Episode 9: Why a large Instagram following doesn’t (necessarily) mean big engagement

Did you realize that a large Instagram following doesn’t necessarily mean big engagement? (Click below for shownotes.) https://ruthiegray.mom/large-instagram-following/ Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ruthiegray.mom/ Follow Melanie M Redd on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/melaniemredd/ Learn about Instagram coaching https://ruthiegray.mom/insider-intensive/ Listen to this interview with Melanie Redd from @melaniemredd to find out what she learned by having a large Instagram following!     R: Melanie has worked hard to really build her following and she has a large Instagram following.  Before you discovered the magic of real authentic engagement on Instagram, what was your Instagram platform like and what were some of your frustrations?   M: What I was taught about Instagram was grow grow grow - it was all about numbers (I needed a large Instagram following). I spent money going to classes taking classes doing all kinds of crazy things to get the most followers.    R: I mean that's what I always thought - I was like "Man, Melanie's got it together; she's got all the followers, she's got the swipe up, she's got the 10,000..." and I think what took me aback was -  you and I were at a blogger retreat together and I mentioned this actually in my episode 1 podcast (name of podcast)  where you were leading the session and somebody said Instagram and you looked at me and said, "Ruthie, what is it you're doing on Instagram because you're killing it!", and I thought to myself, “I don't have near the followers she does, what is she talking about?!” so explain that to me.    Experiencing the breakthrough - even with a large Instagram following Minute 4:10  M:  I turned my personal account into a business account and tried to get as many followers as possible and I noticed that you were doing all these crazy stories and I was like “What is she doing over there? She’s not twenty!” And I knew my kids did it.  I just noticed that you were doing things differently than anyone else I’d seen (our age).   R:  I tell my people that's really where I started to really love Instagram because stories hadn’t been around for very long and I started experimenting in stories of my family and funny things like that and people were really responding. So yeah I remember you saying that to me and I was like “she's the one with all the numbers why she asking me?!” so and and I think that proves a point; you don't need to be afraid to go off the beaten path.   M:  You started doing “the weird” and I thought, “Wait a minute I think I'm missing something.” Everybody else was doing the same stuff but you were doing things that were creative and different and sort of “out there” and people our age and in our niche weren’t trying very many of those things. So I thought, “Ok, I like to learn new things” and I thought Ruthie, you’re onto something.  You’re not afraid to do what the 20-year-olds are doing.”