When thinking of the best sites to sell your services and to get new gigs, the first names that come to mind could be Fiverr and Upwork. But with more than 1.3 billion users, Instagram could be the best platform to build your brand and explore new business opportunities.
In this article, we’ll share a few tips on how you can use Instagram as your career portfolio and promote your professional skills.
1. Set Up Your Profile the Right Way
If you are determined to get more clients or expand your network, you should tell people about you and your business right from the start. When looking at your profile, your bio will be one of the first things visitors will see.
Use it as a chance to describe what you are doing. You can use this simple template for it.
“Hi, I’m [Your Name]. I work as [Your Job Here], and I help people achieve [Specific Goal]“.
If you have a few characters left, mention your LinkedIn profile, your website, or add a link to your online portfolio. Also, when choosing your Instagram handle, keep it short and simple.
If your name is long or has complicated spelling, try to shorten it. And avoid using characters such as underscore or dash, as people will not remember where to place them.
2. Tidy Up Your Instagram Posts
If you plan on turning your Instagram account into your career portfolio, take a look at what you’ve posted over the years. Keep in mind that almost anyone can see your photos and videos on Instagram.
So it might be a good idea to remove or archive your Instagram posts that show you partying a bit too hard or riding a shopping trolley in a parking lot. Think of it as rebranding your account, so people will pay attention to your brand or business.
Look at your profile and ask yourself what potential clients are feeling when checking it out. Do they want to work with you right now? Write your name down for future projects? Recommend you to friends or business partners? Do they want to know you as a person?
So while that picture of you skydiving doesn’t tell a lot about your marketing skills, you should keep it as it tells something about you as a person.
3. Display Your Skills
Talking about your skill in your Instagram bio is not enough. You can’t tell everyone about your level of professionalism in 150 characters. So, posting about your work gives you a better opportunity to inform potential clients about your services.
For example, a restaurant might post photos of its food and use the description to talk about its delicious taste. Or an interior decorator will share the before and after pictures of a renovated house. Once you’ve decided how you should promote your business, create a consistent visual look that will be easily recognizable for your followers.
4. Share Reviews From Clients
You don’t have to ask clients to comment on your Instagram profile how great you are and how much they like working with you. Take a screenshot of a review and post it on your profile. But don’t post every two-word review, even if you’ve got 5 stars for your work. Select reviews where clients compliment your communication skill, quality of work, and delivery time.
You could post customer reviews as stories. This way, you’ll avoid overcrowding your profile and people can still check out your beautiful Instagram portfolio.
5. Use Instagram to Build Your Network
Even if you are not actively looking to get a new client, you can still use Instagram to build your network. You can use Instagram groups to keep up with the industry’s latest trends and connect with like-minded people. There is always something to learn from more experienced people.
6. Keep Posting
You know how the saying goes. Out of sight, out of mind. Even if you are working on a lengthy project, it doesn’t mean you should disappear from the Instagram feed. As part of turning your Instagram account into your portfolio, keep your network updated about your work.
Take your followers behind the scenes and show some of the unseen efforts that go into your work. If you are a videographer or cinematographer, show how you are preparing for a day of shooting or which software you are using to edit the videos.
Say Goodbye to Job Fairs
When upgrading your Instagram account to your portfolio, don’t make it into a sales page. Instead, use the 80/20 rule. 80% of the time, educate or entertain, and 20% promote your business.
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