With personalities building their whole career off of Instagram we often find ourselves wondering how they did it. Here are a few tips to help you ‘gram like a professional.
A snap from top blogger + RewardStyle earner @RachParcell
1. Keep it simple. Think of something you are passionate about and keep within that theme. Whether it be street-style or donuts, having a neatly curated ‘gram will help you grow a niche following. One of my favorite themed accounts is The Bannerie.
2. Create a quirky name. Having a recognizable name will help your Instagram stick in the minds of your followers and even get approached by brands for collaborations. Use the description box to plug your other social media accounts. You never know what social media platform will be the next big thing in a week or so, so I recommend growing a following on multiple platforms and cross promoting.
3. Only share quality images! Sharing glowing images is half the battle of having a neatly packaged Instagram. Blurry or low-resolution snaps will not get many likes and may even result in lost followers, so just say no!
4. Practice your snaps. Many accounts have all of their photos taken in similar styles. Against a brick wall…food on a marble counter-top. If you are serious about upping your ‘Gram game, practice a few different styles to get familiar with what you like and how to get the best shot. Soon enough it will become second nature and you will get the right shot every time.
5. Be consistent with hashtags. Want to grow a following that also shares photos with you? Create a hashtag to promote. Not only is this an optimal way to engage your community, it will also give you additional content to #ReGram when you do not have anything new. Shai Chung over at @DrunkonShoes does an awesome job of this with the hashtag #Drunkonshoestoo.
6. Be unique. While it’s always a great idea to peek around at “instafamous” accounts for inspiration, do not try to copy them. Take notes on why you think these accounts are popular (ex. cohesive theme), and think about what you could do better. You will not amass tens of thousands of followers by doing the same thing as someone else.
7. Give credit where credit is due. With millions of brilliant photos circulating on Instagram everyday, we are bound to #Regram here or there. Just give credit to the original poster to practice good etiquette. You may even make a new IG friend along the way!
8. Monitor when your followers are online. Do not overlook all the tools at your fingertips with Iconosquare. Iconosquare allows you to monitor what times are best for you to post and when your community is the most active. Post during those times.