How to use Instagram Direct Message to Further Your Business

According to Gary Vaynerchuk, CEO of VaynerMedia, “Instagram DM (Direct Message) is the single biggest networking or business development opportunity of this decade.”

Instagram DM

As of now, users on Instagram cannot block people from sending them direct messages. Users will eventually gain greater privacy permissions which will allow them to block the direct messages but for now, they cannot. This means anyone can DM any user on the social media platform.

Vaynerchuk offers 5 keys to connecting on Instagram.

The 5 Keys to Connecting on Instagram

1. Find new Instagram accounts to target

As Instagram is one of the most used social media platforms there is a lot of noise. You can pin point your points of interest by searching by location, hashtag or users. We suggest starting by searching hashtags for the most used terms in your industry. For example, Proactive would search #digitalmarketing or #creativeconcepts.

Look at the top and most recent posts and examine each account no matter how many followers they have. The majority of businesses get too concerned with trying to identify people with over 10,000 followers but you don’t need to use this approach. People with small followings but brilliant engagement, known as, ‘micro-influencers’ can be just as valuable if not even more valuable than someone with a huge following.

2. Look at the Profiles and Audit the Accounts

Get to know the people behind the profile. Spend a few seconds scrolling through their account and try to identify what they like, dislike and the type of activity they tend to engage in.

Again, even if the user does not have a huge following but each of their posts have a huge engagement in likes and comments, use Instagram DM to reach out to them. These accounts are valuable because they have the attention of their audience which in a world with so much noise is extremely valuable.

3. Bring them value

No body likes Spam and spamming people will damage your brand. It may also get your Instagram account banned or paused. Up until now, the primary focus has probably been what can you get out of them. Now, this should change to, what can you do for them? If you don’t provide someone something they consider valuable, they most likely won’t respond. Vaynerchuk believes that “THE tactic [to use] is to provide more value to the other person”

4. Direct Message

Open the Instagram App > Go to the individual’s account > Click the three dots in the top right corner > select ‘send message’

5. Repeat

Don’t expect everyone to reply. Be prepared that for every yes there will be 100 no’s. Actually, most people probably won’t even reply. But don’t let this get you down.

Don’t underestimate the power of one yes either. Remember that we are in a very well connected world and many of the people that you contact may be friends, family or employees of the person you are really trying to reach. Getting that one yes will build a foundation and get the ball rolling.

The important part here is, once you get the opportunity, you NEED to deliver. Don’t expect Instagram DM to be ab;e to do this for you though. Skill and execution are key here. DM is just how you are going to get your foot in the door.

If you give this tactic a try let us know how it goes. 

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