Instagram Tips to Grow Your Blog & Haven Recap

It’s been a few weeks since I returned from Haven. It was a whirlwind of both non-stop fun and inspiration. I know the majority of the population has no clue what Haven is all about. It really is just three days of DIY bloggers gathering to share inspiration and ideas. It is a motivating force in and of itself. After three years of blogging, I realized I still have so so much to learn. I love blogging and the community that I am apart of. I feel crazy blessed to have a loyal readership and so appreciate the interest in my projects and ideas.  I wanted to show you a few photos as well as recap our social media panel so that you can benefit from some of the tips we shared. I had a blast preparing our session with Carmel, Cassie, and Megan. So without further ado, here are some photos from the Haven bonanza Cassie, Chris, Dusty, Me   Jen, Cassie, Me This was the first night and pretty much straight from the airport. Wasn’t feeling my best, but there is nothing like jumping into a cocktail party with 400 bloggers. Suddenly, you are in it and it was so much fun.   Cassie & Me chatting about Social Media Amy & Me Here Carmel and I are toasting to completing our social media panel. Sweet Megan {who couldn’t make it} sent champagne to our room. So sweet.   A huge highlight was taking time out to meet up with my beautiful friend, Catherine. She lives in Buckhead with her darling family and is one of my favorite people on this planet {we went to ND together}. Sneaking away from the conference for an evening was great for my mind set. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in all of the information and all of the things you should be doing. This grounded me and put it all into perspective. I think it made the conference even more valuable. katie, cassie, sherry, me, michelle   me, michelle, cassie, jen, emily, kristin The conference came to an end and we hit the town for dinner. These girls are such an inspiration and such wonderful friends. I have learned so much from every single one of them.   My cuties greeted me at the airport with flowers and sweedish fish. They know me so well. What a great trip! The only drawback to speaking to social media and how it can grow your blog and brand is that it is not the most exciting toping in the world! We debated doing a song and dance, but decided to stick to the knitty gritty. So I will be sharing my top tips about Instagram. You’ll be able to catch up on facebook, twitter, and pinterest with the other girls today! We thought it made sense to deliver all of the info to you one one day!   Take Advantage of the Simplicity

• Using your phone, IG is simple to use and is a visual tool connecting you with your followers.
• It’s an easy way to engage others while getting to know them on a much more personal level.
• IG creates a level playing ground: it doesn’t matter how big or how small your blog is or how many followers you have in other social media outlets. It really is a wonderful avenue to connect with others on a very intimate level.
• Other forms of social media can feel overwhelming. IG should never feel that way.

    Edit Your Photos |Apps We Love

• Pic Collage, Diptic, Collage: Great for creating collages & combining photo
• Square FX & Instarames: Crop and collage into IG ready sizes
• Shapely & BubbleFrame: Add flare to a photo
• MoreBeaute2: Smooths skin and brightens
• Lumie & Bokehful: adds sparkle to create a magical look
• Phonto, Over & A Beautiul Mess: editing and text options

      Grow Your Blog

• Mention IG on your blog. Let readers know they can find you.
• Post 1-3 photos a day. But pay attention. See how people respond and ease back or step it up.
• Let humor and wit come into play! Let others get to know a different side of you which is always appealing and fun. Be yourself.
• Direct readers back to your blog. Be weary of self promotion, but it’s okay to foster the connection between you and your blog.
• Best time to post is 5:00 PST on Mondays
• Engage others. Comment on hasthtagas and photos. Be an active member of the IG community.

      Engage With Brands

• You can use IG to engage brands and companies if you so desire.
• You can follow brands such as BHG and HGTV. Almost all companies have a presence on IG
• If you are looking to partner with brands, you need to form a connection. This is another way to comment and interact with brands.
• Comment on their postings. Engage in an authentic and real way. Let them get to know you as you get to know them.
• Use their IG address or hashtag when posting something significant. It will catch their eye.

      Be Respectful

• Treat your followers and those you follow with respect. They are often showing you very personal snapshots of their lives, projects, and families.
• Use IG to really get to know others.
• Pay attention and be thoughtful to likes and dislikes. True relationships are formed via mutually respectful and thoughtful interactions.

     Final Thoughts Make it fun. Don’t allow it to become stressful in any way. Enjoy the fact that IG is so simple. At the end of the day, you are really capturing special moments in your life. Cherish the memories you are creating and print them out. While it’s fun to grow your following and with that, grow your brand, these are your memoires. Be true to yourself and what you enjoy and that will be appreciated and noticed by those that follow along. In the end, it’s important to be authentic and real. Readers and brands connect with people who are genuine and who are focused on their passion and what they create from that passion. Stick to doing what you love. Below are a few key points on social media in general.   Now here’s the deal. You can head on over to the other three blogs for oodles of info on twitter, pinterest and facebook. So if you are a blogger and are interested in growing your blog or brand with social media, the tips await! {I look so short here! Time for a new headshot perhaps?!} Twitter: Carmel {Our Fifth House} Facebook: Cassie {Hi Sugarplum} Pinterest: Megan {Honey We’re Home}