If you’re a Gen-Y in the 21st century, then you probably have an Instagram account. For those of you who aren’t aware it’s an app where you post photos/videos that show up in a feed. The app has become a popular daily hobby within the past few years among us young people, and has even become a full-time job, just like being a YouTube star, who knew? So, if you’re into it, why not try to up your Insta game with a few tips and tricks like these?
Here are 6 things you can do to make your Instagram account more successful:
1. Post as often as possible.
It might be true that if you post too much, people will unfollow you. However, that’s only if you post five times a day, everyday. It’s also true that if you don’t post often enough, then you won’t get any new followers. Posting three or four times a week isn’t bad and it’ll get you a lot more traffic on your page.
2. Avoid heavy filters and borders.
The more natural, the better. If your photo looks like it went through the washing machine five times and then was painted over with a coat of nail polish, it’s not going to be as appealing to your Instagram audience as it would without all that extra editing. If you’re trying to showcase your photography, then you definitely need to have a great quality photo. As for borders, that’s not even a question. Don’t, just don’t.
3. Hashtags, hashtags, hashtags.
I know it’s embarrassing, but it’s pivotal if you want people to see your photo. No matter what the subject of your photos, there will always be a hashtag for them. For example, if you edit with VSCOcam, these are some you can use: #vsco #vscocam #vscofile. Or if you go to the beach, maybe something like #beachday, #Instabeach, to name a few. Just go crazy and get creative. If you’re hesitant to have people see your hashtags, just put them in the comments instead of the caption, that way when other people comment, they get hidden. Of course this step only works when your account is public.
4. Follow people with similar photo interests.
If you’re a traveler, follow other travel pages. If you’re a foodie, follow all types of food pages. People enjoy following back those who have similar interests. You don’t have to limit yourself to only the people you know or follow on all your other social networks. Expand your brand.
5. Pay attention to your followers.
Pay attention to who likes and comments on your photos, and give their stuff a look every once in a while. It doesn’t hurt to check out what others are posting, maybe you’ll get ideas on how to spice up your own photography! Or even make a few new Instagram friends.
6. Bio and photo captions.
A captivating bio and witty captions can go a long way. Personalize your bio however you want or so that it gets the attention of the kind of followers you want. Captions are also key! A lot of the times when people have funny descriptions under their photos, they get a like from me. So why not try it out?
A lot of people think it’s ridiculous to care about Instagram, and to a certain extent, it is. For example, if it’s interfering in any way with your life or relationships, then you have a problem. For me, it’s just a fun place where I can show off my photography skills and connect with all of my friends to see what they’ve been doing lately. If I’m being completely honest, I’m a hardcore Instagram addict. I check it multiple times a day and you better believe I follow all of my own rules to having a successful Instagram account, so what’s stopping you? Get your Insta game on!
Featured image via Анна Хазова on Pexels
punny captions are my fave!