Everybody you know is on Instagram. And everybody wants to be a star. No, not a reality show celeb or Beyonce, but in the social media world of likes and followers. Instagram may not be part of your daily routine yet, but if it is for your kids or friends, they sure seem to enjoy this picture-sharing app. If you aren’t on Instagram yet, you might be wondering about its purpose. Like other social media platforms, it’s a way to connect and share with others. It’s not going to replace face-to-face contact, but connecting through images (and videos) is a great way to expand your world and engage in new ideas.
And yes, you can also develop a real following on Instagram or you can buy Instagram Post Likes. If you are creative, enjoy taking photos and have an interesting profile picture, it’s not too late to become “instafamous.”
But what does it take to get started? Well beyond the app itself, here are 5 strategies for developing your Instagram presence:
1] Plan ahead.
Think about what you like to photograph and make sure you have your camera (or phone) with you at all times. Maybe it’s the family pet, a plant in your backyard or a new outfit. Take pictures of these things while they are fresh in your mind because later, when you aren’t thinking about them so much, it will be harder to capture their essence.
2] Decide on your style .
If you are going to be serious about Instagram, it’s important that you establish a style or focus. You can’t be all things to all people so ask yourself what resonates with you and your interests, then narrow down your feed accordingly. Will these images be edgy? Nostalgic? Playful? Once you establish what you like and who your audience might be, it will become easier to create a consistent feed.
3] Pay attention to hashtags .
They may appear unimportant or unrelated to your content but they are important for expanding your reach and increasing the odds of people finding you. Photos with hashtags receive 7 times more engagement than those without them. Also, when you put hashtags in your caption or comment section, it helps others find your posts and you’ll probably get a lot of likes in return.
4] Make a profile that pops .
A great profile picture will encourage people to click on your name and then follow you. It’s important to stand out and say something about who you are and what your account is all about. If you’re new, it’s always a good idea to include your website address or info on how people can contact you.
5] Connect with friends .
Since Instagram is such an image based platform, the more photos you have uploaded, the better. You want to make it easy for people to like and share your content. The more connectivity you have, the better chance of expanding your own reach.
Good luck with Instagram and remember that it’s not about quantity, but quality. It’s not about what you post; it’s about how often you post…and keep up that great energy!