Course description

Instagram can bring real customers to a small business, but only if you know what to post, how to make it, and how to turn followers into orders and bookings. This course shows you, step by step and in plain words, how to set up a profile that sells, plan posts that people save and share, make simple Reels and Stories on your phone, and measure what's actually working, in a few hours a week.

It's a full course, not a quick tour. There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons. You follow a potter with a small studio in a Welsh border town through a 90-day plan: a new bio, a posting rhythm, her first Reels, a giveaway, a collaboration with the flower shop across the street, a small boosted post for Mother's Day and a monthly review of her numbers. Every section has a worksheet, answers, a cheat sheet and ready-made planners, templates and workbooks.

What you'll learn

• Your profile: a professional account kept safe, a clear bio, links that lead to your shop, a consistent look and useful Highlights.
• Posts: content pillars, phone photos, carousels, captions with a strong first line, hashtags, keywords and alt text.
• Reels and Stories: planning, filming and editing short videos, using audio you're allowed to use, stickers and Story sequences that sell.
• Community: a daily engagement habit, messages and customer service, handling criticism, reposting customer photos and working with partners.
• Selling: product posts that answer questions, shop and booking links, launches and fair giveaways, and honest reviews.
• Growth and measuring: how Instagram decides what people see, steady growth, boosting a post on a small budget, insights, tracking sales and a monthly review.

Who it's for

UK small business owners, makers, sole traders and anyone running Instagram for a small business, including complete beginners. It ends with a final project: a profile makeover, a 30-day content plan and your first Reel and Story sequence. The rules on labelling ads, giveaways, reviews and data protection are explained in plain terms along the way.

What will I learn?

• Set up a safe, clear business profile with a bio, links and Highlights that turn visitors into customers
• Plan content pillars and write posts, carousels and captions that people read and save
• Plan, film and edit simple Reels on your phone, with the right audio
• Use Stories, stickers and Story sequences to build interest and sell
• Reply to messages and comments well, work with partners and label ads correctly
• Sell through Instagram honestly, run a fair giveaway and follow the rules on reviews
• Boost a post on a small budget and judge whether it worked
• Read your insights, track sales and plan a month of content in a few hours a week

Frequently asked questions