Hi! Happy Labor Day! So, I wanted to share a couple tips in regards to Blogging & Instagram. I studied Strategic Communications which is a lot of marketing & social media. Now I know that this is sort of strange to some, and trust me, it’s strange to me at times as well…Instagram has become where a lot of people go to be inspired and where some people even go to hear about products, clothes, and other various subjects.
I will start by saying, some of this is probably knowledge you may know already, but some don’t so I am sharing for those who have no clue where to start, and then I will get into more practical tips that you maybe don’t know about.
1. If you are wanting to build your instagram to be for your blog, it is helpful to change your instagram from a personal account to a business profile. By doing this you will see the analytics, and more information about what posts people are sharing, saving, and even what time of day they are on instagram.
2. If you are wanting a cohesive instagram feed, many suggest sticking to one cohesive edit. To be honest, a lot of times this can become some people’s personal “brand.” Sounds silly. Could be silly. But it’s become today’s reality. However, don’t get too wrapped up into this because it can become obsessive for some. I don’t care as much, but there was a time where I was trying to be cohesive, than I realized, I would get bored and switch themes…then I was like wait, why does this matter? And now I go with an overarching theme of “natural.” Meaning, whatever is natural for me to post, I do that. & of course I love nature so I play with that too.
3. Instagram wants you to utilize their resources that they give.
For example use their story features (polls, Q&A. And GIFS)
There’s also rumors that if you use their edits a little on your photos, they may feature your post on others timelines more.
4. Encourage people who love your brand to share, like, comment & save your photos. The more interactions on your posts the more likely your posts will be seen. This sounds awkward if you’re like “hey can you please comment on my photo….” Which sounds rather desperate or weird haha! But what I mean by this is engage with your following. Instead ask a question, “What’s your favorite book? Comment on my last post.”
5. Utilize hashtags but try to not use the same ones every photo, for some reason their can be a “block” with this and cause your photo to not be seen by some (again rumors but I think it may be true). This “block” can see that you’re using a certain hashtag over and over so they will “flag” your photo and hide it…that is something that I learned in a class about instagram and I was like, wait a second…really?
6. Use organic & unique hashtags that you make up along with the top hashtag for your profession. My first photo to ever reach a thousand likes was after I used a hashtag I made up for my friends engagement which was by using her new last name with a play on words.
7. Use story highlights to your advantage and make them your businesses/ blog’s story (Your Why), FAQ, and other info you may want to share.
8. Make sure your bio is clear on what you are/what you provide. Something short an concise but that represents you well. For example if you’re a blogger and all your bio says is, ” I like cheese.” Some people may think you’re a food blogger or you post a lot about cheese. That was such a random example, and Idk if that’s because I want cheese right now, haha but you get the point!
9. Share your posts to your stories because even if they block your post from feeds, at least people will connect through your story. And most people seem to be connecting more with stories these days because it’s quick, less “perfect”/ orchestrated, and more raw.
10. Ask questions and interact with your customers/audience/readers. The more interaction you have, the more interaction others will have with you. Answer DM’s, respond to comments, and if they tag you in their stories with a sweet compliment, share that! It’s important to build relationships with your readers because it can help you understand how to better serve them.
11. When it comes to Instagram don’t worry about posting so many posts a day just to beat the algorithm. The more you post may actually annoy your followers and lead to unfollows, so utilize your stories, or have a schedule when you post and let your followers know what your schedule is. For example, “Hey guys, I post a blog every Tuesday so be on the look out!” This will give your followers your routine to add to their own as well, and so they will know that they can find new content on your blog, even without you having to advertise about it.
12. Ask questions in your stories with polls that lead up to your insta post that some how connects others to comment or interact on your post. This is something that I have seen some of my favorite bloggers do. They will ask questions like, “Do you like snowy days?” with a Yes or No poll, and then next they will say “Do you like hot chocolate?” Yes or No, and then next will be a picture of their post with a hot chocolate recipe. Brilliant! Now you have connected with people and helped lead them to content on what interests them. I made up a silly example, but you get the idea!
Apps That I Love for Instagram Editing and Content (write these down or screenshot because they are not links) :
Lightroom
Mextures
UNUM
Unfold
Snapseed
Canva
Mojo
8MM
Procreate (IPAD art with Apple Pencil)
Hope that some of these tips were helpful! For more tips follow me on Instagram and Pinterest!
Tay Ruth
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