I’m guessing 95% of everyone reading this has an Instagram, and if you don’t have your own account you have probably heard of it by now. Instagram is by far the best social media for brands. Not only is it amazing for brands, it is fun for the average person who just loves sharing their life through beautiful photos!

Being a blogger, Instagram is extremely important in growing my brand.

When people see those 6 photos on my profile I want them to see who I am, and what I am about, while also giving them a sneak peak of what my blog is about!

Over the past few months, my following has almost doubled, and I am pretty proud of this progress.

Since this growth, a few of my friends have asked me how I have achieved a steady growth, so I wanted to share my tips with you guys! These are the tips I use every day, and what have helped me grow my brand. Of course, everyone is different and pick which tips work for you and your brand! And if you just love Instagram and want to create a bigger following, but are not a blogger or biz owner, these tips will still work for you too.

Be yourself

I cannot stress this enough! Post pictures that reflect your personality, and your brand. You want your followers to get a glimpse at who you are through your photos, and start to feel like they actually know you. Don’t go outside of who you are just to post a trendy picture. Your followers will be able to tell when you post something that doesn’t reflect your true brand.

 

Hashtag it

This is the tip that I can honestly say has shown to be the biggest help in growing my brand. Hashtags connect you with other people who have something in common with you and allow your photos to be seen by accounts they normally would never be exposed to. There are a variety of hashtags to go along with any photo you are wanting to share. Do a quick google search on “Top Instagram Hashtags” and pick which ones you think would represent you and your photo well. Remember, Instagram only allows 30 hashtags so choose wisely.

Tip: Put your hashtags in your comment to hide them from your caption, so that your followers focus on the important things!

Theme

So I kinda hate myself for talking about this, because it’s like such a crazy millennial Instagram obsessed term BUT it is a pretty important tip. The term Instagram theme has been floating around for awhile now, and I’m just waiting for Webster to adopt it into their dictionary soon. The accounts with themes are 100% more visually appealing than accounts without one. Personally, having a theme is pretty stressful and sometimes I find myself putting way too much work into finding the best fitting photo to make my feed look cohesive. But, in the end a theme makes an accounts feed look so crisp, and clean. What I recommend for someone trying to achieve a theme without giving up their freedom is to edit all your photos the same. Whether, that be the same HB2 filter every single time, or just using the same adjustments to clarity and exposure. Either way, it works. This post is a good read to help further with an Instagram feed. 

Call to action

The best way to get your followers to engage with you is to ask them a question! Make your followers feel like you care about them, and want to get to know them. After posting a Starbucks picture ask your followers which drink they recommend, or what their favorite fall drink is. They will see this and want to engage with you, and will be more likely to continue following and engaging with your account. And if you’re asking for their opinions or thoughts be sure to comment back!

Socialize

This goes along with my last tip, but engagement is key on Instagram. I never really believed this tip until I actually tried it, and saw the results. How I think about it, and have explained it to my “non-blogger” friends is, being a girl we love getting compliments, right? Whether on our new booties, or even just on our cute flat lay. We really appreciate being appreciated! So next time you see an outfit you really like why not comment on that account and tell them how much you love her style. Try to be genuine, and leave a comment they will want to reply to!

Tag your location

Sharing your location is another way to be connected with accounts that are outside your normal followers. Next time you go to that cool coffee shop downtown add the location to your Instagram account, and then be sure to look through the location tag yourself!

Quality

Quality over quantity! This is probably my favorite cliche phrase because it just speaks so much truth. There are so many editing apps out there (my favorite is VSCO) that if you have an iPhone and a steady hand you are good to go! High quality, lightly edited photos are proven to do better so stick with that! If you’re looking for a more detailed description on how to get beautiful photos check out this post!

Consistency is key

Post consistently. Can I just leave my tip with that one sentence? Enacting all the above tips without using this tip would just be a waste, and you will not get your money’s worth. You could have the best theme, and best quality but without posting consistently you will start to lose followers. I typically post two times a day, three on a really good day. But I make sure I do post at least once every single day. This might seem crazy to the person who posts once a month, but I am telling you this works! Posting more frequently your account will be seen by more eyes, and those eyes will turn into followers.

 Engage with alike accounts

I dedicate the last few minutes of my night finding 5-10 accounts I am genuinely interested in and spend that time engaging with their account. Leave a nice comment and like a few of their photos. If you find an account that has similar photos to you, and a similar lifestyle you will probably get a follow back and make a new Insta friend!

Tag your Instagram account below, and I will be sure to check them out. I am always looking for new feeds to look at!