Be Our Guest Fridays {37}: 3 Essentials for Creating a Stunning Instagram Profile by Mrs. AOK
Are you a photography or Instagram fan? I love to take pictures and depend on my cell phone a lot to capture my family memories and pictures for my blog. However, I feel like my photography is lacking and am just amazed at the stunning Instagram accounts that bloggers create. So when Dean said she’d do a guest post for my Be Our Guest Friday Series, I was thrilled when she said she’d write a blogging tip about Instagram. I adore the style, white space and simplicity of her Instagram photos. See what her essentials are for creating a stunning Instagram account and tell us in the comments what your essentials are. I can use all the help I can get to improve my Instagram account.
3 Essentials for Creating A Stunning Instagram Account
By Dean from Mrs. AOK, A Work in Progress
Hello, Mom’s Small Victories friends! I’m excited to chat with you today about my new favorite social media platform- Instagram. I know, I know, Instagram has been around for awhile, I’m a late bloomer.. a wallflower, but I’m almost in full bloom. Notice I said almost because I am not a pro. Again, I was a late adapter but with kind words from Tanya & MrsTee about my Instagram account, I thought maybe I do have something worth sharing. I also remembered my own words from this past January about wanting to teach, and thought of course I have something to teach!
Class is in session ?
Instagram is a playground of visual beauty. You want to play with color, beauty, life, nature & make friends on the playground. When sharing images on Instagram consider these three things:
- Lighting
- Your Instagram style
- Captions
Lighting
Lighting is SO important! Don’t you hate seeing images that are murky? Sometimes I want to reach through my phone and open up the blinds for people, and this includes myself! Yes, I admit it, I have fell victim to bad lightening. Windows are your best friend! I usually take my pictures near my sliding glass door on a wood board (from an old bookcase). But what if the sun isn’t working in your favor? I live in the Pacific Northwest, trust me, I understand. For this problem you may consider purchasing a light box (I still need to do that) OR you could purchase a few awesome apps. There are quite a few that help with brightening up your images. My current favorite photo app is A Color Story. A Color Story brightens colors whitens whites plus you can fix lighting & shadows with curves. Lightness matters per a study done by Curalate on over 8,000,000 Instagram posts.
Your Instagram Style (or Aesthetic, you choose)
What does that mean? It means do you have a style or are you just sharing pictures of randomness in 50,000 different filters. Does your brand or blog have a theme or an aesthetic? Yes? Then your Instagram could benefit from one as well. I’m not saying go all monotone, but if that’s what you choose to do that’s fine too. If I saw your monotone images pop up in my feed I would probably think, “Hey, this is one of CindyLou’s beautiful monotone images. There are IG’ers who pull off the monotone Instagram feed just fine. 🙂 With that said there are a zillion Instagrammers who pull off bright and colorful Instagram feeds that you know are theirs because it stays within their theme. Contemplate what colors you like, what Instagram accounts you love, and what is your favorite filter and create your own recipe.. or style! There truly are no rules, it’s all about being YOU! I myself break my own aesthetic from time to time.
Quick Tip: PicTapGo saves your photo filter recipe 😉
Fun Fact: Images with blue as their dominate color generate 24% more likes than images with the dominate color of red. Interesting, right?!? (Source: Curalate)
Captions
Captions are just as important as the image you share! Sometimes your words are getting the love versus your images, and that’s just fine. You want to share your voice, not just images. Your words connect with others and that can often lead to new friendships, followers, costumers, or readers of your blog. I love Twitter, but sometimes that whole 140 character thing frustrates me, because I have a lot to say. I do not have that problem with Instagram, sometimes my captions are novels but for the most part they’re short and sweet (with tons of me in them). I could write a whole post about the art of the #Hashtag, but again, it would be from an amateur’s perspective. I will say this: add your hashtags in the comments, unless it’s something witty that will add to the caption. And remember to spellcheck before you post. 😉
I have so much more to say! I didn’t realize I had knowledge to share about Instagram. Thank you, Tanya for suggesting Instagram as a topic, as well as sharing your home with me. And thank YOU for reading. 🙂 I hope to see you on the playground!
About Dean
Dean is a lifestyle blogger who recently moved to the Pacific Northwest with her 3 kids, husband, and their squishy face dog. Writing and creating are a constant that keep her grounded wherever she may go, you can catch Dean write about life in progress on her blog Mrs. AOK, A Work In Progress.
Follow Dean on her blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Google +
About Be Our Guest Fridays!
Be Our Guest Fridays is a weekly feature where I feature guest posts by my favorite bloggers and authors. I started this feature to encourage and support the bloggers I love and the authors I want you to know. I am excited to share with you these creative and inspiring individuals. If you’d like to be a guest blogger, leave me a comment on this post and I’ll be in touch.
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Don’t you LOVE Mrs. AOK’s Instagram style? Do you think you can create your own Instagram style? What are your essential Instagram tips you’d like to share with us?
I love IG, but am having a hard time finding my groove – thanks for these tips! Now I just have to remember to implement them! 😉
My IG is definitely randomness, but then again, so is my blog. I am ADD and random is how I function daily! lol With that said, I picked up from your posts and actually another IG account I found that I loved that a running theme for quotes is they all looked similar. I tend to put up book quotes via InstaQuote, but I don’t usually use the same background because I match it to the feeling of the book. I’m wondering if that’s the way to go, or if I should use the same one every time so the feed looks more uniform.
Thanks for the great advice. I haven’t done much with my instagram and wondered how people get so many followers. This week I guess I’ll be working on mine and hopefully get it going.
Btw I would love to guest post on your blog. if there is any openings sign me up. 🙂
Your tips are amazing and I totally agree on each of your points. IG is my most favorite network.
Love this advice that if you want to be good at something, teach others how to do it! Because if I’m going to teach something I’m going to learn everything possible…and then I’ll be good!
I’ve been on Instagram a while – still not really sure how it’s going to help me! But I really appreciate your tips, this will help me make the most of it 🙂
Thank You for teaching us all these wonderful ideas. At the dollhouse we are always looking for new apps and ways to keep our social media interesting. I enjoy how you mention grammar. So often people think bc it seem to be just a blurb of a comment it doesn’t matter. IT DOES!
Oh my gosh, when people don’t put captions on their pictures, it makes me crazy. I want to know what people think of their own photos. My stream is 95% of life and the rest maybe my blogging. I think Instagram is my favorite…except for the changes coming.
I agree with these tips 100%! I am a big fan of proper grammar, so that part made me chuckle.
Fantastic advice! If our Instagrams aren’t appealing, people move on. And fast!
Yes, to me you have to have good lighting and quality pictures for Instagram. I love using Instagram too!!
These are great tips! I don’t really have a theme with my instagram, unless that theme is kids, coffee and yarn 🙂
So many great tips here. I begin using Instagram begin of this year, so every informative tips like thi is valueable to me.
what a great post filled with even more great tips – so pinning this to come back later and check out in more depth, I love IG and hope they don’t screw it up for all of us 😉
I agree, Instagram is a wonderful tool. I have not been blogging long. so my Instagram was originally my personal photos. now its all about my blog. I am still working on my photo skills
The style you chose is so important. I need to be more intentional about using similar filters each time so I can create a look that my readers will come to recognize. Great tips!
Love this so much! I feel like Instagram is a constant guessing game for me. I am never quite sure what is going to work!
PicTapGo is my favorite app for editing and creating brighter photos when the light is no where to be found inside. These are some wonderful tips and I am working very hard to get my feed the best it can be!
Great post! I have been using Color Story which also saves your filter process so you can reuse it on all of your images. Having a cohesive vibe on your Instagram feed is important if you’re trying to grow your following!
Thank you for the tips! I need to up my instagram game. I really only use it when on vacation because those pictures are always the best!
Instagram is my favourite social platform and she is completely right. Playing with colour is a great way of making your feed stand out from the crowd!
Your feed is spot on and consistent. Instagram can be so overwhelming sometimes but I definitely agree that taking the time to post quality pictures is key for your brand!
I have always been impressed by Mrs. AOK whenever I visited Instagram and see her feed. I’m very rarely on there now because I hate what Instagram has become. A place for sponsored stuff. I used to post my personal pics but lately all the posts I’ve seen from bloggers have just been sponsored stuff so I stay away and created a personal profile where I post my own personal stuff. 🙂
I actually just realized that my IG feed is very bright and colorful which is weird because as a style blogger, I am mostly in darker colors. I like that theres a theme though. WIsh I could attract more followers though.
Such great advice!!
Instagram is my favorite social media too! I love scrolling thru when I have free time! I didn’t realize I had a style until I went back and looked at my feed after reading this…. guess Ive developed it over time. 🙂
These are great tips! I am still working on becoming better at Instagram.
Thank you, Amber. I’m sure you’re doing just fine on IG 🙂
XOXO
These are great tips! I am still working on becoming better at Instagram.
I just recently truly got into instagram. These are some great tips that I look forward to using!
Awesome, thank you! The most important thing is to have fun & make friends. ?
XOXO
I need to work on my instagram captions. Sometimes I struggle to come up with something good.
You and me both Robin. Captions and which hashtags to use. I’m still working on taking great pictures, my hands always seem to shake!
Sometimes quotes work. 🙂
XO
I love every single tip!
IG is a very powerful tool and one can generate a lot from it, but without consistency, you won’t get anywhere.
Awesome post.
Very true Debbie, consistency seems to be key with blogging and social media. Especially if it’s true that IG is changing to an algorithm like Facebook.
I wish they weren’t doing that. 🙁
xoxo
Thank you, Debbie! Consistency is paying off for me. I use to ignore Instagram, I thought” why do I need it”. That was silly of me, because now that I have put a little more focus and consistency there it’s paying off in readership.
Wishing you a lovely week!
XOXO
I have a question maybe you know Mrs. AOK. Do you know how to find in Google Analytics how many visits you get from Instagram? I can see all my other social media stats but not IG. Thanks!
I believe it’s in the referring links section, I’ll have to check. Or maybe I saw this in my Jetpack stats.
I read somewhere you can track your Instagram stats, like Instagram analytics!
XO
Great suggestions!
Thank you, Lisa!
XOXO
I know that a lot of people curate their instagrams. I don’t know if mine is considered curated or themed, but it is my life, LOL! I love this post and the tips! Love having them at the #SmallVictoriesSundayLinkup!
I enjoy your style, Echo. 🙂 You make me smile with your posts on Instagram and on your blog. 🙂
Life isn’t perfect, so our squares don’t have to be perfect. I think sometimes the not so perfect images are the best. Like my crazy chaotic family painting picture, not the best picture but one of the best memories that I HAD to share. 🙂
XOXO
Great tips. I love instagram! I would love to turn my instagram photos into a book some day 🙂
Thank you, Shannon! It took me way too long, but I can now say I’m in love with Instagram too. 🙂 I would LOVE an Instagram book of photos, that sounds like a wonderful idea. I hope you print your book soon. 😉
XOXO
Bad grammar is such a turnoff. Thanks for an interesting post — although I have yet to take my Instagram for my blog.
I only have Instagram for my blog. 🙂 I try to add my own life within my little squares, but I’m also making sure to promote my blog too. I hope to see you there someday soon.
XOXO
Instagram would be great for you, like Twitter lots of book lovers are on IG and your beautiful images you create for your blog are sure to get noticed.
@GuiltlessReading I totally agree with Tanya! There are quite a few amazing book lover Instagram accounts like Young Adult Book Addict.
XOXO
Thanks for this info! Poor grammar is a huge turnoff for me! And who knew about the red versus blue data?! So interesting!
I thought that data was rather interesting- I want to test it! Thanks for commenting.
Wishing you a happy weekend!
XOXO
Red vs blue is interesting. I’ve heard Pinterest users favor red images and now IG favors blue (just like their respective logos), I want to test it out too. Neat little experiment.
Great guest post and I appreciate the study results for sure! Have never heard of your app A Color Story to adjust lighting so I am downloading it as we speak. Thanks for all of the tips, I love Instagram too 🙂
Great guest post and I appreciate the study results for sure! Have never heard of your app A Color Story to adjust lighting so I am downloading it as we speak. Thanks for all of the tips, I love Instagram too 🙂
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed my post; I think you’ll love A Color Story. I’m seriously IN LOVE with that app & Instagram.
XOXO
I’d never heard of A Color Story either. I definitely need a cool photo editing app to make my photos pop.
I have been thinking about giving Instagram a try. Thanks for sharing so many tips. I visited today from Grammie Time. Have a wonderful week-end!
Thanks for visiting! I ? Michelle!
I think you would enjoy Instagram. It’s a nice way to connect & share your content/life with your readers/followers.
XOXO
What I meant to say, many good tips here. Talk about spelling errors!!
Thank you, Michelle! I agree the interaction part of IG is the best. I think I would take 20 comments over 100 likes. To me it means a little extra when someone is compelled to write a little note to me. I sometimes write novels back. Instagram is sort of like microblogging. 🙂
XOXO
Many good did tips here! I love the interaction via comments. Favorite part.
I knew what you meant 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
XO
I love Mrs. AOK’s Instagram feed too. I definitely needed to read this tips. My Instagram posts could use some help.
Aww thanks, Sonya!!
I’m glad you enjoyed the tips. 🙂
XOXO