Ask the Experts: Using Instagram
June 1, 2016

How can I use Instagram to get potential students to visit my website and learn more about my studio?

Gain maximum Instagram impact for your studio and website by regularly sharing great photos or videos of what’s happening at your studio. Feature your own dancers, because they are more apt to like and comment on your posts. Highlight upcoming events. Offer a glimpse into your studio culture and the experience of being a student at your school. Use apps like PicMonkey or Canva to add text overlays to your images, transforming them into mini-posters with important details.

Once you’ve engaged and grown your Instagram account, it’s time to focus on converting your followers into registered students by using a strong call to action. To do this, add a Bitly link—a shortened URL generated by bitly.com—in your Instagram bio (currently the only place for a clickable link), which links to a specific page on your website. We recommend using a Bitly URL because it’s trackable—you can view your results with a free account. Plus, you can customize the URL.

Post an enticing picture, and add text in the pic’s description telling readers exactly what you want them to do. This is your call to action. Here’s an example: “Only 3 spots remain in our most popular summer dance camp! Registration link in BIO. Grab your spot today by tapping on our name, @yourstudioname.” When the user taps on your Instagram handle, it will take them right to your Instagram bio—with the link.

Kathy Blake is the owner of Kathy Blake Dance Studios in Amherst, New Hampshire. She and Suzanne Blake Gerety are the co-founders of DanceStudioOwner.com.

Photo by B Hansen Photography, courtesy of Suzanne Blake Gerety

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