Instagram – How to create a month of recruitment related posts in 1 day

Does this sound familiar? You know that your clients and candidates are certainly using social media and there is a very good chance that they are one of the 24million+ UK users of Instagram. You also know that:

A – You should definitely be posting on Instagram

B – You want to post on Instagram

C – You can’t think of anything to post on Instagram

D – You quite fancy a kit-kat

OK… I’m guessing at that last one! But the first three are quite a common problem for recruiters. We repeatedly hear “I have nothing to post” or “I got this great picture, but I don’t know how to use it properly”. So… let’s see how we can help, shall we?

Firstly, there is a really important basic principle to follow at all times… show up. To be successful you need to be there. So, take the time to be posting regularly, be consistent with your content, respond to comments, Direct Message, follow others, and always… (let’s say that again, because it’s so important!) always, have a purpose and a plan.

It’s quite easy to use Instagram effectively once you get in the swing of things and bearing in mind the potential for reaching out to candidates and clients, it is well worth getting into that swing. Let me introduce you to 5 easy steps to creating a month of content.

Step 1 – How many posts will you create per month?

Start with 3 times a week. This is a good amount to start with because it allows for experimenting. The real test of whether you are creating the right number of posts is your engagement. Three post a week is the start, and then you to increase or decrease a little and see what effect it has on the stats. It also means that setting aside one day to create all your posts for the month, (and of course a little time each day to respond, follow and the like) but that should be all you need to do.

Step 2 – Choose your categories

Categories on Instagram are a perfect way to reach out to the right people. Basically, a category is a group of posts related to a particular topic. For recruiters, that means deciding on between 9 and 12 different ones related to your business area. If you recruit for the built environment space, then look for associated categories. Just take the ones that appeal most for now, the stats will tell you if you are in the right areas.

Step 3 – Use the categories to help decide your posting strategy

OK, so now it’s thinking time. If you are going for 3 post a week initially and you have found 9 good categories to work with then 3 posts per category is the obvious starting point. Take look at upcoming listings and your appointments are there any opportunities for posts. If you are doing any shows or events, make sure you get pictures. Instagram is a great place to build your brand personality as well as being seen in the place where your candidates and clients hang out. Try to think in terms of categories when planning your content.

Step 4 – Instagram is visual so try to get a good image

There is a simple truth for Instagram posts – A good image will stop the scroll. So…

• Clean the camera lens – make it a habit to clean before you snap
• Frame your picture.
• Can you see what you were trying to show?
• Is it in focus? (things like bright lights and movement can confuse the autofocus)
• Check the background. Nothing will ruin a great shot more than something embarrassing or distracting in the background.
• That’ll do, rarely will. If it isn’t right, take it again if possible
• Pictures tell a story so include story elements. If you are visiting a client in The Shard, remember to show The Shard in your picture and so on.

We see a lot of images on Instagram that are not quite what the person intended to show. Well, we probably should say ‘we scroll past a lot of images that are not quite what the person intended to show’

Step 5 – Experimentation is OK

As we said in point 4, a striking image will work best. People like to see faces! (and not just human faces either) Dogs, cats, horses, in fact, anything with an eyeball will be more likely to attract views. So will unusual and interesting images. If that client you visited in The Shard has an amazing view out over the Thames, grab a picture, preferably with you in front of the view. Look for the striking image. Experiment with your content and (as long as they meet the criteria in 4) try new things. If you get engagement, it was the right thing to do.

There is a difference between being on Instagram and really using Instagram. To use it you should be:

• Posting and using stories regularly with a clear purpose behind your posts.
• Valuing the interactions. Comments, likes and DMs should be important to you.
• Staying on brand with your posts. Reflect the tone and voice of your agency as well as the ethos. Be appropriate, if you are a fun, lively, recruiter be fun and lively. Are you thoughtful? High-tech? witty? If you can bring your brand personality through in your pictures you will almost certainly get a reaction.
• Planning, schedule the time, and then doing. There is room for spontaneous as you go along but you cannot go back in time and redo the day-to-day stuff.

To make Instagram work for you, you are going to need to commit one day a month. For a recruiter that is a time commitment that really matters, so make sure you plan effectively, use the resources (Canva, picmonkey for example) and really throw yourself into Instagram.

https://www.green-umbrella.biz

Christina is MD of Green Umbrella Marketing, a digital marketing agency known for providing social media management and coaching services, design and print services, and online marketing strategies.