Everyone can now be a blogger or start their blog with Instagram. Yes, with Instagram, you can become a blogger and make it big. IG is a visual microblogging platform and everyone who has social media knowledge can become a blogger on Instagram.
How to be a Blogger on Instagram
- Find your niche and niche down
There are numerous niches out there but the big question is, ‘What is your niche?’ in blogging, a niche is a specific you will create for a specific target audience or readership. It is a specific area within a broad area. It can be said to be a specialized topic area that focuses on specific people. Blogging niche allows blogs to narrow down their audience by dishing out content relevant to them. Sometimes the niche is crowded hence the need for niching down.
The Benefit of Niching Down
Niching down is the art of narrowing your niche to a specific audience, usually a smaller group. For instance, if your niche is fitness there is a tendency that you won’t be noticed due to the number of fitness instructors in the market.
Therefore, a fitness instructor will have to focus on a smaller audience or market in fitness and take off from there. Perhaps you can focus on pregnant women, post-partum women, general body fitness or those that have suffered from an illness and need to get better.
It is important to choose a niche so that your audience will know what to expect from you each time you post content.
Niching down will help you to study the market to know them better; you will know their income level, how they spend their time when you can communicate with them and the right channel to use.
You will be able to understand their problem and pains clearly and how well to position your product in solving their problems.
Your marketing effort becomes focused. You will meet their needs to enable them to respond better. Nevertheless, when you target a large audience, you will end up wasting your time and resources.
Types of Niches
Travel
The travel niche is an exciting niche for both bloggers and their followers; travel bloggers share advice on how people can travel, places to visit, resort or hotels to stay and what to do when you travel. It is one of the most profitable blogs.
As a travel blogger, you can monetize your blog by sponsoring ads. Partnering with big brands, such as hotels, restaurants and resorts they visit.
Food
Food lovers always love a food blog. The food blog niche contains all sorts of recipes for delicious dishes and drinks and how you can recreate them at home.
Instagram food bloggers can monetize their blogs through brand partnerships or by writing cookbooks.
DIY
The Do It Yourself niche contains blogs that teach people how to make arts and crafts. This blog inspires people with ideas on what to create.
Fitness
When we talk of blogs that help people be fit and live healthy life, think about the fitness niche. Fitness instructors help people get their bodies back by sharing exercises or workout routines daily.
Pets
The pet niche blogs for pet lovers are created by pet lovers. Pet Instagram bloggers share tips on how to train pets, where to get pets or pets food and advice on how to adopt a pet.
Parenting
The parenting niche is a fascinating blog for parents and parents-to-be. It educates one on the confused and beautiful journey of raising a child.
Photography
Photo lovers are attracted to photography blogs. The photography niche is a blog related to the art/science of taking beautiful pictures with your cameras, including editing.
2. Open an Instagram Account
The second step to starting an Instagram blog is to open your Instagram account. You have chosen your preferred blog niche; the next step is to open an Instagram account. If you have not already done so, hurry to the Play Store and download the Instagram app. Creating an Instagram account is free and easy. In minutes, you’ll be done before you know it.
Steps-by-steps Process to Open an Instagram Account
- Download the Instagram app from Google’s Play store or Apple store.• Once installed, tap the Instagram icon to open it.
- Sign up with your email address or phone number if you’re on an Android. However, if you are using an iPhone, you should select Create an Account and then enter your phone number. You’ll get a text with a verification code to enter.
- You’ll then receive a prompt to create a username and password.
Now that you have created a new account, you can switch to a creators account.
The benefit of Switching to a Creators Account
Switching to a creators account gives you access to many features. First, you will be able to monitor your follower growth through insights. This feature will enable you to see how your followers are interacting with your content and what you can do to adjust.
You will also be able to filter the messages that come to your dm through stream-lined messaging which is DM-filtering option, have control over your profile; over what your followers see and If you sell products or give recommendations, a creator account allows you to create shoppable posts and tag products.
Understanding your follower growth and activity is a priority for influencers and creators.
3. Create an Attractive Bio
A well-structured, written bio is critical to the success of a blog on Instagram. All Instagram bloggers know this fact as it has the potential to attract users and growth, build a brand and thereby take your blog to the next level.
So, the next thing is creating a bio that immediately captures the attention of any user that stumbles on your page.
But what then is an Instagram bio?
An Instagram bio is a little snippet of about 150 characters immediately below your profile picture. An Instagram profile as you know is where users view your profile, photo, and all of the posts you’ve created. It shows your number of followers and following and it’s also where users go to follow you.
The Instagram bio area is the most important part of your page after niching down. The bio area is an opportunity to show everyone who you are, what you stand for, and what they can benefit from following you using short words. It is the first impression a user gets about your blog when he lands on your blog through say a hashtag, location or otherwise.
Do not treat your bio with levity; spend your time creating and recreating it until it is something you are satisfied with. Make sure to create a bio that will attract you.
Instagram allows creators to include information like their contact information: email address or phone number—particularly if they are a business or if want someone to get in touch about collaboration opportunities. Yet others include their locations, hashtags or websites, including their interests and hobbies.
The screenshot above is an example of an Instagram bio. With a bio like this, users are clear about what to expect from this blogger.
4. Take/Source for Attractive Photos
For Instagram, the photos you post matter more than the captions. This is because Instagram is a visual platform, thus, images matter a lot. Images you share can have a huge impact on your followers. If you invest in quality images, for example, users can be drawn to your page.
Another important thing quality images do is branding. Many Instagram bloggers apply filters to their images before posting. These filters improve the quality of images. Instagram also supplies some of these filters; however, you can always outsource quality presets for your images. One preset that I recommend is Preset by Kelsey.
And if you cannot take attractive photos, you can always source for them. There are numerous sources where you can get free HD photos. Some of my favourites are:
Unsplash
Pexels
Pixabay
Freepik
FreeImages
5. Design your Feed
If your vision as an Instagram blogger is to build a network of people that will trust your judgement while you treat them with content that will satisfy their desire, then you need to think about the format of your feed.
I know I said that a well-structured and written bio is critical to the success of your Instagram blog; however, a designed feed is also critical to the success of your blog.
The format of your feed has the power to compel users to follow you. They are immediately struck with something that they feel is a part of them.
Think about the times you have bumped into someone’s feed and feel instant envy because of how beautiful their Instagram feed looks. Sometimes we spend hours scrolling and scrolling because we feel connected in some way.
An Instagram feed says a lot about the page or blog- for example, content creation, value and what followers can benefit from your blog. Do not underestimate the power of an Instagram feed. Create a feed with an intention- to draw followers. The Instagram feed allows users to share photos and videos, connect with people and explore topics close to their hearts. As a blogger, the feed is where you can visually tell your brand story, showcase products and make money and inspire people to connect with you.
Instagram Feed Design Ideas
There are numerous feed designs or grid ideas out there you can use to spice up your feed.
- Colour Block Instagram Feed Theme
Take or source for photos with bright bold colours and fill your entire feed with them. It’s catchy and calm.
- Minimalist Instagram Feed Theme
They say, less is more. If you believe in this, then you should consider this theme as it leaves your feed looking neat and organized.
- Black and White Instagram Feed Theme
The black-and-white theme is easy to produce. Bloggers on Instagram with the photography niche prefer this theme as it highlights the rawness of their overall theme.
- White Borders Instagram Feed Theme
The white borderline is very popular on Instagram and is one of my favourite Instagram feeds right now. Many bloggers on Instagram consider this theme because it’s classy and makes your post stand out.
You can use apps like Picsart to create this border on your images. I use the white border theme for my personal Instagram page.
- Black Borders Instagram Feed Theme
Another fav theme of mine is the black border theme. I love it because it makes your gallery look like the pages of a magazine.
- Vertical Lines Instagram Feed Theme
One of my favourite themes on Instagram after the white border. The trick is to post content that is aligned with your brand theme. Some chose to use the quote to form the vertical lines while they use the middle feed to stand out. Others prefer the first feed, yet a few the third.
Whichever side you chose to use, make sure to stick with one colour. The colour also helps your feed stand out.
- Horizontal Lines Instagram Feed Theme
The idea for the horizontal lines theme is to post three consecutive photos with the same subject or mood while ensuring that these have the same colour or filter.
- The Checkerboard Instagram Feed Theme
Think of how chic the design of your chess is and think of the checkerboard feed. This is one of the common themes on Instagram. This theme design can be achieved by using quotes, 2 colours, 2 photo ideas, contrast and even people-mixed background.
- Across the Grid Instagram Feed Theme
This theme requires a whole lot of editing skills. However, there are some apps you can use to create this if you decide you prefer across the gride feed theme.
- Mixed White Border Instagram Feed Theme
Take and upload photos using the same filter either in square or rectangular format. Mix it up to achieve a unique blend of white spaces.
- Puzzle Instagram Feed Theme
The puzzle feed is about filling between 6-12 tiles on your feed with tiny splits of the same photo. Slicing your images in an organized manner can be beautiful to look at. There are apps which are created to do the slicing for you. You can make research on this if you are considering this idea for your Instagram blog.
6. Write your First Blog Post
Having thought carefully about which theme idea you would love to use on your feed, you can now write your first Instagram blog post also known as a caption.
Because Instagram is often considered a microblog, it only allows 2,200 characters. However, you can still express yourself or pass a message to your users using just a few words.
The most important lines in your captions are the first line and then your call-to-action line.
The first line should grab a reader’s attention. It should be a short line so they can read it without having to click “more” to view the rest of your caption. You can do this by sharing an offer, giving an intriguing statement or prompting an emotional response.
Your last line is also important. It should give a call to action (CTA). The CTA can be as simple as asking your followers to engage with you in the comment section or to check out the link in your bio for more information. A popular CTA is to tell users to hit the follow button.
Another important point to consider when writing your blog post as an Instagram blogger is to break your texts into smaller bits. Breaking up your write-ups makes them easier to read.
7. Be Consistent
If you want to succeed as an Instagram blogger, you must be consistent. Posting regularly gives your followers a sense of trust in you. They always look forward to your posts and trust your judgement.
8. Share Blogging Tips
You can share vital blogging tips and other newsworthy items with your followers. This could be how to blog the right way, blogging mistakes to avoid, tricks to gain readership/views and how to conduct keyword research. You can incorporate your personal story into this. Let your followers go through the journey with you. You should also include the latest industry news.
9. Interact with your followers
Many experts recommend interaction with your followers as a tool to retain and grow your followers. Your followers want to connect with you and be part of your blogging journey; allow them. Treat them like friends. They want to feel that they know you; as an Instagram blogger, you should engage with them. Show them your personality and naturally engage with them.
Ask them questions from time to time, and answer your audience’s questions. Answering questions makes you appear like an expert before your audience. This calls for proper research. Additionally, engage your followers by going Live on IG.
10. Acknowledge your followers
As humans, we want to be acknowledged for what we do. Without your followers, there will be no readers. Give shout-outs to existing followers, especially those who always engage with your content through likes or comments; thank them for their constant support. And if you are financially buoyant, you can reward them with giveaways. Giveaway is recognized as the most effective way to attract potential followers. Do regular giveaways if you can afford them. This little appreciation can have a big impact on productivity.
11. Collaborate with other Bloggers on Instagram
Collaboration can go a long way in the blogging industry. Experts claim that industry collaboration can help upcoming Instagram bloggers be discovered quickly when they collaborate with bloggers already in the business. You can start by contacting other bloggers in your niche and building a rapport. Show them support, share their content, mention them in your posts and network with them to gain visibility.
Remember that you are just starting. Not everyone will want to collaborate with you. They might not respond to your messages. Send as many messages as you can because you may receive no response at first. Don’t let that deter you; someone will show interest in you.
12. Use the best hashtags in your niche for visibility
Always ensure that you use relevant hashtags in your niche for every post you publish on your social media handles. Pick the most popular hashtags in your niche to increase the visibility of your post. You never know when you might entice other Instagrammers who follow such hashtags to follow you.
Apart from using popular hashtags in your niche, you can create your branded hashtags for more awareness. You will be doing your brand a lot of good if you do. this is the most important thing you can do for your brand. Branded hashtags contain the name of your brand. As a fitness influencer, branded hashtags help increase your presence on social media.
13. Host contests and do giveaways
Host contests to gain followers and increase your visibility. You can advertise that you will teach your followers a particular aspect of blogging. Something of value. After the training, you can ask them to do a challenge, and post videos of themselves doing the challenge. They should tag you and use your branded hashtags. Encourage them by doing giveaways if you can afford them. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. You could award the post with the highest engagements with a price.
This method will help you influence your followers. They will help you grow your page. This could be your influencing power.
14. Geotag your location
Utilize the geolocation tag. Simply add a location tag to a photo to tell others where it is taken. Influence other people in your locality by geotagging your location. Research shows that Instagram posts with geolocation tagging receive 79% more engagement than those without geotags.
Geotagging can help you to boost discoverability. You can read more on how geolocation tags can help you build trust and grow your followers.
How to Monetize your Instagram Blog
Reach out to Brands for Sponsorship
This is the part you have been waiting for. Striking a deal with top brands is the overall goal. If you have an encouraging number of followers with a high engagement rate, you can approach brands with which you would like to partner. What is the whole essence of blogging on Instagram or anywhere else if you cannot make money from it?
Even top bloggers still reach out for paid sponsorship and advertisement.
You can start by making a list of all your favourite brands in your niche. Follow them and engage in their posts. Buy and use their products and create content around them. Then tag them in each post. When you do this, there is a high chance that the more engagement and content you post, the more likely you’ll get recognized by the social media manager of that brand or perhaps another brand.
Affiliate Marketing
Sign up for affiliate marketing programs to start earning each time a follower buys a product you recommend. Affiliate marketing programs help creators monetize their content by earning a commission for successfully referring products to their readers.
Create Courses
Another way you can monetize your Instagram blog or make money as an Instagram blogger is by creating courses around blogging and selling them to your followers.
Make your followers see how successful you are blogging; help them see the benefits of buying your courses and membership. Make a research on the pain point of new bloggers and create products to solve these issues. If you successfully create courses that can solve your followers’ problems, they will buy your course.
How to be a Blogger on Instagram: The Bottom Line
I will be honest; it takes time to build a large following on Instagram as many users have developed the habit of follow-to-unfollow. You will see the number of your followers decreasing for some days and then increasing again. It will take a lot of effort and patience before you start noticing results.
Additional Resources
6 Practical Ways to Make Money Through Blogging
