Which platform is best for presenting services? - is a vital question for entrepreneurs and freelancers. Nowadays, there are a huge number of communication channels, but Instagram with its visual appeal is one of the favorite platforms of both businessmen and clients.
You can find not only entertaining information, but also new clients, business partners, mutual cooperation, useful services, online courses and much more. For a freelancer, Instagram is a business card to show their services and skills.
At the beginning, making a large website is expensive for a freelancer, so it's easier to start with social media. They will help to develop the client base, test the business model and communication strategy. But first you need to properly design a profile in social media. Start with this 5 main points:
1. The design of the header
Design is inseparable from meanings. Therefore, the first thing you need to do is properly design your profile header. Clear, concise and relevant information is extremely important. How would you describe yourself in 30 seconds?
It's worth paying attention to the following points:
- A clear and simple profile name that is associated with your service or you as an expert. For example, a campaign name or words that reflect the meaning of your business.
- See the bolded line? It's the most important one. This is a search box, as in google. Here it is important to enter those words, which in theory will search for you / your service on the network.
- Write down the USP of your service or expertise. How and why you can be interesting and useful to your audience.
- Link to a means of contact. Such as a phone number or messenger, a link to a website or linktree with more information or a redirect to your other Instagram profile.
Test, change, experiment! It's your visual business card.
2. Highlights
What else is on the profile? Highlights are timeless stories.
Users like to look behind the scenes, it's where all the most interesting things happen! That's why short videos like stories and reels are gaining momentum.
Stories disappear after 24 hours. They can contain useful information, announcements, links, insights. Create the highlights by category and save them to make it easier for the user to navigate through your profile and get straight to the most relevant news.
Choose short titles for highlighters, so they will be seen in their entirety and understandable. These can be:
- reviews;
- cases;
- tips;
- courses.
And about the theme of harmonious design - it's beautiful when the icons are in the same style and fit with the profile as a whole.
3. Profile picture
Profile picture represents you. It's small, so it's important that it has a legible, understandable look. Your portrait, uncluttered, good quality and on a homogeneous background. You can play with bright contrasts with the background or details and outlines.
The network user will associate you with the image on your profile picture. His or her eye will make a habit of distinguishing your publications from the general flow.
4. Visual design of your profile
Visual design is your communication with your subscribers through pictures. Accordingly, your task is to convey and unpack meanings.
As a rule, we see the whole profile only once, when we study it and decide whether it's interesting or not. Nevertheless, it is desirable to design the visual elements in a single style and color scheme. This is important in order to visually distinguish your publications for the user from the flow of the feed when browsing.
5. Reels
Video is gaining momentum, because in the flow of information, it's video that keeps the user's eye on the expert and his information.
To make the reels and recordings of broadcasts reflect your style line as well, make stylish covers for them - it will look beautiful and professional.
So, Instagram can be a very powerful tool in your hands. It's a presentation of you and your service, your beautiful virtual office. If you maintain and decorate it competently and regularly, you can ensure yourself a flow of clients without having to spend money and time on a separate personal website.
