A billion people are active on Instagram making it among the most popular social media platforms on the planet. As the platform continues to trend in popularity, we’re seeing more people want to become an Instagram influencer.
But what exactly does that mean?
An Instagram influencer is somebody that commands a large following on the platform and is able to mobilize that following to make an income.
As you take your first steps towards attracting the following that you crave on Instagram, you’ll quickly find that building traction on the platform can be tough. Fortunately, there are steps that you can take to help improve your chances of finding influencer success.
Below, our team steps you through them.
1. Target a Niche
Unless you’re painstakingly attractive, you’re not going to be able to build an Instagram following around your general, boring life. You’ll need some sort of angle.
For example, some people’s Instagram feeds are all about showing off their cooking. Others are about showcasing their travel.
Whatever it is that you’re passionate about, lean on that thing more than anything else when you post so you can find an audience. Remember, it’s very hard to fake passion on social media. People will see through you.
Because of that, really take the time to pick a niche that speaks to your sensibilities.
2. Learn How to Use Instagram
Instagram is simple to use but difficult to master. Before you can become an influencer on the platform, you need to figure out how to use its features so you know which tools are at your disposal.
To master Instagram, our suggestion is to create a fake account so you can play around with posting and sharing without social repercussions. You can also take formal classes on Instagram online through resources like LinkedIn Learning.
3. Upgrade Your Bio and Profile Picture
The first thing that people are going to see when they click onto your Instagram profile is your bio and profile picture. That means that you’ll want both of those things to catch people’s attention.
A good bio is brief but speaks to your sensibilities. It’s well written and may even use some iconography. A great profile picture is one that looks professional, appealing, and tells viewers a little bit about who you are.
4. Understand What Makes a Good Photo
Instagram is all about sharing photos. Therefore, it stands to reason that people who want to become an Instagram influencer should know what makes or breaks a picture.
There are a lot of photo basics that are worth learning before taking your Instagram career to where you want it to go. For example, the rule of thirds is a photography basic that can instantaneously make your photos more appealing.
5. Don’t Forget About Telling a Story
People love pictures because they communicate a story visually. Accomplishing that end should always be something that you aim to do whenever you’re sharing visuals with your followers.
To take your story-telling aspirations further than just taking an interesting photo, make sure that you use your photo’s caption section effectively.
Instagram is liberal with the amount of words that they let you use to talk about a picture. So, whether your photo has to do with a trip you’re going on, personal injury compensation that you had a hard time getting, or a delicious plate of food, describe what’s happening in-full so people can get a better idea of your life.
6. Think About Your Feed As an Art Gallery
This is one of the become an Instagram influencer tips that too few people abide by and that’s a shame because it makes a big difference. Your feed is your personal art gallery. Like any art gallery, it should have some sort of overarching motif.
That motif can be communicated in two ways: Content and visuals.
From a content perspective, if you’ve selected a niche, generally, your picture’s substance will be related. As far as visuals go, try to adopt a style that makes your photos look similar. Then, use the same “filter” on your photos which will further marry them.
7. Keep Up a Steady Drumbeat of Content
There are very few cases of overnight success when it comes to Instagram. The majority of people that you follow today had to work hard at attracting their audience and a big part of that hard work is posting on a consistent basis.
Whether it’s every afternoon or every other day, share content consistently. Just by doing that, you’ll find that more people start to follow you.
8. Tactfully Use Hashtags
Adding hashtags (#) to your photo descriptions can help your pictures pop up in select feeds which can increase their exposure. Use hashtags tactfully so you don’t seem promotional and intelligently so you end up in feeds where your audience is most likely to be browsing.
9. Engage
Don’t just talk at people on Instagram. Engage with them.
Comment on people’s photos, ask your audience questions, respond to comments, DM (direct message) people thank-you’s, etc.
By being participatory on Instagram as opposed to preachy, you’ll find a lot more success on the platform.
Now That You Know How to Become an Instagram Influencer, Get to Work
It’s easy to read about how to become an Instagram influencer. It’s hard to actually do the work and get to where you want to go.
Our advice to you is to follow the steps that we’ve shared and to stay consistent in your approach. If you do that and have patience, you’ll be blown away by how far you go.
For more game-changing inspiration on all of the things that you want to do in life, check out more of the content on our blog.