#17: How to Creatively Use Hashtags To Engage Buyers on Instagram with Melissa Camilleri
Are you struggling to attract your DREAM clients on social media? Maybe you even have enough followers, but you just aren’t getting the engagement you’d like.
I know SO many designers who struggle with this exact same problem, and it can be super disheartening – that is, until you learn to use hashtags to your advantage!
The good news? Jewelry design lends itself well to visual social media platforms like Instagram. Today, I sat down with Melissa Camilleri, a former high school English and AVID teacher turned designer and CEO of Compliment, Inc and Instagram guru (follow her @shopcompliment)! I truly believe Melissa’s guidance in this episode will help you create the authentic Instagram engagement you crave, so let’s dive right in!
Click here to download the show notes.
Why Hashtag?
When you use a hashtag on Instagram, you’re essentially filing that post away into a category. For example, let’s say you post a photo with #EcoFriendly in the description. When others search for posts that pertain to that certain category, or the #EcoFriendly tag, your post will show up in a feed, along with anyone else who has used that hashtag.
Using hashtags is the best way to attract prospects and new followers, as people who have never even heard of you before can still discover you by simply checking out the feed of a hashtag you used!
Reach Beyond Your Industry
Using industry terms in your hashtags might seem like a smart move, but Melissa tells us to proceed with caution. As she says in today’s episode, using hashtags like “#Jewelry” or “#JewelryDesign” can actually attract more jewelry designers and others in your industry than DREAM clients.
While we totally encourage you to find friends in this industry and get involved in the designer community, it’s important to note that your colleagues and peers might not always be your DREAM clients. Look beyond simply describing a piece pictured in your hashtags, and use words and phrases that your DREAM client is truly searching for.
Connect Through Values
Often, jewelry designers fall into a trap of tagging pictures of our pieces with things like #Necklace or #WireWrapped. While you’re free to tag your posts with those hashtags, keep in mind that your DREAM client isn’t always on the hunt for wire-wrapped necklaces.
Instead, Melissa recommends using your core values as hashtags to attract others who have common interests and values. If you have a tagline or phrase you use often that already describes a value of your business, go ahead and experiment with hashtagging it, and see what kind of response you get!
DREAM Client Avatars are King
If you’ve ever taken a course here at Flourish & Thrive Academy, you’ll know we truly drill in the importance of identifying your DREAM client. When it comes to Instagram, your priorities should be no different. After all, you can’t grab any new clients if you don’t know who you're reaching for!
Take some time to get crystal clear on what your DREAM client does with her day, where she hangs out, what other brands on Instagram is she following, what profession is she in… the list could go on forever! Use these tidbits of information about your DREAM client to brainstorm hashtags that she might be searching!
Melissa is a total goldmine of Instagram information on this subject (she even teaches an Insta-course), so take a listen to the podcast above and let us know in the comments the #1 tip you learned from her today!
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