If you are not yet following the account @portraitoupaysage on Instagram, you are not yet familiar with #instaphotopop shares! We are going to fix that with this article that tells you everything (or almost everything) about using Instagram.
INSTAGRAM, WHAT IS IT?
Instagram is a social network for image sharing, and it is currently the fastest-growing social network! This little network is becoming big, and there is still room to make your mark simply because it is not yet affected by an algorithm. So everything you share is (potentially) seen by all your followers!
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Instagram is a social network that operates solely in the form of a mobile application. You must therefore have a smartphone. You can now view an account via a computer or follow, for example, comments or searches on the network, but you will not be able to post your images (unless you use a third-party solution like Hootsuite or Agorapulse).
The network became famous thanks to its square format and filters that “adorn” images with a single click. However, these features have not necessarily been a huge hit with photographers, who prefer to master the post-processing of their photos and have somewhat stifled the network… Fortunately, many improvements have been made, outsiders have made a lot of money from their images, the network has also been bought by Facebook, and all this has contributed to making it an emerging network today, completely in tune with the times!
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The strength of Instagram is to listen to its users, to facilitate the app’s adherence to satisfy the largest number. Now you can integrate images taken with your DSLR, use portrait or landscape formats, create montages of multiple images, short videos… And even advertising.
It is the ideal network for photographers because it mainly focuses on sharing images (or short videos). Normally, we have in our resources everything we need to have a pleasant place… so shall we do it?
HOW TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT?
To start, you need to download the app directly from your smartphone and create an account by filling out a small form or using your Facebook account.
WARNING: Do not choose your identity card in any way. Think about the consistency of your “naming” with other networks, and the name of your brand/company. It should be easy to find (especially if you want to use it professionally).
Now, let’s get serious:
1. Take advantage of your 4-line presentation space to describe yourself and make people want to follow you, 2. Integrate a profile photo or logo (just click on the circle), 3. Make sure your account is set to “public” (so everyone can see your work), 4. Follow the accounts of partners, suppliers, or other inspiring accounts 5. Share your images!
You can even share your images on Instagram and your Facebook work page simultaneously by connecting your accounts. This is particularly interesting when you want to share real-time information, such as behind-the-scenes content!
HOW TO ENGAGE MY INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT?
Here are 5 tips for creating and engaging a community of followers on Instagram:
1. Really engage!
Every social network has its codes, its followers, its advantages, and also the same obligation: to be really present! For your account to give you the expected visibility, you must keep in mind that it will require your time. There is no point in creating an account if you don’t think you can nourish it properly. It is in your best interest to know which networks your target client is on and to focus your efforts there rather than spreading yourself thin.
2. Determine a strategy
Instagram, just like your business page on Facebook, or your website, is part of your communication strategy. Your presence must therefore be in line with your editorial line, your values, and your brand positioning. There is no point in sharing exactly the same thing as on other networks.
What is your goal? — Do you want to strengthen your brand image? — Do you want to recruit new prospects? — Do you want to attract people to your blog? —…
The images you choose to share depend on your strategy. Indeed, some will use the network as a portable and universal extension of their portfolio, while others will get closer to their community by sharing more intimate and/or real-time images. It’s up to you to decide what you want to do with it and to stick to it. Your strategy will determine whether you should share images from your phone, or rather professional images, or a mix of both!
3. Post regularly
To be seen in this stream of images, you need to post regularly. Once a day, if possible, especially at the beginning when you have few followers.
Post, but also respond to comments, and be present. It’s a close-knit network; we expect a bit more than a professional facade, so don’t hesitate to interact with your followers, follow their accounts… To strengthen the bonds!
The timing is also very important (as on other networks). Pay attention to when most of your followers are online (thanks to statistics if you have successfully switched your account to “professional” or use an analysis tool like Iconosquare or Agorapulse). Generally, Instagram users check their feed before and after their day, either before 9 AM or after 6 PM.
Also read: How to gain visibility on social networks?
4. Create a harmonious and coherent feed
To get users to subscribe to your account, they will usually end up on your profile page, so you need to make it as irresistible as possible. The consistency of the images is important. Images of different styles and formats all over the place do not really entice you to hit the “subscribe” button.
Here are some nice accounts I follow, each with its own strategy. For example, Gerald Geronimi instantly shares highlights of his work. He has chosen a specific treatment for all the images he shares on Instagram. In contrast, BlancCoco only publishes images of her boxes, always with consistency in the square format and large white margins, which highlight the artistic aspect of this account.
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Still in this consistency of image formats, I love the account of You Made My Day Photography. In another register, Simon Sinek, a leadership specialist, has chosen to share only inspiring quotes for his target readers: entrepreneurs.
5. Use hashtags
To get noticed quickly, use hashtags. A hashtag is a word preceded by the # sign. With this prefix, the word behaves like a link; by clicking on it, you will see all the images posted with that term. So, you need to choose them wisely. You will notice that by typing the beginning of the word, Instagram will offer you other formulations and tell you how many times the word has been used, which can help you choose the right hashtags to use. You can use up to 30 hashtags per post.
Some accounts prefer to display hashtags as comments, others in the post, sometimes spaced by dashes or dots. There are no real rules. It’s up to you to see what is most relevant. If you want your text to remain clear and readable, or if the hashtags are visible. If you choose to post them as a comment, for example, be aware that if you have many comments, it will be more complicated to return to the first comment. Currently, it is not possible to edit a comment, while you can modify the text of a post at any time (add hashtags, remove a text correction…).
To go further, also read: How to find the right hashtags for Instagram?
6. Also use Stories
These are small videos (or photos) of 10 seconds that disappear after 24 hours. A perfect tool to share your behind-the-scenes content and other real-time information. If you want to maintain a coherent feed of only professional photos, Stories will allow you to energize your account without “damaging” your feed.
You can even create “Stories in Highlights.” They do not disappear after 24 hours; they remain visible directly from your profile. This is a very interesting tool for adding information, somewhat like tabs on a website.
More information on Stories in these guides:
- How to use Stories for my business?
- How to create a Story from my computer?
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ACCESS THE BUSINESS ACCOUNT!
This feature has been gradually rolled out in recent months and is currently available for French accounts. They provide access to 3 advantages:
— You have access to your account statistics. You can see the reach of your posts, the time of day when you have the most followers online, the breakdown of your audience by age, gender, location, the number of clicks to your site (from your profile)…
— You can create a sponsored post with a single click. No need to master Facebook’s Ads Manager or Power Editor; you can now sponsor any post in your feed.
— You can indicate your full address on your profile (it is extracted from your Facebook page, as the two accounts will be synchronized). This is particularly interesting for those who have a photo studio! If you do not want your address to appear, simply “edit your profile,” select “Business Contact,” and remove the address.
Warning: By switching to a professional account, you link your Instagram business profile to your Facebook business page. This means you will no longer be able to post an image from your Instagram account to your personal profile.
How can I switch to a professional account?
You should receive an invitation, as shown in the screenshot below (the blue banner):
If you receive this invitation, click on “Learn more.” You will then need to agree to link your account to your Facebook page, and you’re done! In the screenshot above, you can see the two new links that will appear on your posts to display the statistics of your post or to promote it.
If you did not receive the invitation or missed it, you can still switch to a pro account by going to your settings and clicking on “Switch to Professional Account.”
It will take a few days to start seeing your statistics. The feature is not retroactive. You have access to the statistics of the post, under each post (as shown in the screenshot above), but also to account statistics.
How can I be featured on the @portraitoupaysage account?
When you share an inspiring image, feel free to insert the hashtag #instaphotopop. This way, you can be featured on the @portraitoupaysage account, for the pleasure of our eyes and those of our followers eager for inspiration and beautiful things… Every week, 3 photos are shared 🙂 We’ll find you on Instagram?
Tag: how an Instagram account works