Looking for a listicle to show you the way to get Instagram famous in 10 simple steps? You will not find that here.
While the life of an Instagram influencer might look simple, there is a lot more to it than latte art and filtered sunsets.
And if there is one thing to learn from the burning trash fire that was Fyre Fest, Caroline Calloway’s ghostwriter takedown, or even Millie Bobby Brown’s skincare tutorial snafu, it’s that the social currency of faking-it-until-you-make-it is just about spent.
In other words, social scams, fake followers, Instagram pods, and other hacks are not going to fly—particularly with recent changes to Instagram’s algorithm. Instead, think real talk, representation, relatability, transparency, and good old-fashioned dedication.
So what does this mean in terms of attaining Instagram fame for you or your business? We analyzed methods and rounded up advice from several top Instagram influencers to give you 17 professional ideas.
How to get Instagram famous
No shortcuts here. Follow these tips from influencers to learn the way to get Instagram famous the authentic method.
1. Use a personal profile photo rather than a logo
Your profile picture is what Instagram members see before clicking on your story, interacting with your posts, or visiting your profile. With such high visibility, influencer LaShawn Wiltz recommends showing your greatest face forward.
“Instagram is a personal platform,” says Wiltz on her blog. “People come on Instagram not to be sold to by a corporation, however, to be entertained. They wish to know the YOU behind your account. Give them a person, not a logo. Personalize your brand.”
Almost everybody who’s Instagram famous uses an image of their face as their profile photo.
2. Keep in mind who your followers want to see (hint: it’s you)
Carry that profile image tip over to your grid as well.
People might follow influencers for their perspective, photography skills, parenting advice, travel hacks, and more. However ultimately, people need to see you.
Just ask influencer and entrepreneur Jenna Kutcher: “I noticed anytime I shared an image with me in it, it did 3 times better than anything else,” she mentions on her podcast Goal Digger.
Kutcher isn’t alone in that finding. A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Yahoo Labs finds that images with faces in them are 38% more likely to get likes on Instagram.
3. Keep your bio fresh
It’s simple to forget about your profile bio after writing it, however, that will be a mistake says LaShawn Wiltz.
On her blog, Wiltz shares: “Your bio is the first thing people see. Your bio needs to give [people] a clear concise idea of what your account is about.”
Tell new visitors who you’re, what you do, and what you love to share. Add color and save space with evocative emoji. Wiltz suggests including keywords, however, to be sure to “weave these keywords naturally into your bio.”
Working on a new project? Drop the link in your bio.
When you are a travel influencer, tell people what country you are traveling in at present. Doing this tells prospective fans what type of content they could expect from you, and keeps current followers informed on your newest updates.
4. Find your niche
In terms of the content you share on Instagram: Do you. Why? No one could.
“Find what you are most passionate about sharing,” says Laura Izumikawa who chronicles motherhood on her account @lauraiz.
“Use your passion or what you are gifted in and document it with images and videos.”
Define and share what matters to you, whether it is a penchant for potato chips, professional financial advice, or advocacy for topics such as body positivity or climate change.
Staying true to you is not just a matter of differentiation—it provides you stamina as well, says @parisinfourmonth’s Carin Olsson in an Instagram Story: “I think it’s really important to do something that you’re passionate about because I think it’ll always be hard to work and keep motivated if you’re not passionate about what you do.”
5. Define your ideal audience
Who’re you hoping to connect with on Instagram?
When you have found your niche, it’s vital to reflect on who you think would be excited about it, says Jenna Kutcher on her blog.
Kutcher describes her ideal as likely a lady in her mid-20s or 30s with a big heart, big dreams, and willingness to bet on herself. Her followers are women who might relate to her experiences with infertility or body insecurity or find motivation from her business expertise.
Like Kutcher, you do not have to limit yourself to one attribute or schtick. Share as many experiences, hobbies, or topics as you want. However, keep in mind some fans might connect with some aspects more than others, so aim to provide balance.
“Whatever facet [my followers are] there for, I want to make sure that I am reaching [them],” explains Kutcher. “To ensure that I’m doing this, I want to make sure that I’m hitting my big topics frequently.”
6. Be open and transparent
If you wish to make real connections on Instagram, you could not be fake. “The most vital thing is vulnerability and honesty,” mentions Laura Izumikawa. “People are on social media to connect—or at least—relate to others. Being open and transparent will go a long way to help you to join with your fans.”
One meaningful connection is worth a lot more than 100 fake fans—literally. Devoted followers will stick with you over time, belief your brand partnerships, and are more likely to frequently engage with you.
7. Invite engagement with calls to action
While follower counts matter, engagement rates are the real currency of the influencer community. And when you are looking to increase engagement, sometimes all you must do is ask.
“Lots of the time we aren’t even inviting engagement,” says Jenna Kutcher on her podcast Goal Digger, “and when you take a look at your own user habits, you are likely just scrolling.”
Kutcher recommends that before posting, reflect on the action you ưould like somebody to take once they see your post.
Need more likes? Ask followers to double-tap if they share a certain conviction. Looking for comments? Try asking a query. Need followers to click on the link in your profile? Tell them why they should.
8. Return the engagement
Whether or not you are willing to ask for engagement, be prepared to return it. After sharing a post, stick around to reply to comments.
“When people see that I’m online and commenting back on comments, they’re far more likely to engage with my post,” says Kutcher.
No good relationship is strictly one-sided. Like and comment on your friends’ and followers’ posts, too. The more you connect with people on Instagram, the more reciprocity you could expect. Plus, the more authentic the relationship, the more likely it’s to be favored by the Instagram algorithm.
9. Find good sources of inspiration
The most difficult part of get Instagram famous? Making enough content to meet the demands of a 24/7 audience.
To keep the creative juices flowing, influencers such as Montreal-based graphic designer Audrey Rivet turn to several sources of inspiration.
“I try to find an influence on Instagram, fashion/lifestyle blogs, Pinterest, Behance, and magazines,” says Rivet on her blog.
Menswear influencer Diego Gonzalez-Zuniga, aka @diegodowntown, also cites Pinterest as a source of inspiration.
Rivet does not shy away from sharing the love either. If there are influencers who inspire her on Instagram, she will usually share their posts in her stories. Equal parts savvy and sincere, when reciprocated, the gesture has the potential to extend her exposure with a similar audience.