Navigating Instagram Using the Ways of the Stock Market
I get it. Social media can be painful. You post something, you wait for the results, and you get fewer numbers than you expected.
The digital space can be a truly overwhelming place to be in. For entrepreneurs, it can also be scary and frustrating especially if you go “out there” to build your brand. I understand these social media-related fluctuations of emotions because I have been there, especially at the beginning stages of my business.
What I have learned however is that once you have found your niche, once you have connected with the right community, social media can be fun. So how do you get to this point where all the right connections are in place? Allow me to share with you the stock market principles I have learned that will answer this question.
Stock Market Principles for Instagram
1. Ups and downs should be expected.
I learned about the stock market as a 15-year-old when I inherited stocks from my father who passed away that year. I’ve made the wrong investments. I’ve had lots of losses. But my investment mentor always reminds me: that ups and downs are expected. What comes up goes down, and what goes down must also go back up. So I should not fixate myself on the numbers, how much I have lost, how much I can still gain, and those kinds of matters. Instead, I should focus on staying consistent, of holding on, because these fluctuations are just for the time being.
2. Think long-term.
The stock market is not intended for short-term investments. You really have to wait it out before you can see the results. Believe me when I say that I had so many instances when I could have stopped altogether. But I chose to be patient because I knew already how the stock market flows. I have applied this to my Instagram mentorship programs, wherein I decided that even though I cannot control the current views or feedback in my posts, I could stay patient and nurture instead the community I have created over the years.
3. Anything is possible.
Growing up, we have been introduced to different money beliefs that either make us scared to get big or tell us that we need to work hard for it. But I learned in the stock market that bankruptcy or getting rich can happen overnight. For that reason, we should not get stuck with these beliefs that have held us down. You have the power to make the changes that you want, and all you got to do is to be willing to let go of the storyline you’ve been holding.
How do you move along?
Instagram has a feature called Insights. Here, you will see different numbers and results of your views, comments, and reactions over time. Seeing these figures, you can choose to quit altogether or follow the trend instead and recreate posts that had positive results.
In Instagram, I’m telling you that if you’re patient enough to learn to navigate through these numbers, if you stop fixating on the figures and focus instead on adding value to your content, if you are intentional in connecting through the DMs rather than in the comments, you will build the community that is right for you.
I would encourage you to stay consistent and never give up. When your social media results show you things that trigger frustrations and anxiety, remember that it’s just a moment in time. It’s only a point in your life and you are able to make some changes if you know where you are headed. Then make your plan of action to go toward the direction you want for your business. I have shared more of these in my podcast episode, so be sure to tune in.