Who are your followers?
So, you have Instagram followers but they’re not converting to clients? There are several reasons why this could be happening. In this article, I share 5 tips to help you figure out where the breakdown might be. And how to lead your followers on the path to conversion.
In this article
First things first, I always recommend starting by checking who is currently following you on Instagram. So that you can get an idea of whether or not you have attracted the right type of followers to your page. For example, actual people (not bots) who seem to love travel, specifically the type of travel you provide, and who seem to fit your target audience.
This is because if the people who follow you aren’t fitting that customer profile (and don’t look like they would ever be interested in what you do) then it’s going to be difficult for you to convert them into clients.
The conversion journey
Once you know the people who follow you fit your target audience, it’s time to focus. Mainly on developing your visibility, likability and instil trust in your business. Think of it as a journey through which you’re going to guide the people who follow you. All the way from passive follower to engaged follower to lead and eventually to a client.
1. Create content that speaks to your target audience
This is one of the most important parts of turning your followers into clients. As your content is essentially your virtual shop window. It does a lot of the selling for you. Therefore, you need to make sure it speaks to the type of travellers who would enjoy your tours.
Content types
At a basic level, there are 3 different types of content I recommend rotating on your feed:
- Valuable content. Such as tips relating to your expertise so that you can show you know what you are talking about.
- Connection-based content. Such as inspiring client stories or your own stories. These are great to help you add a little soul to your brand. So your audience starts bonding and connecting with you and what you do.
- Promotional content. Such as what tours you can organise, the special offers you have on and why these would be perfect for your target audience.
2. Amplify your story and messaging through stories
A common mistake that tour operators make is focusing solely on feed posts when stories also have a crucial role to play. They allow your audience to get to know you and bond with you a lot faster than your feed posts.
Story inspiration
Here are some ideas of what you should be sharing on your story every week:
- More tips to complement your posts or advice, such as Q&As
- On-location sneak peeks to inspire and entertain your followers and fuel wanderlust
- Behind the scenes content with your team showing what you’re working on and how busy/in demand you are. (This is a great way to build your authority and show you are a legitimate, trustworthy business)
- Reviews and messages from past and current clients to build more trust.
3. Encourage conversations
As your followers slowly get to know you more, what you do and whether they would like to travel with you, make sure to keep engaging in conversations with them so that they know you are approachable. You can do so by asking questions at the end of your posts for them to respond to. Or using engagement stickers such as the poll sticker in your stories.
And generally, just spending some time every day to respond to the comments on your posts, stories and direct messages. Your followers must know that you will respond to them if they ask a question.
4. Openly sell once a week
Spending some time openly talking about your tours, who they’re for and what travellers can expect is something you should do weekly. Both on your feed and your stories. The important part to remember is as follows. That what you need to emphasize is how your tours are going to solve a problem or pain point for your target audience.
For example, are you going to save them time and headaches because you’ll handle all the logistical aspect of the trip? Are your tours allowing them to access places or see another side of a destination that they otherwise wouldn’t have access to?
5. Share reviews from past clients
Lastly, a great way to keep building trust with your audience and make them feel confident that they would have a great experience if they booked with you is by sharing reviews from past clients. I recommend doing so regularly on your story, but you could also have a few posts here and there on your grid too.
Reviews are crucial to conversions. Because people look to other people’s experiences to decide if something is right for them and worth the investment. It’s important to mention that you don’t necessarily need a steady stream of constant new reviews. It is okay to keep rotating the ones that you already have.
Be strategic in your approach
As a final thought, it is absolutely possible to convert followers into clients using Instagram. But it’s very important to be strategic in your approach. Start by building content specifically for your target audience. Make sure to engage in conversations with your community along the way and don’t forget to sell and share social proof.
Tip
Read our article to learn more on how to write appealing travel content.
What do you think? Which of these 5 tips do you still have to work on? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Responses
I like the tip to openly share your tours once a week. tell your audience what you have for them and what they will get out of it.
This is a really nicely written article, very practical; I’ve always wondered what to post on Instagram to productively engage our target audience, and it has been explained quite simply. Thank you for writing and sharing this.
Thanks for the useful content shared I have learnt alot. Story telling is going to be my niche from now on about our communities, culture etc. Very interesting !!
Very useful tips Valerie. I like the idea of sharing reviews from past clients on a regular basis. This definitely bonds and creates a connection with your audience.