Instagram can indeed be highly addicting. It’s fun to take photos of your food and selfies and share them with friends, family, or the whole world if you want to, as well as follow celebrities, restaurants, and brands you like. If you have thought about becoming Insta-famous but don’t know how to start, here are eight quick tips to help you get there and grow your followers!
1) Have a story
This is one of our favorite pieces of advice. And it’s something every influencer and brand-new YouTuber will have heard a million times before, but chances are they’re not doing anything about it. It’s all well and good to say you’ve got a story that makes you different from everyone else—but do you have one? If so, tell it! And if not, write a story that doesn’t suck. Make sure your post has at least three paragraphs—with headers for each—and use precise language, so people know what you’re talking about. Post some teaser photos on Instagram beforehand, so people feel invested in your content. You may purchase Instagram likes to demonstrate your popularity to your followers.
2) Define your brand
Branding is essential on Instagram, as it helps build your identity and define who you are. Here are a few branding tips: Choose a unique handle that doesn’t use famous words or numbers. When you search for these handles on Instagram, they often return The page isn’t available errors. Use action shots: On Instagram (as with many other social media channels), an image is worth 1,000 words—sometimes more! Take professional photos of yourself showcasing your brand’s products and take advantage of several hashtags related to your niche.
3) Post consistency
Posting regularly isn’t just a best practice for any social media profile—it’s a necessity for Instagram. If you only share posts every once in a while, people might not notice your account or won’t think that you offer relevant information. Make sure you post at least 3 times per week on Instagram and make sure your posts are high quality and relevant to your audience. As long as you stay consistent, more followers will come your way!
4) Get your hashtags right
To build a successful presence on Instagram, you must use relevant and appropriate hashtags. If you post a picture of your cat and tag it with #catlover, chances are your post will be ignored (or worse, get lost amid thousands of other posts with similar tags). The more specific your tags are, and the more unique they are (meaning: no one else is using them for their cat pictures), your work will be noticed. An Instagram hashtag generator can help you brainstorm appropriate tags for various situations; see our favorite generator here.
5) Engage with your followers
Ask your followers what they’d like to see you post, where they like you to travel, and what kind of photography interests them. This will help build a better relationship with your followers and show them that you genuinely care about their opinions and feedback. Responding quickly when users reach out can also be an excellent way for your followers to know that you’re there whenever they need advice or recommendations on upcoming trips. If possible, follow up on engagement by asking them how their trip went or if there is anything else you can do for them; personally, meeting up with users has been a massive part of popular public figure’s personal growth as an Instagrammer.
6) Establish yourself as an authority.
Establishing yourself as an authority on a niche topic is key to becoming famous on Instagram. If you’re not taken seriously, people will find it difficult to identify with your content and buy into your narrative. Whether you’re hoping to make money from sponsored posts or simply grow a large following of engaged fans, you need readers that relate and believe what you have to say is essential. Finding ways to position yourself as someone who’s successfully worked through challenges related to your niche can help achieve credibility, significantly if you can demonstrate your knowledge and experience with real-world examples. If you’re unsure where or how to start, try going out and meeting people who are already involved in activities related to your niche and build relationships with them through collaboration.
7) Be consistent.
Don’t take breaks or miss a day of posting. Consistency is key to gaining Instagram followers. If you’re not posting regularly, it’s implausible your posts will get as many likes and comments as those who do post regularly. Don’t let days go by without posting; you may have noticed that some brands post once or twice daily, while others post just a few times per week—it all depends on their audience and what works best for them. Followers expect consistency from their favorite brands, so don’t keep them waiting!
8) Quality over quantity.
Just because you have a lot of followers doesn’t mean your following is active. Instead, focus on building relationships with a core group of like-minded individuals who are active and engaged. You’ll also have better engagement if you aim for quality over quantity when posting on Instagram. Rather than sharing multiple photos or videos throughout your day, select one piece of content—typically a video or photo with great aesthetic appeal—and post it at least twice a day during peak hours (think early morning and mid-afternoon). Consider scheduling your posts to avoid missing key moments (like when someone tags you), especially if you want exposure from Stories or Instagram ads. Post something cool and relevant when all else fails—your audience will follow!
Conclusion
In general, making it big on Instagram takes work and luck. To get started, try using one of these strategies on a post or two and see how they play out. From there, you can tweak your strategy based on what’s working (and what isn’t). After all, being consistent will keep you a step ahead of your competitors on Instagram so make sure you stick to the efforts.
