Posted by Starting your Instagram blogging page is not tough. What is most unique about this platform is that it has a character limit of 2200 which is unlike traditional blogging platforms. This becomes more like microblogging. Instagram bloggers can make up to $200 per sponsored post if they have a following of 15,000 engaged users.
Here are a few tips to start an Instagram blog:
Step one which is also the most obvious – Creating an Instagram Account.
You can create an Instagram account within just a few minutes at no cost. Be ready with a few username options as thinking on the stop can take up some time, but don’t worry Instagram allows you to change your username at a later date. iPhone users can download the Instagram app from the App Store and Android users from Google’s Play store.
Sign up with a phone number or an email address and enter the verification code to enter. You can even select your Facebook login and create a username and password. Bloggers should have a public account rather than a private one, so people beyond their family and friends can read their blogs.
Step two: Pick a theme for your Instagram Blog
You need to create a niche so your readers know what to expect. For instance, if you are a fashion blogger and start posting about protein shakes your audience may get confused and would probably unsubscribe. By choosing a niche you are essentially letting people know what they can look forward to. You can start with a broader niche like lifestyle and during your journey decide on a narrower niche such as parenting or travelling.
Step three: Create a captivating bio
An Instagram bio is a short snippet that makes the first impression – it tells the world who you are. This should absolutely enthral them if you want them to spend more time on your profile. Some businesses even share their contact details, a relevant quote or their location here. Try and be specific about who you are.
Step four: Click appealing images
Instagram is primarily a visual platform where people consume content via pictures and videos and thus how you picturesquely depict your content matters. Use a consistent aesthetic throughout your Instagram posts to give them a cohesive look
Strep five is to write catchy Instagram Blog Posts (Captions)
Your Instagram captions are essentially your blog articles, which is Instagram is categorised as a microblogging platform. Captions can be no more than 2,200 characters so bring the interesting part to the start. It is also a great way to keep your readers engaged. People these days like to do things on the go and thus, a micro-blog is actually a preferred channel of content consumption. You don’t have to use up all the characters – just make them thought-provoking.
Step six: Don’t forget to add a CTA – Call to action button
This is basically asking the followers to act after reading the post – either go to your website, double click and like the post, comment on it, tag someone in the comments section or reshare your post. Make it interesting by asking a question such as – ‘So, what are your recommendations for Turkey?’, ‘What was your opinion of the movie?’, ‘ Tag your friends who sound exactly like this’ and one of the most popular CTA – ‘double tap if you agree.’
Step seven: Make use of appropriate Hashtags to Boost Discoverability
A hashtag allows Instagram users to find messages about a given topic. For instance, if one enters the #colivingspaces it shows photos of popular co-living spaces such as Your Space. Or if one searches by #bestPGsinBangalore then boys’ or girls’ PG in Bangalore will pop up along with other PGs in Bangalore. You can use up to 30 hashtags in a static post and ten hashtags in a story. So even if students aren’t following the Your Space account but if they search for #girlsPGinBangalore, Your Space and other living options will crop up. A hashtag can cover a broad spectrum like PG in Yelahanka, or even be narrowed down to ladies PG in Yelahanka Bangalore and single room PG in Yelahanka. Accounts that have such options will use hashtags to even get random people looking for the relevant keywords to their page. Similarly, a broad hashtag for travel in Europe will be wider than a #bestcafesinparis. You can reach new and relevant audiences with the correct hashtag.
Step eight: Geotag each post
Don’t forget to add the geographical location of where the photo or video was taken so others know where to go. You can be generic and tag the exact name of the establishment or beach or just keep it generic and tag the area.
Step Nine: Socialize and interact
Last but not least, you need to interact with your followers and other Instagram users. It is not a one-way street. The entire point of using social media is to socialize and interact. Tag establishments in Instagram stories, follow relevant users, reply to your followers’ comments, do a poll every now and then, give an opportunity to your followers to ask questions etc.
You are now all set to start your Instagram blog!