It’s no secret that growing on Instagram takes extreme effort and patience. It is definitely not something just anyone can do. And yet, while growing his title as Creative Director of STAMINA Group Inc., View the VIBE, SWAGGER magazine, DIVINE.ca and WanderEater Magazine, he has also built his Instagram page into a vital part of his business, and persona. Branco fills his feed with colourful pictures and inspiring content, giving fashion tips, @mr.stevenbranco has brought a refreshing image to men’s fashion and lifestyle.
Keep your content fresh.
If you are getting serious about your Instagram influence, you will have to keep a consistent posting schedule in order to really increase your reach and following. Schedule time weekly to just go out and create, have an at-home photo shoot, or get a friend or family member to help you.
Don’t be afraid to repost.
Another great way to keep content fresh on your page is to repost photos that fit your aesthetic, and tagging the owners in them. This will not only help to alleviate the need to be constantly taking your own pics, but will also help to drive traffic to your page outside of your usual audience. Make sure you are ALWAYS tagging the original photographer though, you don’t want to be known as someone who doesn’t give credit to the photographer.
Be authentic.
Whether your focus is fashion, fitness or food, you have to be authentic with your audience. The reason why influencers have power on social media is because they have built real relationships and trust within their community. Your followers will catch on to when you are trying to make a quick sell, or don’t really believe what you are saying. You can buy followers, but you can’t buy influence.
Build your brand.
You need to decide who you are and what you stand for early in this process, especially if the goal is to ultimately monetize your page. Find your niche, and keep it at the core of everything you post and caption. This will help to build brand recognition and consistency which is ultimately more desirable for potential sponsors.
Listen to your audience.
Your followers will tell you what they like or dislike (especially dislike) in the comments, DMs, and in the Insights. Be aware of who your audience is and what they are responding to. Don’t be afraid to try something new, but if it’s not resonating with your audience, move on to the next idea. Instagram is a constant game of trial and error.
