I have been getting so many questions about how to become an influencer and what tips I have for growing an organic following on your social media channel (in this case Instagram). I figured it would be best for me to share my tips on my blog for you all to see.

Let’s start at the very beginning…..

There are many things that people do not realize occur behind the scenes for bloggers/influencers. To most people, it looks like it is all about getting free products, getting paid to post photos and going on extravagant travel endeavors. These are all perks of the job, however, there is SO MUCH MORE that goes into it. Here are a few things that you may not know about what it takes to become a successful blogger.

  1. It is a lot of hard work (including sweat and tears)
  2. There are so many sacrifices that are needed to be made.
  3. It is a HUGE time commitment
  4. You DO NOT get paid at the beginning and it takes a long time to build up to making a living from it.
  5. Most people that start blogging do not succeed
  6. It is an emotional rollercoaster
  7. People will not understand your passion for blogging and will not understand why or how you will do it
  8. You need to have thick skin and self confidence
  9. There are no days off
  10. You need to be obsessed with it

These things can be scary or alarming, but the good news is that YOU CAN DO IT! I have listed below the things that I did when I first started my Instagram (most of the things I continue doing).

  1. Be engaging- leave genuine/unique comments on others pages
  2. Like others photos (hundreds per day)-You should be doing this every spare second you have.
  3. Post high quality content- Don’t just post to post. Make sure it was thought out and the image is clear. It SOOOOO important to have good lighting.
  4. Post Consistently- I post 1-3 times per day. I try to post around the same times each day. The more high quality content you produce, the more people that will see it and the more followers you will get.
  5. Email/DM brands- The more brands you work with (usually for free) the more exposure you will get from reposts. This is also a great way to add to your wardrobe without spending money “out of pocket”.
  6. DM Inspo pages- I would send messages to pages like OOTD magazine and WhoWhatWear and ask them to repost my image.
  7. Engage with your followers- Respond to DM’s and comments. Go like their photos.
  8. Instastory Like Crazy- People want to follow someone they know and feel like they have a relationship with. It can be very scary at first and the hardest part is the first video. The rest is a lot easier after that.
  9. Go Live- this can also be intimidating. Start with an agenda or topics that you want to talk about. This way, if your followers are being shy, you will still have something to talk about.
  10. Ask The Experts- I spent a lot of time on the big bloggers blogs looking for any tips and tricks that helped them grow their Instagram. Also, it’s important just to do research in general. Instagram is always changing and it is a good idea to stay up to date.
  11. Insights, Insights, Insights- in order to have insights…you must make your account a business account. You can use your insights to see how each photo is doing. By paying attention to your insights, you can figure out what works for your photos and what doesn’t. Did it do well at a certain time? Did a certain pose really stand out? Do your followers perfer full body or close ups?
  12. Don’t Listen To Negativity- There will people who tell you that blogging is not a good choice or people that do not understand it. There will also be haters on Instagram and people that will try to bring you down. You need to ignore it and move on. This can be hard, especially if it comes from someone you care about. The fact is, you are the only one who can make this work and you need to surround yourself with people who lift you up….not drag you down.

Even though I am at the beginning of my influencer journey (I do not have all the answers and have a long way to go), I have found that the most important things to grow your account are to be confident, unique, and genuine.

The influencer world is tough. It really is a place where only the strong survive. With that being said, do not give up. There will be consistent ups and downs. You just need to put your head down and keep doing your thing.

Now, go and explore your #chardonnaystyle.

Cheers,

Taylor