Best Hashtags for Instagram to Get Your Business Noticed and Increase Engagement

BEST HASHTAGS FOR INSTAGRAM TO GET YOUR BUSINESS NOTICED AND INCREASE ENGAGEMENT

This week I'm sharing a bunch of information about how to organically grow an engaged Instagram following. 

In fact I shared this little video in Authentic Brand Builders this week on how to find the top 30 hashtags for your business. Watch the video here >>

I thought, why not give them a great starting point and share my top five go to hashtags for Instagram.

Really quick though, if you aren't currently using hashtags to market yourself on Instagram, YOU ARE MISSING OUT. You are able to use up to 30 hashtags and I highly recommend you use them all. Start with the five below and use the video to find the rest that are in alignment with your brand and business. 

MY TOP FIVE HASHTAGS FOR INSTAGRAM

#passionpassport

This hashtag was started by PassionPassport.com and is a community made up of travelers, storytellers & creatives inspiring you to explore. Their goal is to unite travelers by allowing them to share the travel experiences that have challenged them, shaped their perspective of the world and given them a better sense of who they are.  @passionpassport

#calledtobecreative

Created by Emily Lind, Called To Be Creative was designed to showcase the passions, dreams, & stories of today's creative ladies. @_calledtobecreative

#livethelittlethings

Brandi Walker, of Run Style Run, and her friend Meg started the hashtag as way to unite women in sharing the little things in our lives. It's about not overlooking the little things and finding joy in the moment. @runstylerun

#thehappynow

Founded by The Happy Hunters, two LA based bloggers, #thehappynow basically makes me happy every single time I look at it. It's a place to post anything and everything that makes you happy :) @thehappyhunters

#liveauthentic

I love everything about this hashtag and it's creators Folk Magazine. Just one look at their photos you will see it is totally on brand with brandmerry.com. If you love the outdoors and your people do to, you will love this tag. @folkmagazine

#flashesofdelight

Started by Glitter Guide, a lifestyle website dedicated to inspiring you to shine bright. The hashtag features pictures of pretty much anything that is well, just pretty. Share the photos that really make you smile @glitterguide

#brandmerry

Yep, that's right as of today Brandmerry has their own hashtag! Join us in encouraging women to share their personal story through Instagram. The photos don't have to be fancy or staged, just real. #Brandmerry is about uniting female entrepreneurs to share what makes them authentic. @brandmerrycoaching

Remember hashtags, although often made fun of, are a strategy that is necessary to growing your Instagram and start getting truly engaged followers. 

Do you have any favorite hashtags you like to use on Instagram?

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Michelle Knight is a Branding and Business coach for female entrepreneurs who are struggling to gain visibility and traction to take their business to the next level. She works with her clients to dive deep into their story so they can create a brand and message that positions them as an expert and allows them to create their desired income to free up time in their schedule for what matters most. Learn more >>

How to Block Out the Noise When You Are Starting Your Business

Every single day we are bombarded with Facebook Ad's, emails, new exciting offers, the next best thing in marketing, etc.. and if you are just starting your business this sh*t can be super overwhelming!

I'm still working on clearing out all the fluff from when I first started, sure some of it helped, but if we are being honest here hiring a coach was what really changed it for me.

In fact it is during my 1:1 coaching sessions that I see this questions come up a ton - how do I block out the noise?

There are three strategies I've encouraged my community to implement and I use myself and am sharing in this video today.

I'm sharing my top three strategies so you can focus more on making money and less on trying to figure all that nonsense out.

Starting your business doesn't have to be overwhelming and it is possible to shut out the noise, but you have to make an effort to do so. Watch the video and follow the three steps to start simplifying your systems and do what you can with what you have!

How to Uncover Your Story for an Authentic Brand

I learned early on that branding HAS got to be more than just design, it has to be about purpose, and good quality storytelling. That's why I created a signature course Your Brand New Adventure, where I give you the tools to take your story and turn it into a brand that is a true reflection of you.

Your amazing business idea means nothing if your messaging and brand sound and look like everyone else, and the ONLY way to truly stand out is to share your personal story. No two people share the same story or lessons learned and when you begin here, when you truly allow yourself to become vulnerable and share the chapters that have completely transformed you, and build a brand on that - then you're already twenty steps ahead of everyone else.

I'm sharing exactly what you can do to start uncovering your story and how this contributes to your authentic brand!

I work with my clients to become clear on their chapters and find the key pieces from their story. Then and only then, can you really create messaging that attracts your ideal client and community.

What is Personal Branding and Why is Personal Branding Important?

What is Branding and
Why is Branding Important
for Female Entrepreneurs?

**The post was updated on October 2019

I absolutely love personal branding, but as much as I LOVE it, it didn't come easy to me early on in my business.

In fact, the very first website I made took almost five months to make and the end result was NOTHING like what I imagined. Sure I had done it myself, but I got so wrapped up in what everyone else was doing and what their brands looked like that I lost myself in the process.

When I became a personal branding coach and consultant female entrepreneurs I knew I wanted to share my discoveries and knowledge around branding with as many women as possible.

Why is Personal Branding Important?

Because when you start thinking about branding as so much more than just aesthetic, you are able to create a truly authentic personal brand that stands out in your industry.

And, yes when I say personal branding, I mean you!

In fact, no matter what you sell online you need to be focused on the person behind the business. It is the personal connection that attracts your dream clients and keeps them engaged.

4 Pieces for your Personal Brand

This 7-minute video will give you a look inside personal branding and the 4 pieces needed for a strong personal brand online.

When you take the time to lay the foundational pieces of your personal brand, you create a brand that is so on-point to who you are and your purpose and clearly connects with your audience.

This is how you create a brand that attracts fans, not just followers.

Leave your biggest takeaway from today’s video below.

P.S. If you’re ready to create a strong personal brand on social media, then be sure to check out my FREE masterclass where I’m sharing my Build a Better Brand Method. You’ll learn the exact framework I teach my clients to create a brand that stands out on social media, attracts their dream clients and creates a revenue-generating business. Sign up here!

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Effectively Plan for 2017 (and how not to lose momentum)

I absolutely love this time of year. The time between Christmas and New Years when you just dream of the year ahead. I spend so much time during this week every year just reflecting on the past year and planning for the future.

Are you planning this week? It's such an amazing time of possibility! However, I've seen time and time again people who create goals and within 90, sometimes 30 days, stop making progress. I don't want that for you and I promise you there is another way. 

Last year I set out with a pretty big goal - launch my business, leave my 9 to 5 and make enough money on my own to support my family. It was scary, but it was a dream I couldn't ignore. I followed the exact process I'm laying out for you below to make it all my reality.

I truly believe anything you desire can become your reality. That is why I follow this approach when mapping out my year ahead. I've said time and time again it helps you keep momentum in your life throughout the whole year, but it also allows you to achieve your wildest dreams! If you start with the end goal in site, and don't worry about the how, you get into a place of anything is possible, and with that mindset it truly is.

Here is the exact process I use to map out my year ahead. It totally worked for me in 2016 and I know it will work for you and I this coming year!

Three step process:

1. Write out your goals for the year: Dream big baby! Don't hold back here, the main goal is to just write down every major goal you have for 2017. Don't worry about the how, just imagine yourself this time next year and imagine how different your life is. What were the major accomplishments that led to that moment?

2. Break your goals down quarterly: Take those big goals and break them down into seasons. If your goal is to make $100K in your business then how much do you need to make every quarter? If you want to have 12 clients, how many feels good to take on each quarter? Again we aren't worrying about the how, just breaking it down into smaller, more manageable goals. 

3. Step by step plan: This is my favorite part of the puzzle because this is where my creativity and strategy comes into play. Take your quarterly goals and write out exactly how you plan to get there. Again, we aren't really focusing on the how, although we are definietely implementing a little more strategy at this phase. The main focus is laying out the steps you need to take so you have a clear picture of the action steps needed to reach your desires. If you want to make $100K in your business and that comes out to $25K a quarter, then you know you need to take on 5 clients at $5k, or hold a group program with 50 people at $500 a piece. The strategies and techniques are endless, you just have to come up with the methods used to reach your end goal.

This technique seriously works for anything, it doesn't have to be money related! If you want to create a Facebook community, like my group Authentic Brand Builders, and you want X number of people in the group for Q1, then what strategies are you going to use to get there? If you want X number of people on your email list by Q2, how many people do you need a day and how are you going to get there?

By working backwards you really are setting yourself up for success from the very beginning - not to mention you have a step by step action plan that keeps you on track and keeps your momentum going for the whole year.

2017 is your year! It's the year that you launch your business, make your first $10K, $30K or $100K, it's the year you leave your 9 to 5 or the year you take that two week trip to Europe - it is your year! Don't hold back when it comes to planning your 2017 and for goodness sake don't get caught in the how from the very beginning, just picture and feel into the end result.

I promise you it is ALL possible, I set out with a goal at the beginning of 2016 to launch my business, leave my 9 to 5 and make more than enough money to support my family and life of freedom, and I'm doing just that. 

Make a plan.

Take action.

Live your life of freedom.

P.S. Ready to Get Sh*t Done in 2017? I'm hosting a goal setting challenge in Authentic Brand Builders, kicking off on Monday, January 2. Get all the details and sign up here: http://bit.ly/2017getshitdone