Getting Started on Instagram, part 2

Part one of this two-part article covered how to get started on Instagram. This second part explores growing your audience. I offer my advice from my own experience—as one who is not particularly proficient in technology and approached Instagram with trepidation.

Growing Your Audience

In a year and a half, my followers went from zero to over 8,400. Some authors build faster using Reels, but I’m happy with my progress. Here are some tips I learned.

• Remember, in the end, social media is about relationship and community, not about you. If you support, love, and encourage others, they will, in turn, do the same for you. So be real. Share your hopes and dreams, triumphs and disappointments, fears and hobbies. Besides making new friends, you’ll discover people who will root for your success.
• Post great content. Although this was covered in the last article, it cannot be emphasized enough. Stay true to your brand with your posts. You can use the stories feature of Instagram to put out information that your followers might find interesting but does not fit into your overall brand you want your profile to promote. Like Snapchat, it disappears in 24 hours.
• Post consistently at a regular time. In general, the best time is between 10:00 and 3:00 during the week. I post at 7:00 a.m., prior to the start of my workday, and during my lunch break. My followers know this and are more likely to look for me at those times. Many authors plan media in advance using an Instagram scheduling tool. Or this video shows you how to schedule from your desktop for free.
• Interact with people. Liking their post is great but leaving a comment of at least five words has more impact. Always respond to those who comment on your posts and return the favor by commenting on one of their posts. Sometimes these interactions help build a relationship. Sometimes they give you a chance to promote your book. Sometimes it’s just plain fun. No matter your motivation, this small investment can reap big benefits.
• Join an author challenge—daily writing prompts on a variety of topics, such as science fiction, poetry, romance, and other genres. It provides you with material to post. Plus, if you follow the challenge hashtag, you will find like-minded people to connect with. This mutual interest builds community.
• Follow trains can bring in a large number of followers very quickly. Anyone can create a one. Most include specific rules, such as following the host or certain accounts, in order to join. Select one that fits your audience profile. If you follow someone on a train, let them know by leaving a comment. Otherwise, it’s easy to get overlooked, and they might not follow back. Take a snapshot of the accounts you follow too. Then check on them in week to see if they followed back. If they didn’t, feel free to unfollow them since they did not, in good faith, fulfill the purpose of the event. (A good train host will be alert to this abuse, but many rely on you not to be fooled.)
• Use hashtags reach your target audience. For example, if I use the hashtag #embersgram, which is geared for Christian writers, I can find posts by anyone using it and, even better, they can find me. Instagram automatically provides hashtag choices when you start typing, similar to how a search engine operates. Here are some middle grade book and writing tags to get you started, but research to find more: #middlegrade #bookstagram #middlegradebooks #middlegradefiction #mglit #middlegradereads #middleschool #authorsofinstagram #middlegradefantasy #mgbooks #middlegradeauthor #middlegradebook #mg #christianwriter #christianauthor #authorlife #writersofig #writinglife #writingcommunity #igwriters

There is much more to learn about this fast-growing social media tool. Now that you know how to get started, you can grow the platform you need to improve your chances of getting published. Follow me too at @Lori.Z.Scott. I’ll follow you right back!

Elementary school teacher Lori Z. Scott usually writes fiction because, like an atom, she makes up everything. Her down time is filled with two quirky habits: chronic doodling and inventing lames jokes. Neither one impresses her principal (or friends/parents/casual strangers), but they do help inspire her writing.

Somehow, her odd musings led her to accidentally write a ten-title bestselling chapter book series and on purpose write over 150 short stories, articles, essays, poems, and devotions. Lori also contributed to over a dozen books, mostly so she would have an excuse to give people for not folding her laundry. (Hey! Busy writing here!)

Lori loves speaking and leading workshops and enjoys visiting local elementary schools to share her writing journey. Follow her on Instagram @Lori.Z.Scott.