Instagram is an application in which you can use photos to show everyone how beautiful you live, as well as view photos of friends, celebrities and just those who are interesting. They leave comments there, communicate and meet new people. If you want to know how to properly manage Instagram, you first need to take care of the quality of photos and their content.

How to properly manage an Instagram page?

1. To become popular in this application, then you should open your profile. This will ensure the most views and likes.
2. You need to carefully monitor the content of your page. You should not post low-quality, blurry or blurry photographs. As practice shows, people most like to look at photos against the backdrop of nature. Such materials collect the largest number of likes.
3. Particular attention should be paid to the color scheme and lighting of the photo. Here it is important to choose the light so that it does not distort the colors.
4. Photos should be interesting and varied. A big mistake is multiple materials of the same type.
5. It is advisable to share only high-quality selfies with subscribers. At the same time, it should not be visible that the photo was taken at arm's length or lying down.
6. Don't forget about photo descriptions. They should be small but informative.
7. To properly blog on Instagram, you need to take care of both hashtags and subscribers. There is no need to describe every single detail. Don't clutter your feed with fake subscriptions.
8. You should not overuse Photoshop. Any processing should first of all be aimed at improving the quality of photographs.
9. It's best to share your own photos and selfies. One of the mistakes is posting pictures, images with quotes or phrases, or any photos taken from the Internet. In a word, everything that users can easily find through search engines.

And finally - don't forget about

We have released a new book “Content Marketing in in social networks: How to get into your subscribers’ heads and make them fall in love with your brand.”

Facebook research has shown that users view a post in 0.2 seconds. To interest them, you need to really stand out with originality and beauty. What if we are talking about a whole page of photographs? How to design it beautifully so that your subscribers are delighted? Let's look at the research and rules that will help achieve visual harmony.

We told you how to run Instagram for business in. In this part we will focus on blogs. However, some rules remain relevant for both personal use and for the company.

1. Combine your photos into one interesting story that tells the reader what you do or are interested in.
2. Select a profile topic and write about it in the bio. Support posts in this direction or related ones.
3. Create high-quality and interesting content. Learn how to process photos. Curalate analyzed 8 million images and came to the following conclusions:
   • Light-colored pictures get 24% more likes than dark ones. Objects acquire clearer contours, allowing you to view them without tension, and there is no color “understatement” left.
   • Photos with a background are 29% more popular than those with an empty background. They contain more interesting information.
   • Images with blue colors receive 24% more weight than red ones.
   • Pictures with one dominant color score 17% more than those with several. Curalate suggests that when you look at photographs at a distance of one inch from your face, the lack of chaos and order helps you concentrate.
   • Photos with low saturation are 18% more popular than those with high or medium saturation.
   • Images with texture evoke a greater response from people than those without. Curalate say that various irregularities and shadows catch a person's eye and make him look closely at the photo.
   • Regardless of the results obtained, the word “creativity” has not yet been canceled. Focus on your principles and rules.
4. Pictures with less than 5 colors are perceived better.
5. Create a detail that will be in every photo. A certain shade, a small brooch, a signature on creative creations.
6. Another important point on how to maintain a beautiful profile on Instagram: fill out information about yourself. This will allow people to immediately learn about you and make subscription decisions.
7. Follow profiles that are already successful in the chosen direction. Analyze their techniques and try to repeat them at first. Over time, you will come up with great posts on an intuitive level.
8. Create your own unique name by which people will recognize you. Take it seriously: it should be easy to read and pronounce.
9. Research relevant hashtags. Keep aesthetics in mind: it is not recommended to use more than 30 tags to prevent the post from looking spammy. Create a hashtag with your name under which you can view all publications and mentions. Analyze effectiveness and change periodically to find audiences from different topics. If there are relatively fewer entries for a tag, then the entry will be more noticeable.
10. Participate in competitions, SFS, discussions. Hold your own giveaways and encourage followers to be active.
11. If necessary, indicate geolocation. Don't overdo it: put the places where the photo was actually taken.
12. Record video. Study when subscribers are willing to watch them: in the morning, afternoon or evening. Videos are perceived better than just a photograph.
13. Find the best time to post. For example, Monday is not the best day for serious analytics, and videos are more actively viewed in the evening, when people come home from work and can turn on the sound. For more information, see our article “Ideal Times to Post on Instagram.”
14. Diversify your content. In addition to photos, post videos, stories, and broadcast. Write not only on your topic, but also related to it. Invite other bloggers or experts. Organize question-answer sections.
15. Some bloggers devote a lot of money and time to photograph composition. For this they buy candles and jewelry. Think about what accessories will add variety to the background of your photos.
16. Create a posting schedule. Determine the frequency. The lifespan of a post is 4 hours; you should not do it more than once in this period of time. Within the allotted time, the post gains most of the likes and comments. Using analytics services and observing the behavior of followers, calculate the best frequency. Namely: when they are ready to perceive new information.
17. Reply to your subscribers. Even replying to a comment with an emoji will be nice. Communicate: People can provide new ideas for and keep you motivated.
18. Nowadays it is important to add text under the image. You can write articles. If they are long: write some in the first comment and others in the rest. Or break it into several parts. Make sure your subscribers are interested in reading.
19. Choose bright and short headlines that will catch the eye. Add numbers and question words. Surprise the reader, arouse curiosity or disgust, show concern for him.
20. Conduct broadcasts, including joint ones: invite other bloggers and discuss interesting topics. Post the event announcement in advance so that more people can come. The entry remains for 24 hours and is deleted.
21. Instagram Stories is good opportunity share news with followers, talk about sweepstakes and competitions. Like broadcasts, they are saved for 24 hours.

Combine various ways and achieve maximum effect.

Instagram Rules

Instagram has its own rules, violations of which are subject to content removal, blocking and some other measures.

• Respect intellectual property rights. Publish only images that you have rights to. They must be genuine and not belong to another author.
• Instagram takes care of children's photos. If children are partially or completely naked in the pictures, then such materials may be removed. Even if they are posted on a social network without a second thought, it is unknown how others can use this information.
• You can't post naked parts of your body. They are allowed only in painting and sculpture.
• Follow the laws. Forbidden:
  • firearms;
  • sexual services or photographs of minors;
  • support for terrorist activities;
• Written permission is required for:
  • promotion of gambling;
  • lotteries;
  • online games for real money.
• Do not use services for increasing subscribers, likes and reposts. Don't spam people unless they are interested in the offer and have given their consent.
• Threats, humiliating materials for the purpose of blackmail, and spam are prohibited.
• It is unacceptable to support conflicts based on race, origin, gender, religion, or disease.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle, not mutilation.
• When using videos with severe violence, you must mark them accordingly. However, you need to be careful: the administration reserves the right to delete such material, since Instagram is used by people of different ages.

Following these rules and helping to identify accounts that violate the law will help maintain the social network atmosphere at the appropriate level.

Complaints are carefully examined and a decision is made on the seriousness of the situation.

Instagram tracks user activity. If on one account the limit of likes, comments or subscriptions exceeds 150 per hour, then the corresponding buttons will be blocked. In case of repeated violation - for an indefinite period of time.

Let's sum it up

We analyzed how to beautifully run Instagram in the same style, what publications are allowed and how not to get banned. Despite this, you may have your own creative ideas within the culture that will help readers get an accurate picture of you. Experiment with colors, brightness, explore what your subscribers like and delight them as they are ready. This will help make your account more successful and interesting.

Greetings, my dear blog readers!

Every beginner asks the question: how to start maintaining an account, what to do, how often to post, what photos can and should be posted.

Here, at first glance, everything is banal and easy: all photos, some accompanying text, likes, a huge number of hashtags and comments.

It will take time to understand all the nuances. And it is very important not to make gross mistakes in the very first steps; they are difficult to correct later.

It should be remembered that Instagram is difficult only from the very beginning, when choosing a direction, name, tags and hashtags. In fact, it is a creative and exciting process.

First, you need to decide on the topic of your account or blog: a page for promoting your services, a thematic page, a personal page. If you decide to create your own personal blog on Instagram, then remember that promoting such an account is very difficult.

If you choose a business direction, be sure to think through related topics and subtopics. When choosing a thematic page, try to think about the format of the photo so as not to be of the same type and not bore your subscribers. They love new and interesting things.

For example, the topic is “making money on the Internet.” This is the main theme. Related topics can be travel, vacation, money, success, motivating phrases, etc.

These topics can be developed in parallel. It is important that you are able to post regularly, posting thematic pictures and creating attractive content.

After choosing a topic, decide on the name of your Instagram account. It should be in tune with the theme and be recognizable. A lot depends on what name you choose.

In the future, it cannot be changed, because you will start promoting your blog on Instagram immediately from the very first post.

But there is one “but”: there should not be more than 150 different actions per hour in one account. If it is more, then spam is likely, and as a result, the “subscribe”, “like” or “comment” button is temporarily blocked.

If, after the blocking is lifted, the user continues the same active actions, then the account will be banned for an indefinite time.

And of course, content and user complaints are monitored. I don’t think you will start violating the unspoken photo laws that are accepted on all social networks. This means not campaigning for someone somewhere, not selling drugs and weapons, not posting photos in the “18+” format.

What to do next on Instagram?

So, this little information about where to start an account on Instagram, how to register and what not to do will help save your time and nerves in the further development and promotion of your blog on this social network.

Try to adhere to a certain style in creating an account. High-quality photos, an interesting description and several basic hashtags will help attract attention to your young blog on Instagram.

There are a lot of programs for improving photos, creating collages from photos, adding captions, various effects. Show your imagination and analyze which moments attract your subscribers the most.

P.S. remember that with every new photo your Instagram blog grows with content. Becomes recognizable and attractive. Pay attention to the photo, hashtags and accompanying text.

Sincerely, Alexander Gavrin.

We've released a new book, Social Media Content Marketing: How to Get Inside Your Followers' Heads and Make Them Fall in Love with Your Brand.

Are you thinking about opening an Instagram account, but don’t know how to approach it and are sure that without fame or large investments you won’t be able to get there? There is some truth in this, but In fact, everything is not as scary as it seems! We will tell you how to develop on this platform.

You can represent a company or just be a passionate person who wants to make money online. This article contains life hacks for beginners that will suit everyone.

Let's start with the most important thing, with the foundation on which all further actions will be based.

How to start blogging on Instagram: planning

The most important work begins even before posting the first photo and even before registering an account. You need to understand why you are creating it. What will it be: just a page or a company profile? What is your goal? To make more people aware of the project, sell a product, receive money from advertising other people’s products, or build a personal brand?

Once you answer this question, you need to understand who your target audience is. To do this, it is not enough to know gender and age. Determine what will unite readers. What problem will you solve for them? A thirst for knowledge, an interest in beautiful sketches from life, or they are interested in the product you produce. Based on this, it is recommended to choose the format and presentation of information, hashtags.

For example, you want to create a travel profile. In this case, the target audience varies, as do the trips themselves. Some people like active tourism, while others like “all inclusive”. The content of posts and photos will differ radically.

Let's say you don't know what to write about on Instagram, what then? We have prepared a list of areas for you in which you can successfully develop.

What topics can you blog about on Instagram?

With the advent of the era of meaningful texts in this social network, the field for activity has become simply limitless. Try to connect to popular niches: healthy lifestyle, fitness, beauty, cooking, if they are close to you. But remember that there is a lot of competition in them. Lifestyle accounts are no less common. It is important to understand here that a simple life will be of interest to few people. She really must have some style distinctive feature. Ideally, the page resembles a TV series.

What other blogs can you write on Instagram?

• Movie. Reviews of new films, reviews.
• Wine. There are such pages, but they are few and far between, and if you are a connoisseur of alcohol, then you are in luck. Here's the topic!
• Education. Foreign, Russian languages, other subjects.
• Gardening, landscape design, indoor flowers.
• Extreme travel.
• The backside of your specialty. If you are a pro at something, write about it.
• Books. Share your impressions and lists.
• Secrets, life hacks, instructions. Readers love helpful and detailed guides.
• Social problems. Notes on human rights, history, and politics are popular with a fairly large audience.
• Pets. Supplement beautiful photographs and videos with care tips.

What you can blog about on Instagram: topics for girls

If you don’t like any of the listed niches, use in the following way. Write down all your interests and areas of activity on the list. Then highlight those that you are good at or are ready to learn a lot of new information. Try to write two or three informative posts on each of them, take pictures. Evaluate the quality of the text and your mood. Choose what was easiest for you to talk about and what inspired you. Also consider whether you will be able to produce enough photo content.

How to start your own personal blog on Instagram: first steps

Once you have decided on the format, target audience and the direction of the page, you can start creating an account.

To do this you need to register account on Instagram. Come up with a short, memorable name. It must correspond to the activity. If you already have a company, use the existing name. It is better to develop a personal brand under your first and last name. Go to "Editing". Button next to the avatar. Choose a photo that will match the overall style of your feed. Choose a clear, eye-catching image. Save the result.

Tell us about yourself"

This section is located in the same settings, just below. What you indicate in it will be your profile header. This is the second thing a page visitor sees when they come to you. Therefore, pay special attention to the column. In 150 characters you need to include a short and interesting description of who you are and what this blog is about. They also add contacts, working conditions, location, information about discounts, and website address.

Use emoji to liven up text and emphasize important points. Don't put more than one for each phrase. Be original, spice up your self-presentation with emotions.

At this point, you can convert your profile to a business account. This will give access to statistics. You will be able to leave links through which the reader will contact you directly, and not through Direct. A gray inscription will appear under the avatar: goods and services, personal blog or another. It attracts attention. To choose new format, go to settings by clicking on the wheel or three dots in the upper right corner.

This is what a correctly filled header looks like.

How to blog on Instagram correctly: photos, texts, useful applications

Create a content plan for several days or a month. If you are promoting your product, be sure to alternate entertaining, informative and selling posts. These can be instructions for using the product, comparative characteristics, sweepstakes, surveys, voting, games, holiday greetings, news feeds from the professional or public sphere, work moments, funny stories and much more.

The main thing is to maintain a balance between topics and create activity among users themselves. Motivate to leave comments, respond to them. This increases the indicators that allow you to promote your profile. On personal page you can follow the same recommendations.

It happens that you need to give out a large block of information. You can't do this as a continuous canvas!

• Always break your longread into meaningful chunks. One paragraph - one thought.
• Do this using a line break. There should be no space at the end of the phrase.
• Use a notepad or notes on your phone to write notes. They make it easier to format a post if the application still glues it together. Write - copy.
• Insert emoji in the part that is important to emphasize. They can also be used to create lists.
• If the text does not fit, type the remaining thoughts in a regular editor, take a screenshot and add to the gallery with the main photo.
• Write simply and captivatingly, even if your topic is complex and serious.

An example of a properly formatted post

How to create a photo series for Instagram

The visual perception of a blog plays a big role in its development. Still, Instagram remains a network for visual people. But making a beautiful picture is not as difficult as it seems. The main thing is to study the theory of composition, lighting and practice a lot. On the Internet there is free lessons mobile photography. Look through the pages of famous companies or people, and note interesting details.

It’s better to post posts every day, one or two when your target audience is active. Try to identify this part of the day practical method, publishing throughout the week at different times: morning, afternoon and evening. The results of the experiment are clearly visible in the account statistics. The button is in the upper right corner.

Content Creation Tips

• Look for unused angles. Any object will look unusual and beautiful if you approach the matter with imagination.
• Process pictures in the same style: color, sequence of image and text (checkerboard format), frames.
• Don't overload the image. It should have one idea.
• Dilute products and landscapes with selfies or portraits of other people and animals.
• Take several shots at once. They will be a godsend on a day when shooting is impossible.
• Use backgrounds and decorations. It could be anything. Even an old sweater, as long as it is photogenic.
• Take a walk around the city, coffee shops, parks to capture unusual and beautiful moments in a collection of materials for posts.

Popular HR development apps:

• VSCO Cam
• Snapseed
• Cover
• Instafit.
• Whitagram
• Diptic
• Frame Swagg

Don't forget about powerful tools like videos and stories. Both the first and second are popular among users and advertisers.

• Instagram videos are short, but come up with a plot or logical sequence for them.
• Look for unusual angles, break up the shooting with shots of the surrounding reality and details.
• Add suitable background music.

If your end goal is monetization, be sure to reach beyond your audience and profile. To find new subscribers, sometimes it is enough to write thoughtful comments on posts on more well-known platforms on a regular basis (every day). Participate in SFS (mention exchange) and other initiatives of pages that interest you.

When you have a significant number of subscribers - more than a thousand, organize such mutual reposts yourself. Also, don’t leave visitors’ questions unanswered. Use a moderate number of thematic hashtags. Look at them from your competitors, come up with your own personal #.

How to start a book blog on Instagram

Such profiles can be created by stores or ordinary book lovers. This direction is now gaining momentum. Bookstagrams are what avid readers call their pages. Account management itself is not much different from any other. The requirements are the same: beautiful visuals, edited, understandable, interesting text.

What you can write about:

• Review of the work.
• A story about new products.
• Moments from the biography of writers.
• Myths associated with any publications.
• Sphere news.
• Transfer of income if we are talking about a trading blog.
• About the role of books.
• About reading techniques.
• Congratulations on the holiday.
• About Me.
• And much more.

Marathons and sweepstakes are successfully held. Posts can be serious or humorous, short or long.

The photo sequence depends solely on the imagination of the page creator. There are various displays with beautiful objects, scenes, unusual angles, and simply processed photographs of publications.

Book Instagrams are monetized just like others. If you run it with your soul and you already have at least a thousand subscribers, write to the publishing house with an offer of cooperation. Tell us about yourself, provide a link to your profile, show statistics and tell us under what conditions you want to work. Participate in competitions, put special hashtags that are thematically related to your activities.

Example of a designed post from a private book account

We told you how to start and properly maintain a blog on Instagram, and looked at topics for blogging. This article cannot cover all the secrets of this social network, but we have given basic tips. Using them you can master a new area.

We talked to the owners of the most popular Instagram accounts, who turned running this social network into a business, about what time of day is best to post, how to edit photos, and how much you can earn from it.

As we learned from the confessions of the popular Instagram user Essena O'Neil, whose story excited the entire Internet community, the life of an ordinary blogger is difficult and unprepossessing. There are no worries at all. But there’s nothing you can do: if you identified yourself as the owner of a popular account, get into the frame.

People with b O A large number of subscribers, including those from Russia, have long understood that Instagram is not entertainment, but work. And, like any job, there are responsibilities, regime, salary and, of course, the costs of the profession. If we already learned about the latter from the same Essena (although we do not claim that the girl made money using her account), then we asked the owners of popular Russian accounts about other aspects of the life of a professional Instagram user.

Yana Fisti

Account: yanafisti
Number of subscribers: 302 thousand.
On Instagram 1.5 years

Technical advice.
Since my profile is thematic, most of the fashion blog on Instagram consists of my fashion images and my stylist recommendations. In addition to them, there are selfies, landscapes, food, cosmetics, travel, accessories, backstage - all this, of course, in smaller quantities, but still there. From time to time I tell readers about places that I like and where you can have a great time. In this case, I always set geolocation and tags.

How many posts to publish per day?
On average, 1-2 photos, but sometimes it can be 6-7, especially when traveling.

What is the most productive time to post photos (morning/afternoon/evening)?
Previously, I tried to post during peak activity times - morning and evening. Now I publish when it is convenient for me and when there is such an opportunity.

On my phone I use Instagram itself for processing, since it now has enough convenient settings, as well as Aviary, Afterlight.

I can’t remember exactly what my first order was. At first, various brands and showrooms began to offer gifts, which, of course, was very pleasant at that time, since I simply did not expect that they would want to give me so many things. And I was happy to publish posts, tagging clothes and accessories that I like. After some time, there were too many of them, and we moved on to cooperation on a commercial basis.

I don’t want to name any number, but it directly depends, first of all, on the quality of your audience, and secondly, on the number of subscribers. The audience varies by geography, interests, age and purchasing power. For example, the effect of advertising in the account of a 16-year-old video blogger with a million subscribers will be significantly less than that of an adult fashion blogger with an audience of 100 thousand.

I agree to about 30% of offers because I respect my subscribers. We reject approximately 70% of advertisers for various reasons, but many advertise everything in a row, turning their profiles into trash. Each blogger has his own choice.

Every day we receive a lot of letters with various kinds of offers. Two out of three companies begin negotiations with an offer to send gifts. But gifts in exchange for advertising are already barter, and we try not to work on barter terms. Companies make money from sales, and their sales come from bloggers’ advertising posts—which means bloggers should make money too. If we started working with everyone through barter, we would have to rent a warehouse for gifts.

What is the strength?
Excited for life, for your business and sincerity with yourself.

Anastasia Nikonova

Account: pullya
Number of subscribers: 86 thousand.
On Instagram 2 years

Technical advice.
I don’t put any popular tags like #vscocam or #instagramweek because I’m lazy, but I know a lot of Instagrammers who use it; I tried it once, but didn’t see a strong effect. Only in rare cases do I use personal tags that I created myself or shared tags with my friends. This is convenient, especially for travel. At what time and how many posts per day to post - there is no single answer to this question; you need to study and analyze the reaction of your audience, taking into account that it changes over time.

What time of day is best to post?
Let’s say that previously my audience’s maximum activity was in the morning, but now, on the contrary, it is in the evening. Previously, I tried to post strictly 2 posts a day, morning and evening, but now I don’t follow this principle, I post when and as much as I want.

Some time ago, people reacted best to food, but I still continued to post still lifes, landscapes, and portraits too, although the reaction to them was much weaker. But over time, the audience has adjusted and perceives everything that I post equally well, so there is no need to focus on one thing.

If you want to choose some narrow content topic, well, that’s also not bad: look for yourself and what you like, because in any business the main thing is to do it well and from the heart. I always use geolocation: it is informative for subscribers and useful for attracting new followers, since there are always a lot of clicks based on geolocations. I myself love it when they add geolocation to photographs, and I don’t really understand people who make some great secret out of this - so that, God forbid, someone doesn’t find and photograph the same cafe or the same landscape.

Professional camera or smartphone?
Previously, I basically only photographed with my phone, but now I periodically post frames taken with my new favorite mirrorless camera, Olympus Omd Em5 Mark2. From this camera it is very convenient to transfer photos directly to your phone via Wi-Fi, and you don’t need to waste time on any pre-processing of the photos and transfer via a computer, I do everything on the phone.

Creative tips.
Always take photographs in good light, try to immediately take a beautiful picture. The light in this matter is yours best friend. Take more photographs, improve your skills, learn to see the frame, in general - practice makes perfect.

Favorite filter?
I don't use filters and don't like them. They make all photos look the same.

What is the best way to process photos, if at all?
Those who like filters usually use VSCO, but I don't like it. I believe that there should be a minimum of processing, but, of course, a slight increase in brightness, contrast and sharpness will not ruin any photo. Just please know when to stop.

I love Afterlight, but now Instagram itself has enough processing options. For those who have chosen the path of filters, I would recommend not to get carried away with different ones; 1-2 basic ones are enough for your photos to be consistent in the same style.

How to attract an advertiser?
Do your job well, and the advertiser will come to you. The criteria for the attractiveness of a page are different for each advertiser, but there are certain factors that are important to everyone. The most important thing is conversion, that is, how much potential clients the company will receive by placing its advertisement with you. To increase conversion, don't overdo it with advertising, only agree to really good offers. Nobody is interested in a page where every post is an advertisement: either washing powder or sunflower oil.

What was your first paid partnership?
It seems that this was a proposal to test a service for delivering a healthy eating program to your home.

How much can you earn on Instagram in a month?
On average, for a blogger with a number of subscribers from 50 to 100 thousand, placing one advertising publication costs from 10,000 rubles.

Money, gifts or travel tours?
I believe that any advertising should be paid for with money, but in exceptional cases, of course, you can consider barter. I would not call it a gift, because it implies a gratuitous action, and when in exchange for a “gift” advertising is expected from you, this is no longer a gift. So don’t treat it like a freebie, evaluate how much you really need this thing, whether it deserves you to advertise it. Travel tours - yes. But only if certain conditions are met, which you must already determine for yourself. I have quite a lot of requirements for this kind of proposals.

About a year ago, my account was included in the list of Instagram recommendations, then I received about 30 thousand subscribers in a week.

What is the strength?
There is power in movement.

Lina Kuznetsova

Account: linadelika
Number of subscribers: 224 thousand.
On Instagram 3.5 years

Technical advice.
The optimal number of posts per day is 2-3 pieces. I am for not cluttering up the news feed, but also not disappearing for a long time. I like to put only necessary hashtags, I am against putting the tags #beauty, #top, #moscow, #love: they won’t give you a noticeable increase in likes, but they will irritate your subscribers.

What is the best time to post?
In my experience the best— from 11 to 13 on weekdays.

What content goes best: selfies, food, landscapes, portraits?
I have an emphasis on travel, so people sign up mainly for landscapes and architecture. I like to mix it up with flowers, portraits and layouts (#flatlay).

Professional camera or phone?
At one time I filmed exclusively on my iPhone and even on my profile in capital letters I wrote ONLY IPHONE because they endlessly ask what the photo was taken with. But in Lately(about six months) I started adding photos from my camera to the gallery: I like it. The ratio is approximately 90/10 in favor of the iPhone.

Creative tips.
I like it when the profile is designed in the same style and color scheme. For me, Instagram is not a momentary account of life (install Snapchat and Periscope for this), but a beautiful gallery, a kind of photo album on the Internet.

What is the best way to process photos, if at all?
I love VSCO, Snapseed, Retouch.

What was your first collaboration like?
I don’t remember exactly, but something related to photographing food or a restaurant (three years ago I was a food photographer).

How much can you earn on Instagram in a month?
Directly depends on the number of your subscribers. From 100-150 thousand per month - easy.

Money, gifts or travel tours?
For me, 90% is paid advertising; I rarely agree to barter, only if I really, really want this thing or service. I don’t like travel/press tours at all. I went there twice, and each time it was pure hell.

When and why did your account become popular?
Over the course of a year, the first 10-15 thousand were collected thanks to the blog (which I have now abandoned), then the photos began to regularly appear in the top (there was such a popular page where photos ended up due to the growth rate of likes in the first 10-15 minutes after they were posted). Then the growth went very, very quickly, to about 120-140 thousand. Then this system was removed, growth slowed down, but the size of the audience already played for itself.

What is the strength?
It's about learning to accept and understand yourself.

Anastasia Volkova

Account: anastasia_volkova
Number of subscribers: 362 thousand.
3 years on Instagram

Technical advice.
It's better to post photos every day. Ideally, 1-2 photos, so as not to turn your subscribers’ feed into an endless album of your portraits. I don't use any hashtags other than personal ones. It is better to post photos during the day and in the late afternoon, when most of the subscribers are active or at least woke up (I have many subscribers from other countries).

Favorite filter.
Today - E4 in VSCO Cam.

Enough for new shoes.

Money, gifts or travel tours?
Advertisers count on a fairly popular this moment in our country barter and proudly call it “mutually beneficial commercial cooperation,” immediately mentioning that they do not have any budget for advertising. This is not serious.

When and why did your account become popular?
I initially had several platforms on different social networks, so all I had to do was provide a link to Instagram and tell everyone that I had registered there.

What is the strength?
In harmony.

Sofia Filippova

Account: sonchicc
Number of subscribers: 104 thousand.
On Instagram for over three years

Technical advice.
It is worth paying special attention to your audience. And here I mean not only maintaining a dialogue with subscribers, holding competitions and discussing pressing topics, but also the technical side of the issue - analytics. There are various services where you can track activity, audience growth, and even the territorial location of subscribers (iconosquare.com for example).

What is the best time to post photos (morning/afternoon/evening)?
During the day, in the first half (from 9 to 12), and in the evening (from 19 to 21). This is the most popular time among those who like to hang out on Instagram.

Creative tips.
A profile with unified content attracts more attention.

Favorite filter.
Most often I use S2 Effect in the VSCO application or play around with the brightness and structure settings in Snapseed.

What is the best way to process photos, if at all?
The complete package of Instagram's top programs is as follows: Facetune - for selfies, TouchRetouch - for retouching unnecessary elements in the photo, Cortex Camera - for super-quality pictures in the evening.

How to attract an advertiser?
Sooner or later, a brand will appear that will be interested in collaborating with you, although if you adequately assess your own success, you can not be afraid to independently offer your account to various companies.

What was your first paid partnership?
The first such proposal came from a company that sells caramel apples on a stick. Well, you have to start somewhere.

How much do you estimate you can earn on Instagram in a month?
It all depends on your own confidence, the price per post and the number of offers per month. Thus, popular accounts can bring their owner 30 thousand rubles per month, 50 thousand or more.

Money, gifts or travel tours?
For me, as a person who cannot see life without travel, the ideal cooperation is an invitation to travel tours. Nowadays, some brands give gifts without even asking for a photo in return, which I couldn’t even imagine about a year ago.

When and why did your account become popular?
A year ago, Instagram decided to make me a recommended user for the first time - to tell the entire community about Sonchik. So, the number of subscribers reached 30 thousand, and six months later I was again lucky to receive such attention. I still can’t understand how, why and why they did this, but it’s incredibly nice.

What is the strength?
It's cliche, but there is power in doing what you love and loving what you do.