There are three frustrations I hear business owners express about Instagram regularly…

• They’re yearning for authentic conversations.
• They’re disappointed about the lack of engagement.
• They’re chomping at the bit for genuine connections.

Every time I hear someone share one of those pressure points, I can’t help but wonder about their Insta game.  I’m not coming from a place of judgement, it’s genuine curiosity.

You see, so many times, we want to show up and be seen but forget to show up for others. While we’re busy creating content in addition to our everyday hustle, it’s easy to forget others are doing the same.

So while we want every post to be the best performing one yet, the reality is, it doesn’t work that way. Not every post is going to be a top performer and not all progress can be measured in metrics.

We have to show up with the intention of BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.

I know I’ve said this before so if you’ve been on this journey with me, I might sound like a broken record. But I’m going to say it again for those of you who are new around here or those who just need to be reminded: Social media is a long game.

It’s not about showing up once and that being enough. It’s not about sharing what you do and then–BOOM!–being flooded with requests for services in your DMs.

Remember, posting on Instagram like showing up to a party and getting to know the people in the room. Just like you can’t walk in and expect everyone to start talking to you, you can’t expect that simply posting is enough to get the engagement you desire. You’re going to have to mingle, start some conversations, introduce yourself, and get to know people.

With every post, you’re helping your audience get to know you a little better. You’re also going to have to seek others out, extend your hand, and get to know them.

I’m convinced we have to give what we’re looking to receive on our accounts. This means

• visiting profiles and accounts
• leaving meaningful comments on posts (not just liking posts in passing as you scroll from one to the next)
• giving the same engagement you want for your own account

So today, I want to challenge you to give three times the amount you want to receive. If you want to get ten comments on your next post, that means you need to leave 30 meaningful comments on posts that you like.

I know it sounds like a lot but if you’re on social media for business, that means it’s work! You have to be intentional to get the results you desire. Here’s to showing up for others and giving what you want to receive!