Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Sue B. Zimmerman, and I'm really excited to do a
Instagram interview with one of my very dear friends, who
has actually been in my life for quite a while, and came to
me over a year ago asking for some social media help,
specifically with using Instagram.
Her name is Kendall Covitz, and she is a young
entrepreneur who is a holistic health coach, and also teaches
yoga, both in person and also via Skype.
And I have really enjoyed seeing Kendall grow her
business relentlessly this past year.
And I'm so proud of her.
And she recently announced that she now has 1,000
followers on Instagram, which is more followers than she has
on Facebook.
So that is very impressive to me.
So I thought it'd be a great opportunity to share with all
of you what she's doing, the strategies she's using, and
how she's getting engagement.
So without further ado, I want to introduce Kendall.
And Kendall, I just love that both you and I are in rooms
where we have exercise equipment.
I don't use mine that often, and I'm sure
you use yours a lot.
But anyway, so say hello, and certainly add to what I said
in the introduction in any way that you want to.
And then we'll jump right into the interview, OK?
OK, excellent.
So like Sue said, I'm a nutrition counselor and yoga
instructor, and I do work a lot online, so it was really
important for me to continue growing online
and on social media.
And with Sue's help, she got me right on Instagram, told me
how important it was.
And whatever Sue says, I believe, so I did that even
though I didn't know much about it.
And I put a lot of time into organically growing Instagram,
learning hashtags, creating my own, and just putting out
content that about me, and also what I'm doing.
And she taught me how to re-post, which I'm sure we'll
talk about.
And it keeps growing, and now I'm expanding on it, and it's
truly a part of my business going forward.
It's actually a huge focal point with a new program,
Kendall Clean, that I just created.
OK, so Kendall, let's step back.
We'll go through the process of how you got to those 1,000
followers from [? the very ?] beginning, and what you were
doing a year ago and what you're doing now, and what
you've learned along the way with the new features that
Instagram has.
And then we'll definitely talk about strategies that everyone
can implement, OK?
Yeah, great.
So when you first started a year ago--
so you weren't even on Instagram, right?
I forget, we had that first meeting, right?
Yeah, I didn't even have an iPhone.
And you said that's the first thing I need to do.
So I went out and got one, because I do what
you tell me to do.
[? It ?] works.
And then right when I got my iPhone,
I downloaded Instagram.
OK, so you started with zero followers, obviously.
That's what everyone has to do.
They have to start somewhere.
But before you were using Instagram, you were using
Facebook and Twitter only.
Were those the two networks that you were communicating to
with your followers?
Correct.
Did you also used Pinterest?
I did use Pinterest, but more for personal.
And you taught me how to reorganize Pinterest for
professional.
So yeah, I was using all three of those.
OK, so what did you do, let's say for the first three
months, that got you kind of [INAUDIBLE]
interested in using it as a tool?
And especially since you are on the go with so much of what
you do and teaching, and your clients--
you're meeting them in different places.
So talk about the strategies that you used in the first
three months?
So in the first three months, it was showing what I was
eating, what I was doing to exercise, and really just
sharing more of a piece of what I do.
Sharing some personal photos, and just allowing people to
connect on a different level.
And it was also connecting with those other people that
have already taken the time to invest relationships with.
So my Twitter relationships and Facebook, making sure that
I was following, and people were following me.
And it's really important, I found, to support the people
and the industry that you want to follow you back.
So really taking the time to comment, like, and just
support those people.
OK, yeah.
So definitely.
So the comment, like, and support that makes Instagram
so easy to use is a tool, I think it helps attract the
right client or follower that could ultimately turn into
someone that ends up hiring you, right?
Correct.
I'm going to put on my headphones, because I'm
hearing some back noise.
Do you have any?
There's a little delay, and I just want to make sure that
I'm catching everything you're saying.
Are you getting a delay, too?
Slightly, but it's not a problem.
OK, oh, that's much better.
OK, so you mentioned a custom hashtag, which I love.
I think we talked about this together, and came up with one
that nobody else was using, which is so [INAUDIBLE]
and I think makes it nice to curate content specifically on
Instagram with that hashtag.
So share with the listeners what your hashtag is, and how
you're using that, again, to attract followers and to
curate content.
So the hashtag is just called KendallClean, and it's my
name, and kind of a clean eating, clean
living type of idea.
So the combination of the two really works for my new
website, which is kendallcovitz.
So I thought that the KC, KC kind of carries over.
And it's a great way to describe the type of living
that I believe in, and that I help clients create.
And with that, people use the hashtag KendallClean with
their healthy living pictures.
And then on Fridays, I use Statigram, and
re-post them on Instagram.
And also in my upcoming newsletters that were just
created, called Kendall Clean, we'll highlight some of our
favorite Kendall Clean photos from the last, in-between
newsletters.
So it's going really well, and people are responsive to it.
And it's really fun to see all of the creative, cleaning
eating that people are coming up with.
OK, so just take a step back.
So you have this awesome hashtag KendallClean, and
you're going to Statigram, which is an online website
where you can look at your data and assess the
engagement, and really see what other people are doing
within your account.
So is it there that you are looking at photos of other
people that are using your hashtag?
Or is it your own photos that you're extracting from?
So it's fairly new.
There are people using it, but it's both.
So it's growing.
We just started doing it like a month ago.
I was using it before to create some buzz, which you've
helped me create buzz within Instagram using that.
But yeah, we definitely have people using it already.
That's a really cool.
So again, you go to Statigram, and you look at the photos,
and then you feature those in your newsletter
is what you're saying?
Yes.
So our newsletter coming out the beginning of next week,
beginning of September, there will be some feature photos
from this month of people's Kendall Clean eating foods and
activities.
Really cool.
That's a great strategy.
So again, I love that you have your own custom hashtag.
I think that that is vital within Instagram, because then
you can look at all the images or videos that are using that
same hashtag.
So in addition to--
I'm looking at your account right now.
So you are very similar to me in that you are showing people
not just all of your Kendall Clean eating images and
recipes, but you clearly show people who you are, what
you're passionate about, obviously your cute little
doggy, and places that you go.
And so one of the strategies that I teach--
and I love that you have done a great job at--
is really sharing with your followers what makes you
unique, and why people are following you.
So tell the listeners what types of photos are getting
the most engagement on your account.
And then I want to talk about a strategy that could drive
traffic to those particular photos using hashtags.
So first, I want to hear from you what you're seeing is
getting the most engagement.
And then I'll share some tips on how to curate that
engagement.
OK, great.
So yeah, so whenever I follow anyone, what I connect with is
not only what they're eating, but they are, like you said.
So I make sure to really show who I am.
There are a lot of people doing what I'm doing, but I
think that what I bring personally is part of the
experience.
So I try to convey that over Instagram.
The pictures that are getting the most attention is anything
that looks delicious, anything different.
A lot of my family and my dog, and those personal moments
people really connect with.
So it's nice.
It's well-rounded, I think.
And using the hashtags is very important because it gets
people to see what you're doing.
So when I take the time to use the correct hashtags and use
enough of them, and to also connect with Twitter, that
also helps.
And it's connecting your social media buttons, like you
always talk about is so [? important ?].
OK.
Kendall, your volume is going in and out, and a little bit.
Are you hearing everything that I'm saying?
Yeah.
OK, so I think talking a little slower might help.
I'm not sure.
But I'm hoping that the recording is catching what
you're saying.
And maybe speaking a little bit slower might
help with the broadcast.
I'm just thinking that there might be a lot of people on
Google Hangouts right now.
Not particularly ours, but just in general.
So with the hashtag, so I like that you have, like I said, a
variety of images [INAUDIBLE]
that you're sharing.
And the ones that are getting the most engagement, those
delicious photos and recipes, for your followers to just go
there, if they're not interested in the dog photos
or the ones with your family, by using a hashtag and telling
them, for more photos like this, follow this hashtag.
And in your case, it appears to be KendallClean.
So I think it's important on those photos to direct
followers to that hashtag, so that if they just want to look
at that and not all the other images, they can go there,
especially for great recipes and great
tips for eating healthier.
So that is awesome.
And I see, you now have 1,010 followers, which is great.
It was just yesterday that you told me you had a thousand.
Like on average a week, how many new followers do you
think you're getting?
Maybe like 15 to 20.
That's great.
Yeah, it is good.
Yeah.
So what advice could you give someone new to Instagram that
has made it a successful tool for your business,
specifically for social media and the amount of time you're
spending on social media, and being someone like you
who is on the go.
I know it's a great mobile app, especially for coaches.
So why don't you share your three favorite strategies
other than the hashtag one that you're using that people
could implement today.
I would make sure that your name on Instagram is the same
on Twitter, and hopefully Facebook, as well, so that
people can search you, like if they are already searching on
Twitter and you're on there, make sure it's the same so
they can find you right away.
My other tip would be to have a great description, and make
sure your website is on there.
I see a lot of people with a huge following who don't even
have their website on there.
So I have to dig around--
and a lot of people won't dig around-- to try to
connect with them.
So make sure you make it easy for people to actually use
what you're doing.
Absolutely.
Yeah, I love that you mentioned--
I'm actually embedding this quote on Facebook right now.
But I love that you mentioned the consistency of brand
across multiple platforms, because so many people don't
do that when they are on Instagram.
and it makes it harder to [INAUDIBLE].
Yeah, it's like you put in all this effort, and then when
wouldn't you help yourself and help other people?
Yeah, so that is awesome.
And let me just get this code embedded real quick, because
I'm a little distracted.
Sorry.
OK, there we go.
So you said consistent username, and you
talked about your bio.
And then what I want to jump in and say is linking that
URL, which is really exciting that you have the opportunity
to link a URL.
And that can change daily if you're trying to grow your
list, or get someone to a yoga event that
you're teaching, right?
Or if you want them to read your blog, you
put your blog there.
So do you change up your URL in your bio much?
I haven't.
But I didn't think to do individual posts, so that's a
really great tip.
Yeah.
So I see that right now you have your website, which is
awesome for list-building.
But because you are constantly doing some awesome event, I
think if you put that event URL there and wrote down
[INAUDIBLE]
people to go there in your bio, that might help you get
more people at your events.
Yeah.
That would be great.
So you could try that.
Definitely.
Yeah, so how about for future Instagramming, do you have a
little strategic plan in mind of what you're going to be
doing going forward?
So I absolutely want to keep using the
KendallClean hashtag.
I also going to continue using Statigram.
And I plan on doing like a Friday favorite, re-posting
every Friday.
So I'll do my post soon, and re-post this Friday.
And just keep up with that, I think being consistent and
sticking to what I'm doing.
I try to upload, I think, like three photos a day.
So making sure that I keep creating and posting great
content daily, and the consistency--
like anything, like working out eating--
is key.
Yeah.
Well, working out and eating is what people want to be
doing every day-- or, obviously they're
eating every day.
So people definitely like healthy recipes.
And to your point, being consistent [INAUDIBLE]
is key.
I upload probably between three and
eight pictures a day.
And I try to have one of those be a video.
And I think for you especially, showing how your
cooking or some of your yoga moves would be great how-to
videos that you could incorporate into your
KendallClean hashtag.
Yeah.
So yeah.
So for anyone that wants healthy inspiration, the
beautiful Kendall Covitz--
and I want to say she's not only beautiful on the outside.
This girl is such a sweet, beautiful person who's getting
married soon, and I'm really excited for her.
And I just love mentoring young entrepreneurs and seeing
them succeed.
And Kendall has been the epitome of A plus student in
her success on Instagram.
And I just wanted to share that.
So Kendall, if you have any last words, we'd
love to hear them.
So go ahead.
I just can't express how important Instagram is for my
business gaining clients.
And I think that with your Instagram boot camp and tools
and advice, people should listen, because it really does
get you business.
And it's really a great way of sharing a
piece of who you are.
Perfect.
OK.
Well, thanks so much for the interview, Kendall.
Everyone should be following Kendall at
Kendall with two L's--
K-E-N-D-A-L-L--
Covitz on Instagram.
And I will get a banner up on this video soon, Kendall, OK?
Thanks you.
Thanks so much.
Bye bye.