How to stay "Instasafe" as a creative

Photo via Pexels

I love Instagram. It lets me communicate to the world what I'm about (nourishing food, natural light and comfortable shoes wherever possible, and preventative health in life, law and business!), and has allowed me to connect with so many like-minded clients through my page @thelawyerslunchbox.

And I know many of my clients loving using it for their own businesses.

But we all need to make sure we stay legally safe on Instagram. This means not falling foul of Insta's terms and conditions, using the right images and not saying or doing anything illegal.

Here are some tips...

Types of images

Instagram has the right to remove, edit, block, and monitor accounts containing content that Instagram determines violates their terms of use.

To avoid problems, you must not post violent, nude, discriminatory, unlawful, infringing, hateful, pornographic or sexually suggestive photos. This term is interpreted sensibly, for example if your business is in fashion, intimate apparel, swimwear, music, celebrity, modelling etc, photos may be quite sexual without causing any trouble. But nudity, or pornographic inference (even if digitally-created), will not be okay. Use common sense when thinking about what Instagram and its diverse audience may find offensive. Nudity in photos of drawings, paintings and sculptures will be acceptable, as will photos of mastectomy scarring and breastfeeding women.

If your business is related to children or you like to share photos of your own family, be mindful of the broad audience that they may be open to. Photos of nude or partially nude children may be removed, even if they seem innocent and are being shared with the best intention. Instagram’s aim here is to ensure that they don’t fall into the wrong hands.

Copyright

You can only use images that do not infringe others’ intellectual property rights. If you are posting authentic images created by you or your business (such as your own photos, photoshoots, illustrations, videos, or graphics) then this is not an issue. But if you want to post an image found online, then you must be vigilant. There are millions of high-quality graphics and photos online available for free commercial use. Many websites curate images in the public domain, and you are free to use them in any way. In most cases, you do not have to provide attribution. But check the terms of the site to make sure. If attribution is
required, check what format.

It is best to assume every image you find online is copyrighted – a copyright notice is not legally required as notification of copyright, so the absence of a © or watermark isn’t a sign that no copyright exists. If an image is covered by copyright, the copyright holder may agree to some uses but not others. You must check this before using the image.

If you alter a copyrighted image, it does not relieve you from potential liability. If you repeatedly infringe other people’s intellectual property rights, Instagram will disable your account.

On Instagram, you are liable for what you upload. This means you are legally responsible for copyright violations even if you hire a social media professional who chose and used the offending image. It is important to ask your social media manager where they source their images from. You should contractually ensure that if an image they use is found to violate copyright and you are required to pay, that they will indemnify you.

Music is covered in the same way as images, and you are not allowed to use music that you don’t own the rights to, for any commercial or non-personal use. This includes music in videos uploaded to your feed as well as Instagram lives and IGTV, and can extend to music playing in the background of videos.

Photo via Pexels

What you can legally say

Don't copy any other person's written work in your Instagram posts. This may infringe their copyright.

And don't post unwanted comments, likes or other forms of commercial or harassing communication (spam) to Instagram users. This includes repeatedly contacting people for commercial purposes without their consent.

Further, online cyber bullying is a crime in Australia. You must not threaten, harass, or offend someone, stalk someone, access others’ Instagram accounts without permission or defame someone on Instagram.

How to deal with trolls

A troll is a member of an online community who deliberately tries to disrupt that community by posting inflammatory content.

How should you deal with trolls commenting on your business page?

• Use Instagram’s built-in reporting option. Instagram will quickly remove content that does not meet community guidelines.

• Unfollow or block the person who posted the comment. And delete the trolls’ comment on your post.

• Sometimes ignoring a troll is best. If they are looking for a reaction, they may lose interest when you give them nothing.

• If the troll is a customer with a complaint, take notice and try to help. Humour can be used to effectively engage unhappy customers and turn them into advocates for your business. Acknowledge yet make light of the situation, and apologise for the customer’s experience.

• If the troll is spreading rumours or misinformation, address the issue head-on and retaliate with the truth.

• If the troll points out a mistake, look into it, make the proper corrections and admit that you were wrong.

Instagram has the right to modify or terminate your account for any reason, without notice,
and at any time. So stay the right side of their terms and the law.

Jessica Kerr is the director of Sinclair + May. Jessica set up Sinclair + May with a view to do law differently and make legal services accessible for small businesses. Sinclair + May operate on a fixed fee basis and offer retainer services for their clients. Sinclair + May is a female-led, boutique commercial law firm and work extensively with the creative industry. You can follow Jessica on instagram @thelawyerslunchbox for useful legal tips and see more about Sinclair + May at www.sinclairmay.com.au.

How to build a strong brand on social media

Following on from my previous post about what creatives need to know about the new Instagram algorithm, this one is all about how to build a better brand on social media beyond just Instagram.

Social media is huge these days. According to the 2017 Sensis Social Media Report, more than 59 per cent of Australians use social networking sites at least once a day and 94 per cent have used Facebook in the last year. In short, you can reach an incredible number of people on social.

But hey, we’re all busy, amiright? To make sure you’re spending your time in the best way possible, here are eight steps to build a strong brand on social media and stand out as a creative — without going crazy in the process.

Step 1: Know your goals.

I’m talking business goals. What are you actually trying to achieve by using social media? You need to know why you are even on social media in the first place and clearly understand why it's a good use of your time. Your social media goals and objectives should be in line with your business goals.

For example, if one of your business goals is to increase revenue by 20 per cent this financial year and you make some sales from Facebook, a social media objective could be to increase traffic from Facebook by 30 per cent. Note that this doesn’t have to be purely revenue related: you could instead be aiming to get more people on your email list, to attract more client enquiries or lots of other things.

Step 2: Know your customer deeply.

‘Everyone’ is not a target market. You need to get hyper-specific about who your audience is and why they're buying from you. What are their motivations, fears and pain points? What do they love doing day to day? How does your brand fit into that? Focus on who you're talking to, what you want to say and what success looks like.

Step 3: Consider your content.

Photo by Clarisse Meyer

Get clear about the type of content you're going to deliver on social media for your audience. Remember: it's about them, not you. Be generous, add value and build trust.

Generally, content will fall into one of four buckets: education, entertainment, information, or inspiration. Understand what content your audience likes and focus on that. For example, for CWC, this would be to educate, inform and inspire — and less so to entertain.

Step 3: Focus on two to three platforms, max.

Once you understand who your target customer is, take the time to figure out the two to three platforms where they hang out online and focus your energy there. It’s much better to be  present and consistent on two platforms than to spread bits of your brand all over the Internet with no love. Meaning: just because someone else killed it on Snapchat doesn't mean it's right for you.

When choosing which platforms to focus on, also consider where your content fits best, and how much time you can realistically commit. For example, shooting and editing video for YouTube will require more time than a quick video on Instagram Stories.

And here's a pro tip: if you’re already using social media, check your Google Analytics to see which platforms bring the most traffic to your website, then focus on the top two.

Step 4: Batch, schedule and automate.

One of the keys to growing a strong brand on social media is consistently showing up. This means contributing regularly and being active. It’s far more time-efficient to block out a couple of hours on a Sunday night (or whenever suits) to schedule content for a month, than to do a little bit every day.

Great scheduling tools for Instagram include Planoly and Later. For Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, try Hootsuite or Buffer. If Pinterest is where your people are, check out Tailwind.

Just make sure you’re still answering messages, responding to comments and contributing to your community. Remember, social media is a two-way street.

Step 5: Include calls to action.

A ‘call to action’, or CTA, is when you tell your audience to do something. We humans are lazy and need to be told what to do most of the time. Some examples might be to follow you, to share a post or to visit your website.

One useful CTA might be to join your mailing list. Remember, you don’t own your social media account; it can be switched off tomorrow (which has happened to brands before). To combat this, your aim should always be to get followers to your website and better yet, onto your email list. That way, you own that relationship and contact information, not Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube.

Step 6: Make your brand cohesive.

Your brand, your profiles and the content you're putting out there should all be consistent, above and beyond your social media accounts. This is another time when focusing on just two platforms makes life a lot easier. Whether it's your website, your email newsletter or your Instagram profile, your brand aesthetic should be cohesive, consistent and recognisable.

Step 7: Be authentic.

It might sound obvious, but social media is designed to be social. Talking to your audience should feel like any good friendship or relationship: comfortable, relaxed and genuine. You should be able to laugh and tell stories and contribute to conversations. Be yourself and be true to your brand.

Step 8: Check your data.

The final step is to check your data at least once a month to see what’s working and what’s isn't — and make changes accordingly. Google Analytics offers a truckload of information to help you see what’s bringing in website traffic and making you sales.

On top of this, each platform has its own analytics tool that can provide great info about your audience, which posts are performing best, and what day and time you should be posting.

Schedule it in your calendar to dive in once a month and get familiar with reading your data.

Sadly, there’s no winning formula to growing your brand on social media, but following these steps will position you as well as possible. The most important thing is to not get overwhelmed, and stay focused. You can do it!

Courtney Goes is a Melbourne-based digital marketing and brand consultant with experience across a range of industries in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Since leaving the corporate world in 2016, she’s been on a mission to help women make smarter marketing decisions to elevate their businesses and personal brands through simple, effective strategies. Working mostly with creatives, freelancers, and female-owned startups and small businesses, she provides clarity, structure and accountability to get real, tangible results. She has also launched Marketing Emporium, a resource hub designed to provide simple and straightforward marketing advice. Contact her at courtneygoes.com.

Opening image by Jaelynn Castillo.

What creatives need to know about the new Instagram algorithm

How does the Instagram algorithm work? This is a question I get asked a lot, as if I’m the KFC colonel with the secret herbs-and-spices recipe.

It’s only April and already there have already been so many changes. Each time I can’t help but shout ‘Instaaargghhh!’ in the hopes that Insta HQ hears me and stops meddling with the recipe.

So how do you keep up when you’ve also got a business to run and people to delight? It can be tough, so I’ve distilled what every creative should know about the algorithm along with five simple actions to take your Insta presence to the next level this year.

1. Engagement matters

There’s no way around it: Instagram is still growing fast and it’s becoming more and more saturated. More than 95 million photos are posted every day, but 70 percent of them are never even seen, let alone engaged with. This can be incredibly frustrating for anyone trying to grow her business.

For a long time now, the algorithm has been based mainly on engagement. This includes numbers of likes, comments, video views, saves, shared posts, DMs and any other type of interactions with a post. In a nutshell, when a post gets a lot of engagement, Instagram deems it high quality and engaging, so shows it more. This hasn’t changed, but it now also includes all the interactions you receive on Instagram Stories as well, such as views, replies and shares. In short, the more a user interacts with your stories, the more likely it is that your individual posts will also show up in her feed.

I also have a theory (but can’t confirm it) that variation in engagement type matters, too, to combat the fact that you can now easily buy thousands of likes or views in the time it takes to order a cup of coffee.

ACTION #1: TELL STORIES
If you haven’t got on the Stories bandwagon yet, it’s time to jump on board. Instagram Stories now has more than 300 million daily active users, almost double the number on Snapchat! More importantly, it’s a great way to connect with your followers and share a behind-the-scenes, unfiltered view of your business.

Here are some simple ways to maximise engagement with Stories:

• Share progress shots of work.

• If you’re self-branded (i.e., photographers and designers), don’t be afraid to share more human moments to give insight into who you are.

• If you sell products, use it as an opportunity to be transparent about your products and supply chain.

• Take advantage of built-in engagement opportunities, like the polling feature.

• Tell followers to ‘DM us for a 10% off code!’ (or similar). This is a great way to build relationships and drive people to your inbox, boosting engagement figures through more DMs.

• Include the ‘Swipe up’ option if you have a business account with more than ten thousand followers.

• Include links (again, only available if you have a business account with more than ten thousand followers).

2. Speed matters

Not only does the algorithm factor in the amount of love your post gets, it also cares how quickly you get it. If a post gets a lot of engagement shortly after it’s posted, this signals that it’s quality content, so the post will be shown to even more of your followers.

ACTION #2: POST DURING PEAK TIMES
Take two minutes right now to find out when your followers are most active, then schedule your posts during this time, when you’re most likely to get engagement.

To find this out, click on the Insights graph for your business account. Scroll down to Followers and click ‘See more’. At the bottom you can see when your followers are online each day, and at what times. Easy!

 3. Lingering matters

Since Facebook bought Instagram in 2012, it’s been rolling out features that ‘work’ in Facebook-to-Instagram, and this is one of them. It’s not just about how many people view your post, it’s about how long they view it for. So how do you stop followers in their tracks?

ACTION #3: SLOW IT DOWN
There are two simple ways to do this: write longer captions, and use more videos and carousel images.

If your post has an in-depth caption, your followers are more likely to actually read it or click the ‘more’ button, which increases the time spent on your post. Try spending a few minutes to write your captions for the entire week when you’re feeling creative or in the zone, then schedule them using a tool like Later or Planoly.

One of the reasons why videos perform so well in the Instagram algorithm is because they take longer to view than an image. So post more videos. If videos aren’t part of your visual strategy, try carousels (multiple-image posts) every now and again.

4. Hashtags matter

Instagram recently rolled out the ability to follow hashtags, which means your posts could show up automatically in the feeds of potential new followers. The downside is that users also have the power to mark your hashtagged content as irrelevant, marking it ‘Don’t show for this hashtag’ and potentially raising a red flag on your account.

ACTION #4: STAY RELEVANT
As we learned from the Shadowban scare last year, posting the same block of hashtags over and over can have a negative impact. Instead, switch it up and use hashtags that are hands-down relevant to what you’re posting.

Tools like Planoly or Later allow you to save a library of hashtag blocks. Or you can use this amazing hack using the text replacement setting in your phone.

5. Your interaction matters

I’m (sadly) not the KFC colonel with the secret recipe so can’t confirm this for sure, but it’s believed that Instagram may also restrict exposure based on your engagement with your followers. I know, keeping track of Instagram comments can be hard if you have a lot of followers, but to get engagement, you’ve got to give.

ACTION #5: STAY ON TOP OF COMMENTS
Social media should be just that: social. Treat comments like a conversation and avoid comments like ‘Great pic!’ or ‘Nice feed!’ that can be seen as coming from a robot.

Instead, include a question or some sort of meaningful response. At the very least, show some love with an emoji. Try to respond to comments within the first hour if possible, as this is likely to lead to more comments and, in turn, increase your post’s visibility.

Keep your eye on the prize

When using Instagram for your business — whatever your industry — your end goal should be to get customers to buy your products or services, not to increase followers. Sure, your initial aim might be to grow brand recognition or do more collaborations, but the overall aim is to grow revenue.

At the end of the day, the harsh reality is that your follower count is a vanity metric. Focus instead on measuring engagement and making incremental improvements as you go, and you’ll be well on your way to a strong, highly engaged account.

Courtney Goes is a Melbourne-based digital marketing and brand consultant with experience across a range of industries in Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Since leaving the corporate world in 2016, she’s been on a mission to help women make smarter marketing decisions to elevate their businesses and personal brands through simple, effective strategies. Working mostly with creatives, freelancers, and female-owned startups and small businesses, she provides clarity, structure and accountability to get real, tangible results. She has also launched Marketing Emporium, a resource hub designed to provide simple and straightforward marketing advice. Contact her at courtneygoes.com

Interview: Jett Street, Top End photographer

Coming from a creative family, and being surrounded by artists most of her life, Jett Street was destined to follow a creative path. Her career in the arts and community industry has meant she has worked with designers, models and musicians in a range of guises.

These days the Darwin-based photographer takes images of her clients through her wedding and family photography work, and shares everyday adventures through her Instagram page Little Karama Gangsters.

Living in a generous artistic town like Darwin has meant Jett has regular contact and collaboration with like-minded creatives. As she puts it, "In Darwin, you don't have to reach out to anyone - you have to try not to bump into them when you are ducking into the shop to buy milk."

You started exploring photography a few years ago - what drew you to it?

After my first daughter was born, I wanted better quality photos than I could get on my iPhone. So I piled all my birthday money together - along with a generous top up from my husband - and bought an Olympus mirrorless camera.

I didn't realise what I was getting myself into. I have categorically lost more sleep to photography than having two children.

In my early years, I played the clarinet, saxophone and drums. After uni I completed a degree in animation and in fine form. While at uni I procrastinated with jewellery making and silversmithing, along with some bad acrylic paintings which are sadly still hanging in our house.

I come from a really creative family. I was always the straighty-180 growing up, but I couldn't fight my genetic lineage forever. My mum had three kids, drove a white BMW and was a photographer. I am basically tracing her footsteps. 

What do you love about taking photos?

My focus is to try to capture all the detail and magic to trigger and preserve those memories and in doing so document the story of our life or those parts of other people’s lives that I’m invited into.

Photography has enriched my life in so many ways: through the interest and observation in our story, of people, light and environment, and to experience and capture new adventures. It is a passion I can pursue whilst being present with my children, and it adds a layer of intent to my days. The photos of our life are the icing on the cake of a pretty fascinating craft. The more you learn, the more you realise you know nothing.

The word “photography” comes from the Greek words “phos” meaning “light” and “graphe” which means “to write.” Photography is the art of writing or drawing with light. I have spent a lot of time observing and studying light, which is a large influence for my work and also a part of my every day. It’s an enchanting thing to notice and one which I would have otherwise ignored. I love light, and sometimes that is all I care about in a photo. But the other 70% of the time, I am also intrigued with capturing the character and the story.

Can you describe your style of taking photos?

I love to capture the antics and character that define our daily life. I adore well-crafted images of ordinary things like eating cereal, brushing teeth, making cubbies and climbing stairs. I usually make mental notes of things the kids are doing, or how they are doing it, which speak to their character. And when possible, I try to catch this on camera. 

I am starting to notice that it’s the challenges and rewards of photography that have me hook, line and sinker. It’s like gambling, but without the imminent bankruptcy.

For the record, I have burnt the porridge while waiting patiently for a moment to happen in that magical morning light. Many of my images come with their fair share of sacrifice.

How does where you live influence your work?

I grew up in Darwin and Karama was the suburb that the KGB came from (the Karama Ghetto Boys that is). So it endearingly became 'the bad part of town.' I reflect some of that gangster-ness in my stories and images.

Some of my first favourite images were taken in the swamp over the road, which I joked was our local park. Because I spend time in the neighbourhood with my kids, we stumble across some great graffiti, behaviour and characters. Living here has given me a creative license and lens through which to view the general rough and tumble of my two girls.

How do you work with your clients to tell an authentic story through photography?

This is something that I am still working on. Many of my first wedding bookings were from people who "didn't want wedding photos."

I developed an approach which is 90% documentary and 10% posed. You need some classic shots in there too, but this doesn't have to come with a side of cheese. I love weddings because there is so much activity, love and magic.

I also do in-home documentary for families and newborns. I encourage families to leave all their daily rituals until I arrive. This way, they are usually so busy doing, and not faking it, that they relax and I get some amazing moments.

You tell stories of your family through words and images. Why is this creative act important to you and how does it complement your professional photography work?

This is one of my favourite rituals and it’s a barometer for how busy and happy I am. If I can pull together some thoughts at the end of the day to share a story and a favourite photo, it means I have some mental space to do that, and it also reflects a presence I have shared with the kids through time and observation.

I started out doing this to share anecdotes with family and friends.  It has become a really valued network with other "mamarazzi" from around the world, many who have played a role in my development as a photographer. I love to record all the details and parts of life that are so fleeting. It is basically, my diary, and a future gallery and love letter to my kids, to reflect our life and what I loved and noticed about them. They will never know me as a 33 year old mum when they are older, but hopefully when they read all those tangents, they will get a feel for my character as a Mum of young kids and how much I loved and adored our life.

I feel like I need to post regularly to keep some of my family and friends up to date on what the girls are doing. I also pledged to put my favourite posts into a book at the end of each year, but I still have to do 2016 and 2017. So the public accountability is a good thing.

You’ve recently branched out into sharing your knowledge through workshops – how important is creating connections with other creative people in your community, and how do you reach out to other creatives?

The reason I get so many good photos of my own kids is because I am living the same life, in all the nooks and crannies and for the best light of the day in any room or place we visit. If I teach other people to use their camera, observe light and develop a style of storytelling, then they can too. There is no one better positioned to document your days than you. You know the people, their character and the story and you have a unique perspective on it all.

Photography has helped me to focus on the beauty in our everyday life. Sometimes as a mother at home with kids (before I was working part time) being able to see and capture the humour in the chaos and mess was an absolute saviour. Even if you don't have kids, it injects a creative and interesting perspective into your daily ritual or travels. I hope that others can fall in love with it too.

I am fortunate to have been a part of the arts sector I was very young. I was able to hit up local artists to make animations with their images, use musicians work for soundtracks and collaborate with designers, models and other innovators.

In Darwin, you don't have to reach out to anyone, you have to try not to bump into them when you are ducking into the shop quickly for milk.

I have made some amazing friendships with local photographers who provide a reciprocated love of the craft, are collaborative with skills and ideas, and give my husband’s eardrums a break.

Could you share some other creative women who you are being inspired by at the moment?

My mother Linda Joy is an incredible NT landscape artist. If I keep tracing her footsteps, maybe I will become one in 20 more years.

My sister Matilda Algeria is a brilliant fashion designer. My other amazing sister Imogen is killing it in the recruitment and technology industry, while bringing Make-a-Wish dreams to life in her spare time.

In the NT, Yo Bell, Jess Ong and the rest of the team are doing some incredible work with Spun, their storytelling nights. They are bringing all the best characters and stories to life through their events and podcast. Amazing listening.

In the photography world my top five would be:

• Helen Whittle from NSW, for her beautiful portraits.

• Niki Boon from NZ for the most incredible documentary photographs of her life.

• Twyla Jones for her emotional storytelling.

• Meg Loeks from the USA for her incredible style of classic and magic, environmental portraits of her children.

• Elizabeth Wood from the UK for her storytelling, self-portraits, and general feeling.

Kate Shannon is a freelance writer based in Brisbane after many years living in Darwin. She spends much of her time in the garden with her two little girls, and loves writing and learning about creative people, flowers, and plants.

Photography: Jett Street

My Advice: Growth tips for Instagram

By Andrea McArthur

Three prolific Instagrammers share their tried and tested tips for growing your brand on Instagram…

---

Petrina Turner, Designer. Stylist. Maker. Dreamer. Do-er. Petrina Turner Design www.petrinaturnerdesign.com.au // Instagram @petrinaturnerdesign // Followers 21.7k

I don’t think it’s any secret amongst those who know me that I love Instagram. As a designer, stylist and maker I am definitely a visual person and Instagram is the perfect medium for me to use as a visual diary to capture inspiration and beauty on a daily basis. And if you really look there is beauty everywhere.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone wanting to grow their network on Instagram is to be authentic. I post about the things that speak to me, and share the things I love. I never really set out to build a profile on Instagram, I just wanted to capture the beauty and my following happened quite organically. As a small business owner I found it a place of incredible inspiration, a place where at any time of the day or night I was connecting with like minds and creative souls. And my tribe grew… and grew… and grew.

I don’t really use it as a marketing tool by design. I think that by sharing what I see, and how I see it, it gives people an insight into how I work and my style. I really love my work as a designer so of course I am often sharing my work, or snippets of it. So I guess in that sense my Instagram account is an extension of my portfolio. I think what I’m really doing is taking people on my journey with me, and that resonates.

And I like the interaction with people that Instagram gives me. More than the number of followers what has really been the greatest gift from Instagram are the genuine connections I have made through it. It has led to inspiration, collaboration, PR and most importantly wonderful friendships. I try as much as possible to respond to the comments left on my images. With the amount I sometimes get I don’t always manage to respond to every single one, but I can assure you that I read and appreciate them all.

So find your true voice and share it. People will listen if it comes from your heart.

---

Jessica Viscarde, Creative Director Eclectic Creative www.eclecticcreative.com.au // Instagram @jess_eclecticcreative// Followers 17.7k

Tell your story I have always treated instagram as a visual diary and a story-telling tool that has documented my own work and a means of engaging with other likeminded individuals. I really believe that there is a market out there for absolutely anything and everything; you just need to find your people. And you find your people by simply just being yourself. Instagram is a powerful platform for reflecting your style, establishing your unique identity and showing off your creative flair. Everyone has a story that needs to be shared as we all have something to offer and can all learn something from it, so make sure you tell your own story through your visuals.

I started my own hashtag #pocketofmyhome long before anyone was really using them as a means of creating communities or connecting with others. I wanted a place where people could go and celebrate their own homes, not just the ones found in glossy magazines. I wanted to celebrate real homes with personality and create a little space for everyone to go and share their home pictures. Without much promotion at all or having to annoy people with too many competition spam, #pocketofmyhome now boasts close to 25K images from users all over the world! I love hearing that people have connected and become friends through the tag – what a fabulous community!

Be consistent Consistency is the magical, glittery goodness that in my opinion binds everything together and creates a visually stimulating and effective instagram. Consistency can come from using a similar theme/filter or colour way through your imagery, only sharing images from a particular genre (such as travel, interiors, food etc) or working out a mixture of everything but delivered in a consistent way, maybe posting time or your written style.

Consistency gives your followers a feeling of familiarity and builds trust and assures them the style of imagery they will see when they scroll down to your feed. My imagery is all mine, created by myself and our contributors and includes behind the scenes shots, images of my own home and even features my little rescue cat, Peg… as I want to tell my story and part of that is I love cats!

Quality + crediting Instagram is visual so make sure your images are of excellent quality so people actually want to see them and like them. This means no pixelation or blurred images, no selfies in the bathroom or toilet and if you are using apps to edit or reframe your images, pay the extra couple of bucks to have their ads or text removed! I also prefer to share my own work so my followers can get an authentic sense of the work I can create and deliver and who I see whom I collaborate with… In the rare occasion I regram an image, I make sure I credit where credit is due. Make sure you mention the account, not just tag them in (as so many people don’t see the tags) and ensure the credit/mention is in the first line of your message. And don’t forget to credit the photographers, they always get missed out. Just do the right thing and share the love… correctly!

Engage with your followers Lastly, engage with your followers, talk to them, and get to know them, let them get to know you. You’d be surprised whom you meet on instagram and can connect with. I have an amazing amount of support and have spoken with so many gorgeous people all just doing their own thing. Many of my collaborations have come from connections made on instagram so talk to people; you never know where it may lead.

---

Madeleine Dore, Founder and editor of Extraordinary Routines www.extraordinaryroutines.com // Instagram @extraordinary_routines // Followers 6,953

The nature of my interview project Extraordinary Routines has allowed my Instagram network to grow quite quickly. While a complete bonus, it’s helped to have interviewees with large followings share snippets of the interview and praise the project on their profile.

That said, people are discerning and won’t necessarily follow you on Instagram simply because someone has shared your work. You need to capture their attention when they click through to your profile – make it is as easy as possible for them to identify what you are about, and determine if your aesthetic is for them. From the beginning, I tried to keep the overall look of my feed consistent, quirky, and colourful. My profile description and icon clearly communicate my focus on creative’s routines, a topic that seems to create intrigue. Some Instagrammers who do this well include @oakandink, @chiliphilly and @socalitybarbie.

For me, the offline network I have grown through Instagram has been more fulfilling than seeing the number of followers grow. I was recently out to dinner and I looked at the friendly faces at the table and realised I had met them all through Instagram. I’ve made some beautiful friendships, and it’s as simple as telling people you admire their work, and once you have built some rapport, suggest coffee or brunch. I’ve even nabbed some dates that way! But romance aside, my favourite social media tip is to be social!

– – –

Thank you ladies for providing your tried and tested tips for growing your brand on Instagram. Title image by Eclectic Creative (@jess_eclecticcreative) from Instagram.

Andrea McArthur (www.andyjane.com) has a passion for all things visual and works as an Art Director and Freelance Designer based in Brisbane. Design is her true love and she goes weak at the knees over strategic branding. You’ll find her sharing on Instagram @andyjanemc.