Would you like to grow your Instagram following and learn more about what Instagram can do for you? Read on to find out what Instagram has to offer and how to define your Instagram goals to get the most out of Instagram. I hope you’ll stay tuned for How to Get the Most out of Instagram, Part 2 – How to Grow Your Instagram Account.
My Story
This post is for anyone who has recently joined Instagram and wonders about the purpose and benefits of being active on IG, or for those of you who want to grow your existing Instagram décor account, but don’t know how. I’m sharing my Instagram journey to help those of you who want to get the most out of Instagram. Three years ago, I had never heard of Instagram. A little while after that I was applying for a craft show and it was mandatory to have an Instagram account, so I signed up even though I didn’t understand what it was all about. How was it different than Facebook? What should I post about? How would it help promote my wreath business?
Realizations
I started posting photos of my wreaths and my garden, but it seemed kind of pointless because hardly anyone was liking my photos or following me. I only posted every couple of weeks for the first several months, but during that time I started following accounts that interested me- and most of them were home décor accounts.
At the same time, I left my 15-year government career and suddenly had more time on my hands to decorate our home, which had been a little neglected during our years of work and raising three young boys. I started to share photos of our home on Instagram, but through the process of photographing and sharing our home, I was able to more critically assess my décor situation. And it wasn’t as pretty as I had previously thought- gasp! Since I had started studying all the beautiful photos on Instagram, I could see what my spaces were lacking and could understand what I needed to do to make my home beautiful and welcoming. Our entire home needed decorating! And Instagram helped me develop my decorator’s eye.
I started with one project, and which lead to another and another. Instagram provided me with the inspiration and the practical advice for the DIY projects I was undertaking. If you scroll back in my Instagram feed you can see what my early photos looked like and you can see the many projects I’ve completed in the past two years.
A hint of success
The first time I had any real success on Instagram was when I shared my farmhouse shiplap bedroom project. Click here to view that project:
It was my first big project and I shared the whole process in my posts and stories. It was so rewarding to have people commenting on my posts. This inspired me to share more of my DIY projects and room makeovers. I was starting to feel more of a purpose or direction for my Instagram account. I started posting daily and decided I would focus on interior décor and DIY projects. Two years later, my account has grown a lot and I’m known as a “décor influencer” and have had many business opportunities come my way. Update- Click here to view my Instagram account, which now has over 74 000 followers.
Define your Instagram goals
In order to get the most out of Instagram, you need to define what you want to get out of Instagram. Maybe you just want to gain inspiration from other accounts or make friends with like-minded people, or maybe you have a plan to promote your business or become a décor influencer. Your goals may change along the way as your interests grow or fade and as you realize what is possible.
My top reasons for being on Instagram
A place to share my décor ideas and projects
There is a feeling of connection when someone comments on a post or shares their ideas through a direct message. In a house full of boys, there is very little appreciation of décor, and certainly no in-depth conversation about the merits of a slipcovered sofa vs. an upholstered sofa, or how many photos to use in a gallery wall, to give a couple examples of things that do excite me. So, I find Instagram to have those discussions with people who totally get that.
Inspiration
I’ve always loved reading décor magazines and perusing Pinterest, but adding Instagram to my sources of inspiration was a game changer. There is a more personal touch to it than any other platform I know of. If I see a room I love on IG, I can scroll through the feed and find out more information about the space. I may even have the opportunity to see an Instagram story documenting the process, or I can contact the poster and ask them a question. I learn about beautiful and unique products, DIY techniques, and the process behind creating a stunning space.
The sense of a deadline
The truth is I work best under pressure, for example, if I know we’re having a dinner party in 4 weeks, I will probably use that time to paint the room if needed, and make other updates. Instagram works in a similar way for me. I know that once I mention a project I plan to do, I should probably follow through with it. It’s kind of a little challenge for myself, which I need because I’d probably never start or finish my projects without that extra motivation!
Friendships
I have made some real friendships on Instagram. I look forward to interacting with these friends and learning not only about their decorating projects but about their families and real-life experiences and challenges. I’ve had the opportunity to meet a few IG friends in real life, and these were great experiences I treasure. I hope there’s more to come!
I work from home and many days the only people I see are my family (and not until school is out in the afternoon) and my music students and our music teachers. So, I really enjoy checking in with IG friends throughout the day. It gives me the sense of community I would get if I worked in an office with coworkers. Except of course that you are all the coolest co-workers on the planet!
Skills
Instagram has helped me with my design skills, DIY skills, photography skills, and media presentation skills to name just a few. It really can be a platform for learning. Studies have shown that learning a new skill or absorbing knowledge takes repetition. When Instagram scrolling becomes a daily habit, it can also be a form of very regular study, especially if you take the time to analyze each photograph. I look at a photo and ask myself what makes it so appealing. It’s also helpful to take a few notes of things that you particularly love or projects you might like to try. Working with companies to photograph and promote their products has challenged me to hone my photography skills.
Business promotion
Initially, I thought I could post photos of my wreaths and people might go visit my Etsy shop and purchase a wreath. This did happen, though at first, it was pretty infrequent. As my account grew, I actually posted less of my wreaths, because I decided I wanted to be known as a home décor account. I did find that I could use my IG ac
Other money-making opportunities
I also soon discovered that my décor services were in demand, and I started interior decorating both locally and through e-design. It’s a wonderful way to promote your design services because the people who contact you already know and love your style. My clients typically ask me to decorate their homes in the same way my home is decorated. And of course, it’s easy for me to decorate using my own personal style.
I have also been given the opportunity to take part in sponsored posts, where I receive free products and payment in exchange for sharing products on Instagram. There is also an entire world of affiliate marketing, where commissions are earned on links that generate sales for a company, that opened up to me. I’m involved in the Reward Style program, which provides a commission on sales that result from tagging eligible products in my home. I soon discovered that many small and large companies offer affiliate programs for decor influencers.
Note that I only promote products that I love and would buy
Blogging
Finally, learning the ins and outs of Instagram has taught me part of what I needed to know to start my blog. I actually see Instagram as a kind of mini blog. I tend to write more than the average person on my IG posts, and my posts are sometimes scaled-down blog posts. I have developed my photography, writing, and promotional skills, and my knowledge of social media has increased. This has made the path to blogging much easier. Instagram has really helped me hone my style and define my niche, which is an essential first step in blogging. If you are planning to become a blogger, I recommend starting out on Instagram as you can start small, take your time to develop, and there are no start-up costs. An added bonus is that your Instagram followers will also likely be interested in following along with your blog posts.
Next steps
Perhaps some of these perks would be a benefit to you? Why not take some time to jot down a few goals for yourself? I hope you will enjoy this process of self-discovery and creativity. I know I have. And I
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