Become Instagram Famous

Instagram encourages users to follow one another and “like” photos, two actions that can cause users to be seen as “famous” by the community. If you’ve been striking out on the path to Instagram fame, don’t fret. You can become Instagram Famous by refining your account, developing community, and learning to tell a story with your photos.

Steps

Developing Your Instagram

  1. Choose an Instagram name that is catchy and easy to recognize. Consider the type of content you want to share with the world, then choose a name that embodies that theme. Having an Instagram name that reflects your personality is a great way to attract followers who share your interests.
    • If you are having problems picking an Instagram name, try the name generator at spinxo.com/instagram-names.
    • Don't be afraid to use underscores (_) or other symbols. They will often improve an Instagram name by making it easier to read. However, try to keep the symbols to 1 or 2, so someone can search for you by name.
  2. Upload an artful profile photo. If possible, make it a creative photo of yourself (instead of an object) so that people can put your face to the name. If you want to be famous, you should not mind putting a few personal things on Instagram.
  3. Choose a theme. Consider a hobby, fascination, or desired aesthetic, and aim to keep your Instagram content within that theme. Add engaging information about your theme to your Profile page, and be sure to post relevant captions when uploading new photos and videos.
    • Are you a foodie? Then focus on food-related photos.
    • Are you a fashion junkie? Focus on colors, styles, and trends.
    • Do you like a certain game or book series? Take creative photos of it and post it on Instagram!
    • Are you into a celebrity at the moment? Make your Instagram profile all about that person! You can also find other fans of that celebrity and make a community of your own.
    • Do you love role playing? Instagram is a great place to do so. Role play as your favorite character and join other role play communities as well! For example, if you love Naruto, you can roleplay as him or other Naruto characters!
  4. Develop a niche market. What can you share with the world that nobody else is doing? Keeping your Instagram account unique ensures that your followers stick around---they won’t be able to find your content anywhere else!

Sharing Creative Photos and Videos

  1. Get to know the Instagram filters. Become a pro by taking different types of photos and using the filters. Notice the different ways filters can enhance dim lighting or increase the depth of certain colors. You may need to preview your photo in all of the available filters before finding the right one.
    • Having uniform colors and effects on most of your photos is a great way to develop an aesthetic. Using too many different filters could make your profile look tacky. See the hashtag “#nofilter” for examples.
    • Some Instagram users choose never to use filters as a way to highlight the natural beauty of their photos.
  2. Use a separate photo-editing app. Instagram’s built-in filters are cool but somewhat limited. There are additional apps that can add even more depth to your content. Install a well-reviewed photo editor from the app store and breathe new life into your feed.[1]
    • Try Instagram’s Boomerang to make short, engaging stop-motion videos.
    • Also try Layout, which allows you to combine multiple photos in a single collage-style image.
    • Try VSCO Cam, Prisma, Aviary, or Snapseed for high-quality photo editing.
  3. Take lots of photos, but only post the best. You won’t always get a great shot the first time, so take several photos and choose the best one. Only post the best, most creative photos that will keep your followers interested and engaged.
    • As with traditional photography, Instagram photography has an element of "practice makes perfect." You can only improve by using the app regularly and trying new things.
  4. Get artsy. Experiment and get creative with your photos. Try new angles, color combinations, and subjects in a variety of interesting settings.
  5. Tell an ongoing story. Use your Instagram account to create a story that is creative, original, and honest. Add “cliffhangers” to your photos to keep fans coming back for more.
    • For example, document your travels to a new place, the countdown to a significant event, or your journey with a new pet.
  6. Stick to quality over quantity, once your photos start to improve. Spend more time making an individual photo exceptional instead of sharing several that are mediocre.
  7. Add clever, creative, and relevant captions to your photos and videos. Captions can be humorous or sincere. Be playful, but informative.
  8. Use the Instagram Stories feature to share moments. Inspired by Snapchat, Use Instagram Stories Stories will not be stored in your Instagram feed, so use this feature to share all of the things that don’t quite fit with the rest of your account. Your stories will appear at the top of your followers’ feeds.[2]

Developing Community

  1. Use hashtags. Pay attention to what is trending and use hashtags on all of your photos. Many Instagram users search for hashtags to find new users to follow—using the right hashtags ensures that people who are looking for your sort of content are able to find you.[3]
    • For example, someone who posts photos from hiking adventures in the Pacific Northwest may use tags like #hiking, #method, #exploregon, #camping, and #mtranier.
    • Someone who shares their illustrations may use the hashtags #illustrators, #artistsofinstagram, #penandink, and #womanartists.
    • Some popular hashtags are #nofilter (unfiltered photos), #flawless (when you’re looking your best), #nochill (when life gets crazy), and #tbt (Throwback Thursday, a day when Instagrammers post old photos).
  2. Follow other Instagrams. Find Instagram users whose photos you enjoy and add them to your Follow list. Try to comment and like photos every time you go onto Instagram. It is very hard to become popular on Instagram without interacting with and trading likes with others.
  3. Link your Instagram account to Facebook. You most likely have a set number of friends who would be willing to follow you. Follow your Facebook friends on Instagram and they will surely follow back.[4]
  4. Share photos from Instagram to your other social media accounts. When posting a new photo, tap your preferred social media option under “Share” and enter your username and password. This will post your Instagram photo, giving your followers on other platforms the chance to follow you on Instagram.
  5. Post content that’s only available on your Instagram. While sharing some Instagram photos on Facebook or your blog can attract new followers, keep some content exclusive to Instagram. Remind your Facebook or blog followers that they should follow your Instagram for different photos. Let your Instagram account be where people can get to know another side of you.
  6. Encourage your followers to tag their friends. If you post something funny, caption it with something like, “Tag three friends who would think this is funny.” When people tag their friends on your photos, their friends will view your photo and usually like it or start following you.
  7. Consider geotagging your location when posting photos. Geotagging adds a location link to the top of your Instagram photos, allowing people to see where you were and view other photos taken at that location. This is an excellent way to attract new followers, but remember that geotags share your location with the entire world. Avoid geotagging when you are home or anywhere else that you don’t want to be found in person.

Keeping Your Followers Engaged

  1. Update consistently. According to the analytics firm Union Metrics, brands that decrease the frequency of their posts tend to lose followers quickly.[5] Your followers followed you because they want to see your content. Be consistent with posting, but don’t overdo it.
    • If you post more than 2-3 photos or videos per day, Use Instagram Stories so you don’t clutter your followers’ feeds.
  2. Start conversations. When posting photos, add a caption that contains a question for your followers. Make the question something thoughtful, or something funny. The more people that answer your question, the more popular your post will be.
  3. Respond to the people who comment on your photos. To respond to them directly, type the “@” symbol and type their Instagram name. This shows everyone that you’re down to earth and willing to interact with your fans.
  4. Mention other Instagram users in your captions. According to an Instagram study, posts that mentioned another Instagram account (e.g., @instagram) in the caption encouraged 56% more comments and likes than otherwise.[6]
    • For example, if you take a photo at a restaurant, mention the restaurant’s Instagram name (e.g., @olivegarden) in the caption.
    • If you see something that reminds you of another Instagram user, snap a photo and post it with a caption like, “I thought of you, @[user]!”
  5. Increase your interaction as you increase your fan base. Unless you are already a celebrity, you need to put time and energy into becoming an Instagram sensation. Increase your responses to comments, respond to Direct Messages, and like tons of photos!
  6. Organize a contest. If you have a creative idea and some fans, grow your community by giving away a prize in exchange for likes and follows. Choose a prize worth winning, share a photo of it on Instagram, and then encourage your followers to like the photo to enter. When the contest ends, choose a random follower to win the prize!
    • Encourage your followers to tag their friends so they can also enter your contest.
  7. Track your rise to fame with a stats manager. Websites like Statigram, Websta.me, and Iconosquare provide statistics that help you track your Instagram success. If you find that you lost several followers over a particular period, look back at your feed and see what may have sent them running. If your views spiked when you shared a certain photo, share more like it.

Tips

  • Don’t beg for follows and likes—nobody wants to see you grovel. Be patient and your followers and likes will grow organically.
  • Be yourself from the start. If you are honest about what you do and what you like, your followers are much more likely to connect with you.
  • When somebody comments on a post of yours asking to do a “shoutout for shoutout,” try to say yes when possible. Shoutouts can help you gain followers.
  • Delete shoutouts after the other person has given you a shoutout!
  • For shoutouts, make sure that you give the people a benefit if they follow them!

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://mashable.com/2016/03/16/best-instagram-editing-apps/#eoMtg0m8cmqf
  2. ↑ http://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-to-use-instagram-stories
  3. ↑ http://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/news//178483-how-to-become-really-popular-on-instagram
  4. ↑ http://www.thefashionspot.com/runway-news/news//178483-how-to-become-really-popular-on-instagram
  5. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2014/05/02/the-surprising-data-behind-how-often-brands-should-post-on-instagram/#58cf07e919e6
  6. ↑ http://get.simplymeasured.com/rs/simplymeasured/images/InstagramStudy2014Q3.pdf
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