5 Ways I've Improved My Instagram

Algorithm is still the hot topic in blogging and although it has affected almost everybody, I have made it my mission to look past the negatives and instead try my hardest to make it a platform which I want to use. I've been using various techniques to build a strong following and start increasing my likes, so today I thought I would share those with you.  

An Instagram Pod | A couple of months ago I joined my first Instagram pod and before I knew it I was in two. If I'm honest, they're one of the biggest factors of how I improved my Instagram and grew my engagement. If you've got a chance to join one then I couldn't recommend it any more and if you're looking one, I would recommend asking around or looking on twitter. 

Consistency | Although I'm a firm believer in posting when you feel like it, I've got to admit that I've noticed a huge different in likes and followers since I've worked out when the best time of the day is the post. This usually varies depending on the day and whether it's the weekend, but I try to aim for either 1.30pm or 6.30pm+ to catch people at peak scrolling time. I'm currently aiming to post at least once a day too, as consistency is a great way to keep people coming back to your feed. 

It's Not Only About The Images | I first heard the term microblogging in reference to Instagram back in the Autumn, but never applied it to my feed properly until the start of this year. In the simplest terms it's all about using your Instagram as a smaller blog, telling your followers what you've been up to, asking them questions and genuinely using up the space in the information box. I think I've found a great balance between waffling on and not using enough characters by explaining a bit behind the blog post if that's what I'm promoting, or just sharing my day to day thoughts. 

Having A Theme | I know that theme is now a dirty word when it comes to Instagram, but I like to think that a theme doesn't have to just be associated with whether an account has consistent colour or flatlays, but whether it shows off the person. For me, I always try and stick to the same settings and editing techniques so that my images are all similar in brightness and tone, however if you've been on my feed lately I have been incorporating more pink tones and copper accents into my images which has naturally become a theme. 

Adding More Than Just Blog Photographs | This is one that I struggle with in particular as I always put my blog photographs onto my Instagram, but I never remember to take a few extra shots too, just to keep my Instagram feed a little bit different to my blog. I've been making a conscious effort to take a few seasonal flatlays and a few shots around the house, posting them every other day to keep things interesting. 

Have you got any tips to improving your Instagram?