Happy Monday! As common as Instagram is (I was thinking of a username for a new project we mentioned here over the weekend and it was so tedious! Yeah, Instagram is kinda popular!), it’s still a major mystery for many and it’s only going to continue to be as Facebook (who owns IG) shifts the platform over time. I urge you to get as creative and unconventional as possible with it, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t at least a partial formula for success. You’ll need the pieces below, plus your own personal spin and original content in order to truly grow this platform.
The Right Light
You might’ve seen our DIY photo series where we talked about the importance of the right lighting. These tips are just as important for social media photography as they are anything else. Like I said, you can’t fake natural light. It really is the easiest to work with and looks the most… natural. At the same time, you don’t want to take photos in very direct sunlight (unless your vibe is incredibly vibrant) or from a weird angle. When in doubt, move your subject or move around your subject to test the best lighting at every angle – that is one without super harsh glares or shadows. When editing, I prefer to brighten my photos within the Instagram app, even though I use VSCO to add my filter. Here’s a photo I took right after grabbing coffee. I chose to stand in the corner of the cafe (looking silly, what else?) next to a big window.
A Focal Point
Also something I like about the photo above is the focal point. You should always have a focal point of some sort. Don’t take this too literally – sometimes you have a close up of 5 peonies and one doesn’t necessarily stand out over the others. But this keeps your photo interesting, it’s what you want people to look at. While some people are more minimal, I usually choose a focal point and surround it with pretty accents.
Balance
Those accents I was referring to? They can help balance out a shot. In the photo below I wanted to focus on that 8×10 print, but brought in my marble tile on the left to achieve this. Sometimes you’ll take a shot and after reviewing, something just looks off. This is usually balance, and a little rearranging will restore it.
The Trend Factor
I have to be honest and say that some photos perform simply because the subject is trending! Who doesn’t like handlettering, marble backdrops, and plants? Personally, I don’t put things in Insta photos just because I think people will ‘like’ it, but if there’s a trend I really AM on board with (hello, peonies), I’m not opposed to throwing it in a few extra shots :)
A Backstory
Whether or not you post this story in your captions, I believe it makes you a better photographer. If you decide to post only photos that have meaning to you, it will help you decide on the best ones to post. This automatically curates your feed, making it more desirable. When it comes to captions, I usually take the less is more approach. If I’m posting something simply because it’s inspiring or pretty, I don’t need to say much about it. But if something does have a story that I feel compelled to tell or that I think would resonante, I don’t mind posting a long caption. I don’t know about everyone else, but I prefer to follow accounts who balance the story. Too many drawn out captions on simple photos feel a bit insincere to me, but never posting enough info can be just as frustrating! Up to you!
The Right Tags
If you’ve got products in your photos, why not tag the brand in them? If you’re sharing a place you recently visited, you could tag the location (above the photo). Like hashtags, these tags help you get noticed. And of course, hashtags will help the photo pop up in search – in fact, it’s the main way people will find your account. Check out our lists of hashtags for bloggers and Instagram accounts for handmade sellers for advice. In my opinion, there’s never a reason not to post *relevant* hashtags. So many pretty, well thought out Instagram posts go unnoticed because no one can find them.
What’s been your fave Instagram post as of late? Send us a link!
Gemma says
Always handy to know which hastags to use to help promote several differing photos and posts : )
Top tips, as ever!
Gemma
http://www.fadedwindmills.com
Chelsea says
Amazing post! I am going to try to post trending topics! Curious about the results. It is really hard to grow your instagram following at the beginning!
Lots of love,
Chelsea | http://www.jointhecreativeside.com
Ariane says
I think it’s really hard to keep Instagram up to date for me. I have my personal account and my blog account and I can’t seem to find a balance between them in posting things.
It’s also hard that you can’t upload photos from your computer, that would make it a lot more easier to use Instagram.
Great post by the way, really learnt me some new stuff!
Arianna says
Instagram strategies are always a mystery for me: how do some people with more or less my style have more impact than me? I will neeeever understand that! But I am always eager to learn new tips, so YAY! Thank you so much for the infos and for the hashtag links!
Aria
https://pandaonavespa.wordpress.com/welcome/
Yankified says
Love the hashtag resources
xx
http://www.yankified.com
sandra says
You share a lot of useful information and your blog has really been helpful. Nice job!!! and I love this .