Sounds fun huh? It is! However, like anything online, it can be tricky even when you know what you are doing. Remember citizens of the internet are a unforgiving, quick to incite bunch, but with a proper routine and precautions Instagram can be an invaluable tool for personal or professional use.
Assuming you know the basics of Instagram such as downloading the app to your mobile device (such as a tablet or smart phone), signing up for an account and filling out your profile - I am going to skip ahead (but will go back to the basics later for those of you that need a refresher, I promise) to some valuable tips I have learned through my personal and professional use of Instagram.
(examples at the end of this blog)
Here are 5 Things to Keep in Mind:
Like many social media platforms the goal is to spread the word about you and/or your brand, you want to have your posts seen by others using the platform and the easiest way to do this is by posting regularly.
Whether you are using Instagram for personal or professional posting appropriate number times with some regularity is helpful (approximately 3-5 times weekly works well for most) while posting with greater frequency (1-3 times daily) will increase the chances of your posts being seen.
You can certainly post without research but, a little research will go a long way in making your posts more effective than they would be if you had not ...
An Instagram status (sometimes referred to as a "gram") is composed of two parts: either a short video or picture along with text, simple enough right? If only! One of the key things when it comes to posting on Instagram (or anywhere on the internet for that matter) is to post appropriately. Now I know you're probably asking now ... how do I know what's appropriate? It can be tricky and you will probably misstep from time to time, but the goal should always be to TRY and post appropriately.
The key to knowing what is appropriate is based on WHY you are using Instagram - are you using it just for fun, for personal use? Then the range of what is appropriate could be pretty wide - anything on your interests, the type of work you do, friends and family, etc. If, however, you are using your Instagram in order to promote a business or brand the range of what becomes appropriate when posting can become much more narrow. When deciding on how and when to craft a post, ask yourself these questions:
a) does this post further my reason for using Instagram?
b) could this post be in anyway offensive or contradictory to my reason for using Instagram (or my goal for the post itself)?
c) does this post infringe on someone else's right to privacy, someone else's ownership of copyright/trademark/patent or potentially be harmful in anyway?
As you develop your profile on Instagram, you will learn other questions to ask yourself to determine if your posts are taking you in the direction you wish to go.
3. Using Hashtags, Constructing a PostOnce you choose whether to post a video or a picture, the fun begins. Keeping these key elements in mind, you will increase your chances of posting effectively:
a) choose the right media - Instagram posts can feature 15 second video clips or images as the core element; you should choose an image that reflects the purpose behind your being on Instagram as well as the goal behind the individual post itself. One thing that I can not stress enough is look at the video as a whole, including your background - make sure there is nothing that will interfere with your purpose and goal nor anything that might cause red faced embarrassment (like taking an awesome selfie, posting it and then a follower noticing someone in the background exposing themself in a private manner).
b) edit your media - Crop, filter, adjusting size - these 3 tools can take your media element from C+ quality to B+ or higher. Experiment with these elements to see what best fits your media element and what might best fit the intended goal of your post.
c) use your words - When it comes to social media it's only what your say but HOW you say it; a good is written as organically as possible and will "feel right" when spoken out loud - getting in the
habit of reading the post out loud (or at least mouthing the words) as much as possible will help you get the right feel more often.
d) Links are okay - Sharing links as part of your post is an awesome idea, if you don't share ONLY the link! If you share ONLY a link and nothing else, people are not likely to visit the link as how you shared it may be seen as suspicious or spammy.
e) Tag your posts - Tagging another user on occasion and adding hashtags to the text of your post can expand your reach by increasing your visibility by other users and in search.
f) Interaction helps - Visiting other profiles of users who share interests and commenting/favorite will often draw attention to your own profile; additionally linking your Instagram to your facebook profile, Facebook fan page, Twitter account or Tumblr account will allow you to share your Instagram across platforms with just the touch of a button
Like anything else on the Internet - a second is forever, there will be those that never let you forget, stand behind your posts and apologize sincerely for mistakes when needed.
5. Following and Followers
Following people (& those that follow you) is your universe, your circle, your way of gaining visibility; the key is having a good ratio of those you follow to those that follow you. Celebrity accounts aside, the most successful Instagram profiles follow less (in number) users than those that follow them (in number); the golden ratio for Instagram seems to fall between follow 1 for every 2 that follow you (1:2) or follow 2 for every 3 (2:3) that follow you (keeping with the goal that those you follow are a reflection of your interests and goals).
What a BAD POST Looks Like
What a GOOD POST Looks Like
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Follow Megan of AddSomeStitches on Instagram at: addsomestitches
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