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How To Optimize Your Instagram: A List Of 10 Do’s And Don’ts

IFB » Social Media » How To Optimize Your Instagram: A List Of 10 Do’s And Don’ts

Yesterday, Mashable created a guide to choosing the best Instagram filter for your photos. To follow up, we've taken it one step further: the fashion blogger Do's and Don'ts to Instagram. Check out our tips below, and feel free to share your tips in the comments.

The Do's and Don'ts of Instagram

1. Do create a distinct style for your social media voice and blog by using similar techniques frequently, but don't be boring.

[via @cynjii]

2. Do pay attention to the details, it's a great way to make an interesting photograph in a bland situation.

[via @thecoveted]

3. Do try for creativity, but don't over do it. Go ahead and add hearts or sun flares to a photo, but you probably don't need it on every single one. Keep things fresh.

4. Do reveal “behind the scenes” of your day to day. That's the beauty of social media, you don't need a camera crew to show your followers what you are up to.

[via @theglamourai]

5. Do use Instagram to promote posts, but don't only promote posts. People are following your account to see more than just what they can find on your blog, give 'em something to talk about!

[via @garancedore]

6. Don't over saturate your feed, but do plan and spread out your uploads. You may lose followers if you “binge upload” and clutter your readers' feeds, so save up some of those gem photos for a slower day.

7. Do participate in commonly used hashtags, like #throwbackthursday, so users who may not be familiar with your blog can find you while trolling.

[via @manrepeller]

8. Do use it to brand yourself. Do you want to show personal moments in your private life? Or keep your account more professional? Perhaps that photo of you doing tequila shots isn't the image you want to portray…or maybe it is.

9. Do think about composition. Even a seemingly average photo can be enhanced if you give it a different perspective.

[via @pieraluisa]

10. DO follow us @heartifb to see what's going on in the fashion blogging community!

11. Do not buy followers! If you do, you might need to figure out how to get rid of fake followers later.

13 Responses

Kholá July 20, 2012

I think the ‘don’t be boring’ tip is most helpful. I’m so drawn to photos that make me scroll back because I can’t get it out of my head.

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Wil Harris July 20, 2012

These a some really great and helpful tips! We just got an Instagram account a few days ago. We haven’t posted it on our blog yet but when we do, we’ll definitely keep all of these in mind. We agree about the details, they can really make a picture stand out and look nice. Your eyes are drawn all over.

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Jade July 21, 2012

I can’t stand it when people post so many photo’s at the same time! I usually can’t even be bothered looking at the picture properly and just scroll straight past to the next person’s pic. That means the person who has just done that has missed out on me seeing and liking/commenting on that image!

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Hanna Marie July 21, 2012

I would love to see more don’ts http://www.hannamarielei.com/

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Carolyn Waweru July 21, 2012

As a new instagram user this article has some great pointers some of which I hadn’t considered, thank you for sharing!

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Diana July 21, 2012

I love your tips, They’re always so helpful!!

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FromLAtoNYC July 22, 2012

Great advice!!!!!

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LutzkyLi July 22, 2012

Great tips! 😀 Ifb is always very inspiring

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Steve Haslam July 29, 2012

Nice list here! Behind the scene photos are really great to attract attention from the followers. Thanks for the information again 🙂

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Sasha July 30, 2012

Don’t overuse hashtags! One or two is enough, an entire paragraph worth is overkill and if you have to comment to add more then you’re definitely using too many!

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Elle October 17, 2012

can we geta don’t post daily pictures of yourself saying Good Morning with a dead look in your eyes…and a good night picture. It’s really wierd, and nobody wants to see you looking off in the bathroom mirror twice a day…

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Tali October 17, 2012

” so users who may not be familiar with your blog can find you while trolling” trolling? like in..?)))

Creativity, but not too much, but still fresh.. we heard it everywhere, from “how to build a better blog” to this article.
but there’s a huge BUT.
NOONE will follow your instagram, or blog or whatever if they don’t know you exist. However creative or even genius you are. Remember, some of best painters died starving for food and didn’t live to see their works sell for millions of $.
So I say – socialize! follow! comment! make your name known and remembered.
If people won’t be interested – they wont follow (back).
If they will be – good for you! If you didn’t tell them you exist, you’d never had these followers.

Good luck to everyone,
Tali

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Anastasia July 11, 2014

It’s all about perspective!

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