When I started learning digital marketing, I wanted to apply what I was learning right away. So, I reached out to a small local brand and offered to help improve their Instagram presence for free. In just 4 weeks, we saw a 200% increase in reach, and it became a great learning experience for me.
1. The Brand & The Challenge
The brand is a small handmade soap business run by a family friend. Their Instagram had under 200 followers and very little engagement. Posts were inconsistent, lacked hashtags, and didn’t have a clear visual style or call to action.
2. The Strategy I Used
Here’s what I implemented:
- Content Calendar: Scheduled 3 posts a week using Canva templates for consistency.
- Hashtag Research: Used a mix of niche and trending hashtags.
- Reels & Stories: Created behind-the-scenes videos of product-making.
- Engagement: Responded to comments and DMs within 24 hours.
- Timing: Posted when their audience was most active (around 6–8 PM).
3. The Results
In just 30 days:
- 📈 Instagram reach increased by 200%
- 🧼 Gained 150 new followers
- 💬 Engagement rate improved by 80%
- 📩 They got 3 new orders from Instagram DMs alone
4. What I Learned
- Consistency really matters.
- Simple changes like better hashtags and post timing make a big difference.
- Reels get much better reach than static posts.
- Real engagement (responding, interacting) builds trust quickly.
Conclusion
This experience taught me how digital marketing isn’t just about tools—it’s about understanding the audience and solving real problems creatively. I’m excited to try more campaigns and share the results here.