With over 300 million users, Instagram has become a household name. Nearly every major industry has found a way to contribute to the 70 million photos shared each day. From fashion and food to farming and industrial manufacturing, there is a niche account that caters to your interests. If you’re looking to sharpen your Instagram skills, here are some tips and tricks to get you there – no matter what your prior level of expertise may be.
Add Character
Make sure every photo you post to Instagram adds character and personality to your brand.
Brand yourself
Stay consistent with your voice and brand.
Call-to-Action
Be specific with your viewers as to what you would like for them to do. For example, “Click the link in our bio.”
Develop a Story
Use Instagram to build a story for your brand. Each photo you post should target your brand’s niche audience and add further detail to your brand’s story.
Engage
Respond to comments and follow other users as soon as possible and when it is appropriate to build trust and brand loyalty.
Focus on your Followers
Put yourself in the shoes of your followers. Make sure your content is relative and appropriate to those you are targeting.
Grids
Your “grid” is composed of the six photos most recently posted at the top of your Instagram profile. To keep your content consistent, keep these six photos in a similar color palette.
Hashtags
Instagram posts with 11 hashtags attract the most traffic. Use groups of cohesive hashtags that are relevant to your brand.
@Instagram
Follow @Instagram from your account. If the company recognizes you and places you on their “Suggested Followers” list, you could gain thousands of followers overnight.
Just Use Two
Stick to one to two filters on Instagram per picture.
Keep Your Goal in Mind
Keep in mind the five most persuasive words in the English language: Free, You, Because, Instantly and New to persuade your followers.
Likes
Remember to like the photos of your followers and influencers to engage and maintain contact with them.
More the Merrier
Take more photos than you anticipate needing. It’s better to have too many options than not enough.
Natural Light
Natural light always photographs better than flash photography. Try to capture your image in natural light whenever possible.
Observe the Pros
There are a few people who have mastered Instagram so much so they are able to make a living off it. Find the key influencers in your industry and learn from their expertise.
Plan Ahead
Try to plan the details that make the difference: what your subjects will be wearing, the lighting, overcasts, glares, etc.
Quality is Key
Double the resolution of your pictures: Instagram’s photo size is 640 pixels x 640 pixels. We recommend using 1280 x 1280 pixels,if possible.
Rule of Thirds
Follow the classic photography rule, The Rule of Thirds, to enhance the quality of your pictures.
Store Them for Later
You don’t have to post pictures immediately after taking them. To avoid long periods without any posts or short periods with too many posts, store your photos to post at a later date and schedule them accordingly.
Timing is everything
Iconosquare is an app you can use to find the best time for your brand to post your photos to gain the most traffic.
Use the Video Feature
Instagram isn’t just for photos. Videos and GIFs are welcome, too! Instagram allows you to trim the length of your video within the app, as well.
VSCO, Whitagram, Etc.
If perfectly square photos aren’t for you, use Whitagram to keep their original proportions. If the Instagram filters aren’t for you, use VSCOcam to edit your photos before uploading them to Instagram. Both of these apps are free on the Apple App Store.