Shelter Charity Instagram (Brighton) Part II

Instagram analytics part 2

As promised, here is a comparison from 21 days ago since I took over the IG account of Shelter Charity in Brighton. The account has now been active for 32 days.

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One month, 3 posts a week:

A quick overview and we can confidently assess that the account reach overall has gone down as we have predicted (the account needs to stabilise). Progress has been made with +38.1 % interaction rate, +180% profile visits, and +18.1 followers.

Before the takeover on 25.03.2022, the IG account was dormant for almost 4 months; therefore to see a real result we need time and consistency with posting, replying to potential customers, and making sure we deliver good content to the public that is fun and engaging all around.

Despite this early conclusion, the Shelter Charity Brighton branch is settling and continuing to head for a steady growth based solely on an organic reach. Recently, as of yesterday, the shop is doing a collaboration with the fashion brand AllSaints, a substantial way to promote the shop.

For this project, I have been following the account closely, although I only spend 1h to 2h volunteering. This little (and limited) experimentation with Shelter Charity in Brighton is to show that being steady with your digital marketing pays off, it’s just like a workout!

Now, you can definitely go faster if you implement smart ads, content budget, collaboration with influencers and brands, a specific call to action, email marketing, etc.

Reels are definitely doing great as we already know, nevertheless, I had some issues lately picking popular songs, and I think that has affected our visibility. This is something that I may not be able to change as of now as it is outside my control.

The follower count has gone up by 18,1% which is great as we are getting noticed. Most of our viewers are non-followers which happens across the board with everyone on Instagram. It has a lot to do with the algorithm pushing mainly for boosted posts (ads). The video engagement, although, we haven’t posted a lot as I favored making reels over regular videos due to more success with the app.

Profile visit is up by 180%, and that’s absolutely awesome! Interaction has gone up by +156%, what would be interesting here is to build over time a solid relationship with the community in Brighton. The age group goes from 25 years old to 44 years old, dominated by a female audiance. 

Screen shots of Instagram Analytics for Shelter Brighton (first month!):

I may do another update in 3 months—Leave a comment below, and share with us your experience with social media!

Tell me what is codependency

Are you codependent?

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Have you ever heard of codependency?

If you’re constantly thinking of others’ needs before your own, or feel like you only exist to serve others, yes, this is a big sign of codependency.

If you can’t “be yourself” around certain people in your life, that’s a symptom too. Codependency is a real problem that affects millions of people worldwide—and it’s not just something that happens in relationships with alcoholics or addicts. It can be triggered by any situation where the boundaries are unclear, or where you feel like your happiness is contingent on other people’s happiness.

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So how do you know when you're being codependent in your life, and relationships?

It’s not as simple as it seems.

Here are 3 common signs:

• You prioritize other people’s needs over your own.

• Feel like you don’t have an identity outside of your role as a spouse/parent/caretaker/etc?

• Feeling as you have to be a certain way around certain people to keep them happy, even if it doesn’t make you happy.

If this sounds familiar, it’s okay! A lot of us experience these feelings from time to time, but if they happen consistently and cause problems, it could be time to start looking for ways to address them. This is not a medical diagnostic, and you are highly advised to seek medical care from your GP if you think you need it. Therapy shouldn’t be taboo, and as much as you care for your body… your mind needs love, and care too.

Dr K. from the Healthy Gamer GG is one of my favourite therapist specilised in addiction. He has done an incredible video that I recommend to watch for further research:

So, have you ever experienced codependency? How did you manage it? Leave a comment below!

Growing Shelter Charity Instagram (Brighton)

Social media project for Shelter Charity in Brighton

Have you ever looked at your Instagram and thought “My account hasn’t got as many followers as I’d like”?
Or maybe “I wish more people would look at my pictures.”
Well then, you’ve come to the right place!

Instagram Samin Ghiasi

Let’s start with a story first:

I will be truly honest, I quit social media for one year when covid19 made its way in the UK.

Back in London and I wanted to take this time to focus on my mental health (and my life in general!)—as the News was extremely depressing. No one knew what exactly was going on, and what would be the consequences. I remember when researchers were telling us that it would take the world at least 2 years to see the end of it, they were not wrong. It’s exactly what happened, perhaps not “the end” of it, as we learned to live through the pandemic with the vaccine. I tested positive twice with very mild symptoms, only a severe headache and general fatigue for 2-3 days. The thought of long covid worries me even to this day.

I pivoted my time between trying to eat better, exercising with my flatmate, and doing yoga daily. Losing myself reading, and studying. I knew I wanted to upskill before the pandemic, and that was my time to make it “happen”. Despite everything that was going on, I think having a defined goal really helped me survive solitude and isolation with the constant pressure to find work as a self-employed creative.

Came the time I studied how to code, counseling, health and diet, horticulture with RHS, ESOL, GDPR laws, and digital marketing! I also volunteered in community gardens, translated texts for human rights organisations remotely, LOTS of Zoom meetings, and got a few certifications with Google and Hackney Council. I even trained as a hairdresser in five different hair salons in Central London until the end of 2021! I bought a bicycle, and when I wasn’t cruising in town, I learned to skateboard in a parking lot next to my flat. 

Absolute chaos. And overworked. But the best part is TODAY, now. All this hard work. I know where I’m going, and I’m happy sitting here typing this post surrounded by my favourite books (and hopefully my driving licence next!).

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After leaving London for Brighton, I decided to give Digital Marketing another go. And I’m so grateful I did! I discovered a passion for copywriting and SEO. I also learned that I truly enjoyed doing other people’s Marketing, not the same as doing self-promotion for yourself. You don’t have the emotional baggage.

And the best part: It is very similar to when I was a freelance photographer: I can pick and choose between so many industries, and people. Always a chance to learn and grow while being able to work remotely.

Samin Ghiasi Hairdressing

While freelancing as a digital marketing assistant, I wanted to give back to the community here in Brighton and took on a pro bono project. I absolutely love the work Shelter Charity does in the UK, and I suggested taking care of their social media branch in Brighton, my local charity shop. The team was very open and gave me the opportunity to grow their social media.

So far, it has been only 14 days with 10 pieces of content: 3 reels, 1 video, 4 posts with photos, and one re-share from the main Shelter account. I created all the content and the copy. I wanted to share here some stats and I will most likely come back to it within 3 months to show what worked, what didn’t, and where we are now.

Social media management can be quite time-consuming, especially when you are managing a number of different accounts. There are however a number of tools that can help you in growing your Instagram account and these range from helping you post images to scheduling updates. These tools will save you time and make your social media management much more straightforward, I recommend HubSpot and Hootsuite.

Growing your Instagram account is a lot like growing a garden

You plant the seed, water it, add organic nutrients and sunlight and eventually it grows. You can’t just plant the seed and expect it to grow overnight. It takes time, dedication, and consistency. Here are our top tips:

1. Don’t be afraid to ask!

A lot of people think you shouldn’t ask for likes or follows, but we have found that it really can help. People are busy and focused on their own things, so don’t be afraid to remind them that you exist! You have something awesome to offer the world, and it’s okay to tell them about it. (But don’t be weird and pushy!)

2. Be consistent.

The more quality content you post, the better chance you’ll have of getting noticed by the algorithm—and by a potential new follower who will stumble upon your profile while looking at related posts and decide that they want to follow you. So keep up the good work!

3. Be strategic with hashtags.

Hashtags are an excellent way to get discovered by people who don’t know you yet, but it’s important not to use too many hashtags or the wrong kind of hashtags if you want to grow your Instagram following effectively. Instead, use relevant ones that are specific enough that users won’t be overwhelmed when searching for them (e.g., #silverjewelry not #jewelry). If you’re posting about travel photography, try using one or two travel-related hashtags instead of a bunch of general ones like “vacation” and “fun.” 

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Back to Shelter Charity Brighton. As a volunteer, I can only spend a limited time on this project but it shows you that even with a little work (1-2h per week and no paid ads), this is what you can get. Currently, reels are doing better than adding a single photograph—and quality matters big time.

Screen shots of Instagram Analytics for Shelter Brighton (first 14 days):

Remember that being on social media means interacting with your followers. To serve rather than take. Making the experience resourceful, and entertaining. Try this, and let me know your stats between now and 14 days. Remember to always do your best to put quality content out there but don’t beat yourself up, not everything has to be perfect. Try to be consistent first ☆

It’s your turn now—Leave a comment below, and share with us your experience with social media!