Set up an Instagram account without any direction or plan? Sure, you can muddle through, but trust us – having a plan always makes the process easier. What do you want to gain from this account? Do you have a set goal in mind? Who is your target audience, and what will they want to see from your posts?
1. Your set-up is important
When it comes to creating an Instagram account, what you place in your bio is important. You want to draw people in, gain their attention. But, in the right ways. Having a strong bio will encourage people to follow you, or at least check out your account. Whether your account is public or private, you want to capture the interest of everyone visiting your page.
Along with this, your profile picture is important too. It’s the first thing anyone clicking on your page will see. It also represents your comments. People will see your icon on every post you comment on. So, it’s important it stands out for the right reasons. Make it visually interesting and ensure it represents you.
If your account has been set up to represent you as an individual, why would you use a cartoon image for your profile photo? It doesn’t show who you are or what you’re about. Make sure you have a clear and good quality photo to represent you. Likewise, if you’re a business, use a logo that you want people to remember you by.
2. Consistency is key
Being consistent on Instagram is important. If you want to grow further than friends and family, you need to post regularly. Of course, posting good quality content is just as important. Posting often but not caring about the content you put out there may do you more harm than good. So, it’s important to find the balance between quantity and quality.
Find a routine that works for you. Perhaps as you grow you can start to discover the times when your followers are most active. Then, you can post at the times that will get you the most attention. However, to start with, posting often is the most important thing. You need to ensure your name is getting out there, and it won’t if you’re only posting once a month.
3. Be active even when you aren’t posting
Even when you have nothing to share, make sure you’re present on the platform. Comment on other creatives posts. Let them know your name and show your support. In return, you’ll likely find they give you support back. This is how you expand your network and find people to collaborate with you. One share from someone else could bring you in a whole new audience.
Liking other people’s posts is another easy thing to do, but it will get your name seen. Building good relationships within Instagram is important to any account’s growth. If you keep to yourself, your account won’t progress. Equally, make sure you’re replying to people who message you or comment on your posts. It doesn’t take much time out of your day, and it will keep you present even when you have nothing new to share.
4. Capture photos wherever you can
Not everyone has something exciting happen every day of the week. In fact, most people probably live quite a mundane life. But, that doesn’t mean your content can’t be interesting. It’s about learning how to get the most out of every situation. If you go somewhere exciting, try to get as many photos as you can out of that one place.
The more photos you get, the more posts you can create. This is often a trick people miss, because they’ll focus on getting one perfect image and their Instagram then won’t have any new content for quite some time. Capture as many photos as you can whenever you can. If you have an exciting day or go somewhere new – photograph it. Even if you post the photo months down the line, it’s always handy having images saved in your drafts.
5. Keep on top of trends
This goes for both visual trends and trending hashtags. You need to keep on top of what’s working at the moment. Put your own spin on these things as quickly as you can for a chance to get your content seen. Don’t wait until the topic is no longer popular to start talking about it. If you want to grow your account, it’s important to be relatable.
When it comes to hashtags, these are forever changing. Something which might attract a lot of attention one month, may not the next. So, it’s important to be aware of the changes and know when to mix things up. Don’t stick with the same hashtags forever, because if they’re no longer relevant, neither will your content be.
There are so many dos and don’ts when it comes to Instagram. Unfortunately, a lot of these need to be figured out for yourself. What works for one account may not work for another. However, there’s always room for trial and error in the beginning stages. But, it’s important to try and figure things out as soon as you can, to avoid missing out on growing your audience. You’ll find you quickly get into your own routine and figure out the platform and what you want from it. But, consider these points before starting your account, and you’ll find things run much smoother.
