Ohhh Instgram, what a fun app you are! It truly has become one of the greatest tools to help promote yourself and give influencers opportunities that wouldn't have been able to happen; all because of this ONE APP! Can you believe that? Can you believe that you can make an income, just by posting about your passions?! To this day, it still blows my mind.
First, I want to say this- THERE IS ROOM FOR EVERYONE TO BECOME A BLOGGER/INFLUENCER, in fact- we need MORE of you. We need more individuals to help build this amazing platform, to showcase that you CAN become your own boss and change lives. Second, before you can actually start becoming a full-time "influencer", you first need to GROW your page and create content that will help uplift and inspire your audience.
I'm going to share with you how to make it happen, it's not going to happen overnight, it's going to require a lot of time and patience. But, it CAN and WILL happen, if you are committed and stick with it. So, grab a snack or a drink because this is going to be a long post! ;)
MY STORY
I want to share with you my story in regards to how I started blogging. My mom is the one that inspired me to start my own blog. All of her friends had a blog and they would always post about the trials and triumphs that occurred in their lives. I wanted to do the same, so what did I do? I started my own blog and I was only twelve! Through out the years, I would post about my boy problems, monthly favorites and even posted random dance videos... if you follow me on Instagram, you know that weird/goofy dance videos are quite normal on my stories. ;) I had a blog in high school, that I would post religiously on and it actually became very successful in my monthly views. It wasn't until I graduated, that blogging became unpopular. I stopped posting and I stuck with my Instagram. I've had a pretty big following since high school, but I truly don't believe that my account took off until this year. This year I have been able to make an income and have had opportunities presented to me, that I didn't think were ever possible! I'm not an expert at this, but I will share with you what I've learned throughout the decade of me blogging.
ALGORITHM EFFECT
First I want to talk about this.... the algorithm effect. *insert rolling eye emoji here* Have you ever heard of this? A lot of influencers are quite annoyed with this effect, I know at times I am. Some of my posts reach 2,000 people and on other posts it reaches 22,000. There is an extreme difference in those numbers, but it all has to do with data and how often you use your account. The more you use it, the higher up your post/page will be viewed. I don't think anyone has actually been able to pin point on how to "break" that effect. BUT, I know that if you follow the steps below, you will be able to manipulate the effect.
FIND YOUR NICHE
This is an important one because it's all about what you will be showcasing on your page. It's important to try and find yourself some type of niche. Niches can be narrow or they can be broad. Ask yourself these questions- What does my audience want to see from me? What can I help my audience with? What will I be able to post consistently about? If you are a beauty guru, it makes sense to focus your niche with the beauty industry by posting photos related to beauty.
HAVE A BUSINESS ACCOUNT
Having a business account allows you to gain insights on which posts perform best, how often your posts are being clicked and so much more. The insights are great to know, because you are able to see when your followers are actually liking your content on your peak hours. Posting on your peak hours will help you break the algorithm effect.
CONTENT
Ranking higher in your followers feeds goes hand in hand with creating great content. There is no deny, that the most-liked and shared content is oftentimes visually striking. Bold colors. Breath taking scenery. That sort of stuff that gets people to stop in their tracks and hit like. Now, you are probably thinking "I have to buy a $800 camera now." NO. You DO NOT need an expensive camera to take amazing photos. In fact I sold my nice camera, because I realized I don't need it; I use my I-Phone 99% of the time. What gives your photo an extra boost is using a preset in Lightroom. You can either create your own or buy some. Having a preset helps make your editing faster and your page esthetically pleasing.
POSTING
Ever heard of the phrase "Consistency is key?" I'm here to tell you that it's true. Don't be afraid to increase your posting frequency. Posting on an actual post, your stories and going live. By being consistent and active on your page, it let's Instagram know that you are there and it will help with the algorithm effect. If you are afraid that you'll loose followers by posting more, than that's okay, you want an audience that will support you in your goals-not walk away.
COMMUNITY
This is a BIG one that I love to promote- support your fellow influencer/blogger friends as well as your followers! I like to call my followers my friends, because they ARE my friends. They support me in everything that I do, so I should do the same. You can interact with them by leaving meaningful comments on their photos and liking their stuff. When you leave comments on someone's content, they will be more likely to reciprocate in the future for you! Answer DM'S of questions that they have, that way they feel like they can come to you for advice. Make everyone feel welcomed on your page.
CAPTIONS & HASHTAGS
Your captions will serve as the copy for your photos. They are going to help you tell your story to your audience and since you are blogging on Instagram, the captions are an important component! Let's talk about why captions are important if you want your Instagram to grow. Captions invite your audience to see past the pretty photo you've just posted. Your caption helps your audience to understand why they should care. Use a call-to-action method! A CTA is something that asks the user to take some form of action, whether that be to double tap the heart button or click the link in your bio. Having a strong caption will help you to drive your audience to take on your CTA. Use hashtags that are relatable to your post. People with the same interest will find your content just by your hashtags.
BE REAL
Here is my biggest secret of all time, be real. This may sound silly to some, but people appreciate honesty and vulnerability. Instagram has a lot of pros and cons. One of the cons of this app, is that the majority of users only post the highlights of their life. They almost never post about the low moments that happen to them on a daily basis. We are all human and we all have bad days. Why is it that, in today's society, it's not okay to showcase our bad days? This is something that I will never be able to understand. Once I started being open and honest about my divorce, low days and daily struggles; that's when my page took off. When I post a picture I like to think to myself: Can people relate to this? Will this inspire them? Users want to follow someone that they can relate to, not someone that is fake.
BREAK THE RULES
The beautiful thing about social media and the online world is that there are no rules. You can create whatever you want, without feeling like you are being told what to do. If you want to be an Ice-cream review blogger, than you can! If you want to be a fashion blogger, than you can! You literally can post about whatever you want, as long as it replicates YOU. So break the rules, be creative and post content that not "every" blogger has already done.
As you can see there are a lot of key factors that go into growing your Instagram. It's a lot of work but it can also be extremely fun, if you allow it be. It allows me to use my creativity and share experiences that I know others can relate too. It also brings along new friendships and who doesn't love new friends?! I absolutely love that I'm able to connect with my new friends/followers and that I can support them in their day to day lives.
So what are you waiting for?! If you want to become a blogger and full-time influencer, then GO FOR IT. This is your time and there is room for everyone in this community! If you don't go after what you want, you'll never have it. Set your goals high and don't stop till you get there.
love, sienna
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