Guide to Get Started on Instagram for Newcomer

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Social media platforms allow us to connect with friends and family, share and find funny videos and memes, and find out the latest news. One of the fastest-growing and hottest social networks is Instagram. 500 million IG accounts are active every day. The platform is especially popular among creators, business people, and celebrities. Its engagement rate is higher than that of other social networks. 

As a newcomer, your major goal is to reach out to a larger audience that will follow your account, and leave likes https://howsociable.com/instagram-likes-app/ and comments. To make it fast, you’ll need a smart approach. Here are 7 must-do steps for gaining a substantial number of followers. 

  • Set up your Instagram account

Once you’ve installed and opened the IG app, you’ll be prompted to sign up with an email address or register with Facebook. When signing up, choose an apt username. Make it short and easy to remember. 

Add a recognizable profile picture. It should be 400×400 pixels. Recent research found out that an unobstructed facial photo is perfect for a personal type of account. 

Create a proper profile bio. Firstly, include your full name. Users searching for you will probably type your real name. Mention your profession. If you do business, add a brand name, category, and link to your website. Include contact information. And add some relevant hashtags and emojis. Be clear and concise as you have only 150 characters.

  • Provide engaging content

The most difficult part about running an IG account is the need to constantly create new content. Influencers make new posts at least three times a week. You should do the same.

Having HQ photos makes the difference on the photo-sharing app. So, invest in an HQ camera. 

Learn to edit your images. But first, decide on your aesthetics. You may start with IG filters. The 3 most popular are Clarendon, Juno, and Lark. And then experiment with other photo-editing apps.

Don’t underestimate the power of Stories in attracting new followers. These permanent but more “in the moment” pieces of the content offer a more casual way to connect, share, and interact with other users. 

  • Create strong captions

A lot of trendy IG accounts leave their captions blank or just add some emoji. But as a newcomer, you shouldn’t refuse from the possibility to take advantage of effective captions. 

Instagram used to be all about the visuals – an appealing aesthetics and HQ photos. And these are still a must. But the biggest IG trend in 2020 is authenticity. Don’t be lazy to write longer captions. Feel free to share your thoughts and emotions. Let your followers learn more about your personality.

Sharing more with your community contributes to building a stronger relationship. It helps to retain the followers you already have and attract new ones.

  • Add hashtags like a SEO pro  

The right use of hashtags serves two purposes. It can help reach out to the target audience and increase engagement. In fact, Instagram posts with at least one hashtag receive an average of 12.6% more engagement than posts without any. However, it’s not just about quantity. The quality can significantly influence the impact. 

It goes without saying that the words you use should be relevant to your niche. And opt for narrower options. For example, #food hashtag is considered too broad as it’s so widely used that you’ll have very low chances to get spotted by new users. Better add something more specific like #HealthyEating, #ChefLife, #vegancake. 

  • Post at peak times

About 100 million photos and videos are uploaded on Instagram every day. No wonder that an average user misses 70% of posts from the accounts they follow. 

There are several studies on the optimal times to post on Instagram, and they show different results. For instance, SproutSocial’s report says that the right times are Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. and Friday between 10:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. HubSpot recommends to posts on Thursday between 2 P.M. and 3 P.M. 

You can experiment with the following time slots in your time zone:

  • 7:00 A.M. – 9:00 A.M. Many people go online after waking up. 
  • 11:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. The lunchtime also includes checking social media.
  • 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. People return from work and school and are probably checking their smartphones to pass the time.
  • 5:00 P.M. – 7:00 P.M. This is a period when people have a rest after a working day and also may go online.  
  • Interact with your followers

When your following is starting to grow, you can react to all comments and questions, and give back the likes. This is a surefire way to form a loyal following. When people get feedback, they feel that they are valued. 

When you have high followership and engagement, it’s overwhelming to react to every like and comment. With tools like Iconsquare, you’ll be able to track users’ activity and see what followers are showing the highest interest in your content. Visit their pages, write a comment and like a few of their posts. It’s also a good idea to follow people back.

  • Steal your competitor’s followers

Explore influencers’ accounts in your niece. People who follow them are more likely to be interested in your content. How to attract their attention to your account? There’re several ways to do that:

The three types of engagement on Instagram are:

  • Visit their pages and leave a few likes
  • Write a positive comment
  • Follow a user.

As for the comments, “This is cool”, or I totally agree” won’t cut it here. Leave friendly and thoughtful comments that show that you really read their caption or watched their story. And don’t forget to use emojis to make them more eye-catching.

Also, do the same to the influencers. If someone with a large audience follows you, you’ll get more chances to get new visitors.

Final thoughts

Many IG users upload images and videos without any messages or stories to tell. This is the major reason why they don’t get the desired level of engagement. Evoke an emotion. Make people smile or think of an important issue. Try to deliver meaningful content. 

Read more: https://viralviralvideos.com/2020/02/23/guide-to-get-started-on-instagram-for-newcomer/

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