Lots of people and businesses are joining Instagram, but it takes some time to discover the unique role it occupies in the social media world. Instagram is about capturing and sharing moments in life, and high quality shots are king. Just like on Facebook and Twitter, you’ll find “junk” floating around Instagram (boring photos, uninteresting selfies, and sale flyers) but some pretty amazing stuff is out there, too.
Posting quality content to your account will pay off with more followers and more authentic engagement.
Here are some tips to get you on the right track.
Don’t follow everyone else. Be unique and capture things in a different way. Lots of people take pictures of their feet, their shoes, their pets, or what they just had to eat or drink. Find news ways to encapsulate your experiences in a photo. Try different camera angles, different lighting or even an unexpected backdrop. Surprise people! That’s what makes Instagram more fun!
Find your voice. It’s nice to share and re-post, but don’t clutter up your account with other people’s stuff. Post what makes YOU tick and develop your personal style. While it’s certainly helpful to find inspiration from other Instagram users, make sure that you aren’t just copying what’s worked for them. Always make it your own before posting.
Don’t spread yourself too thin. This is especially true if you’re a business person or creative type. It’s good to see some continuity when landing on an Instagram page. Visitors should be able to see what you’re all about after just a minute or so on your site. Posting a recipe one day, a political infographic the next day and a funny pet shot after that can make your account look really haphazard. Whether it’s carrying a color scheme throughout your posts, superimposing a certain font on every image or sharing about only a few topics, the unifying factor will add a magnetism to your page that’s very attractive.
Be sociable. Click that little red heart when you see something great. Leave a brief but meaningful comment when something moves you. Others will respond and follow you back. They’ll share your images and help increase your followers. Be sure to regularly check in with users that inspire and motivate you. This will encourage you to keep your account looking its best, too.
Attract relevant followers. If you are looking to attract fans, it’s best to have people interested in the content you’re going to be regularly posting. So don’t sign on to a $500 Target gift card giveaway with 50 other bloggers just for a couple hundred Instagram followers. They will probably never even look at your account, and many will unfollow as soon as the promo ends. Find giveaways and promotions that fit within your niche; the fans you get will be more authentic and very likely to stick around.
Now let’s hear your Instagram tips!
