You have a blog or online business, but you’re struggling to grow your audience and make money. Now may be the time to enroll in a course like The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy.
I started the course in 2021, and it still helps me to review the lessons. Be sure to consider if this course is right for you and to enroll if you want to give it a try.
But first, this post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy to learn more.
What Is The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy?
The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy is an online course that teaches you how to grow your business with Instagram. It covers everything from the basics of starting a business to making consistent sales.
This course is perfect for online business owners, bloggers, and other creatives. You can learn how to use Instagram strategically when starting or growing a business.
About the Creator
The IG Academy was created by Nicole Riccardo, a professional flutist and digital marketer. After she learned about marketing in a 9-5 job, she quit and started her own business teaching marketing to others.
She created her Instagram course to help business owners who already have the basic foundations in place. In the course, she teaches the methods she’s used to grow her own business and those of her clients.
Course Pricing
Compared to some online courses, The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy isn’t that bad. If you pay in full, it will cost you $497 for access to all of the course materials and any future updates.
However, you can also go with the payment plan and pay $90 per month for six months. That way, you can get started with Instagram marketing on an even smaller budget.
Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy Content
When you enroll in the Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy, you’ll get access to tons of helpful lessons.
I won’t go into detail on the specific lessons because I don’t want to give too much away. However, here’s a bit about the course structure and what you can expect from each module.
Course Introduction
The first section of the course introduces you to the program and how to get started. You’ll access lessons on the purpose of social media and how to make decisions when going through the course.
There’s even a lesson where you can document your starting point. After you go through all of the lessons, you can look back and see how far you’ve come.
Phase 1
Phase 1 covers “positioning your profitable presence” on Instagram. This module is the best place to start if you’re new to Instagram or if you want to revamp your account based on a new business structure.
Nicole teaches you how to find your niche and validate it for profitability. You’ll also learn how to build your brand messaging to help increase conversions once you start selling.
Finally, there are lessons on the different types of Instagram profiles and how often you should post content. Don’t skip this phase, especially if you’re just starting to use Instagram for business.
Phase 2
The next phase is all about “client-landing content.” In this module, Nicole covers her audience attraction method, which is one of the main selling points of the entire course.
You’ll also get to learn about how to differentiate free content and paid content. Other lessons focus on how to write engaging and high-converting Instagram captions.
If you have no idea how to create Instagram content, this section is particularly helpful. You can learn how Nicole takes and edits photos for her Instagram account.
Phase 3
Learn about “algorithm-proof audience attraction” in Phase 3 of the IG Academy. This module focuses on how to reach your target clients or customers even through algorithm changes.
You’ll learn about how to use hashtags and how to even find your target audience on the platform. There are lessons on the different outbound engagement methods, from likes to follows.
This section also covers how to use analytics to optimize your account for growth. Once you have the basics in place on your IG account, you’ll want to go through all of the lessons in this section.
Phase 4
The last major phase of the course is all about “sold-out sales.” Nicole goes over a list of ways to make money on Instagram, from affiliate marketing to selling services.
You’ll also learn how to set up a sales system to help convert followers into clients or customers. This section even teaches a few different sales strategies, such as using your DMs or creating a referral program.
Compared to a lot of other Instagram courses, this section is the most unique. From what I’ve heard, a lot of similar programs teach you how to use the platform but not how to actually make money with it.
Live Q&A Sessions
Another unique feature of The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy is live question and answer sessions over Zoom. They happen about once every two months or so.
You can attend these sessions live to ask your questions and get answers or even get feedback on your Instagram account. If you can’t watch live, you can watch the replay in Nicole’s course platform Kajabi.
And if you have a question you want answered, you can submit it ahead of time. Nicole and her assistant Taylor will make sure to answer any questions, even if you aren’t on the call.
Bonuses
Nicole also includes a ton of bonuses within the course. You can watch a video with some Instagram hacks to help you make the most of your presence.
The bonuses also include a done-for-you content plan and special promotion calendars for live launches.
If you’re on Facebook, you’ll also be able to join a private Facebook group just for students. You can use the group to ask questions between the live sessions, and Nicole occasionally shares updates about Instagram in the group.
Pros of the IG Academy
Consider some of the best parts of The Instagram Marketing & Sales Academy!
Sales-Oriented
One of my favorite things about this Instagram course is that it has a huge focus on helping you make sales. Other courses may teach you about how to use Instagram or how to create IG content.
However, they skip over the actual sales part, which is vital if you want to run a successful business. Nicole starts with plenty of lessons on how to set up your business for success on Instagram.
That way, when you start selling, it will feel more natural. And you can use the later lessons to help come up with a sales strategy that works for you.
Facebook Group
Once you enroll in the course, you’ll get access to a students-only Facebook group. This group isn’t the most active, but it’s still a nice resource to have.
At the very least, it’s where you’ll want to go for the Zoom link for the live calls. You can also look in the group for the Google form to use to submit any questions for those Q&A sessions.
If you can’t wait until the next session, you can ask a question in the group feed. Not only can Nicole or Taylor answer, but so can other course students, so you can get even more feedback.
Live Q&A Sessions
Another excellent feature is the fact that there are live sessions where you can get answers to your questions. Of course, you can ask any questions you have related to Instagram.
However, you can also ask questions about marketing, sales, and your business, in general. Get feedback on any program or product ideas to make sure you don’t waste your time on anything.
Unfortunately, these sessions only happen every other month, so you may not be able to wait that long. But that’s why there’s also the Facebook group for you to get a faster response.
Lifetime Access
I love how you get lifetime access to The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy. Some courses may take away access after a year or two, meaning you can miss out on important platform updates.
But that’s not the case with this course. I’ve rewatched a lot of the lessons, such as when setting up a new Instagram account for a new venture I want to start.
If you ever need to pivot your business or promote a new offer, go through the lessons again. That way, you can remind yourself of how to do everything from choosing a niche to finding your target audience.
Cons of the IG Academy
Sadly, there are a few drawbacks of the IG Academy that you should know before you enroll.
No Reels Lessons
When Nicole first created the course, Reels weren’t a thing. While she has updated the course a little bit, there aren’t any lessons about how to create Reels or how to use them to drive sales.
There also aren’t any lessons about videos, other than Instagram Live and Stories. So if you’re interested in making video content a huge part of your strategy, you may want to take another course.
Now, you may not want to use Reels, such as if you don’t like being on camera. However, it would still be nice to have some information about how to make use of this feature.
No Text Lessons
Most of the lessons in the IG course are in video format, which is engaging. However, sometimes, I like to review just a bit of information but don’t want to watch an entire lesson.
You can’t do that as easily since most of the lessons don’t have transcripts or text versions. This is also a bit annoying if you want to go through the course when you’re in public.
If you don’t have any headphones, you’ll need to wait until you can go somewhere more private. That way, you can avoid disturbing others while watching the lessons.
Q&As in the Middle of the Day
When I first joined the course in early 2021, there were a few Q&A sessions in the evening. However, more recently, they’ve all occurred around noon in the US central time zone.
So if you’re based in the US but work a day job or have client meetings during the day, you might not be able to attend live. Sure, you can ask questions ahead of time and watch the videos later.
But sometimes it’s nice to interact live, especially if you have a follow-up question. If you don’t have the most flexible work schedule, it’s worth considering whether you can get out of a meeting to attend a Q&A session.
Somewhat Expensive
This online course is far from the most expensive course I’ve come across. However, it’s also not exactly cheap either, so it can be scary to invest in the course as a beginner.
Now, you can go with the payment plan if you’re tight on cash now, but it will cost you more overall. You can also wait until you have the money to pay for the course in full.
Both options are great, and I do appreciate how you have options.
Is the IG Academy Good for Bloggers?
You can use the lessons in The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy as a blogger. Whether you monetize your blog with affiliate marketing or your own products or services, promoting them on Instagram is great.
The platform allows you to build a loyal audience who will read your blog posts. Then, you can turn that audience into customers of your own products or the products you promote.
Is the IG Academy Good for Beginners?
The IG Academy is okay for absolute beginners. However, it will help if you already have an idea of the business you want to start and promote using Instagram.
This course doesn’t go over how to start a business or how to choose a business idea. But it does cover how to choose a niche, which can be helpful if you’re just starting.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to use social media to grow your business, Instagram is a great option. But to make the most of it, I’d recommend taking The Instagram Marketing and Sales Academy by Nicole Riccardo.
The course helps you choose a profitable niche and set up a sales system to start making money. Whether you focus on affiliate marketing, services, or products, there’s something for you!