As photographers, we kinda have a leg up over a lot of other entrepreneurs who market online.

Because, while they might need to spend some time determining which social media platforms to invest their energy (and eventually, their ad spend) into — for us, it’s a no-brainer. For an industry as visual as ours, it’s all about the ‘gram.

Now, if only we could keep track of all the ways the ‘gram keeps changing things up on us. Right?

Here’s the thing: If you spend all your time trying to beat the algorithm, you’re bound to be frustrated and overwhelmed. So here’s my solution to that particular pickle — don’t.

If you wanna ace your Instagram strategy, keep it simple by remembering these three rules — no algorithm manipulation required!

Consistency is key

Instagram is easily the number-one driver of traffic to my website and a major source of my new biz inquiries. Have you noticed I’m in your feed and on stories a lot? That’s no coincidence. The most important part of your Instagram strategy is to be someone your audience can count on. So, either use a scheduling software to map out posts for the week (there are lots of great free versions out there), or set reminders for the days you’re going to post (and actually DO it). Bring your audience something of value, but also post with the kind of regularity where they come to expect and seek out that value. 

Be that person who always responds 

A surefire way you can build a loyal following is to make the people who take the time to engage with your content feel seen and appreciated. I spend some time each day going through my notifications and making sure I acknowledge and respond to each and every comment and question. Not only does it validate my followers’ choice to invest their time in my content, it also gives me another opportunity to provide value and build a relationship with them that could eventually result in a monetary investment in my resources and expertise.

Prioritize quality over quantity

We already established that consistency is key, but that’s not to say you have to keep up with a volume of content that’s not sustainable for you. If you find yourself posting things that don’t feel consistent with your brand, that your audience isn’t engaging with, or that don’t offer them clear value, consider scaling back your posting frequency. And don’t feel like you can only use a piece of content once! There are lots of ways you can rearrange, refresh and repurpose the best work from your blog and portfolio for Instagram. Instead of trying to keep to a certain day-of-the-week theme or trend, try setting up 3-4 pillars that all of your content should fall into, such as education, inspiration, promoting your peers or sharing moments of connection with your clients.

Feeling a little less stressed about your Insta strategy? Good! Give this a try and let me know what happens.