If you’re curious about how to get your Instagram profile looking a little better, you are in the right place. I spend most of my time online on Instagram, always looking for ways to make my profile look better.

I travel a lot and thought that posting everything I was doing was enough to build my following, but was it though?!

Those low qualities photographs of the Eiffel Tower and the beautiful coffee shops in Paris did get me many followers and likes; now imagine if they were higher quality photos.

 It’s 2021, everyone has access to a high-quality camera. So, take advantage of your cameras and filters to make professional looking shots. And follow the next 8 steps.

Step 1: Look Like A Pro

One of the first things you need to do when posting new photos to your profile is make sure it looks professional. If you own an iPhone, they now have the “Portrait Mode” camera setting that gives a depth to the photos and makes it look like it’s taken from a professional camera. In case you don’t have an IPhone, go to the “Edit” section in Instagram right before posting your photo and play with the filters “Structure” and “Sharpen”. It will give your pictures a great depth and professional look.

Step 2: Colors

Try to stick with the same color pallets and aesthetics on your time line. When posting something, don’t be too colorful on each and every post. Stick to the one color you love and try to keep every post as close to that color as possible. In my case, I love blue so I always try to post photos that shows the sky or the ocean. I also try to keep blue clothing or blue sunglasses. You won’t always post things that actually matches that color, but the more posts around it the better.

Step 3: Hashtags

I was never a believer of hashtags until I started using them myself. The difference in engagement is huge. Believe it or not, people do click on hashtags and find posts of the subject they are interest in. On every post, you should include hashtags that you want people with the same interests to be able to find you. I often use hashtags for fitness, modeling, or places that I am at; because those are the type of people I am trying to reach. Try it and you will see more comments and likes from people who are interested in your content because it’s interesting for them, not because they just follow you. Hashtags will make you visible to people who don’t follow you, and might get you on the discovery page.

Step 4: Be Unique

People who are trying to be seen, think that basically all you need, is to post photos of a cute puppies or the sunset. Keep in mind that other hundreds of thousands of people are doing the same thing. Your followers won’t be liking the same sunset photos every day. Post unique content, things that only you might have access to. Go to the beach and find a spot you think people haven’t seen yet, and definitely do not post the same thing over and over again. Showcase yourself in those places. You might have followers from all over the world; let them see the cool places you’ve been in a unique way, let them feel what you feel. Show them what you think they haven’t seen of that place yet.

Step 5: Stories

If you are someone like me, who doesn’t really post smiling pictures; a good way to counter balance that is posting a lot of stories. Make videos talking about personal things and let people connect with you. Let them see the real you, a real person. Tell them about the weather, about your crappy day, about this trip you’re planning, make them laugh and cry. Don’t be afraid of showing emotions, good or bad. If you want real followers, you need to be a real person. Being fake or pretending you don’t have any emotions will not get anyone to sympathize with you. Show them you are just like them and have the same interests.

Step 6: Be Relatable

You are online every day in the hopes you get thousands of followers, and then what? Will you just leave them be? Wait and see, those followers will drop. 

Once people realize you don’t post anything of their interest or see that you are just a robot posting things without being a real person, they will most likely hit “Unfollow”. Spend your time being yourself, but also being with them. Every and each person following you has expectations. They want to know they are also being seen. Ask questions on your stories, reply to “DM’s”, and most importantly reply to comments on your posts. 

That is one of the most important things once you start to get many followers and likes. It means people do enjoy your content. They will comment, give their feedback, and compliment you on things. Be generous and spend some time replying to all those people, or at least most of them. If it’s too many comments they will understand you can’t reply to them all. Leaving all of them on read is not a good idea, if your goal is to be popular.

Step 7: Post Wisely

Who doesn’t want thousands of likes? I mean, if you’ve read this far I am sure you are one of those. The best way to get the most out of your posts, is to let people see what you’ve posted. Don’t post all the time. Some people get online not so often, so if you post too frequently, they might’ve missed them, and you might’ve missed more likes on that post.

Remember that there are time zones. I am in California, and I have a lot of followers from Brazil, Europe, the East Coast in America, and even some in Asia. Before posting anything I always look at the world clock; how many people are up now? I’ve found that posting on a Friday or Saturday around 2pm my time is the best time to post.

Take your time, create cool content, and give time for people see it, like it, and comment.

Step 8: Archive

Now that you know how to make your Instagram profile look better, don’t be afraid to archive your old photos. Keep a few that are important to you, but if you want to look like a pro, you can’t keep those photos of your “cup of tea in the kitchen” from 2001. 

I spent two weeks archiving more than three thousand of my past posts. Of course, those pictures got me most of my followers, but now it’s time for me to show them something new, something fresh.

What Goes Around Comes Around

Building your following can be a success and you get to decide what your success will look like. If you spend time and do these 8 steps it will be an investment. People and brands might even reach out to you to do paid collaborations. Show those accomplishments on your “Bio” and “Story Highlights”; Be proud of it.

Original Source: Google Books