It’s official - Instagram HATES us.We have lost count of how many massive updates have been made to Instagram this year, but this one might be the biggest one yet.<h5>What’s going on?</h5>Instagram has announced that it is rolling out a new update for how your content will look in the feed. For years 1080 pixels by 1080 pixels has been the golden rule when it comes to the size of Instagram feed posts - but Instagram has flipped this rule on its head.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2qaSIbzBwmsjQrGnXW4Wwz/c83045e97da959b122d063daa9155f2e/IMG_0698.PNG" alt="New insta feed"/>The new feed means that feed posts will be shown in 1920 pixels by 1080 pixels (the size of a story or reel) and you can only swipe one post at a time - rather than the previous endless scroll.I wonder where they got this idea from? <h5>The Argument For </h5><h5>Attention</h5>When a larger portion of the screen is being taken up and the endless scroll effect is removed it is easier for users to focus on the content.Think about when you are on TikTok. It feels more like streaming rather than a social platform, and that is because of how prominent the content is on the screen. Rather than the next post in the feed rearing its head, the video you are currently watching has your full attention. This effect may transfer to Instagram retaining more attention to your content.<h5>Ease </h5>We create 100s of pieces of unique content every month between reels, stories and feeds - it can be time-consuming at the best of times.With this latest update, it means the graphics and photos we use for our stories can be used in the feed as well - saving us time having to design the same post twice.<h5>The Argument Against </h5><h5>Blurred lines</h5>Although slightly modified, this new feed looks very similar to TikTok - reducing the separation of apps. I want to scroll on TikTok for 30 minutes and then do the same on another platform that feels different - not the same.The lack of difference between platforms reduces the creator&#39;s creativity - it may feel like you can just copy and paste your content across platforms.<h5>It’s not ready</h5>Meta hasn’t had time to catch up yet.Because this new update hasn’t been released to every user as we write this, creators and businesses can’t implement their new strategy just yet.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/6HYBHgN4KwURKE4OiQMjA3/f0486d84c02078cbf94eb6d808a1e3ef/Screenshot_2022-05-09_at_2.18.26_pm.png" alt="zimmer meta error"/>This is a screenshot from one of our client’s accounts in the scheduling section of Meta.This post is the ratio of the new feed, but Meta won’t allow it to be scheduled due to it not being the “correct” size.Regardless of your opinions or ours it looks like this is the new format of content for Instagram, the only thing left to ask is - are you prepared to pivot your content?If you need some help preparing for the change,<a href="https://calendly.com/glassagencyltd"> book a free consultation</a> today!

It’s official - Instagram HATES us.

We have lost count of how many massive updates have been made to Instagram this year, but this one might be the biggest one yet.


Instagram feed update 

If you needed more proof that vertical video is king, YouTube is adding a new shorts shelf to the trending tab to showcase popular short videos. We are sure you&#39;re sick of reading about it but the disruption, and influence, that TikTok has had on social video content over the last few years is unprecedented!For years horizontal videos were the status quo, this is mainly down to the fact that YouTube is the OG of online video and was one of the first sites that valued video content which other platforms adopted.Since TikTok came about, it has changed many things about how we behave on social media, from watch time to viewer attention, to video orientation.Reels have now become the easiest way to increase page reach on Instagram which is a direct link to TikToks influence. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/4ubmZrsfqgj3ZoyV9TgRe2/cf1b0b52dc7443313fc2c76106604c73/Screenshot_2022-04-26_at_3.15.10_pm.png" alt="Glass video"/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CcQAtruDpjc/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link">This is a video</a> that previously we would have posted in 1080 pixel by 1080 pixel (normal Instagram feed size) but we have had to adapt to how people consume the content. Everything is still the same, just taller. <a href="mailto:ellie@glass.agency">Ellie Harries</a> our social media manager spent the first part of her career as a journalist. During her training, it was reinforced that video content had to be published horizontally, not vertically. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5RvOyDDn51i52aTxSR1YjB/431163585ebfcb9fbba77b210a702133/aaron-weiss-UhSZEG0iLFY-unsplash.jpg" alt="vert"/>This isn’t just our feelings we have the stats to back it up!<a href="https://www.yansmedia.com/blog/vertical-video-statistics">There was a report that came out showing that videos that are published vertically have a 90% higher watch through rate compared to horizontal ones</a>.If you have read this far and are still planning on posting horizontal videos - DON’T. By continuing to post horizontal videos, (especially on TikTok and Reels) you morph yourself and your business into the digital version of your Grandma when she asks you to help with “The” Facebook.

If you needed more proof that vertical video is king, YouTube is adding a new shorts shelf to the trending tab to showcase popular short videos. 

YouTube adding trending shorts

We’ve been down this road before, thinking we’re FINALLY going to get an edit button to help with all those typos we make on Twitter only to be disappointed, but it might actually be on its way…So it turns out that it wasn’t a joke from Twitter on the 1st of April that an edit button was being worked on, despite what we all thought…<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/6oKoIBByOCnPkpRuhI87u7/a2e15ff6c44b55a6811a239c72967b04/Twitter_April_1st.png" alt="Twitter Tweet "/>The @Twittercomms team tweeted just a few days later saying:<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/wQjpRPGyH8kapaf6IZvCB/b0a42c98a761e2309cecdfd09b82bbf3/Screenshot_2022-04-14_at_13.29.54.png" alt="Twitter comms tweet edit button"/>“now that everyone is asking… yes, we’ve been working on an edit feature since last year!no, we didn’t get the idea from a poll we&#39;re kicking off testing within<a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterBlue"> @TwitterBlue</a> Labs in the coming months to learn what works, what doesn’t, and what’s possible.”<h4>When is it coming, and what will it look like?</h4> Well, for now, that’s a mystery. Twitter say it’s being worked on and will go out on Twitter Blue first. It’s not known what the format will be with the rollout after Twitter Blue tries it out, whether verified accounts will be able to try it out before the rest of us or we’ll get it after testing, but we’re interested to see how it plays out.As anyone who uses Twitter will know, there have been calls for an edit button since it began but since it was announced there have been some concerns over what it may bring.Twitter can be a toxic place at times with the amount of abuse some people are subjected to, and it’s a worry to some that people will tweet abuse and then go back and edit it - removing accountability if someone isn’t quick enough to screenshot.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/6DiFQeO3MR5HPTne0fUvdY/7d914ab2a33d19ee15a5162bfac0e99a/Screenshot_2022-04-14_at_13.31.20.png" alt="Astronaut tweet to Elon Musk on Twitter"/>For us, it’s something that would be a nice feature to have especially when we’re furiously tweeting Meta or another social media platform in a rage when something isn’t working, or they’ve rejected our adverts again, and we make a typo.We’ll wait and see what comes about, or whether this was just a big ploy by Twitter to get us all discussing the platform more.

We’ve been down this road before, thinking we’re FINALLY going to get an edit button to help with all those typos we make on Twitter only to be disappointed, but it might actually be on its way…

Is a Twitter edit button really coming? And is it a good thing?

Some time ago, we reported that Instagram had plans to revert its feed to chronological order.After years of users pleading with the social platform to bring back a chronological order feed they have finally listened - but not exactly how we thought it would be.Instead of reverting to a single feed that shows posts in order of the time they were posted, Instagram has introduced a &quot;Following&quot; and &quot;Favourites&quot; feed to allow users to &quot;quickly catch up on the posts you don&#39;t want to miss&quot;.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/57W9WSRJLTMyTSUQTvE19s/f8e22ddb67a2d317838104d7b055889d/Glass__4_.png" alt="Preview of new Instagram feed update "/><h4>Favourites </h4>When you select the favourites tab you will be shown the latest posts from a list of up to 50 accounts that you can pick and edit. This can be your best friends, your favourite creators, or favourite social media agency... <h4>Following</h4>As you would expect, the following tab will show you posts from a mix of accounts that you are already following.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/6ImrXsNxe2z1KEPCLveFjM/781663a63731ccec46cb75c7d1f4ecb7/Glass__3_.png" alt="feed"/><h4>Home</h4>Instagram has said that &quot;home&quot; is what we know as the current feed. It will stay the same as it is now with a mix of ranked content from people you follow and recommend content you may like.This will be the default view on the app, so unless you click the top left of the screen and choose favourites or following, you won&#39;t see any difference.<h4>Our Opinion</h4>For those of us who remember the OG chronological feed, this news isn&#39;t exactly what we had in mind. We just wanted to see more of our friends and fewer Instagram &quot;comedians&quot;.This update seems like it will be similar to Twitter&#39;s feed - with more steps. But it will be interesting to see how this update will affect reach and engagement for small accounts.

Some time ago, we reported that Instagram had plans to revert its feed to chronological order.
After years of users pleading with the social platform to bring back a chronological order feed they have finally listened - but not exactly how we thought it would be.

Instagram release chronological order feed

Another day, and another change to the fastest growing social media platform out there.If you’ve been using any form of social media for the past ten years, you’ll be aware that Snapchat was the originator when it came to ‘stories’ (way back in 2013) allowing people to upload content that remained on the platform for just 24 hours.It was only 3 years later when Instagram clearly took notice and thought it would be a great addition to its platform - and here we all are today uploading content to our Instagram stories on the daily, and keeping our followers in the loop as to what we’re doing each dayNow TikTok is rolling out a similar idea - we’d hate to say they were copying!<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3riGVfssjHXeOgIq01eiGA/46b21bba7de61c7ac8d8dca0e196e1e1/Untitled_design__3_.png" alt="Tiktok stories "/>These will disappear after 24 hours, remarkably similar to Snapchat and Instagram...However.Unlike the other two platforms (and the likes of Facebook and Whatsapp), there’s one thing missing currently it seems… and that’s the ability to scroll through multiple creators’ stories.On Instagram, we’re very used to seeing all of those we follow stories at the top of the feed when we open the app but right now, you have to go onto a creators’ profile on TikTok to see their story.It’s understood from what we’ve seen online that this could be changing, but for the time being, we’ll have to check out our favourite TikTok-ers profiles to see what they’re uploading to their stories.To do that, you simply have to click on their profile and click on the photo icon (if it’s highlighted in blue) to see it. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5jpLUsCFEpTK2tDklqfnIk/cf6f3a5f878a2491a7beb365d0502042/IMG_6300.jpg" alt="Tiktok stories Ellie Harries profile"/> So, what next for TikTok?Videos have gone from allowing just 1 minute of content to 3 minutes, to now 10 - and with stories being introduced, will we need to go anywhere else to inhale the video content we all desire?

Gone are the days of just 60-second videos on TikTok - the social media platform is changing it up again.TikTok introduced 3-minute videos just last year, so it’s not surprising that they’re switching it up and extending their video length to compete with other platforms.<h4>Notifications</h4>So when is the change coming into play?Well, this is the notification we received yesterday… and if we’re already being informed with our small platform, you’ll likely all have access to it as well.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1SdgJlFFHPYMNdMGzdkpQ9/01f70cb9056ee5c2587ee90680c3ba03/Screenshot_20220228-080749__01.jpg" alt="TikTok notification 10 minute videos"/>You will have to have the latest version of the app, so make sure your phone is updated (worth checking the app store, and it might not be available on older phones).And… that’s it really! We’ll have to keep an eye on the statistics to see if it’s going to succeed, but if we could bet on it we would. TikTok changed the game when it comes to short-form video, let’s see how it gets on with long form.

A major player in the creation of a successful marketing plan is the skill to develop a solid social media strategy for your business, so why not take yours to the next level like so many others and head over to TikTok? Just in case you’ve been isolating under a rock for the past year, TikTok is a video-sharing social media platform and is currently the most downloaded app in the last year, with more than 1.1 billion users at present.Maybe you’ve spotted people wearing those honeycomb leggings in the gym? Or even been intrigued when seeing people drink freakishly green water? Well, these two products blew the minds of millions of users across TikTok, with the two hashtags wracking up a staggering 367 million views!<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1waRMF5z5XoqLSQarReVWA/8713c0c6f2a7633237b86e1f8cdf0aec/solen-feyissa-Yaw9mfG9QfQ-unsplash.jpg" alt="stock logo"/>By now you should see where we’re going with this, if you’re not already on the platform, get on it! With the much-needed shift to online shopping, especially over the pandemic, your business should take a switched-on approach and open your products up to the world of eCommerce across apps such as TikTok. So how do you create the perfect social media strategy to boost your sales and business? Let’s get right into it!<h2>First Things First, Online Shopping on TikTok </h2>With social commerce becoming a big part of our trending apps, long gone are the days when you had to leave the house to shop for clothes, new furniture, or even electronics. Nowadays we don’t even have to get out of bed to grab our laptop and order something, with online shopping bursting through the screens of our phones.Having the ability to sell your product on the world’s largest platforms for FREE is only something a digital marketer would’ve dreamt of back in the early 2000s, but now you’ve got the chance to do so right at the tips of your fingers, so what are you waiting for? TikTok is continuously rolling out new retail features, including an innovation that allows users to share shopping experiences through links and also earn commissions from the sales they convert. TikTok has also embarked on an exciting partnership with Shopify, allowing the app to be integrated for their users too.Having created a new customer journey through the app itself, the familiarity of using the platforms creates a secure level of trust between the brand and consumer, this then goes on to generate an easy trigger finger for shoppers to make purchases through the app. <h2>Make Your Mark With TikTok</h2>Now that you know social media shops are the ultimate step in switching up your business strategy, the next step you need to take is to create your business social media accounts, if you don’t already have them, and begin posting valuable, innovative content. Here are our 4 top tips you can use to skyrocket your business with TikTok: <h3>Capture Those Moments </h3>Always have your phone on hand to capture every step of the process, when creating your product. Film it in portrait mode, find a trending sound, and make it fun! Using short, captivating videos for your TikTok creates access to a wider reach of audiences and helps maintain your growth in engagement, this leads to an increase in revenue.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1q90JYouxIiz4nitdnwfNT/9901d23ff3f30b1772ec2582c948d3fa/Taking-photo-of-ceramic-bowl-1022102.jpg" alt="taking photo"/><h3>Going Live in 3...2...1... </h3>Take your business to the next level by going live on TikTok, it’s an excellent way to authentically connect with your audience on many levels. It allows you to effectively build brand affinity and strengthen your trust between consumers and businesses. Be aware though - you need to have 1000 followers to go live, so build up that following!<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5LtWKdtXmVLv7nBV16Y64h/6cd9924fcc6e688197162f51ae2db6cc/Screenshot_2021-12-23_at_11.14.36_am.png" alt="Live screeshot"/><h3>#AD - Influencers And Content Creators </h3>Influencers and Content Creators have built up their own community of followers and hardcore fans, so by teaming up with them - your brand can: ● Be exposed to a larger audience ● Have a possible boost in sales● Provide credibility through endorsement by someone trusted <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5xSrtp9EK0L5UFiiH53WJ7/7c16493997b599b5dfafe870404f40e0/amanda-vick-pPV-kqfs5wA-unsplash.jpg" alt="content"/><h3>People Purchase From People </h3>Taking notice of the content created by customers and users across social platforms is now a key to success. It is cost-effective and, because people are regularly creating content, user-generated content fortifies trust between brands and consumers.Studies have shown that user-generated content is five times more likely to drive sales than a piece of content curated through brand-sponsored posts, it’s a trend that you cannot afford to surpass. <h3># and Trends</h3>Using a sound that’s trending, is one of the best ways to get seen as the FYP (For You Page) will be rolling out videos with that, so you could be in luck and reach a wider audience. Creating your brand&#39;s very own hashtag allows you to share this with followers who can then use this throughout their own content, submitting videos related to your brand. This hashtag can then be shared across a variety of social platforms allowing brands to survey the metrics produced from these, such as popularity, whether influencers or content creators hop on your trend, and also how quick it grows and spreads across the platform.<h2>Get Started Today </h2>With TikTok bringing a new lease of life to social media user engagement and behaviours, it’s your time to jump on the trend train and kickstart your brand’s TikTok journey. Part of this new evolution comes from creating and solidifying your company’s social commerce strategically across multiple platforms. <a href="https://calendly.com/glassagencyltd">Get in touch</a> with our agency today to find out how we can take your brand to the next level!

Take your social media game to the next level with TikTok

With the worldwide pandemic affecting us all, lockdown brought us closer than ever to technology with TikTok downloads skyrocketing and reaching an estimated 800 million monthly active users. The one thought on everyone’s minds now though; will the usage of the video platform die down with the world returning to normality? According to the latest figures, TikTok is only going to get stronger.TikTok recently posted a survey of 500 UK TikTok users, with 54% of users saying that they will maintain their usage of the TikTok platform over the next six months, whilst 33% of users claimed they will increase theirs. Just 13% of the platform’s users said that their TikTok usage would reduce, this can be due to many circumstances such as returning to full-time work after furlough or starting a new role (check out the results in <a href="https://dashboard.askattest.com/survey/4WXF4AW48K3DR3/results">Attest’s interactive dashboard</a>).The video platform has now become an important place for consumers to discover new brands, with 79% of respondents agreeing that they have found and explored new businesses through TikTok, 54% have purchased from a brand after finding them via the TikTok app.The influence TikTok holds to drive a purchase was seen to peak earlier this year, with the release of Little Moons Japanese Mochi Ice Cream Balls sending users wild across the UK. With the craze being talked about outside of the TikTok community and even reaching publishers on a variety of online platforms, taking a trip to Tesco in search of Little Moons caused a huge push in sales by more than 1,000%.So why are brands waiting to get in on the TikTok act? It comes with a need for uniqueness and an effort to resonate with TikTok’s particular audience, do you think your brand’s got what it takes?TikTok’s Stats of Unique DemographicsThe first thought that comes to mind when talking about TikTok’s users are Generation Z, but what brands may not realise is the app’s not exclusively for youngsters; 43% of survey respondents were aged over 25. What interests us, in particular, is that this sector of App Users is showing the biggest growth potential from the range of TikTok’s audiences.With 92% of people in the older age group planning to maintain or even increase their usage of the app in the next six months, just 84% of respondents aged 18 to 25 plan to maintain their platform usage.The two demographics strongly believe that TikTok helps them find and explore new brands, yet it is the younger bracket of users who claim to be highly engaged with brands on the App itself. The majority of TikTok users aged 18 to 25 stated that they follow brands on the platform and just over 59% of respondents say they’ve gone on to buy from brands after seeing their products across their content. A smaller percentage of users aged 26 and over follow brands on TikTok and 46% have made a purchase. When dividing the data established from the survey, you can see a similar difference in engagement with women being found to be more interested in brands on TikTok than men are. Almost 62% of female users follow brands on the platform, whilst just 52% of males take the same action. As you can see from the data, there’s a large gap between the genders of who’s being driven to create a conversion with a brand; 65.5% of women state they’ve purchased a brand they’ve been exposed to on TikTok versus just 41% of men.Produce Innovative Content Wanting to leave a mark on TikTok? Then you need to be sure to put your highest efforts into creating innovative, creative content. TikTok has got you covered when it comes to distinctive filters, stickers and music that render videos made for the platform easily identifiable. The platform is also known for its homemade, authentic style, which even the most well-known brands will have to be on board with to get into their consumer’s For You Page (FYP).<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1pUd5MlQGKgPfqNo3ofpSI/9029e1e4fcac4a03ccb7e85c5f17ef1e/jenny-ueberberg-B8A3_0qfNzg-unsplash.jpg" alt="content"/>When it comes to the users themselves, they want to escape and enjoy their time scrolling through their FYP, looking at content that makes them feel a certain emotion, whether it’s funny, exciting or even heart-felt content; there’s an audience for everyone. One of the strongest examples of a brand that’s found success through the platform is Ryanair, they’ve done this by finding themselves on the humorous side of TikTok with their content often focusing on trending memes and formats, bringing them over 23.8 Million likes across their page.The second-highest ranking type of content is tutorials. With the trend of ‘As seen on TikTok’ spreading the platform like wildfire, whether it&#39;s learning the latest trending dance routine to the newest TikTok hits or how to make the perfect roast potato on PotatoTok. Some brands have an easier adaptation to this style of content, with the likes of MAC Cosmetics giving its viewers the How-To format of using their products on “all ages, all races, all genders”.One of the main content innovations that kept the nation smiling at the start of lockdown was the number of dance challenges and iconic lip-syncing scenes that sparked up across TikTok - and users are known to like it when brands either join in on the fun themselves or even start their own challenges! And it’s not just the younger audience looking up to the likes of Charli D’amelio, 41% of those aged 26 and over like to see a dance routine spark up on their FYP, compared to just 36.5% of those aged 18 to 25 entertained by these pieces of content.The magic that comes with starting a lip-sync or dance challenge is that, if it goes viral across the platform, brands can bring in masses of user-generated content. A great example of this is to look at E.l.f. Cosmetics as they created a viral dance challenge #EyesLipsFace which resulted in the curation of 3 million user-generated videos and literally billions of views.Who’s Smashing It?One of the biggest brands on TikTok, holding 1.6 million followers to date, Nike curates some of the most innovative content on the platform. With their huge following and presence also known away from the app, their page has become a great place to find your favourite sports stars having their fair share of TikTok challenges and trends thrown to them. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1JKZnwZwQ721INQ4JAmq1T/1c5a3c5c7c676f688b4184426a765302/Screenshot_2021-12-23_at_11.31.30_am.png" alt="Nike "/>Their most recent trending hashtag #BreakItDown has brought to light the stars hidden behind the screens of TikTok. In doing so, Nike encourages users to post their own unique sporting skills and share the behind the scenes on how to accomplish them. This style of user-generated content is the perfect format to reshare to your brand’s page, especially when it becomes a How-To form of video along with it being relatable and educational, this challenge has brought in over 2.6 million views to the Nike TikTok Page.With a whopping 9.2 million likes across their TikTok page, the UK fast-fashion brand Pretty Little Thing (PLT) is doing pretty well on the platform as they have gained over 763 thousand followers. With a feed that reflects their eye-catching colourful brand identity, PLT uses a mixed style of content such as giveaways and product spotlight videos to reach and engage their followers. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2P3iwZ7RJ3YadiiZsnQi6f/81c87977d820323810fe853d14205351/Screenshot_2021-12-23_at_11.36.13_am.png" alt="PLT"/>Through innovative, interactive content on their page, Pretty Little Thing encourages their TikTok followers to tag friends in their video’s comments, share their content across other platforms and also ask to see their follower’s outfits/try-on hauls too! This allows PLT to keep existing followers interested in the brand through the content they’re producing, whilst simultaneously expanding their reach beyond their immediate followers.Hop-On The TrendUsing TikTok as part of your marketing strategy allows your brand to show another side of the business to your followers and future customers, you can build a niche community, and target a younger generation of buyers too!With TikTok becoming one of the biggest video content platforms in the app marketplace, you can enjoy creating and experimenting with video, and with the right strategy for your business, you can use TikTok to grow from there!If you&#39;re interested in finding out how Glass can help you build your TikTok brand, contact the team.

TikTok's brand building abilities

Gone are the days of just 60-second videos on TikTok - the social media platform is changing it up again.

TikTok expands to allow 10 minute videos

Instagram is continuing its trend of developing tools and resources to benefit its creators in an attempt to attract them to stay on the platform. Following Twitch, Youtube, and TikTok - Instagram has decided to add the option for moderators (mods) to be selected during live streams.These platforms have had live moderators for quite some time now, protecting creators from online abuse - allowing them to build out a community in a safe environment.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1l5QQgH8oyrhu6x6KMtyy3/39bbd382b95f5389d20e1bc3d3904570/Glass.png" alt="Insta Tweet"/><h4>What does this new feature mean? </h4>Creators can now choose people to monitor their live streams with the power to remove viewers, report comments, and limit comments during a stream. &#39;Mods&#39; are usually on the lookout for trolls and hateful comments being posted in the live chat.This option will allow creators to focus on their streams with the knowledge that their chat, and community, is functioning how they want it.<h4>How do you implement it?</h4>Instagram has made it simple to add someone as a &#39;mod&#39; to your live. All you have to do is tap the 3 dots in the comment bar during a live and search for the account you want to add.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1P4tOryzBarNOfiVekPxsI/e4833d39d682961bb33cd8bf0daaedf0/58.png" alt="Mods "/>It is unclear if this feature will be available on all types of accounts yet - but we imagine it will be for creator and business accounts only.<h4>Why have they done this?</h4>Instagram seem to be using this as another opportunity to move towards a creator first model.This change will incentivise high profile users to use the platform as their primary source of content distribution. Adding a level of community monitoring on the app also opens more opportunities for brand deals and ads.<h4>Our opinion</h4>In some people&#39;s eyes, Instagram has in a way &quot;neglected&quot; creators when compared to its competitors.The other platforms have direct ways of monetising content, personal creator contacts and many of the creator tools Instagram is only releasing now. With the threat apps like TikTok pose, it seems that Instagram is being forced to compete and do all it can to keep users on the platform.If creators can go live on Instagram with the knowledge that they won&#39;t have to deal with hate, they may be more likely to stick around. Is it too little too late for Instagram? Or do you think this feature will encourage users to stick around?

Instagram is continuing its trend of developing tools and resources to benefit its creators in an attempt to attract them to stay on the platform.

What is the new Instagram moderator feature?

Another day, and another change to the fastest growing social media platform out there.


Tiktok rolls out Snapchat and Instagram-style stories to more users

Understanding the importance of great social content is only the start, you need to come up with ideas to start creating it. Sometimes businesses hit a creative wall when it comes to creating content, they don’t know what to post or what they want to say.We have heard many say that their company is too small or niche to create content about, but content can come from anything, as long as you create it with your audience in mind. We want to look at different businesses and explain the type of content we would create if we were in charge of their social accounts.First up is car dealerships, but this type of content can be applied to any business in a similar industry.<h5>Car Specs</h5>This piece of content would be a hosted video, detailing individual car features and specs. Think of a Top Gear style video showcasing all the key points of a car, and some clips of it in action.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2x2efzg4IfTyAhc1ZS9faR/c91fbcb639fa665e9e9998a34a36659b/brock-wegner-pWGUMQSWBwI-unsplash.jpg" alt="nn"/>You want to show people the products you have to sell but that doesn’t mean it has to be boring, have some fun with it! By creating a video on the cars, running down all of the specs and key features like tech accessories, engine size, or top speed you will educate consumers while giving an entertaining piece of content for them watch.<h5>New Driver Advice</h5>Who are buying cars all year round without fail? New drivers. Young drivers make up a large portion of car sales each year. You can target this demographic by giving free advice to young or new drivers. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/a1H8Y3EpSZ4Uzs5EZ5eTw/d4a1896d8177643163cd863f04b58252/istockphoto-172476634-612x612.jpeg" alt="New driver stocl "/>Think about the things people new to being behind the wheel don’t know, but really should. Topics that could be covered are; how to change a tire, how to pick the right insurance, how to check fluid levels, and much more.By developing a relationship with consumers at a young age, you instil a sense of brand loyalty. You are able to educate them which will create a positive rapport with them before they walk through your doors.<h5>Scenic Photos</h5>Although many companies already display high-quality photos of the cars they offer, it can be taken a step further. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/6WNZm00KWWhrlQvQthdWmo/59df2caaa59c9ae54ccf4c856b7b3c4a/jon-flobrant-lRSChvh1Mhs-unsplash.jpg" alt="scenic car "/>Don’t just take photos in your carpark, go out to the surrounding areas or places that customers will recognise. This will add a sense of local knowledge and community.<h5>Trip Locations</h5>Many people buy cars to go on adventures. So why not give your customers ideas on where to visit? <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3hCHc87IYifhhkTLad6iOE/28438d55b1bceeabef462609f661a2fa/jean-frederic-fortier-RkBTPqPEGDo-unsplash.jpg" alt="Trip stock "/>Utilise the guide feature on Instagram to give recommendations on local spots, landmarks, and businesses to take road trips.A past example of this is the famous Michelin Stars. <a href="https://www.lookers.co.uk/blog/history-of-the-michelin-guide#:~:text=Origins,of%20the%20Michelin%20tyre%20company.">The origins</a> of the hospitality rating system came from the tire manufacturer Michelin. They wanted to increase driving in France so people would go through tires faster - increasing their sales. They created a guidebook for the best restaurants out of town to encourage people to drive more.Give people a reason to use your product and then capitalise on it.The main thing to remember when creating content for social media is “it’s not all about you”. You need to give people a reason to want to follow your socials and the quickest way to do that is by giving them content they will enjoy or find useful.If you are interested in exploring a bespoke content strategy click here to book a free <a href="https://calendly.com/glassagencyltd">consultation</a>.

Understanding the importance of great social content is only the start, you need to come up with ideas to create content around. Sometimes businesses hit a creative wall when it comes to creating content, they don’t know what to post or what they want to say.

4 types of social media content for car dealerships

Social media management can consume a lot of time from small businesses. You have to create, research, schedule, and engage on your profiles - all on top of running your business.Simply put it can become a job in itself.To make life a little easier for you we put together a list of 4 social media management tools to help save you time and increase the quality of your social media content.<h5>Content Creation: Canva</h5> Canva is the secret weapon of social media managers across the world. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/7cgQzgojNx3L0hncLylClL/472c1cf7dc65ca1e4d800bc259a551ca/canva-screenshot.png" alt="Screenshot"/>Canva is a free online alternative to paid programs like photoshop. The site will help you create posts for social media providing access to hundreds of design assets, fonts, colours, and templates. The site is extremely user friendly so even if you have zero design experience you can still create eye-catching content for your brand.<h5>Research: Google Trends</h5>Understanding what people are already searching for will help you when you begin to create content. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3pMgZQfdpA2wv3Omimi4cV/07516026cde1950e582ab8c7b5c3327c/Screenshot_2022-01-04_at_1.08.08_pm.png" alt="screenshot google "/>Google Trends is a free service that allows you to see how often words or phrases are searched over a certain period of time. If you are struggling to come up with ideas for content, search your industry in Google Trends and it will provide you with how often people are looking for information on topics and suggest other things you can cover.<h4> Images: Unsplash </h4><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2rlB2F9vAZ5mrcjQ66hjFJ/e7f3f762c31215270c0875cc0e847596/Screenshot_2022-01-04_at_1.09.10_pm.png" alt="screenshot"/>Unsplash is a large library of high quality, professional photos that you can use for free. For small businesses trying to grow their social media it can be hard to invest in unique images, so take advantage of this free resource. If you are ever covering a general topic or don&#39;t have a budget for photos check it out! <h4> Planning: Monday</h4>We have recently trialled Monday and we are loving it! <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/4tTlS8NYSG72uxu2K21G54/51d373dc950d07784ec3e2a51a618462/Main_view_publish_date.png" alt="Monday screenshot"/>Monday is a versatile content planner that allows you to collaborate with members of your team to review, edit, and schedule content. The site has templates that allow you to customise the workflow for whatever task you require.Try these 4 tools to manage your social media platforms and give yourself more time to focus on growing your business and interacting with your customers!

Social media management can consume a lot of time from small businesses. You have to create, research, schedule, and engage on your profiles - all on top of running your business.

4 tools for social media management 


Instagram is one of the most used social media platforms in the world, but how can you use it to grow your business?Instagram is a diverse platform that hosts every kind of demographic that you can think of, meaning whoever you are targeting will most likely spend some time there. As easy as it sounds, growing on Instagram can be tricky but by remembering these tips you’ll be able to establish your brand on social media and grow your business as a whole.<h5>Instagram shop</h5>Instagram released its shopping feature in 2019 - allowing businesses of all sizes the opportunity to increase their sales and shorten their customer’s shopping journey. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/146iwsQvg2QBgHvGILUbgp/76acc313871c5e61923f606272c5ac08/Glass__1_.png" alt="shop"/>It is estimated that more than 800,000 shoppers use Instagram every month so by actively posting and utilising this feature you have the opportunity to grow your business and sales.Check out our article on &quot;<a href="https://glass.agency/how-to-create-an-instagram-shop">How do you set up an Instagram shop?</a>&quot;. <h5>Content </h5>There is no secret cheat code to growing your business or Instagram account, it takes time and effort. But where should you channel your energy to get the most out of your time?The answer is into your content. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1pUd5MlQGKgPfqNo3ofpSI/9029e1e4fcac4a03ccb7e85c5f17ef1e/jenny-ueberberg-B8A3_0qfNzg-unsplash.jpg" alt="content"/>As with all social media platforms content is how people find your account, and what they care about - so you need to spend some time on it. Look into what your audience would be interested in seeing, and work your content around that.Check out our article “<a href="https://glass.agency/how-to-create-social-media-content">How to create social content</a>” to understand what goes into making good social media content.<h5>Instagram lives</h5>The great thing about social media is the ability to strip back a corporate image and showcase the personal side of your business - lives are an easy way to do this. You can go live on your account to answer questions from followers, show off an event you are attending, and collaborate with influencers or other businesses.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5Hmj6uaXrQVjySXvPx9N1B/106bd2c8ef38eb193ce5386a55314c1c/instgaram_live_.jpeg" alt="Live stock"/>Sharing your platform with others in these lives is a great way to grow as you gain access to another audience - if the content on your profile is strong they might just stick around.<h5>Reels </h5>Let’s be honest - Instagram Reels are almost a knock off of TikTok but can you blame them for giving it a go after the success of the video-sharing platform?Instagram has always been the go-to for photo sharing but because of apps like TikTok, they are starting to push their focus to video - and that means they’ll push your video content to more people over a still image in most cases.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/7gKEgqNP3YvIPq6p6pIGGt/9548c7f771802b04faefba2ff916fb7b/Glass__2_.png" alt="Reels stock"/>If you want to grow your Instagram page and brand then you need to invest in video content to ensure you are maximising your reach. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to hire out a production company and write a script - your phone is more powerful than you think and YouTube can teach you anything you need to know.<h5>Community engagement</h5>One of the things Instagram can help your business with is increasing brand awareness - this is done through community engagement.Due to the platform’s blend of both consumers and brands, it’s important to interact with other accounts so you can stay in touch with what’s going on in your industry, and know what your customers care about.The simplest way to do this is to search hashtags in the discover section that relate to your business and start interacting with the posts. Like content and join in on the comment section with your opinion on the topics being discussed to show your brand’s personality and make your presence known. <h5>Insights</h5><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/4943fYxn6W4eUyp2B2mQ33/35f63c6805a2bc97f9a53b3195e27092/georgia-de-lotz-Ebb8fe-NZtM-unsplash.jpg" alt="stock insights"/>Measuring results is a big part of growing a business, and Instagram offers an in-depth tool to track and measure the reach of each post you publish and the growth of your account as a whole. This allows you to understand how well you are doing and make adjustments to your strategy to ensure you are moving in the right direction.<h5>Influencers</h5>Instagram is home to the modern-day influencer and with the right strategy they can massively affect your business for the better. <a href="https://digitalmarketinginstitute.com/blog/20-influencer-marketing-statistics-that-will-surprise-you">The Digital Marketing Institute</a> reported that 49% of consumers depend on influencer recommendations, and 40% had purchased something after seeing it on Twitter, YouTube or Instagram. These influencers are able to build a unique relationship with their followers earning their trust - by partnering with them that trust is extended to you. Instagram is a great place to grow your brand and increase your business, but it’s useless unless you put the work in. Use the tools at your disposal and follow the tips above and you will see an improvement in your Instagram.

Instagram is one of the most used social media platforms in the world, but how can you use it to grow your business?


How to grow your business on Instagram


With 55 million businesses already on LinkedIn, it’s no surprise that many B2B companies struggle to stand out on the platform when they’re putting no time or effort into what they’re posting.It’s why we believe creating a strong profile image, and posting strategy, is a must in 2022 to help you succeed.So how do you get started on that? Here are our three top tips!<h5>Sort your profile out</h5>If you let the small things slip through the cracks like the quality of your LinkedIn profile photo, how can a client trust you won’t do the same with them?Image is everything and when someone clicks on your LinkedIn profile it&#39;s the first impression they will have of your company, so spend some time to ensure it’s a positive one. Your picture should be a high-quality file of your logo, and your header should give an insight into your company - for example, work highlights.LinkedIn profile pictures should be a 300 x 300 pixel, 1x1 ratio (square), png file.The LinkedIn banner should be 1536 x 768 pixels.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5fKGmn5IURNHpFWb6HsoZF/9c9f94ae9c85efafcad8edf5fe51f353/Screenshot_2021-12-19_at_7.23.15_pm.png" alt="lINKED IN SS"/>Take a look at our LinkedIn profile as an example. Our profile picture shows our logo clearly, and it’s correctly sized too. Our banner ties in with our branding - clean, minimalist, and bold. Our banner showcases our tagline and gives an insight into the platforms we work on.Next up, you need to make sure every detail on your page is completed.This means checking the location of your business, how people can contact you, and a description of what you do.This will also let LinkedIn categorise your profile and know who to show your content to.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/6DlTGFzLECjNKgMURzaoed/4c2dcfe53bb1546529b4b5c331dac95e/how-to-create-linkedin-company-page-11-1024x686.png" alt="Linkedin"/><h5>Content </h5>As with every other social media platform, you grow your brand and following through the content that you publish.So, please, put some effort into it! Asking questions, highlighting services, and showcasing your team are just a few examples of the type of content that works really well on LinkedIn.Ensure you keep publishing valuable content and being authentic to your company&#39;s values and you’ll succeed.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3d8WVRFunBtOglSXrGZA3s/cab9afc4949a5b620c16a2f336181ebb/Screenshot_2021-12-21_at_12.50.56_pm.png" alt="LinkedIn- Nike"/>LinkedIn also throws something else into the mix that other social media platforms don’t directly allow for - the posting of your own articles.They are blog posts for the social age allowing you to dive into a topic further than a simple post accompanied by a video, image, or graph.This type of long-form content will allow you to demonstrate your authority and knowledge within your industry opening to a wider audience and conversation.What’s also important to note with LinkedIn and the content you post, is that it can help with your SEO ranking. LinkedIn’s domain authority score is 98/100 - meaning when people search for a topic on Google that you have written about, your article has a good chance of being at the top.<h5>Get Personal </h5>A company profile, and posting on it, is a must - but wouldn’t you trust a person over a brand more? This isn’t for everyone but developing a personal brand on LinkedIn will benefit your company. People connect with people so having a face rather than a logo will get people to lower their guard. If you share or publish content to your personal account all bases are covered.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3FZ8TCcRQRbXYdfPbX3krP/4a48bb6ee7c1433bb990790fa226d825/Thursday_App.jpeg" alt="Thursday Founder "/>This is <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-rawlings-32b726112/">George Rawlings</a> the Co-founder &amp; CEO of the dating app “<a href="https://www.getthursday.com/ ">Thursday</a>”. If you have been on LinkedIn over the last year we&#39;re sure you will have heard of them with multiple marketing posts going viral. Most recently the app has recreated the Christmas movie “The Holiday” and has documented the whole journey on the companies profile and George’s per<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3TiA7eBmKMYY26AQtRiZe0/3a19d839be94d47d2c161d6e8126fb6b/Untitled_design__1_.png" alt="Thursday app"/>As you can see, the 2 posts above are on the same topic - one posted from the company account and one from George’s personal account. The post published from the personal account exceeded the brand by over 600 likes! As George is a person and not a brand his posts feel more sincere - it doesn’t feel like he is promoting his product, just sharing his life and that’s what social media is all about.So time to get started! By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to making your LinkedIn profile stand out from the crowd.If you have any questions about growing your LinkedIn profile, <a href="https://glass.agency/contact">get in touch</a> and we’d be happy to help.

With 55 million businesses already on LinkedIn, it’s no surprise that many B2B companies struggle to stand out on the platform when they’re putting no time or effort into what they’re posting.
It’s why we believe creating a strong profile image, and posting strategy is a must in 2022 to help you succeed.

How to make your LinkedIn business profile stand out

After months of jokes about screenshotting NFTs to claim ownership via profile pictures, Twitter has released an official verification process for NFT profile pictures.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/7nPVUvj5z7CwhCku7NgANK/706d03d44d75053a41aa92a526c5485a/Credit__TwitterBlue.png" alt="Twitter NFT "/><a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterBlue"></a>Credit: @<a href="https://twitter.com/TwitterBlue">TwitterBlue</a>With this new feature, you are able to link your ETH wallet to your Twitter account and select an NFT you own to use as a profile picture. At the moment you can only use ETH NFTs but Twitter has stated that this is just the “first iteration” and in time they may go on to offer other blockchains.Once you select an NFT for your profile picture, instead of the normal circle border accompanied with standard profile pictures you get a hexagonal one.If another user attempts to screenshot your NFT profile picture and upload it without buying it, they will be left with a plain JPeg and circular border.This new feature makes Twitter the first social platform to integrate NFT technology in a meaningful way. As the months pass web 3.0 is growing more and more prominent in society, so the only question is - are you going to embrace it or ignore it?

After months of jokes about screenshotting NFTs to claim ownership via profile pictures, Twitter has released an official verification process for NFT profile pictures.

Twitter integrates NFTs 

Instagram has now announced that it will be trialling a subscription-based feature on the app.Although only a handful of creators in the US have been chosen for the trial phase Instagram has said “we have plans to expand access to more creators over the next few months.”If you are curious about how the subscription feature will work you can follow and subscribe to these creators taking part in the trial:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/alanchikinchow/">@alanchikinchow</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sedona._/">@sedona._</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alizakelly/">@alizakelly</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kelseylynncook/">@kelseylynncook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/elliottnorris/">@elliottnorris</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jordanchiles/">@jordanchiles</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jackjerry/">@jackjerry</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bunnymichael/">@bunnymichael</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/donalleniii/">@donalleniii</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lonnieiiv/">@lonnieiiv</a>.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3f0fQico3zO346PiP73Fl8/0a3e417c103f01f9247b69943779f136/credit.png" alt="Screenshot of insta post "/><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CY7BcQcvCgh/">Credit: @Creators</a>These creators will be able to set a monthly price of their choice, unlock a “subscribe” button on their profile and offer exclusive content to their subscribers.<h4>What you get for your money</h4>Subscriber Lives This feature will work in the same way as a traditional Instagram Live does but with the benefit of a smaller viewership -  meaning your favourite creator is more likely to see your live messages.Subscriber Stories This will be similar to the “close friend” stories but only for subscribers. When subscribed to a creator you will be able to see exclusive 24-hour content. Subscriber Badges Subscribers will be able to stand out to their favourite creators with badges next to their names any time they comment or message the creator.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/3j0fYounYW7DFSojCkTDte/1c3894edc0f8acf91cb1c8ad2a78219b/Untitled__1024____78px___1024____768px_.png" alt="screenshot"/><a href="https://business.instagram.com/blog/subscriptions-creators-instagram-recurring-monthly-income/">Credit: Meta for Business</a>This kind of paywall content is appealing to users because it feels like they are building a more personal relationship with their favourite creators.But that doesn&#39;t mean that this new feature is only for creators - This opens opportunities for businesses too.If you sell a digital service or course, you can monetise your content on Instagram directly. Instead of promoting on Instagram and then providing the content in another space, you can have everything under one roof.What are your thoughts on this latest feature?

Instagram announced that it will be trialling a subscription-based feature on the app.

What is Instagram's new subscription service? 

Instagram is home to 500 million daily users, all scrolling through their feeds to pass the time so why wouldn&#39;t you give them the chance to buy from you?Way back in 2019 Instagram released the shopping feature allowing businesses and influencers to add shopping tags to their posts. Since then this feature has grown to be a more prominent part of the app with its own tab to showcase products on offer from the pages that you follow.As an Instagram user, you may have your own opinions on this change but from a business perspective, you can’t ignore the opportunity. Instagram has provided the ability to shorten consumers shopping journeys, making it more convenient to buy products. Instead of leaving Instagram to go to the website, find the item and then buy it, they can click on the image and buy almost instantly.So how do you set up an Instagram shop as a business?Follow these steps below and you&#39;ll have it up and running in no time!<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1ZlLNEcOO2qwJwKIIBlytA/1d8ac9926b2f5aaec09ed6cffcac8fbd/How-to-set-up-Instagram-store-_02.gif" alt="insta shop 1 "/>First things first, you need to go into your Instagram settings and ensure that your profile is set up as either a creator or business account as you can&#39;t add a shop to a personal account.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2zHRFnfDgvshsmWpD7QXnJ/8333ee9f79d2e637dc08d76f313fc2d2/How-to-set-up-Instagram-store-_03.gif" alt="insta shop2"/>As Instagram uses the Meta Business Suite, you have to connect your Instagram account to Facebook.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1iBMbErHp7Zb7rthKsMP6u/08d553312f4c606a37c50fd781ce7f59/How-to-set-up-Instagram-store-_04.gif" alt="Insta shop 3"/>You have two options when it comes to uploading the products you are selling.The first is referred to as the DIY method. You can go into the settings within Meta Business Suite and upload products individually providing descriptions and prices. This is great for businesses just starting out with no website in place.The second option to upload your products is importing them from an e-commerce platform partner like Shopify. You can copy and paste your whole catalogue from the website to sell your products on Instagram. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/5iVG3dCsrnBOGbvPmKAdVs/5d511bf7d48be985abaf6e20b675dd96/How-to-set-up-Instagram-store-_05.gif" alt="Insta shop 4"/>After you are happy with all the products you’ve uploaded it’s time to send your account off for review. Instagram need to check over your account and the information supplied before you can start selling. To do that you;1. Go to your business’s Instagram profile and tap the 3 horizontal lines  2. Scroll down and select settings  3. Tap on “sign up for shopping” 4. Follow the steps on the screen to submit your account for review.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/1Z8uT2y1k6T5ULMEQC3X2/15bd43979c5a5660896ebc30bb038386/How-to-set-up-Instagram-store-_06.gif" alt="Instashop 5"/>Fingers crossed, your account gets approved for Instagram shopping - now all you have to do is turn it on. To do that you;<ol><li>Go to your business account settings again and tap the 3 horizontal lines </li><li>Scroll down and tap on settings </li><li>Tap business and then shopping </li><li>Select the product catalogue that you want to connect to your account </li><li>Select done.</li></ol><img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/4D32mwsOVFhKVNFpfpaVZD/c05b1faa033f53d4d0e3c5c3670c6f16/How-to-set-up-Instagram-store-_07.gif" alt="Instagram shop 7 "/>Now the hard work is done all that’s left to do is create a post and sell your products! You do that by;<ol><li>Create a post as you normally would.</li><li>Tap on “Tag Products”</li><li>Tap on the photo and search for the product you want </li><li>Select the product</li><li>Tap “done”</li><li>Tap share </li></ol>That is it, 6 easy steps to get you up and running on Instagram shop. This is a great opportunity for smaller businesses trying to grow their audience and increase sales. If you still have any questions or are thinking about taking your social media content to the next level, <a href="https://glass.agency/contact">please do get in touch</a>

Instagram is home to 500 million daily users, all scrolling through their feeds to pass the time so why wouldn't you give them the chance to buy from you?

Way back in 2019 Instagram released the shopping feature allowing businesses and influencers to add shopping tags to their posts. Since then this feature has grown to be a more prominent part of the app with its own tab to showcase products on offer from the pages that you follow.

How do you create an Instagram shop?


It feels that almost daily we hear how all brands need to be on social media. “If you’re not on TikTok or Instagram Reels, your small business will never succeed.”It IS an easy way to communicate with potential customers, grow your brand, generate leads, and much more - but no one really tells you where, or how to start.Being present is great, so we’d always encourage you to start posting as soon as you can with the content you have. But the only thing worse than having no social footprint is having one that’s poor quality which doesn’t reflect you, or your brand.Often businesses don’t know what to post on social media to showcase their business, so they resort to low-quality stock images, generic posts, and ramming products down people’s throats. Here’s a breakdown of things to remember when creating your content plan:Think Like a HumanThe first and most important thing to remember is you need to approach social media as a human and not a sales robot. We all use social media so it’s not hard to put yourself in your demographic’s shoes, just think who do you follow on social media and why do you follow them?<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/7nmTDIBBLxGqz0Bi59x4sb/f0eb261486643b00f257caf6a09b28d9/jeremy-bezanger-OXrk8fG2aig-unsplash.jpg" alt="Stock"/>Do you follow those who constantly promote their brand and shove promotions in your face? Or do you follow people whose content you enjoy? Content that makes you laugh, or educates you, or makes you feel something.You won’t succeed on social media by thinking how you can take from your followers, you need to identify what they want to see, tie it into your company and then create content that will add value to their feeds.Do Your HomeworkThe best way to get a better understanding of the current landscape is to take time to find out what type of content is already out there. Investigate your industry, not just businesses but publications. No matter your industry we can guarantee you there will be online magazines with articles and content about your industry. Never plagiarise the content, but use these platforms to gain an understanding of what people are talking about, what they are interested in, and what they want to see.<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2MskWgV0h5y8t871elLLNe/e1af84ec2913cfa2bd0ca03054665326/Google_trends.PNG" alt="Google Trends showing the searches for the phrase &quot;Instagram Tips&quot; vs &quot;LinkedIn Tips&quot; over the last month."/>Google trends can be used to see how many people are searching for a certain word or phrase. When you are creating content, you can use the google trends search to see how many people are interested in a certain topic, this will ensure you are creating content on things people want to see. There are so many different tools out there now that allow you to see what’s working for your industry - so get looking. The likes of Brandwatch, You Scan, Buzzsumo and others will all help you build an idea of what is, and isn’t working.Get SpecificThe wider your net, the less you’ll catch. Trying to reach and please everyone with a single post is nearly impossible, so you need to design each post with a particular type of customer in mind.B2B and B2C customers are naturally going to be interested in different things so not every post can cater to both bases. For B2B get technical, show off your machinery, your process, the background details. For B2C think about their needs and what they are interested in. The one thing you always need to address for both is how you can add value to them. <img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/M7lJ28ktYRUEyJsO1dlp1/6a25ceb484f00c253f9eebdc04fc0580/Untitled_design__2_.png" alt="LinkedIn Screenshot"/>Take DHL for example. The delivery company showcase their drivers and community initiatives on their Instagram to target customers while reserving their LinkedIn to discuss the business side of their company.Invest In Content Posting content is the first step but at a certain point, the quality of your content is going to come into question. How are people supposed to trust your attention to detail and the quality of your product if you have a watermarked fuzzy image promoting your brand?Take Canva for example - Canva is a free graphic design platform that&#39;s great for creating social media posts. A drag and drop system allows you to customize thousands of templates. Canva&#39;s wide range of features allows you to edit photos without knowledge or experience.If you haven’t got the time to do this yourself because your business is so busy, then don’t be afraid to get some help. You aren’t expected to know everything, and there are people out there that can do it better. Track It<img src="//images.ctfassets.net/xrpfyny3yyi8/2dfI9409CSByDsBXA3VCji/65a8077211d637c3b95970a239c4832c/facebook-insights-2.png" alt="Facebook stat screenshot"/>It doesn’t matter how much research you do or how much time you put into your content if you aren’t monitoring how well it is performing. If it isn’t increasing engagement, following, translating to sales etc - then it is pretty worthless. We’re all for building brand awareness with your posts, but if only one person is engaging - there’s no awareness there. By tracking each metric, you are in a position to understand what type of content is working and what is not, ensuring that you aren’t wasting your time on something that is giving you no return. We know how hard it can be to get all of these things in place, start by being realistic - what can you start doing first that won’t take you away from running the business? If you’re not sure where to begin, let us help you get that ball rolling. Check out our recent articles on different social strategies, and head over to our Instagram for more tips and tricks.

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