Nicole Siscaretti's presentation at this year's FLBlogCon.

1. Building & Engaging
on Instagram
Nicole Siscaretti
@SparklyNicole
SparklyEverAfter.com

2. Hi, I’m Nicole.
• Blogger, Social Media Educator,
Etsy Shop Owner, Digital
Entreprenuer
• @SparklyNicole
• First post on Instagram December
19th, 2010

3. Why Instagram is different
Be seen:
! Users post less frequently, most posts are seen
! No algorithm (or minimal involvement)
! Users typically follow fewer accounts
Engaging:
! Easy & normal to engage with people with like interests
! Hashtags make all the difference for posting & searching

4. To lead is to serve.

5. Consistent
Professional

6. Where do followers come from?
! People that knew me from other places online
! Liking & commenting on photos
! Giveaways
! Photo Challenges & Surveys
! Collaborations
! Others mentioning me in photos
! Providing value others can’t
! Posting content regularly & using hashtags

7. Growing your following
! Engaging with others
Like & comment on others’ photos
! Give what you want to receive
Celebrate others, share & credit their photos, etc.

8. Taking quality photos on a budget
ALIGNMENT – PLANNING – FOCUS – LIGHTING – EDITING

9. Photo Apps
• Snapseed – editing colors & fixing light
• PicFrame – excellent for collages
• Rhonna Designs – text & stickers
• Phonto – text & your own fonts
• Lenslight – light effects (iOS)
• Squaready – any photo into a square (iOS)
Search the App Store & Google Play for
new & popular apps. Strive to be unique.

10. Make & keep your followers happy by measuring statistics.
Post what they want to see = get more likes.
Ask questions & share information = get more comments
Images from Iconosquare.com
My engagement ranges from 5% - 9%

11. Hashtags
• Starting your own
• Featuring followers- celebrating them, content for you
• Participating in others
• Widely used hashtags
• Smaller but not too small
• Bigger categories
• Pinpointed niches
Instagram allows 30 hashtags per photo.
Fill another comment with hashtags to hide them.
Only hashtags you add will count.

12. Creative Content
Everyday life
Behind the scenes
Out of the ordinary
Photo Challenges
Surveys
Featuring followers
Contests
Quotes
Facts
YOU!
Entertain the lifestyle that compliments your audience.

13. Photo Challenges

14. Surveys

15. Effective Giveaways
FOLLOW – REPOST – HASHTAG – END DATE

16. Dos & Don’ts of Instagram
• Do follow as many people as you can keep up with.
• Do keep it positive. Always. Everywhere.
• Do unfollow if you don’t enjoy someone’s content.
• Don’t post too many photos of one thing.
• Don’t ask for shoutouts or follows.
• Don’t ask “What app is that?” or other irrelevant Q’s
• Do direct people back to yourblog.com
• Don’t buy followers or likes.
• Don’t be bummed because of unfollowers.
• Do block those who write offensive things.
(Ain’t nobody got time for that)

17. Takeaways
Download & try a new photo app.
Create something that allows you to use a
hashtag and/or highlight your followers.
Schedule time to be more active on
Instagram, engaging with your followers &
relevant hashtags.

18. Questions
Nicole Siscaretti
@SparklyNicole
NSiscaretti@gmail.com