond- reply back. Don’t leave them ‘hanging’ feeling like you don’t really care about their opinion at all! Also, use hashtags to connect with likeminded souls and people with similar interests to your customers. And then engage on their content (in a non-spammy way, obviously!). This will really help you form important connections that have the power to transform your business.
Because of the position that you are in, you are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
When it comes to social media, I would really like people to take a moment before they reply with anything less than pleasant. Over the last year or so, there seems to have been an increase in negativity, arguing, trolling and just general unpleasantness that is not needed or wanted on social media. You don’t have to wade into every fight you’re invited to. You don’t need to see everyone’s comment or post as a personal attack. You’re able to block and mute people who you don’t want to hear from. Use it for good, please. There’s so much good going on on social media, but it gets spoilt by the few.
Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them 🙂
Yes- there are a few, but I’m going to say Jasmine Star. I adore her podcast, love what she teaches, and think she’s supremely talented at what she does. I also love her relationship with JD and how they have shared so much of their adoption journey with little Luna on social media. She really practices what she preaches. And I really admire that.
Thank you so much for these great insights. This was very enlightening!
Rhea Freeman: Five Ways To Leverage Instagram To Dramatically Improve Your Business was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.