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How to get my dog sponsored on instagram


How to Get Your Dog Sponsored on Instagram and TikTok

Ever wondered, how do you get your dog sponsored? Then we have good news. It's not that hard. 🤗 You just have to know what brands look for in dogfluencers. Want to know what it is? Keep reading.

We've created an Instagram carousel post that you can swipe through to quickly learn what a brand is looking for in an influencer.

Learn in 8️⃣ slides what it takes.

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Influencers platform for dogs (@dog.fluence)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Influencers platform for dogs (@dog.fluence)

Follow dog.fluence on Instagram

Your follower count is just one thing

🐕 Dogfluencers often think they have too few followers for sponsorships, but brands look beyond the number of followers. Of course, having a lot of followers is a plus, but actually that only weighs heavily if the involvement of your followers is also high.

Suppose you have 25,000 followers but on average a post only gets 75 likes and 4 comments, what is your reach worth?

We notice that dog brands are increasingly interested in followers statistics.

Follower statistics

They want to know which countries followers come from, the age groups of the followers and the extent to which there is real engagement with the channel. Soon, dog influencers will be able to enter this information when creating their channel on Dogfluence.

There is a hunger for authenticity

With the arrival of many more paid sponsorships on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, confidence in brand ambassadorship is declining.

If an Instagram account promotes eight brands within four weeks, the recommendation counts less than if the same influencer promotes one brand every eight weeks.

We notice within our platform Dogfluence.com that brands are increasingly leaning towards influencers who do not promote everything, but are selective. Brands want accounts to authentically reflect their brand values.

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door ↟ K Ө D Λ ↟ (@house.of.koda)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door ↟ K Ө D Λ ↟ (@house.of.koda)

Photo: house.of.koda

Look at Koda! Not being able to fall asleep without a brand shows being a real fan, right? 😄

Brands like (temporary) exclusivity

When a brand sponsors your dog, of course, they want some commitment back. In general, they don't want you to promote competitors during the collab.

For example, if you're promoting an anti-tick product from one brand, don't promote another anti-tick-product from another brand at the same time.

Make your dog stand out

With all those hundreds of thousands of social media channels for dogs, it is not easy to stand out. Still, there are plenty of ways to do just that.

Find an intersection of interests

It is not easy to distinguish yourself with an adventurous channel. After all, there are so many adventurous channels. It becomes much easier if you combine the adventurous with the interest in vegetarian dog products.

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door Woodland Siberians (@woodlandsiberians)

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Een bericht gedeeld door Woodland Siberians (@woodlandsiberians)

The channel woodlandsiberians is unique because the family consists of Hannah with her five Siberian Huskies. Together they do lots of activities.

Examples of intersections

  • Cooking for your dog | Dog training courses

  • Funny videos | IG carousel post tips (slideshows)

  • Dog photography | Dog breeding knowledge

  • The adventures of an office dog | in the Netherlands

  • Raising Labrador | Family with three children

When you choose an intersection of interests, it becomes much easier to distinguish yourself. Virtually all your posts should then reflect those themes in order to build a rock-solid channel.

Dogfluencer search engine

Brands want people to see dogs using their products. It is important that the dog that is photographed with the product is a reflection of the brand's ideal customer.

This is where the dogfluence search engine comes in handy for brands. Using filters, brands can use this tool to precisely search for dog influencers that suit them.

Make sure your profile is findable by adding your channel.

Explore how your channel can stand out

Search for the hashtags associated with the brand. See which influencers they regularly work with. You can assume that they are satisfied with that collaboration. Try to estimate what kind of photos and videos the brand likes. Keep that in mind and try to surpass those images with your dog.

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door ↟ K Ө D Λ ↟ (@house.of.koda)

Dit bericht bekijken op Instagram

Een bericht gedeeld door ↟ K Ө D Λ ↟ (@house.of.koda)

Photo: house.of.koda

Koda is not so hungry anymore, but let's say she is looking forward to her next meal. 😉

How to express interest in a brand

More often than not, before a partnership in the form of sponsorship is established, it helps if you build the relationship with the brand first.

What you can do to build a relationship

  • Buy and use their products

  • Tag the brand in a post

  • Use the hashtag of the brand frequently

  • Email the brand with your product review and a link to your post

  • Share some photos and maybe a video with them via WeTranfer

  • Create a Dogfluence profile and express interest in the brand.

If you do this and your content quality is great, it will open the door te a longterm collaboration for sure.

Ask for a sponsorship via a DM

Do you think your channel radiates sufficient quality? Are your posts, stories and reels unique enough compared to other paid partnerships the brand has? Have you shown genuine interest in the brand's products on a number of occasions? Has a relationship been established?

Then it is high time to ask for a sponsorship. Send the brand a DM, let them know that you and your dog really love the products and that you like to communicate that to your followers.

Register for a campaign on Dogfluence

It's even easier to register your channel on Dogfluence.com; an influencer platform, completely dedicated to dogs.

On this platform, the best brands in the dog industry publish campaigns with certain requirements. As soon as your account meets the requirements, you will receive a notification by email. Does a campaign appeal to you, and does the product suit your dog? Then you can send a request to participate.

As soon as the registration period for the campaign closes, the brand will approve or reject your participation, of which you will then be notified by email.

Check out upcoming campaigns and open campaigns.

Love to try new products? Join thousands of dogfluencers and get your dog sponsored by the best brands in the industry!

REGISTER MY CHANNEL

Was this blog valuable to you?

Hopefully the above tips have helped you and you now have more insight into what brands are looking for in a collaboration with a dogfluencer.

Have we missed something in your eyes? Let us know via the chat function!

Good luck in scoring a new sponsorship for your dog.

How to Get Your Dog Famous on Instagram

If you have a dog, you may be wondering how to have a successful dog Instagram. Beyond adding yet more cute animal photos to the internet (a laudable goal), you can earn money from your dog account via an influencer marketing model. If you think your puppy has star potential or you just want the internet to appreciate your dog as much as you do, here are five tips to get your dog headed toward Instagram stardom.

1. Decide What and How Often to Post

When you’re getting started on Instagram, you have to decide what to post and how often. Obviously, you want to post photos of your dog, but will your dog account have a polished look or a more casual vibe? Will you focus on posed images with props and outfits, or will you take candid shots of your dog just being a dog? There are no right or wrong answers here, but keep in mind that you may eventually face a choice between quality and quantity. Do you want to post more professional content less frequently or the opposite?

You don’t need to be a photography pro in order to have a successful dog Instagram: as long as you find some decent lighting and have a smartphone, you should be set to take Instagram-quality photos of your pup. There are some professional photographers who take quality pictures of their pets and spread them out over less frequent posting, but you may find that posting once a day works best for you.

Here’s an example of a photographer-styled dog account that posts less frequently, but has a cohesive aesthetic and professional-quality photos in each post:

@wat.ki on Instagram

By contrast, here’s a less professional account with more frequent posting that still generates high engagement and a high following:

@garththegolden on Instagram

When it comes to deciding how often to post, remember that consistency is key. It’s more important to keep posting than to post every day, so if posting daily will cause you to burn out, aim for posting two to three times a week consistently instead.  

2. Videos Are Even Better Than Photos

We all know video content is key to a great social media strategy, and taking videos is easier than ever when you have a smartphone in your pocket. Taking short-form video of your dog will really help to boost your reach and create content more likely to be reposted by other larger accounts, which in turn can drastically increase your following. An Instagram account like Pupflix, which has over one million followers, pulls its favorite videos from submissions that tag it, and reposts them to its followers. 

You don’t need a super high-production-quality video to spark engagement. If you’re trying to figure out how to have a successful dog Instagram with video, our best advice is just to capture your dogs being themselves. However, the Instagram algorithm may show a higher quality video to more users, so try not to post anything blurry, with poor resolution, or that you have just copied over from another platform such as TikTok. Also keep in mind when posting videos that many viewers watch without audio, so it is best to include on-screen text to make your point. 

A relatively recent development on Instagram is that it favors video and in particular Reels, which are short vertical video clips that often include music. If you’re a regular Instagram user, you’ve probably noticed a lot more Reels in your feed. Take that as a hint and start making Reels with your dog to get them the attention they deserve.

3. Focus on What Makes Your Dog Unique 

Running an Instagram account for your dog can be a lot of fun (for you and your dog)! The people who engage with dog accounts are dog lovers, looking for humor and cuteness to brighten up their day. The popularity of cute dog photos also means that there are a lot of them on Instagram. The dog account Dogs of Instagram, which curates some of the best dog posts from around the platform, has over five million followers and over 7,000 posts. So how can your dog stand out from the crowd? 

Think about what makes your dog happy and what makes your dog unique. Does your dog love wearing hats? Instagram followers will love that too! Maybe your dog has a quirky behavior, like sleeping cuddled up with a stuffed animal. Post those pics!

A beautiful thing about an Instagram dog account is that it can encourage people to rescue from a shelter instead of purchasing a dog, and even to adopt a dog that they might not have considered in the past, such as a dog with special needs or a senior dog. If your dog has a great rescue story, make sure to share that! Dogs with visual impairments, amputations, or a lot of dog years behind them have found success on Instagram while bringing awareness to the needs of dogs like them. You can also use your dog account to provide useful information to the community, such as educating the public about service dogs or how to be a good dog parent. 

However, while you might be taking your dog account management seriously, don’t be too serious with your content. Try tactics such as doggo speak, trending memes, or challenges (like the #unflatteringdogphotochallenge that took over many Instagram feeds in 2020). Some popular accounts even speak from the perspective of their dog.

Throughout any social media campaign, our social media team works to tailor content toward what the target audience is likely to engage with or what is likely to resonate with them. Do the same for your dog’s audience. If you find people are engaging more with silly videos than staged photos, it might be time to pivot your strategy. Flexibility based on data is an important key to how to have a successful dog Instagram. 

4. Take Your Hashtags Seriously

Any Instagram strategy needs a strong hashtag strategy to be successful. While Facebook content typically needs paid promotion nowadays to gain engagement, Instagram content can still gain traction organically. However, your dog account will perform best when strategic hashtags relevant to each post are used.

Research hashtags specific to your dog’s breed or the unique traits and habits discussed above to find audiences that are already likely to engage with your dog. The hashtag #pugsofinstagram, for example, has over 12 million submissions, and some photos within that hashtag are receiving thousands of likes.

Don’t worry if you don’t know your dog’s exact breed or history: there are great hashtags, such as #muttsofinstagram and #rescuedog, which have millions of submissions and receive great engagement as well. You can also use hashtags to insert your dog into the conversation around holidays like Halloween or even animal-specific holidays like National Dog Day. Don’t forget to celebrate your dog’s birthday and adoption anniversary or #gotchaday as well! 

Have fun, but go in with a plan. Do your hashtag research before you start posting. Try out different tactics and use your Insights to see what performs best.

5. Balance Your Content Between Entertaining and Promotional: Use The 80/20 Rule

Once you reach a certain follower threshold, you should start to get more attention, particularly for sponsored posts and partnerships. When done correctly, this type of content can be a great way to connect with your followers by sharing products and brands you care about that will help improve the lives of your followers’ pets as well. If done wrong, however, it can drive your follower base away. 

At Online Optimism, a digital marketing agency with offices in DC, Atlanta, and New Orleans, we like to preach the 80/20 rule for all of our clients’ social media accounts. Ideally, 80% of your content should be fun and engaging, while 20% of your content is more promotional and focused on sales or leads. 

In order to maintain a successful dog Instagram while introducing promotional content, the 80/20 rule works great for pet accounts as well. Make sure the majority of the content you share is fun and engaging while only a small amount is promotional to keep your audience following along for the long haul. Even better, make your promotional content so much fun that your audience hardly notices it’s promotional!

Still Wondering How to Have a Successful Dog Instagram? Whether for Dogs or Businesses, Online Optimism Knows Instagram Marketing!

At Online Optimism, not only are we obsessed with dogs, we’re obsessed with strategic social media marketing that drives results. Learn more about how Instagram marketing with Online Optimism can grow your business today and read more of our social media advice.

201 captions for a photo with a dog for your Instagram

  • Andronic Anna
  • Quotes and aphorisms

Do you like to post photos of your dog on social networks? There is nothing cuter than anything a dog does: playing on the beach, posing for a selfie, yawning, rolling over in bed. And a beautiful caption for a photo with a dog will show everyone else your admiration for your four-legged friend.

Pictures of your favorite dog will make your followers view the photo and like it. But if you don't know how to caption a photo of your dog on Instagram in a beautiful and original way, then we hope you will like these original and funny captions that we have collected.

Photos of dogs are a lifesaver to cheer yourself up when everything is bad. They can be viewed all day, and captions give inspiration for future publications. Read on for some ideas to get started! And share your signatures in the comments to the article.

Funny dog ​​photo captions

  1. Dogs are God's way of apologizing for your relatives.
  2. My therapist wears furs and walks on all fours.
  3. If my dog ​​makes you uncomfortable, I will be happy to lock you in another room.
  4. Blessed and obsessed with dogs.
  5. Meet the protector of my realm... er... my home.
  6. Give me your food if you don't feel like eating.
  7. Hello man! Don't worry anymore, because I'm here.
  8. I googled my symptoms. Turns out I just need to pet the dog.
  9. Hey, people can't lie on the bed!
  10. Ladies with dogs are my favorite people.
  11. I enjoy hanging out with my bipedal man.
  12. If you wanted this ball, why did you throw it away?
  13. Signature on the dog kennel: "I give lessons in daytime sleep. "
  14. Am I spoiled? No, my master is just well trained!
  15. My heart belongs to the mistress, and her bed belongs to me.
  16. Please excuse my drooling.
  17. Be patient as you let me off the leash.
  18. Stop bothering me, I'm working on my tan.
  19. The sun is out, tongues out!
  20. I love sleeping with my man.
  21. We're in the secret business.
  22. Not every dog ​​is a good boy. Some of them are good girls!
  23. I love you more than I love to sniff bushes.
  24. There is nothing false in this friendship. This is real fur!
  25. Don't take me to the woof!
  26. My mistress is a paparazzi, she caught me doing it again!
  27. I just need time to think about where to go with the mistress.
  28. First they steal your heart. Then they steal your bed.
  29. Warning: attractiveness overload!
  30. Enough selfies, mate. Feed me.
  31. Before you can reach my master, you must pass through me.
  32. Stop following me with your camera!
  33. Fun day with my dog.
  34. Just wondering why no one gives me bones?
  35. Dude, where's my ball?
  36. I will work for refreshments.
  37. Beware of the wife, the dog is friendlier.
  38. I licked so it's mine.
  39. Master, I will look after you, you have nothing to worry about.
  40. My tongue is on fire.
  41. Best friends always share wool.

Read 305 interesting captions for your favorite Instagram photos for all occasions.

Instagram photo caption with dog

  1. The road to my heart is paved with paw prints.
  2. Love is a four-legged barking word.
  3. Desire it. Love it. Hug this four-legged miracle.
  4. Sometimes you just need to lie on the floor with your dog.
  5. Selfie with my tailed therapist.
  6. This is my sweetie, she can bark if she wants to.
  7. My best friend is well trained.
  8. When all else fails, hug your dog.
  9. Be the cool person your dog thinks you are.
  10. This cute face was made possible by scratching the belly.
  11. Warning : I can be even prettier than this photo in real life.
  12. I can take a nap, but I will never sleep through my master's return.
  13. The coolest dog in the world arrived at work!
  14. Home is where someone rushes to greet you.
  15. Dogs are a girl's best friend.
  16. That kind of tail wagging gives me so much happiness.
  17. My presence means a lot to my dog.
  18. A friend can wait. First a selfie with my dog.
  19. Sorry, I can't get distracted. I had plans for my dog.
  20. It must be puppy love!
  21. Received a new leash as a gift.
  22. So the dog hugs and treats begin.
  23. Dogs really know how to fix bad days.
  24. Real friends have fluffy fur and a wagging tail.
  25. Daily dose of attractiveness.
  26. How would I describe my favorite friends? Fluffy and loyal!
  27. Guess who gets easily distracted by dogs? Me!
  28. There is nothing better than sloppy dog ​​kisses.
  29. My dog ​​is a daily dose of cuteness.
  30. Be who your dog thinks you are.
  31. These beautiful creatures love you more than you love yourself.
  32. Life goals: pet all dogs.
  33. Hold my drink, I have to pet this dog.
  34. Life is short, treat your dog.
  35. If your dog is at home, then you will not drink alone.
  36. Look at these paws, muzzle and fur, this is a bundle of mercy and joy.
  37. If you need a roommate, get a cat. If you want a family, get a dog. (We recommend reading the captions for the photo with the cat).
  38. It is impossible to forget the paw that brought you so much happiness.
  39. There is no cuter dog than this one. It's just not possible.

Short dog photo captions

  1. All you need is love and a dog.
  2. Home is where your dog is.
  3. You can always find hope in a dog's eyes.
  4. I treasure this mongrel so much!
  5. Life is always better with a dog.
  6. If my dog ​​is unhappy, so am I!
  7. Need a friend? Get a dog.
  8. Lifeguard on duty!
  9. My best fur friend!
  10. Always kiss your dog at night.
  11. Irrepressible dog joy.
  12. To my playful best friend!
  13. Thanks for all the doggy memories!
  14. I'm here to pet all the dogs.
  15. You, cool paw!
  16. Guest, give me a treat!
  17. Have a nice fur day.
  18. I will always bark at you.
  19. If it suits me, I bark.
  20. Let me lick your face.
  21. Live, love, bark!
  22. Wow, paw!
  23. Dogs = joy.
  24. This is my puppy's world. (We recommend reading beautiful quotes about dogs in our lives).
  25. All my children have paws.
  26. Check my true friends.
  27. Dogs make life better.
  28. It's time to wind up this sweetie!
  29. Eat, sleep and play...like dogs.
  30. Stop following me!
  31. They watch who feeds them.
  32. Life is empty without dogs.
  33. What a magnificent puppy!
  34. Come only if you like dogs.
  35. Only paws allowed.
  36. Wag more, bark less.
  37. What's wrong, dog?
  38. All you need is love and a dog.
  39. Life with a dog is better than without it.
  40. Kissing dogs will fix everything.
  41. Only gentle vibrations.
  42. Dogs make life better.
  43. I am not alone, I have a dog.
  44. Reserved for dogs.
  45. I am easily distracted by dogs.
  46. My dog ​​is cooler than yours.
  47. Salvation is my favorite breed.
  48. Selfie with the dog!
  49. I am a super paw star.
  50. Dogs are the key to happiness.
  51. If my dog ​​is not happy, so am I.
  52. Your dog knows the best therapy.
  53. Everything I do, I do in the shape of a paw.
  54. Life would be ridiculous without you.
  55. Live. Laugh. Barking.
  56. Little puppy - big world.
  57. Come visit if you like dogs.
  58. Tell your dog that I said hello.
  59. Dogs or people? Of course, I would choose dogs!

And this is how the dog meets the returned owner. After watching the video I want to get a dog.

Cool captions for a photo with a dog

  1. When I needed a hand, I found your paw.
  2. Money can buy a lot, but it doesn't wag its tail every time you walk through the door.
  3. Life is too short to have only one dog.
  4. The chances of me liking you depend on whether my dog ​​likes you or not.
  5. There is only one reason why I work so hard. This is to ensure that my beloved dog has good things.
  6. Curious, what would my dog ​​call me?
  7. If you love people as much as we do, raise your paw!
  8. Just listen carefully and you will understand the dog smirks.
  9. Step by step my puppy left paw prints on my heart.
  10. Research shows that the average puppy is cuter than the average human.
  11. These loyal creatures ask for nothing more than your company.
  12. They ask for so little, but they deserve so much.
  13. Have you ever dried your dog's eyes? This is true love.
  14. Live life like a dog and you will never know stress.
  15. If I can't bring my dog, I won't go there.
  16. In fact, our home is a home for dogs, and we just pay the bills.
  17. At least when we are anxious, we have dogs.
  18. Dogs are like potato chips, you can never have just one.
  19. Never trust a person who doesn't like dogs.
  20. Find someone who asks for nothing but your company.
  21. Treat any stressful life situation like a dog.
  22. Dogs leave paw prints in our hearts.
  23. Everyone thinks they have the best dog and none of them are wrong.

To learn more about four-legged friends, read interesting facts about the life of dogs.

Image caption walking my dog ​​

  1. Spending time with my beloved puppy.
  2. Me and my four-legged friend for a walk!
  3. We look pretty attractive.
  4. Went to the city with a small GAV.
  5. Traveling with a dog is cool!
  6. Ready for a pleasant adventure!
  7. We went for a walk.
  8. We are setting off on a new journey.
  9. My dog ​​and I have big plans for this trip.
  10. If after a walk you are not covered in dog hair, then something is missing.

Photo caption with dog and child

  1. This is my child's favorite creature!
  2. My child loves his dog too much.
  3. The life of my children is arranged next to this dog kingdom.
  4. A dog, without even trying, can fill a child's heart with love.
  5. Our mongrel always comes first.
  6. The baby found a fluffy paw when he needed a hand.
  7. Dog licks can dry up all children's tears.
  8. Thank God for the wonderful guardians of our children, whom we call dogs.

Photo comment: a girl and a surprised dog

  1. Blink twice if you are being held hostage.
  2. How are we in the friendzone now?
  3. After what I saw, I need to go to the toilet.
  4. What do you mean I was adopted?
  5. Women are so strange.
  6. Oh God...
  7. I can't believe my eyes.

Captions for photos of dogs of different breeds

  1. If you think you are not afraid of dogs, try looking at a chihuahua defending his master.
  2. Look at the majestic Husky.
  3. Sheepdog changed my life.
  4. I need a golden retriever and you need a doberman.
  5. No one understands me better than this Alabai.
  6. Sometimes you just need to relax on the floor with a sheepdog.
  7. I love big mongrels and can't lie.
  8. Keep calm and pet the Caucasian.
  9. Your Doberman may be cool, but my Dachshund is cooler!
  10. We have absolute friendship with the Labrador.
  11. Beware of the Shih Tzu, she will steal your heart.
  12. All guests must be approved by my English Mastiff.
  13. If my dog ​​doesn't like you, then I won't like you either.
  14. Who said I'm single? I have a greyhound friend.
  15. If the mongrels could talk, all secrets would be safe.
  16. You know you're at home when your boxer gleefully rushes to greet you.
  17. All you need is Newfoundland love.
  18. Just look at this spaniel - a fluffy ball of joy!

Conclusion

Since time immemorial, dogs have been mankind's favorite companions. Even today this is true. As long as these loyal and friendly creatures exist, we will never stop loving and admiring them. After all, dogs are more than just pets, they are our family.

It is only natural that we want to share this love with the rest of the world. Sometimes all it takes is a perfect dog caption because your selfie deserves the perfect phrase.

I hope these Instagram dog captions help you capture fond memories of your best dog friends.

Andronik Anna

A banking specialist by education, but in life she is an eternal optimist, a happy wife and a loving mother. Her passion is to build relationships and a family that knows how to resolve differences and have fun together. To this end, she researches a lot of literature on psychology, the art of communication, dispute resolution and shares this information with readers of her sites. In her articles you will find inspiration and simple ideas on how to live a better and happier life. Simple, practical, positive!

9 ways to promote your Instagram

1. Patience is key

It takes a lot of time, work and diligence to build any kind of platform. Of course, you can look at the giants of the industry with a huge number of subscribers and think that success came to them in an instant. However, many of us forget that in order to achieve these results, they put in their best efforts and spent a lot of time.

YouTubers like PewDiePie, Casey Neistet and Lilly Sing have been in the industry since 2010, Jackfilms even since 2006. Twitch streamer Richard "Ninja" Blevins has been a professional gamer since 2011—seven years have passed.

Don't expect instant success.

2. Give value

Why do you follow people? Because they post photos you like - they give you value.

Photo: Unsplash

To attract any audience, you must create valuable content that will be interesting to others. Therefore, selfies are a poor option for attracting followers, due to the fact that the only people who are interested in such photos are yourself and your friends.

3. Main theme

One should stick to a certain niche. Take Chris Howe for example. He is a travel photographer, his niche is to take interesting photos in interesting places. Let's say a person stumbles upon one of his posts and goes to their profile to decide if it's worth following. When he sees his photos in the "grid", he notices one constant theme - high-quality travel photos. Now that a person knows what this photographer is doing, he can decide whether to subscribe to him. He knows what to expect.

Do not think that this limits the flight of imagination and creativity. Just remember that social media should be treated like a business.

Photo: Unsplash

There's nothing wrong with using Instagram and other social media just for fun, if that's what you want to do. If you want to post 25 selfies a day and 7 videos of your dog, please. But if you're going to do this for business, you need to act accordingly.

You can be creative and creative by simply uploading content relevant to your niche.

4. Hashtags

Every article, every video discusses the same question: how many hashtags under a post are effective? 7? eleven? thirty? Personally, I adhere to the rule that under each of my photos there should be 30 hashtags - the maximum number that Instagram allows.

Think of it this way: every hashtag is a digital market, in every market users are looking for different content, and you want to maximize the number of people who see your photo. If you have the opportunity to place content in 30 different markets, you will take advantage of it, right?

So how do you find relevant hashtags? First, it's best to start with the biggest ones. If you took a photo with a Canon camera, you can use the #canonphotography hashtag, which will show you 8.5 million posts. Through big hashtags, you can find smaller, narrower ones.

Photo: Medium

Click on all nine top posts, and select the best hashtags below them - go through them, evaluate their quality, number of posts and activity. If you see for a particular hashtag that the last posts were posted one or two weeks ago, don't include it.

Personally, I use hashtags that contain up to one million posts, because the larger the hashtag, the higher the chances that your photo will be lost somewhere.

Photo: Medium

Clicking on the second picture, I saw the hashtag #canonlover (96k posts), high quality photos and the right number of shots, so I'll take that too. Now I have two hashtags, 28 left. Repeat these steps one more time.

Photo: Medium

It's also important to remember that your post will appear alongside everyone else, so ask yourself: do you want your content to be next to these images? Do they reflect what you are aiming for?

I would suggest limiting the number of large hashtags (more than one million posts) to two or three per photo. Focus mainly on average hashtags - from 3,000 to 800,000 posts. You can choose smaller ones if you like. Also, I think it's helpful to create your own hashtags as well.

5. Hierarchy of hashtags

Now I will talk about what I do. It doesn't have any practical purpose, just aesthetics: I place hashtags in alphabetical order, and my own hashtag comes before all the others because it's not just content, it's my content.

When people click on a photo, they first see the caption, after they click on "more" there are 15 dots leading down and then hashtags. I don't want to litter the photo caption with a lot of blue words.

6. Diversity

If you're growing Instagram or any other social platform, you have to do something else to reach a wider audience. Start writing articles, make YouTube videos, tweet, facebook; do something. Your work doesn't have to exist in a vacuum. For example, I am currently writing an article on Medium and I hope that it will attract a new audience to my Instagram account.

Photo: @brandonwoelfel

It's very easy to sit still, upload content to the platform effortlessly, and wait for everything to magically come. The situation will only change when you take control of the platform.

Start thinking like an entrepreneur: don't look for an opportunity, create an opportunity.

7. Grid

What is it? This is how all the photos in your account look as a whole. It may seem like something unimportant, but in fact it is one of the most significant aspects of Instagram. Remember: Instagram is a visual platform, your photos not only need to look good on their own, they need to look good together.

Let's look at some examples of good accounts:

  • Simone Girtz
  • Peter McKinnon
  • Amelia Zelenak
  • Jessica Kobeissi
  • Chris Howe
  • Bodil Jane
  • Chris Schnuwer

All these people create different content. The only thing they have in common is that their work looks good both separately and together.

Some Instagrammers, like Vigo Kramins, create a grid in a very unusual way. Its content is focused on one topic and its catalog looks almost identical. It all depends on what you are striving for. After all, why should anyone look at something (on a visual platform) if it's ugly?

Photo: Unsplash

8.

Multiple accounts

Instagram has a standard feature that allows users to switch accounts quickly and easily. Perhaps you are a creative person in many aspects of life and can regularly produce good content from several sources at once. If you can do it, go ahead.

However, if you are new to Instagram, it is best to learn the platform first before creating additional accounts, otherwise you will waste a lot of time and get very worried. Especially if the profiles do not grow.

9. Dating

Don't be fooled by the romantic idea that one person just worked hard while others doubted him, and suddenly success came to him. It is not true.

The point is that everyone who is successful is either very good at networking or has been introduced to key people. And, of course, a pinch of luck didn't hurt.

Networking in business means getting to know the right people, making a good impression on them in the hope that you can convince them to invest in your idea.

Photo: Unsplash

Learn how to be a good salesperson - luckily we have the internet and it's easy to do.

How does all this relate to Instagram?

You have to think about how to make friends on Instagram. This can be done via direct. Before you start writing to someone, I would suggest that you upload at least ten photos to showcase your skills and niche. Otherwise, you will simply be ignored, because no one wants to interact with an account that does not have any photos and is a few months old.

Post something every day. Use relevant hashtags. Follow people who motivate you. Account not growing? Take a look at your content and see if it brings value to people. If not, change it.

@petermckinnon Instagram feed

Another option is to use branded hashtags and tags. First, what's the difference? Hashtags are pure categorization. You put a hashtag like #canonphotography under the post and the photo will show up in the "recent" hashtag section.

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