In today’s world, it’s not uncommon to see Instagrammers and bloggers going hand in hand. In fact, it’s often assumed that bloggers will have an Instagram (and sometimes, vice versa). Bloggers who are trying to make it big in the content sphere can use Instagram to their advantage — in terms of reach, engagement, target audience and following. If you’re a blogger looking to expand your business and you haven’t set up your Instagram yet, now is the time to get it done. And if you’re embarking on a career path as an influencer, read on. Follow these steps to set up your Instagram. 

Let’s start with the basics…

If you already have an account, skip to step 4!

However, if you’re totally new to the scene, it helps to know the step-by-step process of setting up your profile. 

1. Visit the App Store

   You’ll start by downloading the app. Simple enough, right?! 
   Simply search for ‘Instagram’ and download.
   
   
   
   

2. Create Your Account 

   Create your account by entering details such as name, email, phone, username and password. Try to be as creative and on-brand as possible with your username and make sure it aligns with the purpose of the account. We recommend you add both an email and phone number you have access to, to ensure you can always get into your account, in case you ever forget your password or are asked to verify your account for any reason. 
   Pro Tip: Without access to these, you can get locked out of your account!
   
   
   
    

3. Set Up Your Profile

   Here comes the fun part! You can now add your profile picture, draft up a clear to-the-point bio and start following other accounts of interest. Now, it’s time to get serious!
   
   

4. What Type of Profile Should You Have? 

   If you consider yourself a professional and you are taking your Instagram profile seriously for your line of work, Business or Creator profiles have several benefits. 
   A few benefits of having a professional instagram profile:
   
   • Linked Permissions: Link your facebook page 
   • Contact Information: Include a contact button in your bio – can be email/phone/etc
   • Category Label: This shows people you mean business. Display or hide your category title which may be listed on your profile in your bio as for example ‘public figure’ or other
   
   
   
   • Insights: Instagram insights provide information on who your followers are, when they’re most online and more. You can also view performance and engagement insights.
   & more. 
   
   Less than 10,000 Followers? Switch to a Professional/Business Account 
   
   Click Here to view step-by-step instructions
   
   10,000+ Followers Already? Switch to a Creators Account! 
   
   Click Here to view step-by-step instructions
   
   

5. Define Your Own Strategy

   Just like you map out the plan for your blog, your Instagram needs to have a destination of goals and milestones — ones that can easily be measured for success. Why? Because this is all part of forming a cohesive strategy that makes an impact and adds to your blog presence. Think of your Instagram as a support role for your blog. If your blog is the carrier of your message, your Instagram is what helps disseminate the message and reach more followers. Begin with a roadmap so that you have an idea of what each post will do to add to your blog content — from color palette to captions. 
   
   
   

6. Focus on Quality… Even if it Takes Time 

   Since you can quickly set up an Instagram account, it’s easy to fall into the trap of posting for the sake of posting. You’ll see brands that rely on stock photos and reposts for their content, and while it may be tempting, it’s not the best strategy. Your Instagram account may take time, and that’s okay. In this case, you’ll want to start with quality over quantity. Don’t worry about scheduling 7 posts a week — that will come later. Right now, you need to establish yourself as a presence in your niche, gather a following and sync up your Instagram with your blog. 
   
   

7. Align Your Voice 

   We hear a lot about tone of voice and staying on brand, but what does that mean? Think of your tone of voice as your talking voice. You have a certain pitch range, vocabulary, dialect and sayings. The people who know you know your voice as an extension of you and your personality — in other words, your brand. The same goes for your social and blog presence. If you carry a casual, conversational voice throughout your blog content, followers will expect a similar voice for your social media content. Otherwise, it’s tough to nail down a holistic brand that crosses over several different platforms — which is really important for the success of your blog, especially if you’re trying to monetize it. 
   
   

8. Engage 

   If you’ve been blogging, you know just how important it is to engage with your audience. Whether it’s following other accounts or writing back to your comments, engagement is a big part of growing and scaling your presence. As an influencer or blogger on Instagram, you open up a whole new avenue of engagement — likes, highlights, stories, reels, comments and shares. One of the most recommended ways to engage an audience is strategically making use of your captions. This can be done by writing interactive content, asking questions or getting personal on relatable topics. Another good way to keep up is by blocking off a few hours every week to go through your comments and messages and craft your responses. Not only does it show that you’re committed to your followers, but it also gets you better acquainted with your target audience. What better way to get to know them than by communicating directly with them? 
   
   Ready to hit the “Sign up” button and head out into the world of Instagram? It’s actually easier than it sounds. While you go through your strategy and piece together a game-plan, make sure you’re always keeping your readers, listeners and followers at the forefront of your mind. They’re the ones driving your business, your passion and your strategy — so keep up the good work and start scaling away!