Social media is an ever-changing landscape that makes no sense at times. However, staying consistent and continuing with it when things seem static can pay off. As someone who has been on social media for a few years and promoting my own business, I have learned a few tips and tricks along the way.
One of the biggest takeaways though is to stick with it. Algorithms will change, your audience may grow, and some posts may perform poorly, but nothing can improve unless you stay through the rocky times.
My Top Four Photo Tips
The best way to remain consistent? Having a system in place for taking photos and having a backstock of images available. Whether you are posting images, making carousels, or reels having this content will be a real game changer for you.
1. Take Lots of Photos
The more photos you take, the more options you’ll have at the end. Expect to like maybe one out of every five photos you take. So if you want twenty good pictures at the end to work with, you’re looking at a hundred or more images.
Especially if you are shooting products. Different positions, poses, and backgrounds, all make a huge difference when it comes to using the content.
If you know you’ll be somewhat short on time for a photo shoot here are some great tips to keep in mind when prepping for it. The more prep work you do, the easier the actual shoot should be, with emphasis on the should.
Here’s what my camera roll tends to look like if you want more of a visual example. When creating content I genuinely do not think there is such a thing as too many images.
2. Choose a Color Scheme
This is where the prep work comes back into play for the shoot. Knowing what you want to shoot, the colors, products, location(s), and so on will help you! Knowing your color scheme allows you to figure the rest out.
For example, a Valentine’s Day shoot will likely be red or pink-themed. So you wouldn’t want to shoot in front of a green door or have crazy decorations about it.
Plus knowing what content the shoot will produce can help you plan out your feed. Especially if you follow color schemes or like a checkerboard pattern. Keeping them consistent and sticking to what works is best.
3. Shoot in Natural Light and Add Filters
Natural light tends to give you the best images. Why? Because you can go back in later to darken them if needed or offset the natural light a bit if it’s too strong. The options we have with filters do seem endless at times.
So make sure you are using them to your advantage! My motto is to never post an image or video if it has not been edited yet. This just allows us to stick to our branding and only offer quality images. Which is something social media platforms look for. They want quality over quantity.
Just make sure to avoid any unwanted shadows in your pictures. When using natural light you have to work with it. This means turning the other way or shooting from a different angle. Just trying out different things to ensure the sun isn’t too harsh, the shadows look okay, and things will be easier to edit later.
Or if you do end up with some weird shadows, you can swap out the background of the photo to stay consistent and better fit your feed.
4. Engagement is Key!
Remember that social media is all about engagement. You are having a conversation with other people. So having content that people want to save, like, and comment on is key.
This may mean doing a fashion shoot or two of your favorite summer pieces because people tend to ask you about your clothes. Or sharing a travel guide of sorts for your city, because you know it’s big for tourism.
Also, when people message you, try to message them back in a timely manner, Sometimes it’s hard too, but the more you can answer them the better it is. Responding to comments is another great way to help your engagement. Especially if you can ask them another question or build off of their own comment. You want them to keep coming back to your post and profile.
Staying consistent with posting and engagement is a winning equation.
Consistency Wins
As simple as it may sound, consistency pays off in the end. Continuing to post, shoot content, and engage with your audience will keep you in the platform’s good graces. So even if you’re having a bit of a slow period in terms of likes and follows, it can and will turn around if you continue with it.
If you want to check out more resources about starting an online store or curating your Instagram feed, here are my e-books! They go further in-depth about these topics so that you can get started on the right foot. Let me know what questions you have below!
Stylishly Yours,
Kalyn
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