Turn Instagram Engagement into Business Growth with These Simple Steps
Instagram is a goldmine for handmade sellers, but relying solely on the platform can be risky. Growing an email list allows you to maintain direct contact with your audience and ultimately boost your sales. Let’s dive into strategies for converting Instagram followers into email subscribers.
1. Create a Compelling Lead Magnet
Every email list strategy needs a hook. Offer a freebie that appeals to your target audience, such as a downloadable guide, early access to sales, or an exclusive discount. For example, if you’re in the handmade skincare space, you might offer a free “Clean Beauty Routine” PDF or video tutorial that showcases your products and expertise.
2. Use Instagram Stories and Highlights
Instagram Stories are the perfect tool for promoting your challenge, lead magnets, or partnerships. You can post daily updates, behind-the-scenes content, or teasers that remind followers to sign up. Add countdowns and polls to drive even more engagement, and save your stories to a highlight so that new followers can always find them.
3. Link in Bio and Strong CTAs
Ensure your Instagram bio link leads to a landing page designed specifically to capture emails. Use a clear call-to-action (CTA) in your captions and stories, encouraging followers to click the link. Phrases like “Join our VIP list” or “Get early access to new collections” can incentivize your followers to take the next step.
Real-World Example: I ran a giveaway where participants had to sign up via my Instagram bio link for a chance to win a gift card. The bio link led to a simple landing page that captured emails, and the clear CTA made it easy for followers to join. The campaign resulted in a surge of new email subscribers and plenty of engagement.
Stuck? Click here to download a free, customizable link in bio template on Canva that you can easily tailor to fit your brand’s needs.
4. Run a Challenge to Spark UGC (User-Generated Content)
Challenges are a fantastic way to engage your followers and grow your email list. I ran an EOTD (Eye of the Day) challenge for 30 days, offering a gift card to three winners. This not only encouraged daily posts from my followers but also led to a flood of user-generated content (UGC). In return for joining the challenge, I required email sign-ups, and it significantly increased my subscribers.
Pro Tip: A unique hashtag is crucial for challenges. It organizes UGC, boosts visibility, and creates community engagement. Followers can easily search and participate, making your brand more discoverable. For example, you can use a brand-specific hashtag like #EOTDChallenge to track entries, grow your reach, and create a sense of community around your challenge.
You can design a challenge tailored to your products, whether it's showing off handmade items, skincare routines, or even show off your stash in a shelfie. Encourage your followers to tag you, use a hashtag, and sign up through your email list to be entered into the contest or receive updates about the challenge.
Use engaging CTAs in your Instagram captions, bio, and stories to direct followers to your email sign-up page.
5. Partner with Like-Minded Brands
Collaborating with a brand that complements yours is another way to build your list while reaching new audiences. Partner with brands that have a similar target market but aren’t direct competitors. For example, if you create handmade jewelry, team up with a natural skincare brand and run a joint giveaway.
Real-World Example: In my clean beauty business, Orglamix I partnered with a yoga box, Yogi Surprise for a giveaway. We both promoted the contest on our Instagram profiles, requiring participants to sign up for both of our email lists to enter. This add almost 9,000 email subscribers to my email list within just a few weeks.
Question:
What type of challenge or lead magnet could you create to turn your Instagram followers into email subscribers? Let’s brainstorm in the comments!
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