The former Huskers QB and current head coach holds firm to the Tom Osborne formula of the once-mighty program.
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Bill and his guests – Janice Min, Daryl Davis, James Carville, Erick Erickson, and Margaret Hoover – answer viewer questions after the show. (Originally aired 10/20/17)
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We looked at a ton of business credit card offers 0 APR, and did the research for you. So here are our choices.
Per the SBA, small business credit card limits are a whopping 10 – 100 times that of personal cards!
This shows you can get a lot more funds with business credit. And it also shows you can have personal credit cards at retailers. So you would now have an added card at the same retailers for your business.
And you will not need collateral, cash flow, or financial data in order to get small business credit. So why pay an interest rate with these credit card offers 0 APR?
Benefits can differ. So, make certain to pick the perk you would prefer from this selection of alternatives. Because business credit card offers 0 APR aren’t the only great deals out there.
The Bank of America® Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card has no yearly fee and comes with a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the initial nine months. After that, the card has a 13.24 – 23.24% variable APR
Earn 3 points/dollar spent when you book travel via the Bank of America Travel Center and 1.5 points/dollar on all other purchases. You can earn unlimited points and points never expire. This is one of the better business credit card offers 0 APR.
There is a 25,000-point sign-up bonus when you spend $1,000 within the first 60 days of opening up the account. Cardholders get travel accident insurance, and lost luggage reimbursement.
They likewise get trip cancellation coverage, trip delay reimbursement and other perks.
There is no introductory rate for balance transfers. Also, bonus categories are limited.
Get it here: https://www.bankofamerica.com/smallbusiness/credit-cards/products/travel-rewards-business-credit-card/
Have a look at the Capital One® Quicksilver® Card. It features flat-rate rewards of 1.5% on all purchases. There are no limits how much in cash back rewards that cardholders can attain. Also, the card has a $0 yearly fee. This is a decent one of the business credit card offers 0 APR and the introductory period is decent.
New cardholders have a 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months after starting the account. And then they have a 14.74 – 24.74% (variable) APR after that. A cash bonus of $150 is offered for those who make at least $500 on purchases within 3 months of account opening.
Also, cash back rewards do not expire for the life of the account. And there is no limit to how much you can earn.
In addition, there is a cash bonus of $150 is offered to cardholders who make at least $500 on purchases within 3 months of account opening.
The card also offers travel accident insurance. And you can get an auto rental collision damage waiver. There are no foreign transaction fees. And there is extended warranty coverage.
Downsides are the flat reward rate, not allowing for any more than that. And then there’s the increased APR after the first 15 months.
Get it here: https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/quicksilver/
Also, be sure to take a look at the Discover it® Student Cash Back which has a 0% APR for an introductory six-month period.
It has no annual fee. And there is an APR of 14.99 – 23.99% variable on all purchases after the introductory period.
One one-of-a-kind feature is that it offers an incentive for students to maintain good grades with a $20 statement credit. If students earn a GPA of 3.0 or higher each school year, the card will award the $20 statement credit annually for up to five years.
This is possibly the best of the business credit card offers 0 APR.
Use the card to build personal credit. While this is a personal card versus a business card, for new credit users, their FICO scores will be important.
And this credit card offers an excellent way to raise FICO while also earning rewards.
You can earn 5% cash back at various places each quarter like grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants or Amazon.com up to the quarterly maximum. After that, the card offers unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases.
In the first year, all cash back rewards are matched 100%.
Downsides include a cash advance fee of either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is more. And even though they waive the first late payment fee, a fee of up to $37 applies on all other late payments. There is also a returned payment fee of up to $37.
Get it here: https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cash-back/it-card.html
Establish business credit fast with our research-backed guide to 12 business credit cards and lines.
Have a look at the Ink Business Cash ℠ Credit Card. Small businesses can earn cash back with every single purchase. Spend $3,000 in the first three months from account opening. And you’ll get a $500 bonus cash back.
There is a $0 yearly fee with a 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers. After that, the APR is a 15.24 – 21.24% variable.
The card includes travel and purchase coverage benefits. So, this includes an auto rental collision damage waiver and extended warranty protection. For day to day expenses, this is one of the better business credit card offers 0 APR.
Earn bonus cash back on business categories. So, these include office supply stores, telecommunications, gas stations and restaurants.
Note: this card has a balance transfer fee. Pay 5% of the amount transferred or $5, whichever is more. Also, there is a foreign transaction fee of 3%.
Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/small-business-credit-cards/ink-cash
Have a look at the JetBlue Plus Card for another offer of a 0% introductory APR
Earn six points/dollar on JetBlue purchases, two points/dollar at dining establishments and grocery stores. And get one point/dollar on all other purchases.
Spend $1,000 in the first 90 days and pay the yearly fee, and get 40,000 bonus points. New cardholders get a 12 month, 0% initial APR on balance transfers made in 45 days of account opening.
Afterwards, the variable APR on purchases and balance transfers is 17.99%, 21.99% or 26.99%, based on creditworthiness. Benefits include a free first checked bag and 50% savings on in-flight purchases.
There is a $99 annual fee for this card. This is a decent one of the business credit card offers 0 APR but mind the annual fee.
Get it here: https://cards.barclaycardus.com/cards/jetblue-card/
Check out the Discover it® Cash Back card. There is a 10.99% introductory APR for six months from date of first transfer. So, this is for transfers under this offer which post to your account by January 10, 2019.
After the introductory APR expires, your APR will be 14.99% to 23.99%. So, this is based on your creditworthiness. Your APR will vary with the market, which is based on the Prime Rate.
You can earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter. So, these are establishments like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or wholesale clubs. But this is up to the quarterly maximum each time you activate. In addition, automatically earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
You will earn an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you have gotten at the end of your first year, automatically.
Get it here: https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/cash-back/it-card.html
Check out the Uber Visa Card. Uber is the first ride-sharing service to offer a credit card, in a partnership with Visa and Barclays.
The card provides 4% back per dollar spent at restaurants, takeout and bars, including UberEATS. Also, earn 3% back on hotel, airfare and vacation home rentals. And earn 2% back on online purchases.
So, this includes retailers and subscription services such as Uber and Netflix. And get 1% back on all other purchases. Each percent/point has a value of 1 cent. Redeem points for cash back, gift cards or Uber credits directly within the app.
By spending a minimum of $500 in the first 90 days, users can earn a $100 sign-up bonus. Cardholders spending at least $5,000 annually are eligible to receive a $50 credit toward online subscription services.
If you pay your cellular phone bill with this card, you are insured up to $600 for cellphone damage or theft.
Cardholders are eligible for exclusive access to specific events and offers. Uber anticipates the majority of these offers to be available in major cities like New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and DC. There is no foreign transaction fee.
But there is no introductory rate. The APR is a variable 16.99%, 22.74% or 25.74%, based on your creditworthiness. Cardholders with less than stellar credit will be on the higher end of the range.
Also, there are restrictions on Uber credits. To redeem points as credits in the Uber app, accumulate at least 500 points, or $5. Cardholders can convert a maximum of 50,000 points, or $500, in a given day.
Get it here: https://www.uber.com/c/uber-credit-card/
Establish business credit fast with our research-backed guide to 12 business credit cards and lines.
Not taking Uber? Then you’ll want to fill your gas tank somehow. Why not do so with the Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by Citi?
This credit card earns cash back with every purchase. Earn 4% cash back on the first $7,000 spent on eligible gas purchases annually (1% after that). Get 3% cash back at restaurants and on eligible travel purchases. Also, get 2% cash back at Costco and Costco.com. And earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Keep in mind: the $0 annual fee is only for Costco members. And an active Costco membership is required. Cardholders will get access to damage and theft purchase protection, extended warranty coverage and travel accident insurance.
Also, there is no sign-up bonus offered with this card.
Get it here: https://www.citi.com/credit-cards/credit-card-details/citi.action?ID=Citi-costco-anywhere-visa-business-credit-card
Get a good look at the United MileagePlus Explorer Business Card.
Earn 2 miles/dollar with United and at restaurants, gas stations and office supply stores. All other purchases earn 1 mile/dollar. Earn a 50,000-mile sign-up bonus after spending $3,000 in the initial three months from account opening.
Benefits include priority boarding, a free first checked bag for you and a companion on the same reservation.
Also, get two United Club passes annually. And get hotel and resort perks including upgrades. On top of that, get early check-in and late checkout. And get an auto rental collision damage waiver.
Plus, get baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, trip cancellation and interruption insurance. Finally, get trip delay reimbursement, purchase protection, price protection and concierge service.
After the first year, the card has an annual fee of $95. APR of 17.99% – 24.99%, based on creditworthiness.
Get it here: https://creditcards.chase.com/small-business-credit-cards/united-mileageplus-explorer-business
For fair credit, we like the Capital One Spark Classic for Business. It has no annual fee. There are cash-back rewards. The card earns an unlimited 1% cash back on all purchases. There is an annual fee of $0.
With this card, you will get benefits including an auto rental collision damage waiver, and purchase security. And you also get extended warranty coverage. And you get travel and emergency assistance services.
But KEEP IN MIND: the ongoing APR is 24.74% variable APR. And the penalty APR is even higher, 31.15%. Also, there is no sign-up bonus.
Get it here: https://www.capitalone.com/small-business/credit-cards/spark-classic/
Establish business credit fast with our research-backed guide to 12 business credit cards and lines.
Your outright best business credit card offers 0 APR will hinge on your credit history and scores.
Only you can pick which features you want and need. So be sure to do your homework. What is excellent for you could be disastrous for others.
And, as always, make certain to build credit in the recommended order for the best, quickest benefits.
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Have you been wondering: how do I start a business in North Dakota? And more importantly, can I do so no matter what the economic conditions are? Can I start a new business in North Dakota during a recession?
North Dakota is in the top twenty states to start a new business in, per a 2016 article by Business Insider. The state has the highest opportunity share of new business owners in the country.
A somewhat high density of startup companies is also positive. North Dakota also has the nation’s second highest per capita GDP at $66,507.
But the state also has the second lowest percentage of available employees.
The energy boom has created 15,000 jobs in the state over the last decade. This is in addition to 9,400 in North Dakota business resource and financial services. Also, the state’s construction employment is up 29% since 2002.
In 2019, Dollar Sprout vaulted North Dakota up to the number four state for starting a new business. Keep in mind; their methods differ from those of Business Insider.
Why the terrific new ranking? North Dakota has the best 10-year survival rate for all businesses in the country. Unemployment is exceptionally low, and the cost of living goes easy on anyone’s wallet.
North Dakota cut individual income tax rates by 18% and also corporate taxes by nearly 20%. This came to about $900 million in tax relief over just four years.
The state also created the Small Business Technology Investment Program. This is a $1 million fund providing grants of up to $50,000 matched 2:1 with an angel fund investment.
Exports grew nearly 250% between 2000 and 2009. Compare this to 35% nationwide. The state intends to increase funding for the Trade Office by roughly $490,000. This is to better market North Dakota products and services to the world.
These funds are meant to acquire services in shipping logistics. They are also meant to help North Dakota businesses handle the complexities of a global economy.
The governor’s office has also recommended a North Dakota business resource. This is in the form of state assistance to qualified business owners looking for capital formation.
Per the 2010 – 2020 North Dakota Economic Development Strategic Plan, the biggest growth industries in North Dakota are professional and technical services and management. The state is also known for its agriculture and oil and gas production.
Also, as in virtually all states, health care and social assistance are also large employment sectors.
Smart business owners can find new opportunities. Work with bigger industries in the state. Offer goods or services such as trucking for any industry. More ideas are data and other computer support such as programming. Yet more ideas are the development and distribution of safety equipment.
Here is how to start business in North Dakota.
Register a business name on the official North Dakota government website.
The New Business Registration website of North Dakota also has licensing information.
Check with your local municipality, city or county office or website. See if there may be any local licensing or permit requirements.
For example, in Fargo, go to the Starting a Business page on the city of Fargo website.
Business Registration: the easiest way is by using the State of North Dakota New Business Registration website.
Find all needed guidelines, information and forms with the North Dakota Office of State Tax Commissioner. The “For Businesses” page is useful.
Alliance does not offer North Dakota virtual business offices.
But Regus offers North Dakota virtual business office space in Fargo. Business owners in Bismarck or Grand Forks, and in other parts of the state, should try local business owners. Or ask computer user groups for help.
Other options may be to look for virtual business office space in nearby states. They are Minnesota, Montana, and also South Dakota.
Company credit is credit in a company’s name. It doesn’t link to an owner’s personal credit, not even when the owner is a sole proprietor and the solitary employee of the company.
As a result, a business owner’s business and personal credit scores can be very different.
Because business credit is independent from individual, it helps to secure an entrepreneur’s personal assets, in case of legal action or business bankruptcy.
Also, with two distinct credit scores, a business owner can get two separate cards from the same merchant. This effectively doubles purchasing power.
Another advantage is that even startups can do this. Going to a bank for a business loan can be a formula for frustration. But building small business credit, when done correctly, is a plan for success.
Individual credit scores are dependent on payments but also various other elements like credit usage percentages.
But for small business credit, the scores truly only hinge on whether a business pays its debts on a timely basis.
Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your company’s EIN and not your SSN.
Establishing company credit is a process, and it does not occur without effort. A business must proactively work to establish business credit.
However, it can be done readily and quickly, and it is much more rapid than establishing individual credit scores.
Vendors are a big aspect of this process.
Performing the steps out of order will result in repetitive rejections. Nobody can start at the top with small business credit. For instance, you can’t start with retail or cash credit from your bank. If you do, you’ll get a rejection 100% of the time.
A business needs to be fundable to lending institutions and merchants.
For that reason, a business will need a professional-looking website and e-mail address. And it needs to have website hosting from a merchant such as GoDaddy.
And also, business telephone and fax numbers should have a listing on 411.com.
Also, the business telephone number should be toll-free (800 exchange or the equivalent).
A business will also need a bank account dedicated strictly to it, and it needs to have all of the licenses essential for operating.
Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your company’s EIN and not your SSN.
Visit the IRS web site and obtain an EIN for the small business. They’re free. Pick a business entity such as corporation, LLC, etc.
A business can start off as a sole proprietor. But they will most likely want to change to a variety of corporation or an LLC.
This is in order to reduce risk. And it will maximize tax benefits.
A business entity will matter when it involves tax obligations and liability in the event of litigation. A sole proprietorship means the business owner is it when it comes to liability and tax obligations. Nobody else is responsible.
If you operate a business as a sole proprietor, then at the very least be sure to file for a DBA. This is ‘doing business as’ status.
If you do not, then your personal name is the same as the small business name. Therefore, you can end up being personally accountable for all company financial obligations.
Also, according to the Internal Revenue Service, with this arrangement there is a 1 in 7 chance of an IRS audit. There is a 1 in 50 possibility for corporations! Steer clear of confusion and considerably reduce the chances of an IRS audit at the same time.
Start at the D&B website and obtain a cost-free D-U-N-S number. A D-U-N-S number is how D&B gets a small business into their system, to produce a PAYDEX score. If there is no D-U-N-S number, then there is no record and no PAYDEX score.
Once in D&B’s system, search Equifax and Experian’s sites for the company. You can do this at www.creditsuite.com/reports. If there is a record with them, check it for accuracy and completeness. If there are no records with them, go to the next step in the process.
This way, Experian and Equifax will have something to report on.
First you need to build trade lines that report. This is also called the vendor credit tier. Then you’ll have an established credit profile, and you’ll get a business credit score.
And with an established business credit profile and score you can begin to acquire credit in the retail and cash credit tiers.
These varieties of accounts often tend to be for the things bought all the time, like marketing materials, shipping boxes, outdoor work wear, ink and toner, and office furniture.
But first off, what is trade credit? These trade lines are credit issuers who will give you starter credit when you have none now. Terms are in most cases Net 30, instead of revolving.
Hence, if you get approval for $1,000 in vendor credit and use all of it, you need to pay that money back in a set term, such as within 30 days on a Net 30 account.
Net 30 accounts must be paid in full within 30 days. 60 accounts have to be paid fully within 60 days. In contrast to with revolving accounts, you have a set time when you must pay back what you borrowed or the credit you made use of.
To start your business credit profile properly, you need to get approval for vendor accounts that report to the business credit reporting agencies. Once that’s done, you can then make use of the credit.
Then pay back what you used, and the account is on report to Dun & Bradstreet, Experian, or Equifax.
Not every vendor can help like true starter credit can. These are vendors that will grant an approval with very little effort. You also want them to be reporting to one or more of the big three CRAs: Dun & Bradstreet, Equifax, and Experian.
You want 5 to 8 of these to move onto the next step, which is the retail credit tier. But you may need to apply more than once to these vendors. So, this is to prove you are trustworthy and will pay timely.
Once there are 5 to 8 or more vendor trade accounts reporting to at least one of the CRAs, then progress to the retail credit tier. These are service providers like Office Depot and Staples.
Just use your Social Security Number and date of birth on these applications for verification purposes. For credit checks and guarantees, use the small business’s EIN on these credit applications.
One such example is Lowe’s. They report to D&B, Equifax and Business Experian. They need to see a D-U-N-S and a PAYDEX score of 78 or more.
Are there 8 to 10 accounts reporting? Then move to the fleet credit tier. These are companies like BP and Conoco. Use this credit to buy fuel, and to fix, and maintain vehicles. Only use your Social Security Number and date of birth on these applications for verification purposes. For credit checks and guarantees, make certain to apply using the business’s EIN.
One such example is Shell. They report to D&B and Business Experian. They need to see a PAYDEX Score of 78 or higher and a 411 company telephone listing.
Shell may say they want a certain amount of time in business or revenue. But if you already have sufficient vendor accounts, that won’t be necessary. And you can still get an approval.
Learn more here and get started toward building business credit attached to your company’s EIN and not your SSN.
Have you been responsibly handling the credit you’ve gotten up to this point? Then move to the cash credit tier. These are service providers such as Visa and MasterCard. Only use your Social Security Number and date of birth on these applications for verification purposes. For credit checks and guarantees, use your EIN instead.
One example is the Fuelman MasterCard. They report to D&B and Equifax Business. They want to see a PAYDEX Score of 78 or more. And they also want you to have 10 trade lines reporting on your D&B report.
Plus, they want to see a $10,000 high credit limit reporting on your D&B report (other account reporting).
In addition, they want you to have an established small business.
These are service providers such as Walmart and Dell, and also Home Depot, BP, and Racetrac. These are usually MasterCard credit cards. If you have 14 trade accounts reporting, then these are doable.
Know what is happening with your credit. Make sure it is being reported and deal with any mistakes as soon as possible. Get in the practice of checking credit reports and digging into the specifics, and not just the scores.
We can help you monitor business credit at Experian and D&B for only $24/month. See: www.creditsuite.com/monitoring.
Update the information if there are mistakes or the data is incomplete.
So, what’s all this monitoring for? It’s to challenge any problems in your records. Errors in your credit report(s) can be corrected. But the CRAs generally want you to dispute in a particular way.
Disputing credit report mistakes typically means you send a paper letter with copies of any proof of payment with it. These are documents like receipts and cancelled checks. Never mail the original copies. Always send copies and keep the originals.
Fixing credit report errors also means you precisely spell out any charges you contest. Make your dispute letter as understandable as possible. Be specific about the issues with your report. Use certified mail so that you will have proof that you mailed in your dispute.
Always use credit responsibly! Never borrow more than what you can pay off. Monitor balances and deadlines for repayments. Paying punctually and in full will do more to raise business credit scores than nearly anything else.
Growing small business credit pays. Good business credit scores help a business get loans. Your credit issuer knows the company can pay its financial obligations. They understand the small business is authentic.
The small business’s EIN links to high scores and credit issuers won’t feel the need to ask for a personal guarantee.
Business credit is an asset which can help your company in years to come.
Learn more here and get started toward opening a new business in North Dakota.
Want to start a new business someplace else in America? Then check out our handy guide to starting a business in any state in the country.
The post How to Set Up a New Business in North Dakota appeared first on Credit Suite.
Do you want to be instafamous?
Well, who doesn’t?
Over the last few months, I’ve been running numerous Instagram experiments and I’ve finally figured out how to grow my Instagram following.
My Neil Patel account has been growing by 1,260 followers per week.
And I know what you are thinking… Neil, you are already well known, this can’t be replicated by anyone else.
Right?
Well, not only did we test this strategy out on my profile, but we also did it on 2 other profiles.
It works no matter what industry you are in. Heck, it works even better if you aren’t in B2B like me.
Just look at Dhavalilama. His likes per image have been growing by just using the heart trick, which I will explain in a bit, and he isn’t using my whole strategy. :/
So, how do you gain more Instagram followers each week without spending money?
You’ve heard everyone say that you need to upload videos. Social networks like Instagram aren’t just competing with other social networks, they are competing with traditional media and even companies like Netflix for your attention.
If you upload videos, you’ll find that you’ll get more engagement than if you just upload images.
But the key isn’t to just upload any video… it ideally needs to be engaging and long.
By long I am not talking about a 60-second video, I’m talking minutes. You’ll have to leverage IGTV for this, but that’s what they want as not enough people are using that feature.
Hence, if you use IGTV, they’ll push your video more.
That way when someone is watching a 5-minute video you just posted, they’ll be able to watch the first 60 seconds on their feed and then they’ll be pushed over to IGTV.
All you have to do is upload the video to IGTV and select the “post a preview” option.
What this does is, it uploads the video to IGTV and then also promotes the video through your feed.
Just look at this video that I only posted on IGTV.
It had 236 views before writing this blog post.
When I posted that video, I had 9,078 followers, which means I had an engagement rate of 2.59%.
Now if you look at this video that I posted…
It had 2,971 views before writing this blog post.
When I posted that video I had 21,047 followers, which means I had an engagement rate of 14.11%.
What’s crazy is, that one simple change increased my video engagement by 444%.
Instagram’s algorithm is simple… the more views and likes your videos and images receive, the more people will see them, which increases engagement and your follower count over time.
There’s not too much more to the algorithm.
Of course, they are looking at things like what percentage of your followers actually engage… but still, the algorithm from a conceptual standpoint is simple.
So, have you thought about asking for people to “like” your image?
Now with Instagram, people are using it via their cell phone so it’s more of a “double tap” than a like… but you get the point.
On average, when I post an image on Instagram I can generate 945.6 likes.
Here’s an example of one of those images:
And as you can see from the engagement, that one did better than most of my images as it has over 1,000 likes.
Plus, the messaging resonates with a lot of people.
But here is one that is simple…
I just asked people to “double tap” if they need to improve their video skills.
It didn’t take much creativity to come up with that image and it received 1,441 likes. In other words, it produced 51.96% more engagement.
You should give it a try… I tend to use this tactic a few times a month and it works really well.
Just be careful though, if you use it every day or every week, people will get sick of it and it will stop working. Hence, I only use it a few times a month max.
Did I already mention that Instagram is competing with television networks and Netflix?
Because of that, what kind of content do you think they want more of?
Well, yes they want more video content, but we already talked about that.
They want more live content.
Think… reality TV.
Now the live content you produce doesn’t have to be like Keeping up with the Kardashians… they just want live content that people are looking forward to viewing.
You know how you will tune into shows like American Idol or the latest soccer or football match because it’s live and you want to see what’s happening in real time? That’s the effect Instagram is hoping for with live content.
Now, when you go live, Instagram is promoting it heavily so you’ll get more viewers. It doesn’t matter what you talk about… they just want to see more people go live.
Every time I go live, I am able to get at least 1,000 views. Just look at the live I just did…
In the first 6 hours, it’s already received 718 views and I did this live session on a Sunday during non-peak hours. Within the first 24 hours, it will easily surpass 1000 views.
In other words, go live! It’s a simple and quick way to grow your following count. Ideally, you should be going live on a weekly basis.
Heck, you can’t go live too much… feel free to go live daily.
This one is simple, but no one really does it.
Social networks are supposed to be social. That means you should participate.
And no, I am not talking about just liking other images and viewing videos. I’m talking about engaging with people and talking to them.
So, when you like something that someone else posts, leave a comment.
And when someone leaves a comment on one of your posts… what do you think you should do?
You should respond to them with a comment.
Now, let’s look at some of my posts for a minute. You’ll see decent engagement, but more so, you’ll see me being very active.
Just look at all of my responses.
By engaging with people, you’re more likely to build a relationship with these individuals, which makes it more likely that they will back and continually engage with your posts.
Alright, are you ready for the heart trick? You know, the one Dhavalilama has been using to boost his like count by 300%.
The concept is simple, but it will take a bit of finesse to implement.
A part of Instagram’s algorithm is how much engagement you get from other Instagram users within the first hour of you posting anything.
Now, I’ve done a lot of tests with this… if you can get Instagram users who have more followers than you to like your image or video when it first goes live you’ll find that your content is much more likely to show up on the discovery page.
From a lot of testing, here’s what seems to be the most effective:
The heart trick isn’t that complex, but it is hard to implement because you have to convince users who are more popular than you to like your content right when you publish.
And ideally, you need 6 people who have large accounts (the bigger the better), for this to work extremely well.
What do Tai Lopez, Gary Vaynerchuk, and Grant Cardone have in common?
Well, other than the fact that they all have over a million Instagram followers…
They all post a ton of stories per day.
And when I mean a ton, sometimes they are posting over 20 stories a day… literally.
The more stories you post, the more engagement you’ll create, which will lead to more followers.
Just look at the stats from the stories I just posted:
I can generate over 1,000 views within 8 hours of posting a story and generally in the range of 1,600 to 2,000 views within 24 hours.
The same story 23 hours later received 1870 views.
Here are some things to keep in mind if you want to maximize stories:
Have you noticed that some images get more likes than others? Or certain videos get more engagement?
Instagram is a visual social network. So the visual part is important… you want your images and videos to look great no matter what.
Now, they don’t have to be perfect, but you do want to make sure you are posting images that people enjoy.
Here’s what I mean…
When you look at my profile, you’ll see a ton of images of me that contain quotes.
Some of those images perform really well, while others don’t. For example, every time I post a quote using this image template…
It gets 21.4% less engagement then when I use this template…
Keep track of what your followers like and don’t like. Post more of what they like and stop posting the stuff that has low engagement.
Speaking of posting more of what your followers like and less of what they don’t, you need to constantly test.
Even though quality matters, when you are testing you shouldn’t aim for perfection. Just aim for speed.
Once you find something that people like, do more of it.
For example, I ask people to double tap as I talked about in tip number 2 because I learned it through testing.
Here are some other things I’ve learned through testing:
A good example of a test I’ve run is when I post on my feed. As you can see from my stats…
My followers are most likely to be on Instagram at 9am. So I try to post around that time, which has helped me get 8.41% more likes per image.
Every little bit adds up!
You don’t have to spend money on ads to grow your Instagram following. If you follow the tips above, you’ll do well and find that you can grow your weekly following count by over 1,000 net new followers each week.
Now, I know you may not want to use Instagram because it doesn’t have your “ideal” audience, but you can drive conversions from Instagram.
For example, when I went live on Instagram and I told the audience to check out my ad agency Neil Patel Digital, I was able to generate 2 leads.
Neither of the leads were ideal customers, but it is a numbers game. If I continually do it I will be able to generate clients.
In the past, I have closed 3 deals from Instagram… one paid $120,000, the other paid $1,000,000, and the last paid $300,000.
They were all consulting arrangements, so I had substantial costs associated with the revenue, but it shows that Instagram does work.
Heck, if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be back on Instagram again (this is my 3rd profile, I no longer use the other 2).
You can also use the swipe up feature to drive people to your site and this will help you generate leads and sales.
So, what do you think about Instagram? Are you using it on a daily basis?
The post How I Gain 1,260 Instagram Followers Per Week appeared first on Neil Patel.