[INSTA 2018] HOW TO GROW [PART 1]

#1 BEFORE YOU START

Beginners aren’t the only ones who meet obstacles- What should I post? How can I make people interested in my content? What if nobody will follow my account?

To get rid of those doubts and minimise the risk of failure, you need to ask yourself few questions in the first place: Who am I? What am I passionate about enough, that it makes me want to share it with others?


Let’s look at an example:


Imagine that you’re an 18 years old girl from a small town who’s truly passionate about fashion but there isn’t a lot of clothing stores in your town, what’s more, you can’t afford buying fashionable pieces online…
Great! Now you can see what is it about- defining your audience. Who may want to watch your content? People similar to you of course! Share your passion, advice and experience, show them how you overcome obstacles and stay creative redesigning boring clothes you already had or inspire them to thrift and find awesome fashionable pieces for cheap price!

Want another example?
Here we go!



You’re a teenage photographer from the capital, just starting but already pretty good at tech stuff. However, the competition is serious, it’s hard to get noticed when so many big accounts are out there… Don’t give up! You have everything you need! Share your knowledge, give advice on cameras and accessories, trust me for many people it’s not as obvious what camera is the best for outdoors photoshoot as is it for you. Inspire with photoshoot ideas, use that urban space you're surrounded by to make original photos, work with models who are just starting! They can pose for you in exchange for photos- support each other!

SEE? THE FIRST STEP IS IS SIMPLE LIKE THAT- DEFINE YOURSELF AND YOUR PERFECT AUDIENCE!

Here are questions you should ask yourself to find your niche and define your viewers.


#2 BUT… I’VE ALREADY GOT SOME FOLLOWS!

That’s awesome! Now try to get to know them better! What do they like? Which of your recent posts performed he best? What are they willing to see next?
Don't hesitate to ask them a direct question in the caption below your next photo or in story, it is worth the effort! 
Make sure you stay updated on your audience’s demographics and needs, it enables to create a decent content.
How about gaining new followers? Look at #1 again 


#3 CREATING THE NEW ACCOUNT

I’m more than sure, the technical side of it isn’t a mistery for you, but let me give you a small piece of advice on your username. Remember! It is (as well as your profile photo) the first thing people are going to see, the key to find you by searcher.

Make sure that:

-Your username isn't too long
-It doesn't contain or contain a little of “.” And “_”

-If your nick is related to your niche or makes people think of something specific, it’s a huge plus! (For example, traveler’s account having “journey” in its’ username)

-Is it easy to remember? (If yes-you’ll benefit of that!)


If you had already signed up, don’t worry, you can always change your username by clicking ‘edit’ button on your profile!

#4 WHY ME?

It is time to face yourself again. Why do I want to create on this platform? What am I willing to achieve? Are numbers of follows and likes what motivates me? Or maybe the engagement of true audience and creating the community of people with similar interests is your goal?

If the answer was numbers, I have bad news- Instagram is a social platform what means you have an interaction with real people and the value is their true engagement and attraction. 10 dedicated followers are hundred times better than a thousand of people who not give a shit about you and your believes- rust me ot this. 
Keeping this in mind, forget about numbers, don't let them define your value- it’s always hard at the beginning! Get yourself together and go! Give them the best of you, remember, quality over quantity! 
Never forget the idea you had at the beginning of your journey.
Remember the example form #1? Let’s suppose that girl wanted to help other girls like her, show them how to deal with everyday issues as a fashion lover from the small town. She was honest and helpful, she stayed true to herself and her audience which she gave her support and that’s what she will get back if needed.

Thank you so much for reading Part 1 of [INSTA 2018] How To Grow, stay tuned, Part 2 is coming soon! How to find your niche, create higher quilted posts and increase your audience’s engagement are the topics we are going to cover next!


Meanwhile, if you enjoyed this post, you can leave a like and comment below and also support me by following my instagram @kimikohime - it’s a sing of you being interested in the topic and it motivates me to create more!
See u soon!
Kimiko