From rainbow grilled cheeses to taco pizzas, the world of Instagram has been taken over by foodies sharing their trendy, aesthetically mouth-watering food photos with the world. If you're like me, you have hundreds of food photos consuming your phone's memory. If only there were a more versatile and public medium of storage 🤔. The answer: Instagram.
There are a number of successful food Instagram pages run by average people who just love food (like @devourpower, who started taking food photos as a hobby but now make a living off of their page and brand)! But how exactly do you successfully start your own food Instagram page?
Starting a page is not as easy as it seems. Let me tell you, there were so many days when I thought about abandoning my account. I was hardly getting any likes and I couldn't understand why. One part of a successful page is the content, but a marketing strategy is equally as important. This was my first ever post on my page: terrible lighting, horrendous editing and composition (but yummy sushi for sure), and what hit me the hardest, only twenty five likes,
For the next couple of months, my posts didn't do too much better. I wish I had more advice about how to get my page out there that I only began to discover much later. So I have composed a number of steps and tips that I wish I had known on how to start and continue to cultivate your "foodstagram."
1. Come up with a BOMB handle!
Make it you and relevant to your content. The great thing about Instagram is, you can always change it later down the line.
2. Turn your page into a business page
In your page's settings, you can turn your page into a "business page" as opposed to a personal one.
This setting allows you to have access to powerful data and analytics: the demographics of your audience, the peak times and days of engagement on your page, where your audience finds your post and more.
3. Decide on a focus, style, or trademark
This may take some time to develop and, like your handle, can change as you learn and try new things on your page.
4. Create a plan and schedule for your content
When it comes to posting, consistency is key. Schedule how many days a week you want to post and which days. Once the analytics have been calculated, use it to decide when the best time to post is. Along with that, come up with a standard formatting to your photo captions, whether this be writing a review and then a rating or a pun and then the name of the dish. Keep the caption short and sweet🍭.
Once you have set up your page, there are some things you should continuously be mindful of:
Be Findable
One of the first ways to having your content be found on Instagram is through hashtags and tags.
If you took a picture of a cake, use those #cake #dessertgoals #sweet hashtags, add #food #foodporn and sprinkle in some location related tags as well like #nyc #hobokeneats. You can add up to twenty of these so make ever word count.
If you bought the cake from Carlo's Bakery, tag their page on the photo. Who knows, they may even repost your photo on their page and gain you some new followers.
Promote Yourself!
You can try to sit back and wait for your page to get big on it's own, but the chances it will go viral without any effort to help make it happen are slim. Actively promoting yourself is so important, you can do so by
1. Tell your friends and family about the page, they will always be a consistent and reliable source of support.
2. Network with other foodies that you meet on Instagram. They will become your "Instagram fam" and are just as important and supportive.
Shoot them a direct message and tell them how much you love their page or ask them for advice. 3. Go to food networking events! You can find them on yelp or even take the initiative to plan a foodie meetup or even attend a Spoon event.
Find What's Trendy
Hashtags and self-promotion are super important to growth, but one of the easiest ways to grab attention and be the most searchable is posting about what is the current craze. Take a trip to the city for some Taiyaki or to Hoboken for a slice of crazy pizza from Tony Boloney's, it can instantly help your page gain a lot of attention.
Never Sacrifice Photo Quality
I messaged one of my favorite food Instagrammers, @ehgg, and an important piece of advice he gave me was to focus on photo quality. It is important to be consistent and post regularly, but do not post for the sake of posting.
Your work represents you and your vision so it should only include content you are proud to call your work. Be sure to:
1. Use natural lighting
2. Rule of thirds!
3. Don't over-edit
And finally... NEVER Give Up!
The hardest thing with a project or hobby such as a food Instagram page is keeping the momentum. It can get discouraging looking at the success of other pages, but Rome wasn't built in a day! You may think about changing your style or your marketing techniques, but everyone is capable of starting a successful page.
Keep all this in mind, experiment, keep eating, have fun and you'll be an Instagram foodie in some time!
Taylor KozloskiEvery Instagrammer wants to know how to get more followers and increase their likes per photo.
By following these 21 simple steps, as told by your favorite foodies, @foodloverheaven1, @feedyoursoull, and @nomcitybetch, you’ll step up your food Instagram in no time.
(cookie)dough not take this from me @hungryhaters
A photo posted by FoodLoverHeaven1 (@foodloverheaven1) on Sep 3, 2015 at 3:35pm PDT
Anything unhealthy is bound to satisfy a guilty pleasure craving. Desserts with multiple components tend to get the most likes… Think brownies with s’mores, caramel, and pretzels on top. Or a waffle taco filled with ice cream and cookie dough. Or anything with Nutella… Literally anything.
2. Use natural lighting and do not “over-filter.”Nothing maca-wrong with treating yourself to this red velvet macaron ice cream sandwich?
A photo posted by ?full plates, full hearts? (@nomcitybetch) on
Don’t ruin the beauty of a chocolate, Nutella, and coffee ice cream sandwich with “Valencia” or “Nashville.
” Just let it breathe.
Ciabatta watch yourself, this betch is hangry?? A photo posted by ?full plates, full hearts? (@nomcitybetch) on Jul 11, 2015 at 9:00am PDT
As in almost every day. Consistency is key.
4. Have patience.GIF courtesy of giphy.com
It takes a while to increase your following ratio. Once you reach 1,000+ followers, your following ratio picks up. You’ll get thousands of new followers each week.
5. Interact with other foodies.@michelleonbell @hungryhaters Waffle Wednesday before Thanksgiving Thursday, what could be better? #feedyoursoull
A photo posted by #feedyoursoull (@feedyoursoull) on
Like their pics, comment — whatever you gotta do to get your name out there.
Pasta-bly the best pasta I've ever had??
A photo posted by FoodLoverHeaven1 (@foodloverheaven1) on
Food puns, posting about restaurants, offering discounts to certain restaurants… Make your account worth following.
7. Be bigger than Santa.@katherinebaker4's last name isn't Baker for nothin'. Check out her holiday cookies made with sparkling wine icing! #spoonholidays
A photo posted by Spoon University (@spoonuniversity) on
Have a big presence during the holidays — make your photos as colorful and as festive as possible.
8. Keep up with the trends.
Strawberry?Feelz Forever, Ever…forever, ever? I'm sorry Ms. Jackson, but I'm asking a serious Q. ?: @haydnsisca #foodintheair #outkast #brussels #belgium #strawberries #waffles #chocolate #letsgooo
A photo posted by Food In The Air™ (@foodintheair) on
From smoothie bowls, and avocado toast, to the Ramen Burger. Stay relevant by being aligned with the yummiest and hottest trends.
9. Use your followers’ photos.Stay Classy & Use Spoons #goddessvibes {?: @tallulahalexandra } #spoonfeed
A photo posted by Spoon University Georgetown (@spoon_gu) on
It keeps them interested and who doesn’t love a little free publicity? Reposting your fan’s photos helps attract new followers to your account.
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Don’t post 20 pictures at once… Try to post 3-4 times a day. You don’t want to clog up your followers’ feeds and make yourself seem needy.
11. Desserts for the win.
@eastcoastfeastcoast @lets.eat.yall Cinnamon Roll Day 2: Going in for the kill #feedyoursoull A photo posted by #feedyoursoull (@feedyoursoull) on
Keep in mind that dessert pictures tend to get the most likes — they always look the most appetizing.
My roll model??
A photo posted by ?full plates, full hearts? (@nomcitybetch) on
Do not post the same piece of avocado toast over and over.
Try to have really different posts a day — different ethnic foods, comfort foods, fancy foods. You can always spice it up a bit (see what we did there?).
GIF courtesy of tumblr.com
Use the hashtag “#likeforalike,” “#likethis,” and hashtag posts of other food accounts (especially @feedyoursoull, @foodloverheaven1 and @nomcitybetch).
14. Give yourself some props.Entering my schools @spoonuniversity chapter (@spoon_loyola) food photo #LumYumContest like……. ? #lumspoon #spoonfeed. How do you #feedyoursoull late at night?
A photo posted by #feedyoursoull (@feedyoursoull) on
Always hashtag your account name. It’s ok to brag.
15. Keep it positive.? #spoonfeed
A photo posted by Spoon University (@spoonuniversity) on
Caption your pictures with smiley emojis — who doesn’t love to keep people happy.
pancake cake cake #spoonfeed [?: @meganlipman
A photo posted by Spoon University Georgetown (@spoon_gu) on
Likes tend to come from dedicated fans, and your like-to-follower ratio is never gonna match up; however, make sure to reward the fans who do like your pics. As long as you have food porn-y pics, eople will be drawn to your account.
17. Bribing isn’t prohibited.GIF courtesy of photobucket.com
Make an added incentive to like your pictures “like this pic for a chance to be reposted.”
18. Geotag or die.Photo courtesy of @feedyoursoull on Instagram
Fans want to know where you can actually find this food, plus, you’re getting major props by giving the restaurant more publicity.
Photo courtesy of @nomcitybetch on Instagram
Don’t post pictures that are blurry or have awkward lighting.
20. Follow your fam.GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Start by following your family and friends. They have to love you, so give them the chance to boast about your account — word will spread. Pretty soon, even your grandma will be dropping hashtags left and right.
21. Don’t be a following whore.GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Keep the ratio of who you follow low — you want to make your account feel exclusive and give yourself total VIP status.
Now watch your followers and likes increase like crazy.
GIF courtesy of thebolditalic.com
1. Do not forget to put hashtags that will help increase the number of subscribers: #instafollow, #l4l (Like for like), #tagforlikes and #followback.
2. Like as much as possible. For every 100 likes you give to random photos, you will get an average of 6 new followers.
3. Run contest . The easiest way to do this is to post a themed picture and ask people to like it so they can participate.
4. Start promoting profile on your pages in other social networks. Write what your blog is about and why people should read it and invite them to join.
5. Be generous with likes and comments - this is the easiest way to attract new subscribers.
6. Use common hashtags to make your photos visible in the global search. Among the most popular are #love, #instagood, #fashion and #photooftheday.
@westwingde
7. Time matters. Research has shown that the best time to fast is between 2 pm and 5 pm.
8. Follow people who use popular hashtags (#followme, #likeforlike) because many of them will follow you back.
9. Remember, quality is important , not quantity. Monitor your profile and leave only beautiful and high-quality photos. Believe me, no one is interested in flipping through hundreds of photos of salads.
10. Love the Mayfair filter. Track Maven listed this filter on The Fortune 500 Instagram as the best choice for marketers.
11. Check that you have completed the biography section . Complete it with suitable words and hashtags, and also provide a link to your website. But remember: no spam! Otherwise, subscribers will lose interest in the profile.
12. Ask questions to subscribers. This is a great way to connect with your target audience.
13. Post on Sundays . It is on this day that people post photos a little, so your post will be seen by the maximum number of people.
@nastiapoberezhna
14. Be consistent with .
Think about who and why you are doing this. The more clearly you answer these questions, the faster you will attract the right audience.
15. Call people to action. For example, ask them to write their opinion about your photo in the comments.
16. Don't be afraid to post often. It may seem that the more often the photos flash, the more indifferent the subscribers behave. But according to the Union Metrics program, there is no relationship between posting frequency and audience activity. At least negative.
17. Follow suggested users. Go to settings and select "Find and invite friends" and then "Recommended users".
18. Set geolocation . This will be especially useful if you run an Instagram company. So you will have the opportunity to attract new subscribers-neighbors.
19. Schedule publications with the Later program. Consistency never hurt anyone.
20.
Agree with popular blogger to advertise your profile or product. So information about you will quickly scatter over the network.
21. Research has shown that blue images get 24% more likes than orange or red images. Post something blue and see for yourself!
22. Let fast on Wednesdays become your obligatory ritual. This is because posts get more attention and likes in the middle of the week.
23. Write the word "comment" more often in posts. This encourages your followers to share their opinions and be more willing to join the discussion.
24. Post photos showing 's face. According to research, such publications are 35% more popular than others.
25. Tag in photos of people. Your post will also be seen by friends of friends.
26. Remember the rule: the more light the better.
27. If you have a business account, create a branded hashtag .
So users can specify it when purchasing a product. And it will increase your visibility on Instagram several times over.
28. Share live photos. Show that behind the beautiful picture there are living people .
29. Business trick: share photos of your followers mentioning your brand or product. This pleasant step shows that you value each client. In return, they will definitely share your photos in their feed.
30. Brand yourself : Use your nickname for more than just your profile. A notebook, a case or a branded sticker on a car will surely attract the attention of potential subscribers.
@romantimo3
31. Invite friends from Facebook to follow you. To do this, in the profile settings, select "Find friends on Facebook."
32. People love stories. Share your experiences and thoughts, so you will gain their trust and establish contact.
Just remember that the post should be emotional and bright, not snot in sugar.
33. Tag people , even in stories, don't be lazy.
34. Do not be shy in your posts to ask for likes . As practice has shown, such publications receive 89% more likes.
35. In advance plan not only time, but also content. Prepare your materials and only then start filling out your feed. For example, write posts for a few days in advance, and then publish them gradually. The Instagram filling schedule will help you stay focused on the main topic of the blog.
36. Post a motivational or inspirational quote .
37. Synchronize phone book with your account. Go to settings and select "Contacts" in the "For Subscriptions" section.
38. Be active on profiles with similar topics. Especially if you run a business profile. Chat in the comments , ask questions and let influencers know about you.
39. Collaborate with other users. Find accounts with the same number of followers and invite their owners to arrange a joint promotion. This will help you and your partners to win an audience and attract the attention of new people.
40. Create a unique hashtag, by which you can organize a challenge for your subscribers.
Based on cosmo.com.ua
Tags: Instagram, blog, how to become famous, tips, social networks on Instagram
And users are still trying to promote a blog on Instagram from scratch. If a person decides to take the path of blogging, they first need to think about the idea. The main thing is that you can give people what you can interest.
But it is equally important that you enjoy blogging and enjoy getting your expert opinion across to people. A blog on Instagram from scratch does not develop on its own. If you don't like the idea and the activity, then you'll quickly burn out. Let's take a closer look at what blogs are, how to make money on Instagram and promote your profile.
To create a blog, you need to determine the direction - it can be travel, a beauty blog, self-development, psychology.
For example, the audience is easily played by people who blog about cooking. Because every housewife wants to cook delicious dishes for every day.
But although there are many topics and directions, conditionally blogs are divided into four types - personal, business, blogs with a narrow niche and media blogs.
Instagram blog of Russian businessman Dmitry Portnyagin.
Often ordinary people blog about some undeveloped topic in society. For example, people who have watched all the series and share the best ones. A couple of years ago, few people knew how to build an audience from scratch. More - these people did not know why it was needed at all. But now it is known that the blog helps to develop and earn. And there are many ways on the web that help you move quickly.
Making money on Instagram is called blog monetization. That is, people invest resources and time in their blog in order to get much more from it later. Let's see how you can start making money on Instagram.
When a blogger gains a large audience, many big brands offer barter collaboration.
Bartering means that the blogger receives the company's product or service for free.
In stories and posts, he natively talks about a product or service in order to attract more people. For example, I often bloggers advertise perfumes, clothes, products in this way - and the product remains with them as a kind of advertising fee.
Barter also works for accommodation. For example, if a blogger flies to another country and rents a hotel by barter. In stories, he makes an overview, shows rooms or talks about service. So a person advertises a hotel and at the same time lives in it for advertising.
Here everything is similar - a blogger receives a product or service and advertises it to his audience. But already for the work he receives a monetary reward, and the goods are returned to the seller after advertising. If the blogger's audience is loyal, then the customer's sales of goods and services will grow sharply.
But although advertising is considered direct, it must be served natively - imperceptibly.
Direct sales, in principle, do not favor, so you have to think through an advertising campaign as a plot for a book or series.
To earn more, you need to develop. It’s hard to live on advertising alone, so bloggers create their own information products and sell them to subscribers.
And the topic of information products depends on the niche of the blogger - coaches and psychologists sell consultations or webinars, family or ordinary bloggers without a specific direction - guides and checklists for earning money on Instagram or their own courses.
Some information products do not depend on the blogger's niche - they are universal. For example, a guide for processing or editing a video or photo. Any blogger knows how to do it.
Sometimes experts start blogs to sell services and monetize the page. For example, doctors, psychologists, stylists and so on.
These people usually talk more about their services, share interesting and important knowledge of their niche and gather an audience of like-minded people.
Often it looks like this: a psychologist starts a page, collects subscribers, gives them a lot of benefits, then talks about a free consultation.
For example, counseling to help you understand what is wrong with your relationship. Then, at the consultation, the psychologist analyzes your case and gives advice, offers a paid appointment to continue working on the problem.
Although the competition on Instagram is huge now, it is still possible to start a blog from scratch. Users of the social network are different, but one thing has become clear - they are ready to pay for the benefit, and then advise and help the development of your blog.
Of course, in order to get ahead, you need to invest in a blog. Bloggers rarely report that they have spent millions on their promotion - which is worth one advertisement.
But if you still find it difficult to decide, you can start with free promotion on Instagram from scratch.
Many methods can work under certain conditions, even if they are considered no longer relevant. Therefore, try to promote your Instagram page from scratch using free chips - maybe you are the lucky one and you will gain a good audience.
Of course, these methods will work up to a certain point.
When you get at least 1000-5000 subscribers, you will understand that it is better to advance for a fee. Because free promotion is very long.
If you want to get a million or more subscribers in the future, you can't do without paid promotion from scratch. It's good that there are many such methods, and they are guaranteed to work.
If you invest a lot of money in a blog, you can gain a lot of subscribers in just a couple of months. But for a large audience, there should be relevant content - regular and useful.
Any Instagram blog promotion tool from scratch won't work if you don't prepare content for followers.
To move quickly and confidently on Instagram, you need to learn how to use social media tools correctly. Therefore, keep some useful tips for blog promotion:
To move the page, you need to know who your target audience is on Instagram. To do this, try to imagine why a person will subscribe to yours, what problem you can solve. When you figure it out, you can understand the pain of the subscriber and put pressure on her when necessary. 
When you take into account all the points, you can draw up a portrait of the target audience, we recommend creating a content plan. Try to analyze what is better for the audience in order to correct publications.
