How to Start a Blog and Grow Your Instagram

Hi!! I get asked these questions a LOT over on Instagram, so I thought I would share everything I've done since starting this blog in 2017. Crazy it has been three years! I uploaded a video to Youtube if you want to check out the video version. I wanted this blog to coincide with the video to be more specific, and give you the opportunity to bookmark it for reference. Today is all about how to start a blog and grow your Instagram.

Starting a Blog

Brainstorm & Budget

Before I even purchased anything I had pages and pages of random notebooks strewn around my house, full of potential blog names, post ideas, and niche categories. I think it is important to establish a clear direction as much as possible before you purchase anything. Sit with it, work on it, don't do it impulsively. Don't put it off because you're trying to be perfect, but make sure you have a plan in place to make consistency and success more probable. It took me a few hundred dollars 3 years ago to start my blog, and I don't regret it.

Choose Your Website Builder & Hosting

I used Wordpress, I also like Squarespace and know many people who love it. I started blogging with a friend back in 2011 and we used Wordpress, so I just continued to because it’s what I know. There are so many sites available, though, so find the one that works best for you! I use Bluehost for hosting, but I know people who hate it so it really depends. Find something that you think is user-friendly enough that it won't be discouraging. You can always upgrade later. I would suggest if you use Wordpress going with wordpress.org, not wordpress.com so you can host your own blog, have a unique domain name, and offer affiliate links and ad content capabilities.

Find a Theme

My original theme you see here today is from Get Polished which is no longer in existence. I recently purchased from The Blog Stop, and I loveeeeeee Ariel's design and aesthetic. Highly recommend. Now if I could just teach myself web design & layout stuff quickly this would all happen a lot faster. I'm working on it.

Draft Posts & Create an Idea Log

I love using Google Docs to keep a running list of ideas, as well as draft posts. I also just draft posts right here in Wordpress, but it is good to have them backed up. I never did it for my last blog and lost a ton of my writing when we shut it down.

Set Long & Short Term Goals

I love making three long-term and three short-term goals and putting them somewhere I can visualize them. This has been super helpful for me, but you might find a more extensive list to yield better results. Whatever you decide goals are super helpful for keeping you on track and also for seeing the fruits of your labor even when things might feel slow.

Grow Your Instagram or Social Channels

Plan Your Purpose

Before you start, write down your goals and intentions. Why do you want to do this? What is your main motivation? Who is your target audience? What's the end goal? Write down a few short and long-term goals and put them somewhere you can visualize them daily. I keep mine on my bedroom mirror and take them down as they are accomplished. I recently pulled down my card that said 10k followers on Instagram, start a Youtube channel, curate my feed. It's the best feeling & now I can start again with new goals.

Create Quality Content

If your content is not good you will not grow. It is that simple. Unless you are a celebrity. If you really want to find your community & grow your audience you need to create quality content. Instagram is super visual, so good imagery helps, but if you are an amazing writer lean into that instead of a curated aesthetic. If you are more visual & aesthetics matter to you, find a cohesive style and stick to it. There are lots of editing apps and plenty of presets available to help streamline this.

If you literally have no clue how to come up with ideas, aren't sure what to say, or don't know what your audience wants to hear it's ok to ask. Just don't do it too often, it's lazy in my opinion.

Creating a reader survey with an incentive at the end of each year is a great way to gain perspective and offer something in return. Posting a question box in Instagram stories every few months because you cannot google 'blog post ideas' or 'Instagram photo ideas' for inspiration is mailing it in. Most of us, if we are truly paying attention, could say off the top of our head what our audience enjoys, what inspires them, and what they do not care about. If you cannot answer this you may need to go back and work further on developing your purpose, your voice, and who your target reader or customer is.

Educate, Inspire, Entertain, Engage

This is to further flesh out the point from above. I think it is great to post what you want, what makes you feel inspired, and isn't always for likes and performance. However, if you are only posting things to serve your own ego you will not grow. Again, unless you are a celebrity or a person who is ok with posting a lot of scantily clad images, you have to be more intentional. There is nothing wrong with posting a selfie because you feel confident and good and beautiful, etc. But if this is not your personal account and you really want to be serious about getting paid for the work you have to be willing to experiment and try other things.

I have heard it said over & over again what you share should be one or all of the following: educational, inspiring, entertaining, and engaging. I've heard it in podcasts, in books, on blogs, in Instagram posts, and now it is engrained in me. I don't always do this well, but I am always trying to be mindful of it. I would add too that dependant upon what your niche or subject matter is, relatability is also super important. Try to think about your posts in the context of these things when you are crafting something to share.

Be Adaptable

As much as I think it is important to have your own space on the internet if you are a creative, blogs are no longer in their heyday and it's important to be able to diversify if you want to continue to grow. Teach yourself a new skill, try and fail at a new social media platform, take a different approach to your captions and photos, use your platform as a starting point for your dream company, etc. Whatever is going to keep you from being stagnant, do it!

Use Apps for Productivity & Planning

I love:

• Buffer to craft captions
• Preview or Planoly to plan my grid
• VSCO and lightroom to edit photos
• Videoleap for video editing on my phone
• Wordswag to make text images or Youtube thumbnails
• Canva for media kits, title cards, and any text visual needed
• Tailwind to schedule Pinterest pins
• Twitter to get updates on any dumpster fires
• InShot for video edits and microcontent

Connect

Personally, sharing my own perspective and experience has been a huge point of connection on social media. I know not everyone feels called to do this, and I am not suggesting you use these things as a growth tool, I am simply saying share your story. However much you want to share, however that looks for you. We can better help one another navigate and celebrate the complexities of humanity when we find these points of connection. Maybe that is through behind the scenes moments, or sharing your gifts of capturing beauty through photography and film, or being vulnerable about something you are struggling with. Be authentic, be yourself, and don't be afraid to share your highs and lows and connect with others around you.

Be Consistent

If you want to be successful you have to be consistent. You do not have to be perfect, you do not have to be the best, but you need to be consistent. If, like me, it is difficult for you to show up on a consistent basis, batch-create your work and schedule it for publication. If you have a specific time of day that allows you 15 minutes to write, do it! Show up and write even if everything is absolute trash. Find what works for you (and your family if applicable) and show up for yourself, even if you never end up sharing what you do. You will learn and grow from it, create good habits, and you can use it in the future as insight for your own process or to share with others.

Ok. That's all I have for now. This is not an exhaustive list, I didn't even get to talk about newsletters or ads, etc. There is just so much. But, I would encourage you to use this as a starting point and google your little heart out. There are so so many free resources available to help you learn and grow. I have gotten to this point through free podcasts, blog posts, books, youtube videos, tutorials, and experienced people in the field of social media and marketing.

If you do not take anything away from this entire post or the corresponding Youtube video, take this: START. Today. Right now as soon as you finish this. Maybe that's brainstorming in a notebook or Google Doc, maybe it's finally pushing publish on your first post. Don't wait! Carpe Diem! Go all Nike on them and Just Do It.

xo,

Katie