According to the statistics, there were 300 million active users on Instagram as of December 2014, and 75 million of those users are DAILY users. In the last seven months, I am pretty sure that number has definitely increased. And why? Because Instagram is pretty awesome. And it gives you the ability to tell a story with a single snapshot. But you can also do so much more... keep up on sales, learn about new products coming out, check out people's subscription boxes, get decorating, makeup, and outfit inspiration, and so much more. But today we aren't here to talk about all the benefits of Instagram, we are going to talk about five easy ways to help you step up your game and to help you get the most out of the app...
1. When taking pictures, use your phone's camera, not the one in the Instagram app.
The nice thing about Instagram vs Snapchat is the ability to post pictures after they have already happened, ie you can enjoy what you are doing and post the awesomness afterwards. Plus, your phone's camera has the ability to zoom better and you will be able to capture more detailed pictures. Plus you can crop and use the rule of thirds* while editing the picture.
*The rule of thirds means that your images will create more energy and interest if you place your subject along the lines or at their intersections. Read more here.
2. Think outside the box.
When taking photos, other than selfies, it's good to think outside the box... the Insta box. You don't have to capture the whole picture. Sometimes 3/4 of a flower is the prettiest. And sometimes a horizontal picture is so much more appealing to the eye. Whitagram (now on Android also) gives you the option to post full pictures on Insta, without having to crop out a nice little box, by adding a white background to fill in the rest of the "box". That is especially helpful if you want to post some snaps that you have saved.
3. Keep it straight.
While I love some off center pictures, taking pictures of walls or sunsets or my Starbucks on a table just needs a straight line of sight. Insta features a straightening tool, and some people just don' know how to use it. It's super simple- all you have to do is adjust the degrees in either the left or right direction and watch your picture transform.
4. #hashtag
Hashtags have several different purposes... the main one is to link your photo to others like it. And the second reason... to get a bunch of likes :) Yes, that's good in the blogger department. Also, if you participate in the Instagram challenges (of course made up by bloggers) your pictures will get more likes and you may even make some friends! Btw... Sarah from Venus Trapped in Mars wrote a great post on hashtagging...
5. Like and comment.
This is one of the easiest things that you can do... show people that you love their pictures and they will show the love back. And you may make more friends & followers!!! Also, generally if you comment on a smaller brand with a question, there is a good chance they will get back to you and it will provide even more exposure.
Oh... and be sure to follow me on Insta >> https://instagram.com/tl_tinywishes/
Do you Insta?
Do you have any tips to make the experience more enjoyable?
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