myphotoyear
MobiStarter
- Device
- iPhone 11
If I may, here is my quick guide to Instagram, that I may make in to a longer article at some point. Input or your own tips are welcome! I’m not an “influencer” or anything special, just someone trying to get some traction on the platform, in other words get along without feeling like I am going backwards!
Love it or hate it (Facebook), Instagram is still one of the best places to showcase your photos, as well as Mobitog of course! It can be a frustrating place though, maybe you don’t get as many likes or followers as you want and it can be disappointing when you see other profiles “do better”. Don’t fret, here are some tips, not all will be applicable but some may be of use.
The Instagram algorithm favours consistency from what I gather, it also wants you to use all the features, Story and Reels for example. Interacting I’m sure helps as well, liking posts, leaving comments etc. Posting consistently, an amount of photos at roughly the same time of day apparently does better. So whether you post daily, weekly or monthly, continue a pattern that works for you, if that makes sense. I tend to post one or two images a day, at the moment at least, afternoon and the evening, if I have something to share.
One thing that helps me, is think in threes, sixes or nines! In other words how you’ll use your profile and the photos you post, work on them in batches. So rather than post a single image and then not have an idea what goes after it, prepare three images for example, perhaps that are related or go together, then when you are ready, post the second and third image at a later time. Take more photos when you find something interesting to give yourself more options, so you can perhaps represent it in different ways. I often use the same preset or filter across these images when editing, so aesthetically they have the same vibe. I have included three images here, where I have done this most recently!
Rather than posting multiple images in a single post, consider spacing them out across multiple posts, it means you have content ready to go when you want to share them. Visually, though it’s really not important, I do like a profile that has some flair and coordination. It’s probably not worth the effort but consider trying it out, have a look at my profile for some ideas on layout. Saying that, my profile only makes sense every three photos as that’s when they all lineup.
Post with a caption is always worthwhile and a location, even if it’s very broad like London, rather than the district. I find using hashtags is beneficial, I add them as a comment with the five dots, which I think means the comment isn’t shown. I tend to max out the hashtags, though I often use the same ones, which I copy and paste from Notes. If you post a series like I suggest above, you can just reuse these hashtags for the duration.
I think not having notifications enabled is better, if you can manage it. I have them disabled, so I don’t get alerts on my phone. I go into Instagram a few times a day, though it will vary. When you post, don’t stick around or immediately see what likes you get, I find that counterproductive and it can be misleading, as it takes time for people to see your post. You can set a time limit as well at which point the app will remind you how much time you have spent.
Always respond to comments and like them when you want to if you get them, though sometimes if its just emojis its not so clear how to respond, for me anyway. Delete spammy comments as you see fit. The best way to get followers, is posting regularly but don’t be surprised if the numbers fluctuate, it’s a technique to follow lots of accounts and then unfollow them, which I dislike but it happens. You can often spot them a mile away, depending on their followers/following ratio. Don’t be flattered just because a big account follows you, they will probably unfollow you within 48 hours, which they can easily automate, growth hacking style. If that’s you thing, you may as well just buy followers and be done with it (don’t do that!!).
Check out your favourite hashtags and their recent posts to find accounts that you like and can follow, some will follow you back, some won’t, which is fine. For example, I’ll look at recent Hipstamatic or London photos sometimes to see what I like and who to follow. The best thing to do if your followers number goes down is just replace them, find accounts and boy will Instagram also suggest all sorts of accounts to follow as well, that’s worth going through and seeing what is a good match.
Varying your posts I think is nice, whether its more casual snapshots, or grander pieces, add some variety. When I see a profile with magnificent landscapes for example after a while if there is nothing else, personally I find it less interesting. One thing I do is switch from a colour to black and white series every so often, just to keep it fresh.
The most important thing is to have fun with the platform, if it’s not working for you though, take a break, I have done that and then come back when your more energised. None of the above are rules but are just some suggestions, without taking it too seriously!
Love it or hate it (Facebook), Instagram is still one of the best places to showcase your photos, as well as Mobitog of course! It can be a frustrating place though, maybe you don’t get as many likes or followers as you want and it can be disappointing when you see other profiles “do better”. Don’t fret, here are some tips, not all will be applicable but some may be of use.
The Instagram algorithm favours consistency from what I gather, it also wants you to use all the features, Story and Reels for example. Interacting I’m sure helps as well, liking posts, leaving comments etc. Posting consistently, an amount of photos at roughly the same time of day apparently does better. So whether you post daily, weekly or monthly, continue a pattern that works for you, if that makes sense. I tend to post one or two images a day, at the moment at least, afternoon and the evening, if I have something to share.
One thing that helps me, is think in threes, sixes or nines! In other words how you’ll use your profile and the photos you post, work on them in batches. So rather than post a single image and then not have an idea what goes after it, prepare three images for example, perhaps that are related or go together, then when you are ready, post the second and third image at a later time. Take more photos when you find something interesting to give yourself more options, so you can perhaps represent it in different ways. I often use the same preset or filter across these images when editing, so aesthetically they have the same vibe. I have included three images here, where I have done this most recently!
Rather than posting multiple images in a single post, consider spacing them out across multiple posts, it means you have content ready to go when you want to share them. Visually, though it’s really not important, I do like a profile that has some flair and coordination. It’s probably not worth the effort but consider trying it out, have a look at my profile for some ideas on layout. Saying that, my profile only makes sense every three photos as that’s when they all lineup.
Post with a caption is always worthwhile and a location, even if it’s very broad like London, rather than the district. I find using hashtags is beneficial, I add them as a comment with the five dots, which I think means the comment isn’t shown. I tend to max out the hashtags, though I often use the same ones, which I copy and paste from Notes. If you post a series like I suggest above, you can just reuse these hashtags for the duration.
I think not having notifications enabled is better, if you can manage it. I have them disabled, so I don’t get alerts on my phone. I go into Instagram a few times a day, though it will vary. When you post, don’t stick around or immediately see what likes you get, I find that counterproductive and it can be misleading, as it takes time for people to see your post. You can set a time limit as well at which point the app will remind you how much time you have spent.
Always respond to comments and like them when you want to if you get them, though sometimes if its just emojis its not so clear how to respond, for me anyway. Delete spammy comments as you see fit. The best way to get followers, is posting regularly but don’t be surprised if the numbers fluctuate, it’s a technique to follow lots of accounts and then unfollow them, which I dislike but it happens. You can often spot them a mile away, depending on their followers/following ratio. Don’t be flattered just because a big account follows you, they will probably unfollow you within 48 hours, which they can easily automate, growth hacking style. If that’s you thing, you may as well just buy followers and be done with it (don’t do that!!).
Check out your favourite hashtags and their recent posts to find accounts that you like and can follow, some will follow you back, some won’t, which is fine. For example, I’ll look at recent Hipstamatic or London photos sometimes to see what I like and who to follow. The best thing to do if your followers number goes down is just replace them, find accounts and boy will Instagram also suggest all sorts of accounts to follow as well, that’s worth going through and seeing what is a good match.
Varying your posts I think is nice, whether its more casual snapshots, or grander pieces, add some variety. When I see a profile with magnificent landscapes for example after a while if there is nothing else, personally I find it less interesting. One thing I do is switch from a colour to black and white series every so often, just to keep it fresh.
The most important thing is to have fun with the platform, if it’s not working for you though, take a break, I have done that and then come back when your more energised. None of the above are rules but are just some suggestions, without taking it too seriously!
Mine is more chaotic !
