@SpanielLife is an extension of our blog, sharing our life and love, fun adventures, cosy home for the hounds and memories to capture and last on a slice of the internet that we've given so much time and passion.
I wanted to share some ways to improve your Instagram feed that we've picked up on, on the way
How To Improve Your Instagram
Be Social
Engaging with similar accounts in the same community everyday, particularly just before or just after you post yourself.
Engaging with similar accounts in the same community everyday, particularly just before or just after you post yourself.
I love Instagram for the community and love that this little dog friendly world shows us, so not only do I love posting our life and photos, but I love seeing others too.
Being social is such a great way to improve your Instagram feed, you can't just take take take and not want to give. The more you engage, reply to comments, like & comment on others and start chats and connections with other accounts, the more others will do the same to you
Being social is such a great way to improve your Instagram feed, you can't just take take take and not want to give. The more you engage, reply to comments, like & comment on others and start chats and connections with other accounts, the more others will do the same to you
Personality
This comes with being social, sharing your thoughts and ideas and not just hiding behind a spaniel. A lot of dog accounts do narrate as their pets, which is fine, however I personally buy into the whole lifestyle and personality of you and your dog. Seeing humans on my feed with their dogs gives me so much joy, as well as really noticing things the dogs do too. We all know Lily has a long tongue and Sev is a twat, because although showcasing stunning imagery is important, so is showcasing the real side to you and your pets. Remember, people sell to people.
This comes with being social, sharing your thoughts and ideas and not just hiding behind a spaniel. A lot of dog accounts do narrate as their pets, which is fine, however I personally buy into the whole lifestyle and personality of you and your dog. Seeing humans on my feed with their dogs gives me so much joy, as well as really noticing things the dogs do too. We all know Lily has a long tongue and Sev is a twat, because although showcasing stunning imagery is important, so is showcasing the real side to you and your pets. Remember, people sell to people.
Aesthetic
So this is a large part of Instagram, so to put it all in one smaller header may be a little hard, but having an aesthetic is really important. It showcases your brand.... okay, so you're just a Dog Mum with spaniel babies, however that's still an aesthetic that people will click on your profile and see.
So this is a large part of Instagram, so to put it all in one smaller header may be a little hard, but having an aesthetic is really important. It showcases your brand.... okay, so you're just a Dog Mum with spaniel babies, however that's still an aesthetic that people will click on your profile and see.
Using the same filters [presets, edits etc] will allow your feed to look professional and have a distinct look, meaning people will not only remember you and your pet but also recognise the whole feel of what you're sharing.
The layout is really important to improve your Instagram feed too, posting a variation of backdrops, places or locations can really help, spreading them out and not sharing the same "set" too close together. Sharing home photos, outside photos, human photos all mixed in really works for me, the colours between water and grass [for my personal feed] have to mix in and coordinate well. This ties my whole grid together, and the first 9 photos are what people are going to see, so making sure they roll on from each other is important, both by theme and colour
Use Hashtags
This is a social media platform based around hashtags and it's the primary way of sorting and finding content, so use them! You can use up to 30 hashtags on one post, and it's really great to use as many as possible to really help others find your photos. Being specific is great for each image, and it means less likely of being shadow-banned, as well as using a variation of less trending but still popular tags, you want to be seen but you need people to search for it too.
This is a social media platform based around hashtags and it's the primary way of sorting and finding content, so use them! You can use up to 30 hashtags on one post, and it's really great to use as many as possible to really help others find your photos. Being specific is great for each image, and it means less likely of being shadow-banned, as well as using a variation of less trending but still popular tags, you want to be seen but you need people to search for it too.
Stories
I love stories, I think you can showcase all of the above in just a quick 15 second video [or a few of them] and it will help improve your Instagram feed too. Using stories keeps your content fresh and new, every single day, making your followers aware you're posting and they'll be more eager to check back when they know its' consistent.
Using hashtags on stories is great too [and something I always forget!] As long as the # are relevant, you can use broader and more popular ones on stories too
I love stories, I think you can showcase all of the above in just a quick 15 second video [or a few of them] and it will help improve your Instagram feed too. Using stories keeps your content fresh and new, every single day, making your followers aware you're posting and they'll be more eager to check back when they know its' consistent.
Using hashtags on stories is great too [and something I always forget!] As long as the # are relevant, you can use broader and more popular ones on stories too
Highlights is a great feature of stories, allowing the usual 24hour timescale of stories to be on your feed forever. Using them for brands and reviews, fun things you do [like holidays] or showcasing you and your pet that's fun to run through all in one go- for example, I think we'd all love a #LilyLongTongue highlight
Imagery
Okay, so I've left this to last, and although it ties in very much with aesthetic and branding, I still don't think you need to be a pro photographer, or have pro gear to improve your Instagram feed. However, knowing how to use the equipment you do have is so important, having knowledge about light and composition will help you with whatever phone or camera you use
Okay, so I've left this to last, and although it ties in very much with aesthetic and branding, I still don't think you need to be a pro photographer, or have pro gear to improve your Instagram feed. However, knowing how to use the equipment you do have is so important, having knowledge about light and composition will help you with whatever phone or camera you use
Have Fun & enjoy it
Be proud and passionate about what you're sharing and your audience will follow
Be proud and passionate about what you're sharing and your audience will follow
