Whether you’re a Millennial mom or a Gen Z college student, it’s always nice to look great on Instagram that’s affectionately known as “the gram”. If you take a look at many of your favorite influencers, you’ll notice that they always have perfectly styled photos and stunning pages. Do you think that they are just naturally great at Instagram? Well, some might be. However, the majority of influencers have tricks up their sleeves. If you’d like to use some of those tricks to step up your Insta game this summer, consider the following tips.
1. Plan your content in advance
Instagram has a feature that allows you to prepare your content, load it into the app and save it in the drafts. If you’d like to work on posting multiple times every day, just create the content in advance and load it to the app. Once you’ve prepared the right caption and hashtags, you can simply push the ‘publish’ button in order to share it. When you’ve booked a special photoshoot with an amazing photographer, you want to make sure you have cohesive posts to go next to that stunning photoshoot. You don’t want a hectic week to derail your amazing Instagram goals for the summer. Knowing this, always have a few great photos that are always ready to go. According to Shoot My Travel, a company famous for its Seattle Photographers, it’s always better to have extra photos in your roster, even if you’re not sure if you want to use them yet. You never know when you’ll get the chance to use it later! You can also mix up your posts by adding a few inspirational quotes, pretty throwback photos, and funny memes.
2. Find your favorite filter/lighting feature
Take a look at all of your favorite daytime tv show hosts. Oprah, Ellen and the ladies of The Real are all beautiful individuals. However, when they have the right lighting, they all glow like angels. Lighting is so important when you’re taking photos. Whether you use a portable ring light that you’ve attached to your phone or the natural light from the sunset, make sure you factor in the importance of good lighting when you’re capturing content for Instagram. If you want your entire Instagram feed to look cohesive, it’s best to work on using the same filter for all of your content. Find the one that you like the best, and stick with it.
3. Interact with other people on Instagram
As you focus on stepping up your game, don’t become narcissistic. Remember that Instagram is made up of millions of other accounts. Engage with other people. Comment on their photos. Hit the ‘like’ button on their videos. Try to discover one new Instagram account every day. Once you find that new account, find creative ways to engage with them by commenting, liking or sharing some of their posts. As you consistently engage with your followers and new accounts, you’ll gain more visibility and traction within the app.
4. Always keep an Instagram Story going
While there are tons of people who love to scroll and enjoy the Instagram feed, a lot of people tend to hang out in the area at the top of the app. This area is where everyone’s Instagram stories are located. Stories remain active for 24 hours. There’s something really fun and interesting about Stories because it feels like a behind-the-scenes look at what’s going on in a particular account. Plus, you don’t have to make sure it’s picture-perfect because it’s going to disappear in a matter of 24 hours. Your Instagram Stories can be considered their own form of video content. If you always keep new stories at all times, it’ll be easier to maintain a consistent crowd of fans. You can post something as simple as the green smoothie you’re drinking for breakfast or a video of your feet walking alongside the beach at sunset. It’s such a great way to enjoy snapshots of your day.
5. Be interesting
Ultimately, people enjoy learning more about interesting people. If your life isn’t interesting, change that. First, it’s more important to figure out what you find interesting. Then, share more of that. If you’re creating a facade, that’s going to be a draining process. Instead, focus on things you enjoy and love. If you’re an avid thrifter, share photos and videos of the new items you’ve purchased after a shopping trip. If you’re someone who enjoys visiting local museums, take your camera along with you. Take some photos to capture the memories, and share them with your followers on Instagram. If you’re reading a really great book, share some of the highlights in a well-edited Instagram video for IGTV. When you find your own niche, it’ll be easier to attract the right followers who will engage with your content.
While these efforts might seem a little exhausting or inauthentic at first, it’s really all about getting into a rhythm. Once you find a routine that works for you, creating inspiring content for Instagram will feel like a piece of cake. Plus, when you document your summer well, you’ll be able to save those memories forever.
