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How to Start a Blog on Instagram: 7 Tips for Beginners

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Blogging is a popular way for people to share their lives and discuss topics they’re interested in. Besides website builders like WordPress and Squarespace, you should also consider how to use social media to build your online presence.


Instagram has evolved from being purely a space to share photos into a multimedia platform that lets you reach a potentially huge audience. Regardless of your interests, you can probably find like-minded people with the right approach.

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Starting a blog on Instagram requires playing the long-term game, and these tips will help you begin your journey.


1. Use a Creator or Business Account

Once you’ve decided you’re going to run a blog on Instagram, the first step—after creating an account—is to use a creator or business account. When you change your account to this, you’ll gain access to several useful analytics tools. For example, you can see how many people viewed your profile in the last seven days.

Other analytics you’ll gain access to include:

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  • The days on which you get the most engagement.
  • The number of accounts you’ve reached within a certain time period.
  • How your follower count has changed over a certain period.

To set up a business or creator account on Instagram, follow these steps.

  1. In the Instagram app, go to your profile. Then, select the icon with three horizontal lines in the top right-hand corner.
  2. Tap Settings and privacy.
  3. Scroll down to the For professionals section and select Account type and tools.
  4. Tap Switch to professional account.
  5. Choose the category for which you want to change your account to. If you want this to feature on your profile, toggle Display on profile on.
  6. Hit Done when you’re finished.

Once you’ve set up your blog, you can invite your friends to follow you on Instagram and support your work.

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2. Choose a Niche

You’re competing for attention with billions of other Instagram accounts, so you need to give users a reason to follow your profile. One way you can do that is by making it very clear what you talk about.

You don’t need the perfect niche as a beginner blogger, but you should choose a topic you’re interested in. As you post more frequently, you’ll better understand what your audience likes and dislikes—along with what you do and don’t like. Once you have that information, you can finetune your content accordingly.

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If you’re unsure about which niche to start with, here are some that you can explore:

  • Travel
  • Self-improvement
  • Photography

If you choose travel, you might want to consider checking out our top travel photography tips. That way, you can create more enticing posts for users to engage with.

When creating your Instagram blog account, it’s also worth stating what you do in your bio.

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3. Tell Your Stories With Carousels

Carousels are a superb way to tell a story with still images or graphics. You can add up to 10 with each post, which should be more than enough to explain a point you’re trying to make. Try to limit yourself to one paragraph on each carousel; doing so will make your content more digestible.

You can use carousels to provide useful tips, and they’re also handy for setting the context around a situation that you’ve experienced. Another way that you can use carousels is to summarize a recent trip, and you might also want to think about sharing some interesting statistics that you’ve found.

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We’ve got a guide on creating Instagram carousel posts with Adobe InDesign for those of you that want to take your designs to the next level.

4. Don’t Ignore Video Content

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Video content was a huge focus on Instagram in 2021 and 2022, and the future of the platform is probably going to include a mixture of both photos and video. With that in mind, you shouldn’t ignore Instagram Reels entirely.

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You can create all kinds of Instagram Reels for your blog. For example, you can share quick tips—along with behind-the-scenes content. It’s also worth thinking about using Instagram Reels for sharing before and after images.

When making Reels, you might need to experiment and see what works best for you. The most important thing is that every piece of content you publish is intentional. We’ve got a suite of Reels ideas to try if you want to stand out.

5. Write Engaging Captions

When running a blog on Instagram, creating your visual content is only one piece of the puzzle. Your captions should also be engaging and explain what is going on in each of your posts.

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Instagram captions should be easy to read, and it’s worth using shorter sentences and smaller bodies of text. For more complex explanations, consider breaking your text up into bullet points or numbered sections.

Consider writing your captions on a computer or tablet instead of your smartphone. That way, you’ll find it easier to get an overview of everything. It’s also worth running your captions through a spell-checker to ensure that they’re error-free.

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6. Try Not to Rely Solely on Instagram

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Instagram provides a strong base for you to grow your audience, especially if you’re a beginner to blogging. However, you should try not to rely solely on Instagram.

When you post on the platform, you don’t own any of the content you publish. You’re also at the mercy of algorithmic changes, and Instagram could suspend your account without prior warning in some cases.

Diversifying where your audience can find you is a good idea. Consider adding a link to your newsletter in your bio, for example. You can also create a website to host longer-form content, and you have numerous options. These include:

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7. Choose a Consistent Color Scheme

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Although a consistent theme isn’t as essential as it was in and before 2019, having an easily-identifiable aesthetic will make it easier for followers to remember your brand. On top of that, you’ll also have a clearer set of guidelines that you can follow when producing new posts.

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When choosing a color scheme on Instagram, sticking with two or three similar colors is a good idea. You might also find that choosing a particular photo style is beneficial, and you can read all about using photography to create your own Instagram aesthetic.

If you post Reels, you can design covers for these to ensure that they fit in with the rest of your feed.

Get Your Blog Up and Running on Instagram With These Tips

Running a blog on Instagram can be challenging, but it’s also a huge opportunity to have some fun and talk about topics you’re passionate about. You can give yourself a head start by determining what you’ll discuss on your feed, along with not pigeonholing yourself into only one form of media.

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In addition to Instagram, you should consider picking one or two other platforms to grow and nurture your audience. That way, you’ll have a better chance of future-proofing your blog and enjoying long-term success.

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

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Snapchat Explores New Messaging Retention Feature: A Game-Changer or Risky Move?

In a recent announcement, Snapchat revealed a groundbreaking update that challenges its traditional design ethos. The platform is experimenting with an option that allows users to defy the 24-hour auto-delete rule, a feature synonymous with Snapchat’s ephemeral messaging model.

The proposed change aims to introduce a “Never delete” option in messaging retention settings, aligning Snapchat more closely with conventional messaging apps. While this move may blur Snapchat’s distinctive selling point, Snap appears convinced of its necessity.

According to Snap, the decision stems from user feedback and a commitment to innovation based on user needs. The company aims to provide greater flexibility and control over conversations, catering to the preferences of its community.

Currently undergoing trials in select markets, the new feature empowers users to adjust retention settings on a conversation-by-conversation basis. Flexibility remains paramount, with participants able to modify settings within chats and receive in-chat notifications to ensure transparency.

Snapchat underscores that the default auto-delete feature will persist, reinforcing its design philosophy centered on ephemerality. However, with the app gaining traction as a primary messaging platform, the option offers users a means to preserve longer chat histories.

The update marks a pivotal moment for Snapchat, renowned for its disappearing message premise, especially popular among younger demographics. Retaining this focus has been pivotal to Snapchat’s identity, but the shift suggests a broader strategy aimed at diversifying its user base.

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This strategy may appeal particularly to older demographics, potentially extending Snapchat’s relevance as users age. By emulating features of conventional messaging platforms, Snapchat seeks to enhance its appeal and broaden its reach.

Yet, the introduction of message retention poses questions about Snapchat’s uniqueness. While addressing user demands, the risk of diluting Snapchat’s distinctiveness looms large.

As Snapchat ventures into uncharted territory, the outcome of this experiment remains uncertain. Will message retention propel Snapchat to new heights, or will it compromise the platform’s uniqueness?

Only time will tell.

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

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Catering to specific audience boosts your business, says accountant turned coach

While it is tempting to try to appeal to a broad audience, the founder of alcohol-free coaching service Just the Tonic, Sandra Parker, believes the best thing you can do for your business is focus on your niche. Here’s how she did just that.

When running a business, reaching out to as many clients as possible can be tempting. But it also risks making your marketing “too generic,” warns Sandra Parker, the founder of Just The Tonic Coaching.

“From the very start of my business, I knew exactly who I could help and who I couldn’t,” Parker told My Biggest Lessons.

Parker struggled with alcohol dependence as a young professional. Today, her business targets high-achieving individuals who face challenges similar to those she had early in her career.

“I understand their frustrations, I understand their fears, and I understand their coping mechanisms and the stories they’re telling themselves,” Parker said. “Because of that, I’m able to market very effectively, to speak in a language that they understand, and am able to reach them.” 

“I believe that it’s really important that you know exactly who your customer or your client is, and you target them, and you resist the temptation to make your marketing too generic to try and reach everyone,” she explained.

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“If you speak specifically to your target clients, you will reach them, and I believe that’s the way that you’re going to be more successful.

Watch the video for more of Sandra Parker’s biggest lessons.

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

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Instagram Tests Live-Stream Games to Enhance Engagement

Instagram’s testing out some new options to help spice up your live-streams in the app, with some live broadcasters now able to select a game that they can play with viewers in-stream.

As you can see in these example screens, posted by Ahmed Ghanem, some creators now have the option to play either “This or That”, a question and answer prompt that you can share with your viewers, or “Trivia”, to generate more engagement within your IG live-streams.

That could be a simple way to spark more conversation and interaction, which could then lead into further engagement opportunities from your live audience.

Meta’s been exploring more ways to make live-streaming a bigger consideration for IG creators, with a view to live-streams potentially catching on with more users.

That includes the gradual expansion of its “Stars” live-stream donation program, giving more creators in more regions a means to accept donations from live-stream viewers, while back in December, Instagram also added some new options to make it easier to go live using third-party tools via desktop PCs.

Live streaming has been a major shift in China, where shopping live-streams, in particular, have led to massive opportunities for streaming platforms. They haven’t caught on in the same way in Western regions, but as TikTok and YouTube look to push live-stream adoption, there is still a chance that they will become a much bigger element in future.

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Which is why IG is also trying to stay in touch, and add more ways for its creators to engage via streams. Live-stream games is another element within this, which could make this a better community-building, and potentially sales-driving option.

We’ve asked Instagram for more information on this test, and we’ll update this post if/when we hear back.

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