Identity Maxxing Will Help You Find Your Ideal Audience

Identity maxxing is taking over Instagram right now and I’m here for it. We are getting thrown so much content these days, that you need something to help you stand out from everyone else. Because we don’t want to simply blend in, we want to create content that resonates and connects with our audience. This looks like sharing pieces of you (aka your identity) that other people can connect with so they see themselves and stop, thinking “wait, that’s me!” If you’re struggling with low views or you just want to stop the scroll, I have tons of examples (linked below!) to help you start owning your identity on Instagram.

In this episode we’ll be covering:

• What is “identity maxxing" and how to start using it when you create content for Instagram.
• How identity influences connections online and in person, and how our identity goes beyond simple demographics.
• Discussing identity based content hooks to call out our audience and increase engagement.
• How the Instagram algorithm serves content based on your specific identity and tastes. 
• Multiple content examples and POV ideas for identity maxxing your posts.

Featured content in this episode:

• Noellebybee: Rules I have for myself
• Littlebugtogs: The library books I borrowed
• Arthousecharlotte: I sell original local art in Charlotte, NC
• Taylorjackzen: Making dinner for my family
• The_intuition_dietitian: Convenience eater
• Welltraveledchild: New non-stop international flights
• Prestonkonrad: Simple and lux table upgrades
• Shannonmckinstrie: Identity Maxxing

Recommended episodes:

• Episode 103: Hot Take: We’re Following Accounts Where We See a Reflection of Ourselves
• Episode 110: Become More Memorable When You Stop Overthinking and Start Repeating
• Episode 111: It’s How You Fill in the Blanks That Makes the Hook Unique to You
• Episode 117: How to Start Making Money Without Fancy Funnels

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Transcript

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:00]:
I am your host, Shannon McKinstrie. Welcome to Good Content, the podcast where I remove the never ending content creation, guesswork and overwhelm so that you can actually enjoy being on social media again and growing your business with what has always worked. Good Content. Sorry for my appearance . We're about to go to the pool. We're packing up. We're going to the beach for a couple weeks later this week.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:28]:
Week. Which is actually crazy to say if you're new to the podcast, y' all are literally the best. Like, I love when y' all DM me and are like, can you talk about this? And a lot of y' all wrote me after I did my identity maxing reel last week. And you're like, can you talk more about this on podcast? I'm like, happily. And what I love about it is last night the Canes won the Stanley Cup. We moved here to the Raleigh area. We're in Cary in 2020. Um, we're originally from the D.C.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:00:55]:
area, but I've always wanted to live in Raleigh. I had cousins who grew up here. I visited a few times, and every time I came, there was something about it. This is like a great way to talk about this city and why we moved here. Something about it. I just felt like my identity has always been tied to North Carolina. Since I was a baby, and I'm talking like six months old, I've been going to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My grandparents had a house there since the 70s.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:01:16]:
When my grandma passed a few years ago, my husband and I unfortunately could not afford to buy it from the family. I was heartbroken. Right. You know, and basically my grandma was my everything growing up. Like, she was the one who made me feel seen and heard. And I was with her at least once a week. And then my mom was working at the White House, so she was traveling a lot. So I would, like, lived with my grandma granddad a lot.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:01:38]:
My grandma Kitty was like my everything spicy woman. But, man, I loved her. So losing her really changed the tra. Why can't I never say that word? The trajectory of my life? Because when that beach house sold, I was devastated. Right? It's like it holds some of my happiest childhood memories. So when we're talking about identity, whenever, oh, if someone even in a grocery store somewhere has an outer bank shirt on, I'm like, ooh, gotta talk to em. Right? And I talked about this in my keynote as Social media marketing World, how we're constantly scanning rooms to connect. We just want to connect.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:02:12]:
It's like, what is something we can connect with someone over? Now, the Canes won. So anyone that's a Cane's fan is just all up in each other's comments. If they see each other in the wild, they're like, woohoo, right? Yesterday we were at church, this guy had on a New York Knicks shirt. My husband went right up to him, was like, congrats. Way to go. Da da da, Right? Trust me. Hold on, I'm getting there, right? But this is what I mean by. Our identity is not just our political beliefs, our religion, our demographic, right? It's so much more.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:02:41]:
There's so much that makes up all of us and that we connect with and bond with other people. So when I talk about identity maxing, that's what I mean is like, we are getting thrown so much content in front of us these days. Unless it really resonates kind of right away, we're like, next, right? We want to connect. So with that said, when we moved here, I was devastated when we lost the beach house, because so much of my identity was tied into that beach and the Outer Banks in general. But my grandparents also owned the lot right next door, and they never built on it. It was just big oak trees, right? And I remember talking to my dad and there was other people in the family who wanted to buy it again, devastated. So I just have my head down. I'm working.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:20]:
I'm doing Instagram audits. I'm doing everything I can to just. And that was my way of staying busy, was working. So I offered more audits than normal. I just, like, dug in. All of a sudden, Ryan's like, Shannon, you've been working your little. Literally your tail off. You've been working all night, all morning, all day.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:35]:
He goes, the money. Because, you know, again, I don't. I'm not. I mean it. When I said last week, I do not track the money. Like, so when Reels Lab hit $2 million on over, I was like, what? And I know that's bad. As a business owner, don't do that. Don't.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:03:48]:
Don't do what I do all the time. Listen to me for Instagram, everything else, take it with a grain of salt. So Ryan's like, shannon, the money is not matching up. Like, I just feel like you should have so much and more in the bank. So finally, my dad was like, sounds like your uncle's backed out. This is how much the house is. Right around the same time, I'm like, hmm, that is weird, Ryan. I should have more money in the bank.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:12]:
I forgot. I tell you all the time how type B I am. This is. You guys are about to be like, especially my type A people. This is going to put you right into a coma. So buckle up. I had a VA couple of year. A year ish.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:22]:
Before my new va, right? And she was awesome. And she put together, you know, all these systems. Well, she had this separate Gmail account that my Stripe. For anyone in the online world, this will all make sense. But basically, like, there was this other account that people who were paying for my Instagram audits that money was going to that I forgot about a Stripe account. I forgot existed. Open it up. I finally.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:04:45]:
I log into that old. Because she had a separate email that was just hers, right? With all my stuff. I go, oh, my gosh, I forgot about that one email. I open it up, I see all these things saying, like, Stripe, you needed. Because basically, like, the reason the payouts weren't going to my bank was because we owed Stripe some information. So I wasn't getting these emails. So Stripe's just holding on to all this money. It was the exact.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:06]:
And when I say exact, exact amount, that the lot costs. And I remember looking at my husband and I was just sobbing, and I was like, this is crazy. And I was also like, thank you, Grandma Kitty. I think she knows how horrible I was with money. She was like, I'm just gonna make sure Shannon doesn't even see this so she doesn't spend it. Anyway. Long story short, that's why I am, like, when it comes to outer Banks, I can cry talking about it. So when I also talk about the beach, like, my identity, if I could just be at the beach every day, like, that's all I wanted to do.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:05:34]:
I'm also a girl mom, right? I'm a millennial. I'm a business owner. I'm a creator. There's a lot of things that I identify with. So as I'm scrolling Instagram, when I see things like Millennial, when I see things like sister, eldest daughter, when I see things about North Carolina, when I see things about dc, where I'm from, I stop. And that is why you, as you will scroll, you'll start to notice this. I like to call it identity maxing, because all the cool kids are saying something maxing. I don't know if you guys have seen it.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:06:03]:
They'll be like, coffee maxing or beauty maxing. So I was like, ooh, let's go with it. I'm going to coin this era Identity maxing. If you Want to blow up Instagram, TikTok, any of it. You have got to start calling out your identity. Your ideal audience's identity. Empty nesters, cancer survivors, former D1 athletes, Knicks fans, Canes fans, Right? It's everywhere. This doesn't mean every hook of yours has to include an identity.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:06:29]:
No, not at all. But if you're struggling with views, you need to get into identity maxing. So let me give you some examples. Love this rules I have for myself as a Christian who likes to create content, right? So if you're a Christian and a content creator, you're stopping. Okay, another example. There's also where things are just kind of slowly signaled, right? I love this one. The library books I borrowed, then had to buy. Picture Book Edition.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:06:53]:
I mean, that is brilliant. So people that love going to the library with their kids, that's part of their identity and lifestyle, right? So even if. Identity maxing. Lifestyle maxing. Okay, here's another. This one. Oh, my gosh. Hi, I'm Judith and I sell original local art in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:08]:
Why did I see that post? Why'd I see it? Why? The algorithm showed me this because I live in North Carolina and it knows that's part of my identity. And I'm going to stop. I'm going to stay on the app longer and Instagram makes more money. That's how it works. I'll go, I'll do a couple more. Here's a great one. Making dinner for my family after a summer pool day. Toddler mom.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:26]:
Why am I seeing this? The algorithm is smart. It knows I'm a toddler mom. Well, she's going into kindergarten, so I guess she's not toddler anymore. Okay, here's another one. I love this. S H I T. I snagged this week from Trader Joe's as a convenience eater. That's kind of cool because, like, I'm definitely a convenience eater.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:07:42]:
I've never heard that term before, but that's great proof that you guys can even, like, make like again. Identity maxing is now. You know something I made up that just to kind of explain things. Convenience eater is brilliant and I love this. Raleigh, North Carolina is getting two new nonstop international flights to Belize and Turks and Caicos. Why did I see it? I'm not following that creator. I saw it because Instagram knows our identities and how much identity maxing impacts what we save, share, engage with, and why we follow people. Let me find one more, because that was a lot.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:14]:
And this is one I'd like to show he. I love to talk about taste, too. Taste and identity. His says five simple and luxe summer table upgrades that word lux right away. If that's your taste, you're going to stop. If that's your. If you identify as someone who likes to host really fancy things. So it goes beyond just like.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:34]:
Like I said, type B, type A, it goes beyond personality types. There's so many different ways to do it. So I don't want to put too much pressure. I mean, we can even say sweet tooth. Like, if you identify with having a savory. Right. These are the things you're. I always love saying I'm a lazy creator.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:08:49]:
Like, I am and I have to be. I don't have time to create content all day. I've got two kids, right? But again, like I said, are there. Is there so much content out there that doesn't necessarily have someone's identity tied in the hook? Yes. But this is like, we're seeing it more and more and more. Even the humor, funny content, the inspiring content. It's like, here's things I'm doing in my life right now as a blahdi, blah, blah dad, as a millennial trying to leave corporate, right? Like, those life stages, those are also part of it. So that's identity maxing.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:09:19]:
And I want to encourage you. One great way to start testing your audiences and, like, testing with what words grab them is that one I use all the time, the pov, you're a blank. Who wants. Or who wants to stop or who's tired of blank? And you find my page. So mine would say something like, pov, you're a. I could even say millennial trying to get into the content creation game, right? I could say you're a business owner who doesn't want to scroll for content ideas and just want to know a way to get a quick win today. And you find my page, things like that. Uh, pov, relocating to such and such.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:09:52]:
Pov, you're a bougie traveler. Pov, you're a budget traveler, right? You don't just say traveler. You want to add something that they can identify with. Their taste, their identity, their lifestyle. This is what is working like crazy. And I'm talking TikTok everywhere. It's not just Instagram. So while Instagram is more my jam, I also create on TikTok and things like that.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:10:11]:
And I'm telling you, this is. This is it identity maxing. And I will be trademarking it immediately. And I'm still finishing my book, so that'll be in there too. I'm just excited because I think this is just. Hopefully this helps some things. Click. So remember, if you're a local business, mention the city, the state, the town.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:10:31]:
If you're more so like a type of person you attract, if your jewelry is inexpensive but tarnish free, call out the gym girlies. Call out the dudes who hate wearing wedding rings. Right? Like, who are they? 2027 brides, 2027 grooms. Again, corporate millennials, scrunchie families. Right? All these terms. And then of course, the other thing I like to shout out is brands they identify with too. That always helps too. So like, let's say they have an iPhone.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:10:59]:
Like, here's how I organize my iPhone with Claude, right? So again, I don't want to get too deep, but. But I'm telling you, just observe as you scroll right now. You'll see it. You'll be like, ah, there it is. Identity maxing. And I've got two posts about it on my page. Go check it out. I love you, friend.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:11:14]:
Get a huge win this week with those tips. Check out the reels that I shared. They're all in the show notes. If you want to take a look at them so you can kind of like see how to tailor it to your niche, you've got this. I love you. The next few podcasts will be at the beach. I actually hired someone, my friend Tracy. She's gonna create the podcast room that I've been talking about for two years and haven't done yet.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:11:34]:
While we're gone. Thank you guys for being here. The fact I can go to the Outer Banks, my. That place that makes me feel most myself and the happiest I get to go for two whole weeks, like, that's crazy. And this job has allowed me to do that. And I love you guys so much. And our beach house is just where. It's where I get to exhale.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:11:51]:
So I'm very excited to exhale for a couple weeks. That's a very crazy past six months of great stuff, but my head is spinning. I thought we just had Christmas, right? Anyway, I love you guys and if you're a Knicks fan, congrats. If you're a Cane's fan, let's go. I'm a. I'm a major bandwagoner. I'm so excited. World cup, all that, all that stuff.

Shannon McKinstrie [00:12:08]:
Like to pay attention to what everyone's talking about and get in on the action. If you are also a fan, if you are right. Like, we just want to connect with people and shared lived experiences, shared taste identities, shared belief systems, things like that. I love you, friend. You got this.