Growing a following on Instagram (or anywhere!) can sometimes feel exhausting. After a lot of work, I finally hit 500 Instagram followers. It may not seem like a lot, but this has been my goal for a few years, so it’s satisfying to finally achieve it. Since joining Instagram in December 2012, I made a few mistakes and learned a few lessons along the way that I’d like to share. Here are my 3 Instagram tips to help you grow:
It seems like the white heart emoji is popping up everywhere, so I decided to poll my followers. Although only one person responded on Twitter, it’s clear they’re not a fan. Meanwhile on Instagram, 88% said they like it, which was based on a larger sample of 17 people. This poll also had more engagement on Instagram than all of my previous polls, so my followers were eager to say how much they love it.
The white heart emoji was added to iOS 13.2 at the end of October 2019. New emojis are released every year, but it’s usually harder to tell which ones become immediately popular.
It’s interesting to see Valentine’s Day posts on social media from brands considering it’s a Hallmark holiday. I’ll highlight the posts I like and ignore the embarrassing ones I stumbled upon. Let’s just say that making a pun about the word “sweet” isn’t going to make the cut. Perhaps you’ll get some ideas for next year!
My favourite Valentine’s Day posts fit into 3 categories: roundups, greeting card templates and community. Roundups are easy to create while greeting card templates require more design resources. In 2018, I wrote about brands creating templates for Instagram Stories, so it’s cool to see this trend continue on a larger scale. Community posts are always a smart choice too!
Kate Spade has always been one of the top brands on social media in my opinion. Sometimes I named them in job interviews when asked for an example of a brand that’s killing it on social. They have beautiful products, stunning visuals and a recognizable voice. Kate Spade is truly a brand that knows what they’re doing in-store and online.
I was delighted to find out about a new feature on Kate Spade’s website called Unlock Your Heart. By following a few steps, you can instantly create shareable content using Kate Spade’s new tool. Kate Spade’s team knows their customers love reading inspirational messages and now it’s possible to create your own graphics with their branding. Overall, I’ve found that some inspirational messages sound too cheesy, generic or girly, but Kate Spade has so many options that you’re likely to find one (or more!) that you enjoy.
Looking back on my previous blog anniversary posts, I still feel the same way about Hot On The Street. It’s my piece of the Internet that I can proudly call my own. What’s more, it’s not just a website or my Instagram handle — it’s a brand with a visual identity and a long-term investment. Today is Hot On The Street’s 8th anniversary and I’d like to take this opportunity to show you how I built my brand in the last year.