I tell my clients all the time that a really big part of growing a large community on Instagram is about engagement and reaching out to your ideal customers. Engagement is so much more than just giving a like and moving on, it’s commenting on other people’s posts, it’s saving their posts, sharing their posts with added commentary and responding to other people’s stories. Having a conversation in the DMs is the quickest way to build a strong relationship.

When you’re new to Instagram or you’re just starting out with your business, walking into Instagram can feel like a huge party where you don’t know anyone. It feels like everyone is already friends and it can be hard to find your place. Add having to start conversations with strangers into the mix and the whole thing can feel overwhelming.

Reaching out to people doesn't come naturally to everyone, I truly believe it’s a learnt skill. Believe it or not I am petrified of IRL networking, but doing it online somehow doesn’t feel as scary. It did feel a bit awkward to begin with for sure but after doing it a few times and getting a great response I now feel really comfortable with it.

So here are my top five tips for social networking:

Tip #1: It's going to feel unnatural to begin with, and that's okay. Even if you love networking, it can feel odd to begin with.

Tip #2: Be brave, chances are other people are desperate to make connections too but don’t quite know how to do it. Or don’t have the guts to start a conversation with a stranger. They are going to be so thankful that you have started first. So take that step and you will be rewarded.

Tip #3: Don't overthink it. I know I do this sometimes, over think things, make pointless excuses until I have talked myself out of it. So don't over think it, just do it.

A really good exercise to help avoid overthinking and to get you in the flow is: ‘10 comments, 10 minutes’. So put a timer on your phone, go through your feed and comment on 10 posts, leave meaningful comments, not just the odd emoji and start those conversations. Doing this eliminates that chance for you to over think , you just have to comment. Once you’ve done it a few times it will become second nature.

Tip #4: Be yourself. As long as you are showing up and being yourself and being authentic then that is how you're going to build really strong relationships with people. You don’t want to appeal to everyone, you want to appeal to your community, to those who really resonate with your content and who ultimately are going to buy from you.

Tip #5: Practice, practice, practice. Like everything in life, the more you do it, the easier it will become. The more effort you put into it, the more you will get out of it and the more like second nature it will become. Who knows, you might even enjoy it.

I’d love to hear what you think about social networking. Do you love it? Or have you been putting it off?

Email me at becky@besupersocial.co.uk

For more advice and IGTV content, follow me on Instagram: @be_super_social

MY TOP 5 TIPS FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING