FREE INSTAGRAM STORY TEMPLATES

Today, Instagram is the king of engagement.

Did you know that Instagram is actually the second largest social network in terms of users? Did you know that it has some of the very best engagement out of any platform too?

That may surprise you seeing as many people aren’t aware of just how big Instagram really is. That quickly becomes apparent though, when you look at some of the massive celebrities that owe their entire careers to Instagram. These are people who have become highly successful and found very lucrative sponsorship deals, simply by posting photos of themselves working out, wearing nice clothes or travelling the world.

They’re doing what they love, taking photos of it… and then getting paid huge amounts for their troubles!

How can I use Instagram to promote any business?

Would you like to get your products and brand seen by more people, grow a strong following of customers who relate to your brand? Then take advantage of all Instagram features.

Follow these steps, and you will see the difference:

Using Instagram Story feature and Live Video

✔️ Include emojis

✔️ Using Basic Filters
✔️ Use the location tag
✔️ Use hashtags

TIP: Instagram allows you to search stories by hashtag and location so be sure to tag your stories to amplify your reach even more!

The latest addition to Instagram’s roster of features is Instagram Stories, which brings with it Live Video. Stories allow you to create photos that will only last for a short amount of time (24 hours) before self-destructing. They appear at the top of a follower’s homefeed and thus have particularly good engagement.

Live video meanwhile is broadcast live, giving you the opportunity to respond in real-time to comments being left on your videos and to actually directly interact with your followers. Both these tools provide you with a way to interact more directly with your fans and to give them a sense of knowing you a little better.

This works particularly well for personal brands. These are brands that rest on your own individual personality and that give you a more personal relationship with your audience. But even for start-ups and small businesses, giving people an insight into your working day can be a very powerful thing. As can being able to review a product live and actually respond immediately to questions. This makes such a big impression on visitors and is a fantastic way to build trust and authority.

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Some Tips for Taking Great Photos

The first way to increase the quality of the photos that you are taking is to get a high quality camera. A great camera will be one that has a good sensor, a high quality lens and lots of options allowing you to control things like the shutter speed. Usually, this is going to mean either a DSLR camera, or a bridge camera.

Using this and then uploading your photos via a USB will result in much higher production values than simply relying on your phone – and especially if you also invest in some good lighting. Getting a lightbox can help a great deal as that way you’re not always going to be relying on it being sunny weather outside in order to take your photos.

Having a good camera phone is a good idea too though, as many of the photos you take will probably be spur of the moment and things that you snap while out and about – especially if you have a personal brand and if you live the lifestyle you preach. Take your camera to the gym and get the occasional photo so that people can feel like they’re a part of your workouts!

Behind The Camera -How To Tell An Inspirational Story

Perhaps more important than the equipment is the wetware – the person behind the camera. You need to know how to tell a story and how to make it into something that inspires people.

So what does it mean to tell a story? It means that your photo needs to communicate more than is in the frame.

Think about that shot of someone doing sit ups on the beach in the evening. What does that tell you about this person and about their lifestyle?

Sure, it says that they have great abs and they look good too. But it also tells you that they live somewhere beautiful and that they have the free time to actually enjoy that area of natural beauty. It also tells you that they have plenty of energy – enough energy to be working out at this time. And it tells you that they’re dedicated.

All these things are desirable and especially if they’re tanned, good looking and wearing great clothes too!

Running on the beach against a sunset says the same thing. But so too does a photo of footprints in the sand, or perhaps a pair of running shoes with headphones draped over them and a silhouette doing yoga in the background.

The more of a story you can tell in your photo, the more successful it will be: this way your photo is once again more than the sum of its parts and that is naturally engaging because people are going to want to know what the story is all about and they’re going to want to try and piece it together.

It’s also important that you design your photo so that nothing will shatter the image that you’re trying to create.

For example, if you want to make an image of someone who is healthy and happy and who loves going on runs in the sun, then you need to ensure that you avoid cloudy, rainy skies that will ruin that impression. You need to make sure that the person in that photo is well groomed. And you need to ensure that they don’t have any stains on them.

I learned how important these small details are working for a tech firm. I was being taught to collect ‘b-roll’ of gadgets that we were reviewing and they pointed out to me how having the phone look dusty in the photo would completely ruin the professionalism of the video. Likewise, if the phone was left on a park bench, then it was very important that the bench shouldn’t have any ugly marks on it. A big lump of bird poo would massively impact on the vibe of ‘desirable tech’ that the brand was aiming for!

Of course you also need to make the photo as dynamic and as engaging naturally as it can be. That comes down partly to the quality of the camera but also to your own ability to frame the shot. Think about your foreground, middle ground and background. Ideally, you want something interesting in each layer as this will give your photo depth, meaning it will look more three dimensional. Try to find elements like paths or rivers that can lead the eye from the foreground into the background.