Instagram Tips and Tricks for Creators

Are you looking at connecting more with your audience on social media, but you aren’t sure how? People tend to think that creating posts and content is easy, but more goes into getting your posts to reflect your creative voice than people realize. Instagram has evolved beyond only personal use; it’s also used for building connections with a community and making contact with other creators. Instagram launched an @Creators account that provides general advice and tips, so I also I highly recommend following this account.

Some General Posting Tips

When it comes to posting, keep it real. Your followers are more likely to engage if the picture or video you posted feels personal and unique to you. Along with posting the completed project, show some behind the scenes photos and videos of the process — a lot of people are interested in how you got to the completed product.

It’s alright to post every day, a few times a week, or once a week. The important thing is to have a frequent upload schedule to keep people engaged, and interested. Connect with your followers and potential followers. When doing Instagram stories, don’t be afraid to use the poll feature or @ to mention someone to engage with your community. Ask me anything posts are a big hit right now; you can have one monthly where people can ask you questions about the comic industry, your process, or another topic you want to discuss.

Using Instagram TV

When using IGTV, film your video vertically to get full use of the screen, use this if your videos are going to be three minutes or longer. Also, along with filming vertical, make sure that the lighting is good to avoid over or underexposure. For sound, you may want to add an external microphone for high-quality audio.

Promote your IGTV video on your Instagram feed and stories, do not assume that people will see it, try to draw them in! For example, around three days before share a behind the scenes clip, two days make a post about the upcoming video, and when it’s posted let people know.

To share the link to your IGTV content, click on three dots on the top right side and choose “Copy Link.” Then paste the link on social media accounts or where you would like to share it.

Another essential tool that is extremely useful to creators is the 50-page pdf book called Instagram Creators Handbook-IGTV, which goes over apps and tools, uploading, and more. You can read it here.

Instagram Creator Account

To convert your account over to a creator account, log in and click the three lines on the right side. Choose the gear for settings, then choose an account option. If you are switching your account, go to the switch to a professional account and choose the creator option. On this screen pick the category that suits your content and industry. Here is where you can also decide if you want to link to your Facebook. Review your contact information and make any changes needed, and then pick your profile display options.

The tools that this option gives you includes: a secondary inbox with primary and general tabs to organize your messages, growth insights, contact information, category labels, and more.

This account allows you to see what posts your followers have seen and which have the most engagement. Under an insight tab, you can see the people that have followed and unfollowed you.

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to some of the information that is useful for creators who want to utilize social media. There is still Instagram Creators Studio, Facebook, and Twitter to cover, so stay tuned!