In this episode, Cat is sharing how to use Instagram Stories as a tool for business growth and personal branding. Cat shares insights on how to effectively use Stories to nurture your audience, build trust, and engage with your community.
She shares six ways to use IG Stories, including behind-the-scenes content, showcasing personality and humor, teaching valuable lessons, and using Stories as a platform for reminders and updates.
The conversation emphasizes that while Instagram Stories may not directly grow your following, they are essential for creating a loyal and engaged audience.
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Learn more at catdelcarmen.com.
[00:00:00] What is up y’all? Welcome back to Show Up Real podcast. I am so excited you are here today. I’m going to be talking about IG stories and how to use IG stories for business growth, to grow your personal brand, to grow as a creator online. We’re talking all about Instagram stories. I’m going to be telling you how to think about Instagram stories, and then I have six different ideas that I’ve used or seen for you to use. You don’t have to use all of them, but I wanted to give you some background on different ways I’ve used Instagram stories and how I’ve been able to actually convert clients from stories and how I think about it.
Before we get into that, I also want to remind you that my group program, Show Up Real—the doors officially closed to the program, the launch, and the bonus and everything. But if you want to join, we have extended the doors—not for this launch, but we’re just leaving the doors open for right now. And I want to tell you two things, and then we’ll get into this topic.
Number one is we are doing a multiple-hour event. I want to say it’s a three- to four-hour event where you are going to dissect what you’ve learned in 2024 and really get clear on what you want 2025 to look like. I called it Do It Your Way. This is actually an annual reflection and planning day that I’ve done in the past, and I decided to keep it. I decided to keep the name. The reason I say Do It Your Way is because business is different for everyone.
In the coaching industry, there’s this energy of, “You have to follow your coach.” And here’s the thing—if you’re going to pay a coach a lot of money, you should follow them, right? But there are always caveats, always nuances. When I first put on this event, I really wanted you to feel empowered about the direction you choose in your business—not just give this energy of, “Well, I’ll just do what I’m supposed to and see what happens.” No, I want you to really be proud of what you’re building and growing and get behind it.
So anyway, that’s a full-day event happening in December. And if you join Show Up Real, you will be invited to that. I want to say it’s December 11th. If you join Show Up Real, you’ll not only get access to that, but we also have something else happening in Show Up Real that I’m doing called the Signature Series Challenge.
What that means for my clients inside the program is that you are going to be able to practice putting out a series where the format is the same, the technical things are the same, and you just get really good at putting out one type of content. It sounds a little crazy, but if you think about it, anyone who’s gone viral, anyone who’s been able to grow their audience, they’ve been really good at repetition. That’s what we’re going to practice in Show Up Real. At the end of it, everyone’s going to have their own signature series that they are known for, that your audience can come to expect, and that you get to play around with in your business and content. I’m so excited about that.
Let’s get into this episode. I’m trying to think if there’s anything else… Oh yeah. Thanksgiving is this week. Let me just start by saying I have a lot of thoughts about Thanksgiving. A lot of people do. The reality is that we are on land that is not ours. It belongs to the people who were here before America’s Thanksgiving. I want to be clear in giving my respects to Native people.
Also, I grew up loving Thanksgiving, so I do have a lot of natural gratitude at this time. I want to say thank you, I love you, and I appreciate you. If you’ve stuck with me throughout the years in my business and the immense amount of growth—which I’m going to talk all about on the podcast this year in December and going into next year—thank you. I appreciate you.
Okay, let’s get into this episode and talk about Instagram stories. I want to start with asking the question: How do Instagram stories play a role in my content strategy? Let’s talk about it.
The first thing you want to use Instagram stories for is nurturing your audience. When I say nurturing your audience, I mean people follow you, right? They follow you, they might learn about you and what you post, but if you’re not posting consistently, they’re either going to forget about you or have a very specific idea about who you are based on what they’ve seen.
Your Instagram stories are a place to nurture people who are interested in getting to know you. We’re going to talk about six different ways to do that. I want you to think about Instagram stories as a place to nurture, take care of, and bring your audience along with you. It’s a place to connect with your current Instagram followers in a way other formats just don’t allow.
Going along with that, your Instagram stories are one of the best places to build trust with your ideal clients. You can share so much about who you are, your personality, and the things that make you dynamic and different. Instagram stories are such a great way to share that.
We’ll talk about how to use them, but I want it to feel like you’re talking with your people all day long. I don’t want you to be wildly strategic or make it all about your niche, offers, or business. Share your personality, your life, your preferences, and your values. It’s a place for people to get to know you deeper.
It’s also a great way to build trust because people are getting to know who you are. In your Instagram stories, you can do a really good job proving why you’re credible, qualified, and the person to do what you do. Regularly talking to your audience helps create relationships where they want to come back for more.
Think about your IG stories as a place to communicate and engage with your community. It’s where you ask questions, propose ideas, show your personality, and build community. When new people find you and see your stories, they’ll feel an instant connection if you’re talking to them like a human in a casual, real way.
That’s how your Instagram stories play a role in your content strategy. This is where you engage, nurture, and encourage people to come back.
Here’s what Instagram stories are not: They’re not going to grow your following. There is one way they might help you grow your following, which I’ll cover when we talk about the six steps. But for the most part, Instagram stories are not for growing a following—they’re for nurturing the following you already have.
Let’s talk about six different ways to use Instagram stories to nurture your audience, build trust, and engage them.
1. Behind the Scenes
Instagram stories are perfect for showing behind the scenes of your life or business. Share your actual day, your work, or your personal life. People love seeing what goes on beyond your curated posts.
The way I’ve done this with my Instagram stories—and it’s probably my most popular way—is by sharing a lot of motherhood content. I don’t lead with that in my regular posts, so when people come into my IG stories, they get a deeper level of who I am. They see me as a whole, dynamic person, not just the head of a business.
For example, if I’ve had a hard day with my kids, I might share a picture of them and say, “Today was a hard mom day.” Or if it was a great day with my family, I’ll say something like, “Family’s the best.” I’m not sharing this specifically to nurture my audience, but because I’m open to sharing who I am.
Behind-the-scenes content could also include your business. You might record yourself typing and caption it, “Writing a fun new post for my email list.” Not only does this encourage your audience to join your email list, but it also gives them a glimpse into what running your business looks like.
It’s important to use video for these moments. You could also show your nighttime routine or something as casual as cooking dinner while talking to your audience. Even if your niche has nothing to do with food, it humanizes you.
The goal is to be dynamic—more than just a CEO or a business owner. For example, I sometimes show my favorite wine. I might mention that I grew up near Napa Valley and share how that shaped my appreciation for wine. Little things like that help people remember you as a multi-dimensional person.
2. Share Your Personality and Humor
Your IG stories are perfect for showing your personality and humor. Using stories to provoke emotions—whether it’s laughter, joy, or even reflection—is brilliant for your personal brand and for building trust.
One way I do this is by resharing content that I find funny or align with from a values perspective. For example, I’ll share something political or emotional, like a video of a military family reuniting or someone celebrating a big accomplishment. I might say, “Watch this if you feel like crying today.” It’s very me, and my audience knows I’m a bit emo.
Sharing your personality through humor or emotional content builds trust because people see you as a real human. It creates opportunities for engagement. People laugh with you, react, or share their own stories.
You can also share personal preferences like your favorite music. I love using music in my stories to show my mood or personality. This sparks conversations and makes you more relatable.
3. Teach Your Audience
Teaching is one of the best ways to use IG stories to nurture your audience and build trust. Share your expertise in simple, actionable ways. You can teach through video or copy, explaining something related to your niche, your business, or the transformation you offer.
For example, in the early days of my business, I would share two to three teaching moments on my IG stories each week. It helped me establish authority and credibility. Teaching could be as simple as explaining one step of a process or diving deeper into a topic you’ve already posted about.
Here’s a tip: “Talk about what you talked about.” If you post something on your feed, follow it up on your stories by adding more context or sharing a related point. For instance, if I post about IG stories on my feed, I might jump on my stories and say, “Here’s another tip I didn’t include in my post.” This keeps the conversation going and shows you’re invested in educating your audience.
4. Highlight Others to Build Relationships
While IG stories aren’t typically a tool for growing your following, there is one exception: highlighting others.
When you see content you admire, screenshot it and share your perspective in your stories, tagging the creator. For example, I once shared a post from Rachel Rodgers and talked about why I loved her message. I tagged her, and she reshared my story, exposing me to her audience.
This works because you’re giving credit where it’s due and genuinely engaging with their content. While not everyone will reshare, many people do, especially if you’ve spoken positively about their work. This strategy feels authentic because you’re not doing it solely for growth—it’s about building connections.
5. Use Stories as a Reminder
Your IG stories should act as a bulletin board for your audience. Use them to remind people about your offers, upcoming events, or what’s happening in your business.
You can also use stories to ask for feedback. For example, I’ve used stories to ask opinions on shoes or outfits. Even though it’s unrelated to my business, it sparks engagement and shows a fun, personal side of me. People love giving their opinions, so this is a great way to keep your audience involved.
6. Be Consistent
IG stories are a place to show up regularly and build relationships. Even if you’re not posting daily, aim for consistency. When people see you talking to them like a friend—whether it’s sharing a funny moment, teaching something valuable, or asking their opinion—they’ll feel more connected to you.
Instagram stories are not about growing your following—they’re about building community, nurturing your audience, and creating trust. They allow people to see you as a dynamic person outside of your business, which is essential for connection.
When you use these strategies consistently, your audience will remember the moments that stood out to them. They’ll start to feel like they know you, which is often the deciding factor when they’re ready to work with you.
Thanks for tuning in, y’all. Have a wonderful week! Mwah. Mwah. Bye.
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