Spring Refresh! Instagram Edition
Spring brings on a spirit of energy, renewal and the urge to clean all things in our lives. One major area we love refreshing and polishing up are Instagram feeds. Whether it is a personal, or professional page, curating a feed that attracts the audience you want is always a fun project. We are sharing our steps for posting along with our top tips. Follow these steps to polish up your feed, curate your own swoon-worthy account, and gain a new wave of followers.
Since Instagram is such a visual platform, having photos that are visually appealing is a must. It is also important to have a variety of images instead of just having similar images next to each other. Such as quote box after quote box, or having flat lay after flat lay.
First, follow the seven steps below to take eye-catching photos.
Step 1 – Start with your backdrop. If you are taking a picture of a product that has a lot going on, use a simple backdrop and vice versa.
Step 2 – Place items on backdrop + style. Find a focal point and then try out different positioning and styling (diagonal, uniform, etc.). Remember to have fun and include props. A simple flower can change up the look of a picture. Also, color-coordinate items for a new look, or focus on aesthetics to project the vibe you are going for. This can give a simple object a whole new look.
Step 3 – Photograph. Whether you have a professional camera, or your phone, you can take a good picture. Ways to do this is: make sure you focus on the items, get a tight shot, and climb on a chair if you need to to get an overhead shot. Did you know that clouds, natural light, and color palettes are your best friends when capturing a shot? Catch more of the deets here.
Step 4 – Pull into Vsco. VSCO is an app that has a variety of editing options for little to no cost! This is also a great way to view a different range of editing tools and edit a handful of photos to create a theme you really enjoy. (P.S. Our favorite filter is A6!) Fun tip, using the hashtag #vscocam increases your chances of the account sharing your photo with thousands of their followers.
Step 5 – Adjust the color. After you have your filter applied, adjust contract, brightness, shadows, temperature, and so on. Filters are great but can be too much at times. Combining A6 and turning up the brightness and shadows can create a professional-looking photo without the hassle of pulling photos into Photoshop, editing, saving and uploading. One click and the photos are in your library gallery.
Step 6 – Save the picture you your phone.
Step 7 – Pull into Instagram for posting.
Now, that you have a photo that is ready to share, take full advantage of reaching your wanted audience to its maximum with our posting tips.
Step 1 – Select picture. If you already have a feed and want to start over, but do not want to delete any of your photos, start with a clean picture, and fits your desired end goal. We recommend alternating between a clean photo/quote with a busy photo to start curating (or polishing up) your feed. Are you aiming for a minimalistic vibe? Or, a very moody one?
Step 2 – Create a caption. Make sure your caption resonates the brand you portray. Are you a vocal foodie, or more of a cool and collected artist? Use words and phrases that stay true to who you are.
Step 3 – Research the best time for posting. Make sure you are utilizing the best post times day to post for your certain brand. Even though the Instagram algorithm is constantly being updated, the times people are on Instagram (and other social media) is typically the same. Think of when you are on Instagram the most. Chances are that your audience is on social media at a similar time. This means that in order to reach a high number of people, post right before or during those busy times so people see your photo right as they are checking social media. The statistics we have found also line up with what the research is also saying according this article via Later. The best times to post to Instagram are:
A). Late at night, especially during the week (7PM-10PM). Most people kick back and view their phones after dinner and before bed. So, if you post right around 7 PM, more people are going to come across your post than not. This time is a double hitter, too. If someone misses your post because you posted late at night, they will most likely see it in the morning as people scroll through their feed when waking up for the day.
B). During lunch (11:30-1PM). As people are waiting in line to order their food, eating, or just taking a break from their work, they will be scrolling through their phone,
C). Definitely not during rush hour driving home (3:00 PM-6:30PM). People are busy driving home, stopping to get groceries, and making dinner to be checking their phones. Now, the times above are not rules by any means, just suggestions. Each post performs differently, so we definitely encourage experimenting with post times, days, and various content to see what resonates with your audience.
Step 3 – Research 5-10 appropriate hashtags. The maximum hashtags that can be added to an Instagram post by a single user is a limit of 30.
Step 4 – Post the image along with caption. Include an emoji! :)
Step 5 – Add hashtags. Immediately after posting, insert 5 periods and then your selected hashtags like so:
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#thesampsonhouse #vscocam #instagramtips
Why use hashtags? According to Later, even one post that had a single hashtag generated 12.6% more interactions. Hashtags help Instagrammers filter through content, reach new audiences, and create communities. Creating a hashtag that pertains to your business, along with other popular hashtags, is a great start to getting noticed.
That's it for our photography + posting tips for now. Do you want to see more?
