[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]In life’s endeavors, flexibility is key. But in marketing, flexibility is often the culprit of the game-changing, culture-pushing momentum and experiences that leave us on our toes and toward the next movement. 

Be like water. Be flexible.

Flow in the living moment. — We are always in a process of becoming and NOTHING is fixed. Have no rigid system in you, and you’ll be flexible to change with the ever changing. OPEN yourself and flow, my friend. Flow in the TOTAL OPENNESS OF THE LIVING MOMENT. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves. Moving, be like water. Still, be like a mirror. Respond like an echo.
-Bruce Lee, Part II : On Being Human

Staying on top of things and taking responsible steps, towards relevant action and responding to your surroundings with flow towards the living moment – that’s being flexible.

It is a necessary step in your business and towards success in your strategies of all kinds, and this leaves no room behind for social media and integration of staying adaptable.

A Short Time Together

We have to remember the timeline of social media, aside from its propensity for quick change, update pushes, failed technology, abrupt goodbyes, we have to literally keep in mind how new it is and because of this, we can’t expect things to be so set in there ways with IoT and technology at large, so don’t excuse yourself from thinking you won’t have to stay flexible on your social media marketing strategy. 

The new Instagram updates this week are a clear reminder to stay totally and comfortably flexible.

Wired reports that Instagram’s CEO announced they will soon start testing the new feature in the US that hides users’ “like” counts from the public view. This has been going on already outside of the US with select users in select countries including Canada, Australia, and Japan. This also won’t affect the full US immediately, but only some users in the country.

The update comes as a way for the platform to “depressurize” the by-product of unchecked social media behaviors, namely for our youth, but I don’t believe it to be limited to, that are becoming the prominent topic of discussion, as they should be. The mental health of our culture should be a worthy topic of discussion in terms of marketing in general, and Instagram’s values towards cleaning up the internet take responsible for their flow as well.

It shouldn’t come as a total surprise, though we’re not thrilled with the decision, fear not the consequences of shifting along with the experience. 

Instagram Marketing in 2020

With the updates that came with 2019, changing the landscape of social media is something we can expect again in the future, especially as platform begin to include more opportunity and features, whether a content or product consumer, content curator or a shoppable brand, platforms are putting value into creating space for balance. Nobody wants to be just a platform for ads, but social media platforms do want to offer the value they present in the world of business, entertainment, commerce and communication, to begin.

What can I do to progress and improve my Instagram marketing strategy in 2020?

With good, solid branding at the core of your digital marketing strategy, you’ve written the recipe but now you must bake the cake. Build the content your ideal audience desires, in regards to mission and value behind your content, don’t cut any slack in pre-determining or solidifying these values in the way you present your profiles. The face of your business is seen through your social media platforms, especially very visual-leaning ones like Instagram.

Stay Visual, Stay Visible.

Integrate your branding seamlessly with creating templates for yourself of types of posts you’ll be creating (or hire someone like me to help you with that task). It’s a great way to bring out your branding through matching your color palette, typography and staying consistent and building this out if you don’t already have your collateral nailed down. 

Really take your posts to a visual level and don’t hold back on posting content that you feel will accent your profile versus ONLY posting a few times a day – you really shouldn’t limit yourself like that keeping in mind that likes themselves may be fading..or quickly jumping..into the background.

Engagement Plans

Take your engagement levels seriously, and not just visual layouts and what your social media bios read like. Get out into the pool and swim. If we’re still baking that cake, it’s time to ice it. You want to actually bring things together and provide your audience with something they’re going to enjoy, and that’s going to start with connection, with engagement, with action.

Like other posts, comment on others’ posts and engage with new and old followers both, react and engage with stories, post stories and highlights to stay in the current, and utilize features like live streaming and videos to put more life behind your Instagram action and not just seeking and basing your brands’ value off of how many likes appear beneath each post.

Don’t Set Your Analytics Aside for IG Marketing

You will still be able to see this information, and thus gauge your content and your testing and your engagement with posts and ads, so don’t set your analytics aside just yet. This is a great way for you test the waters, and actually, better adjust and manipulate strategies for your Instagram marketing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]