Social media platforms are one of the biggest, and best ways to market
your blog (or anything really). Instagram is easily my favorite social
media platform, followed by Pinterest. I still have not gotten the hang
of Twitter. I love photography, and making storyboards, which is where I
think my love of Instagram comes from. Instagram is a great place for
sharing pictures of friends, what you ate for dinner, and pictures of
your pet. But when you are trying to brand your Instagram, you can't
just post any picture, it needs to fit your theme. I am going to share
with you 5 easy steps in improving your Instagram.
Theme// It is very important to decide on a theme for your Instagram feed, some are more narrow then others. I would say my theme is bright, colorful, and girl. I occasionally end up with pictures that I really like but, they just don't fit my theme. The picture is too dark, maybe there is a really ugly shadow, or some other reason that makes the picture not fir the theme. Sometimes in order to have a great consistent theme, you occasionally have to sacrifice a picture or two. Also themes can revolve around your activities; like food, fitness, or travel.
Variety// I run into this problem sometimes, I find myself posting pictures that are too similar. We are all on a budget here, I can't afford to buy different flowers every week or have dozens of fashion books, which is FINE. But I try to arrange what I do have differently, and space out the posts, so that they don't look too similar. I find a great way to mix things up is to change your background: buy cute wrapping paper and lay your items on it.
Time// When and how often you post is very important. Sometimes I feel like I have the cutest picture in the world, but if you post it during a slow time, you won't get much interaction. But the "hot times" for when to post, really depend on your unique followers. So this is just something you have to learn with trial and error. You need to post at least one picture a day, two or three is recommended. Don't worry that you are not going to fill up someone's feed with just three pictures a day. Most of your followers follow hundreds of people. If you post three pictures a day, you are lucky if they see one or two of them.
Planning// I personally spend a lot of time planning my Instagram pictures. Don't get me wrong, at least half are impromptu, "this would make a great Instagram" moments, but let's face it we are busy. On the weekends I will take extra pictures and keep them saved to post throughout the week. I do this for many reasons, on a Saturday afternoon I have plenty of free time, the sun is out, and it is a great time to get some pictures in. I then have plenty of time to edit the pictures and get them ready to be posted.
Editing// This is crucial. Editing helps your feed look consistent. I honestly never, ever, use filters, but I do adjust the individual levels (brightness, highlights, shadows, sharpness, contrast, and so on). I occasionally will edit my Instagram pictures on my computer in Lightroom, but that is a rare occasion. I do most of my editing in Instagram itself. Their adjustments are easy to use. I have Afterlight on my phone, but honestly prefer to use Instagram. Remember when editing your pictures though your goal is to be as consistent as possible so all of your pictures complement each other.
