Instagram is an incredibly useful social media marketing tool: I have used it to grow a following of more than 780,000 and build a thriving six-figure business. But social channels are not all rainbow emojis and kitten videos. The danger in a platform like Instagram lies in forgetting that other’s feeds are a highlight reel, not real life. And if we fall down the rabbit hole of comparing ourselves to the curated personas other people are posting, it can squelch our creativity pretty fast. So, how do we set healthy boundaries around social media? Are there strategies we can use to stay mindful and focused? How can we best use Instagram to connect with our customer-base—without getting caught up in the perpetual scroll of self-loathing? Today, I’m sharing my three best tactics for the intentional use of Instagram. I explain the importance of distinguishing yourself from your brand, focusing on the service of your tribe, and avoiding the use of social media as a substitute for face-to-face interaction. Listen in for insight around creating rather than consuming on social platforms and learn to separate self-worth from followers and likes! What You Will Learn The impetus for the Raw Milk podcast How Beth came to start her food blog, Local Milk How social media connects you with colleagues and clients The danger in comparing yourself to others on social media Beth’s three strategies for focus and confidence on social Intentional detachment between self and brand Focus on serving tribe Use platform mindfully The difference between diagnosis and self-loathing mode How to navigate a dip in engagement after a pivot Why social media is not a substitute for real life interaction Beth’s preference to create over consume on social Beth’s insight that you are not obligated to follow anyone Connect with Beth Beth’s Website Beth on Instagram Beth on Pinterest Beth on Twitter Local Milk Blog Local Milk on Facebook Email hello@localmilkblog.com Resources Mentioned Tonic Site Shop Showit