We live in the age of social media, where everyone is connected to the digital world through platforms like Instagram. This has led to a demand for high-quality posts that are both informative and entertaining, and the market is always hungry for more.
If you’re looking for ways to get into this competitive profession, you’ve found yourself in the right place. Below, we’ll explore everything you need to do to not only start but also stay ahead of the algorithm.
Picking the Right Niche
The first place to start is figuring out what you’re going to post, which does require you to find a niche. While you could go for a more miscellaneous approach and post blog-like lifestyle content, this can be quite broad, making it harder to gain traction. For this one, we’d suggest finding a middle ground between your passion and what’s currently trending by assessing popular hashtags.
However, you can take practically anything you want and turn it into content for your account with a pinch of creativity, no matter how niche it may seem. As an example, let’s say that you enjoy playing real money casino games online in your spare time. In this case, you could share interesting tidbits you’ve learned about the world of online real money casinos, helping other people dip their toes into this fascinating space. If you’re already passionate about it, you’ll bring a genuine authenticity that will give your content an edge.
You could talk your audience through the differences between playing online and in person, or walk through some of the different kinds of games they might enjoy if they love strategy. Alternatively, you might look into offering game recommendations, be it popular slots like Cai Fu Dai Panda or new ones such as Book of Thor. Another option would be to discuss the best tips on how to find the right casino for your viewers.
You could even start a fun weekly segment, highlighting a new feature in the industry and breaking it down for viewers who don’t understand it. It’s a fast-paced and ever-changing space, meaning you’ll constantly have new things to talk about. From pictures of you playing to videos explaining gameplay, there’s so much content you can get out of online casino games.
Of course, this is just one example; you can take any other idea and apply similar concepts. For instance, if you prefer something more hands-on, like crocheting, you could post your creations, along with behind-the-scenes videos of the process behind them.
And if you prefer reading, you could discuss what you’ve recently read and start a kind of book club on Instagram. Plus, there’s no difficulty in finding trending books online and locally, which will make it easier to grow in popularity with those who share your tastes.
While finding what you want to post about may be just the start, this is the very foundation that could propel you to internet success. Make sure you consider this thoroughly before you jump into content creation.
Understanding Instagram’s Features
Once you’ve decided what you want to focus on in your Insta account, it’s time to familiarize yourself with all the types of posts and features the platform has to offer. Here, we have feed posts, which remain on your page and can act as a sort of portfolio.
Then we have stories, which are only available for 24 hours before they get automatically archived, perfect for daily updates. Next up, we have reels, short-form vertical videos that are generally quite popular among mobile users, which can drive further engagement.
Beyond this, you should familiarize yourself with the ways you can promote your posts. This can be achieved via appropriate hashtags, geo- and people tags, along with collaboration posts, and even Instagram ads.
It’s also important to remember that the type of account you choose will impact your features. For your goal, you should have it set as a creator account, which allows you to add a contact button on your profile and tools such as advanced insights. The latter is especially used to reach more people and see if your current strategy is working.
Using Additional Tools and Platforms
Apart from using the in-house options available to you, you should also consider external tools and platforms for further expansion. If you’re looking for some help when it comes to scheduling and generating content ideas, you could explore options like Iconosquare.
Alternatively, if you want something that will specifically help you with hashtag research, then Hashtag Stack will be perfect for this. And if you want to keep track of your follower count, one of the Insta tools to watch out for is Blastup.
When it comes to further promoting your Instagram account, we would also suggest taking it to external platforms. For instance, while Instagram is better suited for images and short content, you could expand on your current niche on platforms like YouTube. As an example, if you’re a basketball sports content creator, you could explore more in-depth matches about teams like the Toronto Raptors. Here, you’ll capture sporting fans by offering much more detailed content about their favorite teams and what’s happening.
You might decide to discuss recent team changes, like the retirement of major players such as Aaron Rose. Then, you could link this video back to your Instagram account, promoting it for quick highlights on trending sporting topics.
This is but one example, as plenty of other niches would also work for YouTube. Ultimately, the goal is to grow your Instagram profile, so leveraging alternative social media platforms for your goal could prove to be quite useful.
Conclusion
Starting an Instagram creator account is quite simple, but mastering this social media platform is anything but. However, the aforementioned tips should set you up nicely for a thriving profile. From focusing on a niche theme to exploring alternative methods to improve your engagement, the best time to jump into content creation is now.