Instagram is the place where we can show the world who we are. It allows you to share what inspires you and get closer to your users with that kind of content. If done right, Instagram is an excellent channel for gaining followers.
Instagram is the fastest-growing social media platform, and this growth will not slow. You might have heard that “there are no rules on Instagram.” And you’d be right — there aren’t many rules to playing by on Instagram. You’re already a social media influencer when you sign up for Instagram.
If you want to rule the IG-sphere, you’ll need a more prescriptive set of guidelines. This article will explain six practical ways to master your Instagram marketing presence.
Utilize Instagram features
So you decided to take your Instagram game more and get more followers. It can often be an uphill battle when you’re starting from scratch. The good news is Instagram has many features to boost your reach and popularity on this social platform.
We love Instagram for its ease of use, intuitive interface, and the fact that you can share your life in photos and videos. But there are also some features you might not know about—think of them as hidden gems that you can use to improve your Instagram experience!
Create stories
One of the best ways to get more views on your Instagram posts is by utilizing the Stories feature. This feature allows you to post a short video or text-based post that lasts 24 hours before disappearing. It’s a great way to share candid moments with your followers and keep them engaged with what’s going on in your life.
While it might seem counterintuitive, posting more often can increase engagement with your audience and help you build your brand! If you don’t spend all day on Instagram, consider scheduling posts in advance, so they go out when they’re most relevant.
If you’re not using Instagram Stories yet, we recommend it!
Use IGTV
If you’re not already taking advantage of the video-sharing feature of Instagram, then you’re missing out. IGTV is a great way to connect with your audience, share more about your brand, and make them feel like they’re part of something special.
The feature allows you to create longer-form videos that run anywhere from 15 seconds to 60 minutes and will play on full screen on mobile devices! It’s also a great place to feature behind-the-scenes footage of your team or product development process and live streams of events and Q&As with followers.
Create reels
Reels are a great way to highlight your best content and make it easy for your followers to find. Think of them as slideshows of your best photos, videos, and carousels. You can add text or stickers to your reel and change each slide’s size, color, and speed.
To create a reel:
- Tap the plus sign at the bottom of the screen, then select New Reel from the menu that appears.
- Choose the content you want to use from your story, grid, or memories albums, and tap Done on each page.
- Add any text or stickers you want!
Show your creativity
Instagram is a great way to show your creativity and can be a fantastic tool for self-expression.
You can use Instagram to share your art and photography, or you can use it to show off your skills. You can even use it to share your writing!
The possibilities are endless!
Learn to take great photos
You can’t post a photo and expect people to find it. You need to be intentional about your photos and create content that will engage your audience.
While you may think taking great photos on Instagram is all about having the right equipment, it’s not. The truth is that there are several things you can do to take better photos.
- Find the proper lighting: Natural light is always best, but if you have to take a photo indoors, get as much natural light as possible by opening up curtains or windows. If you’re taking a selfie with no natural light, use your phone’s flash or a lamp.
- Take lots of pictures: It’s better to take ten photos in a row and find one good one than to take one perfect shot.
- Get close: Get up close and personal with your subject! Not only does this make them look bigger (and therefore more intimidating), but it also makes them look more attractive when they’re smaller in the frame.
Learn to edit your images
When you’re learning to master Instagram, editing your images can be tricky. But it’s not as hard as you might think!
There are several different ways to edit your images, from using simple filters to adding more advanced effects. Some of the best ways to edit your photos include:
- Filters: The filters built into Instagram are some of the most popular and easy to use!
- Adjustments: These let you adjust your image’s brightness, contrast, or saturation. They’re great for highlighting details in a picture or toning down colors that are too bright or dark.
Create a theme
The theme can be anything: it could be a color, a style, or even a mood. The key is choosing one and sticking with it so your followers can identify your posts.
Make sure that your profile and images match the theme. You don’t want to confuse people by posting something that doesn’t fit your brand.
Curate a beautiful feed
It’s not about posting pretty and well—filtered photos; it’s about finding the perfect mix of content that will resonate with your audience and tell the story you want to tell.
If you’re starting, here are some tips for getting the most out of your curation:
- Make sure each photo is relevant to your brand or at least to the theme of your feed
- Don’t post too many photos in one day—keep it between 3-5 (but don’t worry if you fall behind!)
- Don’t be afraid to post old content; this is how people find new followers and get new likes
Write captions that tell a story.
Using captions on your Instagram posts is important: they help your followers get that same feeling when they look at your images. It also helps them understand what you’re trying to say with your content (if there’s no caption, then people might not know what the point of the post is).
The key is making sure that your words resonate with the image. Here are some tips for writing captions that tell a story:
- Use short sentences instead of long paragraphs; this makes your captions easier for readers to read and understand.
- Use active voice instead of passive voice; this makes your captions more engaging and conversational.
- Use strong rather than weak verbs; this makes your captions more exciting and gives them more impact.
Collaborate with other Instagrammers
It’s easy to feel like you’re the only one who knows what they’re doing on Instagram. But millions of other people are also trying to make their accounts grow and succeed—and they can be some of your most valuable collaborators.
You’ll want to find people with a similar audience size to yours so that your combined audiences can reach more people. You want to find people active in the same niches as yours so that you can share relevant content for both parties’ followers. And finally, you want to find people whose content style is different than yours—that way, if someone clicks on your profile after seeing theirs, they’ll still see something new and exciting!
Create content that makes you unique
Instagram is a visual platform, and it’s easy to get lost in the crowd and forget that your feed is one of the first things people see when they visit your profile.
The best way to stand out on Instagram is by creating content that makes you unique—through the types of photos you share or the way you use hashtags and captions.
Learn what’s working (and what’s not)
As you go through the process of building your Instagram following, you might start to notice that some of your posts are performing better than others. That’s great! It means you’re on the right track. So, keep doing more of what works and less of what doesn’t.
But don’t stop there. Look at other people who are in your sector and see how they do it. How are they posting? What types of images do they use? Do they have an aesthetic or theme that runs through their feed? Are they using hashtags? What kind? Looking at these factors can help you understand what makes a good post and what makes a bad one so that you can apply it to your efforts in the future.
Conclusion
Alright, we’ve oversimplified the art of Instagram a bit on this list, but it is something you can master with practice. Suppose you want to succeed on Instagram as a blogger or designer. In that case, you’ll need to learn how to get creative with your photos, target your audience, and use social media marketing tools like tags and hashtags to boost your engagement.
If you have an idea of what you’re doing and some patience while you practice, there’s no reason you can’t get more followers and show off your best shots.
