Know your Instagram essentials.
Courtesy of Georgia de Lotz
To start your success plan for Instagram, consider the essential elements you will need to project your best brand image. What’s needed is an inviting profile photo, a short personal biography statement, a username that exemplifies your personality, and a shared internet link.
Your profile photo needs to attract attention.
Your profile photo is the visual anchor for your profile. It has the most power in attracting attention. Research tells us that when consumers view your profile, you have two seconds to make a brand impression. Make your profile photo colorful. Make Instagram users stop and take notice!
The biography statement should frame your most interesting and relevant facts.
You have 150 characters to craft your best possible biography statement. The first words count most, as they are positioned as the first line in your profile and are set in bold black type. A popular new format is to set the characters in separate lines, adding emojis and national flags to frame your nationality. List your credentials; this can be related to your organization or personal interests. Build your bio to emotionally engage with, and create empathy from, your audience. The social media experts at Hootsuite offer several great ideas for optimizing your Instagram bio.
Make a username memorable.
If you’d like help choosing your username, you might consider using an
Instagram name generator to pick an exciting title. Your username has a 30-symbol limit and can be assembled using letters, numbers, periods and underscores. Make your username memorable; it matters.
Feature an internet link that sells you and your organization.
Each personal Instagram account allows you to share one web link of your choice. Direct interested users to a location where they can find pertinent information about you and the passion you have for your organization. Many times, this can be your profile page on Facebook. Why Facebook? Remember that Facebook owns Instagram: It’s easy to make one connect to the other for a shared user experience.
Your Instagram profile is now complete and waiting for action! Are you ready to start promoting your brand, increasing traffic and attracting followers? In the next blog post, I’ll give you several tips from the pros on best strategies for creating content and targeting preferred influencers.
Thomas S. Mueller is an associate professor of advertising in the Communication Department at Appalachian State University. He is a lead instructor in the department’s internet-mediated online degree program. Dr. Mueller facilitates seminars on marketing and communication for Mandela Washington Fellows who participate in Appalachian State’s summer experience program. He has developed several tips on building your personal brand on the social media platform Instagram, with potential to become an “influencer” who generates money from business partners. While his tips will not ensure easy money for your project, they may help you take the next step toward funding. You can view Dr. Mueller’s 2018 Mandela Washington Fellows presentation, “Making Money with Instagram,” on YouTube.
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The views and opinions expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Youth Cafe.