Our Instagram Tips series is back by popular demand! Today I’ll share one of the best-kept secrets for growing your Instagram following fast. A few thousands of genuine followers over night, how does that sound? Yes, it’s possible!
To start, aim to get your work featured by the most popular Instagram accounts in your field, particularly if you’re just starting out. Whether it’s your favourite brand or individual, by having your work featured, you’re getting exposed to their followers. So if you have already great content* on your account, expect a couple of thousand soon after. But how do you get them to feature you?
So, how to get featured on Instagram? Here are my top 5 sure-fire tips:
1. Correct Hashtags. Last week I ran another social media seminar in Sydney**, one of the topics that caused a lot of discussion was ‘The Art of Hashtag’. The correct use of the most popular hashtags is by far the easiest way to get your work discovered. Each brand & popular feature account have their own hashtags. And believe me, they check out the posts published under their hashtag daily. For instance, I regularly check out my own #sonailicious and #snfanfeature hashtags. Among other things, that’s how I find new talent to feature on @So_Nailicious.
Practical task: Do your research. Start a list of popular hashtags & look at the hashtags that other accounts similar to yours are using. What hashtags are your favourite brands and feature accounts using? Usually they put them in their profile. Keep that list and keep adding new & relevant hashtags as you discover them.
2. Great photos. You can use all popular hashtags in the world but if your photos are dull, blurry, dark, etc. the chances your work getting featured are minimal. To get an idea on how your photos should look, look an account you’d like to be featured on and study their photos. That’s the quality you should be aiming for. I know sounds difficult but guys, no pain no gain! So start improving your photography skills right now.
Practical task: First of all, get a better camera. It doesn’t need to be crazy expensive. I talked here about what I’m using, it’s reasonably affordable new & even cheaper second hand. As an alternative, learn how to take good photos with your smartphone and how to edit them. Here’s a list of some of the best photo-editing applications. To improve your photography skills by taking a photography course. Or, if that’s not an option, check out these photography tips and Google more free photography lessons.
3. Tags. So you’ve got your beautiful photos and you’ve got all hashtags right but still no features come your way? How about tagging your favourite accounts/brands right in your photo! If you used MAC lipstick and Essie polish or re-created someone’s nail design, show it to them by tagging them in directly in your photo. It works instantly like “Hey look, that’s you!” However, please note that tagging a bunch of popular accounts in every photo doesn’t work to your advantage. It has the opposite effect because it come across as being ingenuine and irrelevant. So please, use tags carefully and be selective! Tag your faves only in your best and most relevant of them.
Practical task: Pick one favourite nail artist or brand that regularly features their fans and create a look inspired by them/using their products. Make sure the photo is awesome. Tag them in and see what happens ;)
4. Quality and Quantity. One great photo tagged and hashtaged properly will have more chances of being discovered and getting featured than 100 poorly done photos. However, if you can produce 2-3 unique and good-looking photos every day, chances are you’ll get featured more often.
Practical task: Review your feed and have a look at which photos have more likes. That’s the direction where you should be heading.
5. For nail artists: Pay attention to your cuticles and use top coat. I just have to say this: no nail art can look its best if you have flakey cuticles or didn’t use a top coat to even out your design. Any top account that features other’s work wants to show the best. For us nail girls the best means a flawless manicure with impeccable cuticles. Like a beautiful galley for your mini artworks. So get those under control, ASAP.
Practical task: Start moisturising your cuticles every day from now on. Here’s some great tips for transforming dry cuticles into soft and supple, and here’s a list of some of the best cuticle oils. Make a good top coat your best friend. Here’s a list of some of the best top coats.
Hope you’ve learned a few new things about Instagram today. If you have any questions or would like to hear tips on a particular subject, just let me know in the comments below. I’ll do my best to answer!
Also, I’ve set up a separate Newsletter just for social media and blogging related articles. So if you’d like to receive these articles as soon as they get published, sign up to our dedicated Social Media Newsletter – just for social media and blogging articles and news.
Happy Instagramming!
– Maria xx
* Here’s some of my best Instagram tips for creating great content.
** More about our Social Media For Business seminars – next week on SoNailicious.
Want more Instagram and social media tips?
Subscribe to our dedicated Social Media Newsletter – just for social media and blogging articles and news. Or, follow us via Bloglovin for daily updates.
