7 Instagram tips to get you started on Instagram.

I am no expert on Instagram but over the past few months, I have come to enjoy it very much, it has by far become my favourite social media platform. Since I mostly blog about food I find that Instagram is a really nice platform to share my food photos which are very visual and it also helps me to engage with other foodies too.

Here are a few things that that have worked for me when I started my account so I am sharing them in this post. There is no right or wrong, these are some ideas that I find worked well for me.

Create a user name:

• If you are a  blogger it is a good idea to have same or similar user name on all social media that is same as blog so that it creates an identity that links to all your platforms. 
• Make sure you set your profile to Public.

Writing a Bio:

• Keep the bio interesting, precise and to the point that tells the follower what your account is about.
• Include your blog url and email address for people to be able to easily contact you.

Take good pictures:

• Don't be tempted to post a blurred photo that are out of focus. Instagram is very visual, try and make your photos eye catching and beautiful.
• Try not to post a mix of genres in a random fashion, attempt to post at least three pictures that follow on from one another or can connect in some way.

Optimise hashtags:

• Use hashtags that are specific to your post and add them at the end of your post, they provide a way for others to find your photos under a specific theme or topic. 
• Never add hashtags in between your post description as it makes it look spammy. 
• Take advantage of trending hashtags and if they are relevant to your post use them.

Posting:

• Post regularly preferably have a set time pattern but do not spam. 
• Write a description to go with your image, a good description, location etc helps the reader know what your content is about .
• Some times to create more interaction ask a question , this will encourage  followers to interact with a reply.

Interact:

• Follow and interact with other users that have similar content to yours.  
• Visit your favourite accounts, interact with other users and like and leave meaningful comments on their posts.

Common Courtesy:

• Check your posts and if people leave comments take the time to reply, thank and engage with them

The most important thing to remember is to create a Vibe and keep it regular. This can be achieved through using a set colour palette, choosing a set theme ie travel, food, crafts  and being consistent with your posts. Once you have set up your instagram page be it for personal use or to promote your blog or brand its important to maintain it.You can even get advise and help from sites such as Vibbi which is a one stop shop for all instagram marketing.

Is there any other things that I should be doing to grow my instagram account and get more engagement?? I would love to hear your tips, do share them in the comments below.

*This post is in collaboration with Vibbi.