Take a look at your phone right now. There is a good chance that there’s one thing that is taking up more memory on your phone than anything else – apps. Who can blame you? With over two million apps to choose from, and more being added dail...
We’ve all heard the term “fashionably late,” but when it comes to implementing Instagram for your business you might feel like as though you’ll never make it to the party. Since its launch in 2010, Instagram has quickly become the go-to ...
Getting started on any social media platform with the goal of marketing your business is almost never simple. For any Instagram marketing beginner to start off on the right foot you’ll want to learn as much as possible first so that you avoid...
If you are not using Instagram Live for your business you’re missing out. With its recent update, Instagram has once again elevated its tools to work for businesses of all sizes in helping you reach your ideal customer. If you’re still unsur...
When you think about your Instagram photos, you probably pay a lot of attention to the subject of your Instagram photoshoot (product, person, or whatever it might be). But what about the backdrop of your photo? While you might consider the backd...
I hear the question all the time, “How can you be the ‘Instagram expert’ when you don’t have a lot of likes on your photos?” I get it – as business owners, we often measure our Instagram success largely on the number of likes and fol...
When you’re a business owner time is money, and time is limited (at best). That’s why you always want to make sure you’re using apps and tools that will help you improve efficiency in all aspects of your business. Working with my clients, ...
You have probably noticed that there have been a #ShitTon of updates recently to Instagram Stories. But what does this mean for your business on Instagram? A lot … If you fully know how these updates can improve your current Instagram strategy...
Have you caught yourself going a little crazy with text overlay on your Instagram feed? I get it. Inspirational quotes and encouraging messages are a great way of moving past the up-front sale and helping your followers to better understand what...
The Instagram Stories feature is a favorite among businesses both large and small. Since its launch, these 24-hour videos/and or photos have allowed brands to reach an entire new audience. Even global brands like Nike are realizing that Instagra...
Scrolling through your Instagram feed you have probably noticed that all of the top influencers and brands typically have one thing in common – good, consistent branding. The biggest influencers on Instagram know that in order to stand out fro...
As the new year gets underway, now is a great time to reevaluate and reenergize your Instagram strategy. One of the best ways to break up your typical Instagram content is with interesting, eye-catching videos and gifs. While many people assume ...
Instagram is a fantastic tool for not only showcasing your business, but also increasing buzz about your one-of-a-kind events. Just take a look at the visually-focused content of Instagram and it’s easy to see why it is the perfect platform fo...
It’s that time again, folks! Each December I call out my favorite Instagram accounts of the year. These Instagram accounts aren’t crushing it because they have the most followers or likes. But in their own unique ways, each of these Instagra...
In 2016 I wrote many blogs dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, business owners, and anyone with a personal brand learn how to leverage Instagram. While each week I received positive comments on the content, there were several that stood o...
We’ve all been there. You’re Instagram feed is on fire with high engagement and tons of likes. Then, bam! All of a sudden you are stuck with no idea about which new content to share. As a business owner, you always want to make sure that you...
Since its launch this summer, social media marketers, and business owners have been boldly exploring and sharing Instagram Stories. As I explained in my previous blog post, Instagram Stories provide you with another great opportunity to engage y...
If you’re anything like me, you probably have hundreds (or thousands) of pictures stored in your phone’s camera roll. I get it – you’re always trying to capture the most #InstaAwesome photos for your Instagram marketing strategy. But wha...
If there’s one person that I can rely on to solve all my toughest tech questions, it’s Morgan. As the Director of Operations for the SBZ team, Morgan owns all of our business operations and online automation systems. She is our resident tec...
Even though Instagram is a visually-driven platform, I often hear artists express hesitation about sharing their work. Whether they’re concerned about people stealing their work or using their images without credit, many creators feel that Ins...
We’ve all been there. You’re at an event or on vacation, and it hits you out of nowhere – you forgot to post on Instagram. While this might not seem like a big deal to the average Instagram user, as a business owner you rely on a consisten...
With over 500 million active users, Instagram is the in-demand platform social media savvy entrepreneurs’ need to elevate their business. With its recent launch of business profiles, Instagram is once again providing you with tools that will h...
As the Instagram Expert, people always ask me to share my insights on the best photo editing apps. I understand why people are eager to know more about different editing tools – no one wants to share a photo that sucks. As a recent study showe...
A great Instagram business account garners reactions, likes, and a great conversation. But if you want to reach your ideal customer and get more eyeballs on your content, you need to have an #InstaAwesome bio. Here are three easy ways to improve...
Instagram made waves recently with its newest update, Instagram Stories. Similar to Snapchat, this new feature allows you to take your Instagram strategy one step further with real-time videos and images that string together to compose a more in...
Whether you’re new to Instagram or a seasoned user, there’s little doubt that you’ve taken the time to explore all of its features. Although Instagram is fairly intuitive and user-friendly interface lends itself to business owners, there ...
Yes. It is hard to manage multiple Instagram accounts if you’re a social media manager, community manager, or virtual assistant trying to juggle it all. But as a professional in the social media space, it’s your responsibility to continue le...
As a marketing and social media manager, you’re always looking for the best time-saving tools. But with over 1.2 billion likes on Instagram daily, it’s often difficult to find the apps that will help you reach your social media communication...
What do all your favorite brands on Instagram have in common? They are hyper-focused on only sharing content that is relevant to their business. Whether it’s a snapshot of their newest product or a smiling customer, the mission of their brand ...
Instagram is a great platform for sharing genuine, high-quality content. But, as you’ve probably noticed, it’s also a popular platform for trolls and spammers. A recent Huffington Post article found that there are potentially 24 million fake...
If you’re like me, your phone is always within reach. Whether I’m on-the-go or just relaxing on Cape Cod, my phone is the best tool to keep my life organized and productive. The secret to my hyper-organization? Apps! My clients are al...
Creating a picture-perfect Instagram account requires more than sharing #InstaAwesome photos. As you can see from popular accounts with thousands of followers, curating a theme allows you to share high-quality content that consistently shows you...
Our mobile devices have quickly become a key part of our business. Whether you’re on a plane, in line at the grocery store, or just away from your computer, your phone allows you to stay seamlessly connected. But time is money, and you want to...
People make money on Instagram every single day. But in many cases, it has nothing to do with directly selling products and having hundreds of transactions, especially for social media experts and thought leaders. So if they’re not selling pro...
Kicking off your business on Instagram is thrilling, but now you’re probably wondering “how can I gain more followers?” Followers are critical in helping your business gain legitimacy on Instagram and increase the number of eyeballs on you...
It’s a thrill when you realize that you’re ready to share your business on Instagram. It’s the perfect social media platform for showing existing and potential customers the creative side of your brand. But before you dive in, there are a ...
Over the last 30 days I’ve discovered three free, online tools that I’m particularly excited about. Each has helped to make me more productive and I want to share them with you. But in order to do that we need to talk about tools. ...
Ever wondered how people incorporate interesting layouts into their Instagram descriptions? The more you can give yourself a signature style on Instagram, the more your brand will stand out from the competition. Here are three fun ways that you ...
I constantly hear my clients talking about their problems with finding the right hashtags to use on Instagram. With thousands of hashtags to choose from, business owners are often stumped or have no idea where to start brainstorming. Here are my...
If you’re an #InstaSmarty then you should be paying attention to other business related Instagram accounts. But sometimes, in order to find inspiration and newness, you have to step outside of your industry box. I’m going to show you three s...
Before I dive into my thoughts on Instagram’s latest algorithm update let’s summarize what has happened over the last few weeks. First Instagram announced that they will be rolling out an update that changes the order in which posts will be ...
Instagram giveaways can be a powerful way to grow your Instagram account and engage your existing followers. But while running a giveaway sounds exciting, it’s not a guarantee that your account will explode with engagement Does this sound fami...
Over the past year, the SBZ Team and I have been focused on providing higher quality content on our website’s blog. By embedding Instagram images directly into our posts, we’ve received really positive feedback from our readers. Not only doe...
Are you a non-profit organization struggling to find success on Instagram? Just like any other company, non-profit organizations can utilize the power of Instagram to convey their mission and generate the revenue to make it happen. Using eye-cat...
Timing is everything, and Instagram isn’t an exception. Knowing the best day and time to share a post can dramatically affect the engagement you receive. That’s why I wanted to share my two of my favorite web-based platforms, Iconosquare...
It wouldn’t be the end of the year if I didn’t share my favorite Instagram accounts. I’m going to introduce you to six #InstaAwesome accounts because I believe that the more you shine the light on others the more it shines on you. While th...
The Holiday Season isn’t just a time for hot cocoa and warm blankets. The cheer of the season provides a perfect opportunity for you to capture the holiday joy in your Instagram. Whether you sell a product or service, Instagram is an aw...
Letting your one-of-a-kind style shine is one of the best parts about promoting your business on Instagram. But have you found yourself in a creativity rut? Phonto, one of my favorite apps, is the perfect solution for adding a splash of fun to y...
If there’s anyone who knows how to build a successful digital marketing strategy, it’s Nathan Latka. He’s a 25 year-old entrepreneurial superstar who has founded multiple successful businesses, including the popular Facebook tool, Heyo. Na...
Hashtags…we all hear about them. Some of us use them. Most of us are confused about which ones to use. The key to hashtags is that they’re not one size fits all. You really have to play around with them to figure out which ones actually ...
Looking for a way to stay connected to your followers, leads, and customers? Try Instagram’s direct message feature. This private message feature allows you to send videos, images, or messages directly to an individual or a group of people, an...
My friend, Ian Cleary, is crushing social media marketing with his amazing blog, RazorSocial. With over 100,000 visitors a month checking out his website, he is an expert on social media tools and blogging for business. Here are his top three t...
Have I ever mentioned that your Instagram photos are the most important thing about your account? They are the North Star, the end all be all, your way into the newsfeed of thousands. Yet everyday I see horrible photos, bad lighting, irrelevant ...
Peg Fitzpatrick is not only a good friend of mine, but she’s also an #InstaAwesome social media teacher. Her new book, “The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users,” is filled with over 100 amazing tips and tricks to help you maxim...
My friend Vincenzo Landino is a social media marketing superstar. As the founder and CEO of Landino Marketing, LLC, Vinny has helped businesses around the world implement exciting and effective marketing strategies. With over 300 million active ...
Do you know that you can identify, manage, and organize your Instagram followers? Social Rank is a free online tool, which makes it easy for you to conduct research for your business on Instagram. With seven different categories, each containing...
Instagram filters are a fun way to draw eyeballs to your Instagram account. But scrolling through 27 different filters is time consuming. Save yourself the hassle by organizing your Instagram filters. Keep the filters you use most often visib...
On August 4th 2015, Gary Vaynerchuk answered my question I submitted via video on episode 126 of his YouTube and Podcast show The #AskGaryVee Show. Have I been admiring Gary for years now? Heck yeah! Was I thrilled when my team member Rac...
Emojis are a fun way to attract eyes to your Instagram bios. But did you know that you can also use emojis as part of your hashtag strategy? In April 2015 Instagram changed its features so that you can now use emojis in your hashtags. Using emoj...
There are several mistakes that I frequently see business owners make on Instagram. Below are the 8 mistakes I constantly see, and how to avoid them: 1. Blurry Photos There is no reason to be uploading a blurry photo especially if you have a sma...
Do you want more Instagram engagement from your followers? Sure you do! An easy way to increase your likes and comments is to encourage your followers to turn on post notifications for your account in Instagram. Each time you post something ...
Instagram and Pinterest are actually very different, contrary to popular social media assumptions. Let’s start with the big similarity… visual social platforms like Pinterest and Instagram both are on fire with brands and consumers. Why? ...
Marketing your retail business on Instagram can generate a significant increase in revenue. Listed here are several tips to turn followers into customers. ...
A well developed hashtag strategy can significantly increase your reach on Instagram. Here we've outlined several best practices for creating hashtags that work....
Holly Nichols graduated from Endicott College in 2013 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree. After graduating she searched for a way to use her creative skills in a professional work environment, but was unable to find a good fit. Needing employme...
Instagram is an awesome tool for Restaurants to utilize. Not only can you post your own photos to your feed, but the possibility for UGC (user generated content) makes it even more exciting and effective! We all know how people love to take and ...
When you are a life or business coach on Instagram it is extremely important to have a strategy when initially setting up your account. That means putting thought into how you choose a username, write your bio, and what link to drive traf...
Establishing yourself as an expert in a specific area. With agents that I work with, we establish a target market and then we make them the go to agent for that specific target market that they do their best work with. The magic in Instagram rea...
Do’s and don’ts of cultivating an account: DON’T: mix a personal account and a business account. It’s important to keep your account focused on your brand. DON’T: include pictures that don’t represent you, what you’re passionate ab...
I have two different businesses and brands. One is SueBDo, which is a seasonal store on Cape Cod, and the other business is Sue B. Zimmerman Enterprise. I offer anyone online media and branding consulting, as well as teach Instagram as the #Inst...
I am here to tell you why you absolutely need to be on Twitter if you’re in business. Here are 7 reasons why it’s so important. Number one. There are 500 million active users on Twitter every day. And 5,000 to 10,000 people join Twitter....
This is getting your hashtag on, and you all need to do that. We’re going to talk about specifically using hashtags on Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. So what is a hashtag? A hashtag is the pound sign that is put in front of a word or a phr...
