How do you do Instagram?

I love me some Instagram. I do! It replaced twitter for me years ago – I couldn’t keep up with twitter, kept dipping my foot in and getting swept away – and instead turned my attention and affection for this visual medium. I love seeing snaps from people’s days. I love being able to take a snap of a thought that I might have, something that I see that I love, or makes me laugh and share it with likeminded people. The people on there are lovely too – it’s just a nice old place to be – not to mention it’s a level playing field for everyone – you can even get a comment or like from a proper celebrity which is just plain exciting!

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It occurred to me recently though that I’m not really doing it right. Or, rather, that I don’t really do all that I can do with it. I become lazy with it…just opening it up and flicking through my feed liking and commenting as I go and replying to comments that people have left for me. And that’s about it.

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When I was away we utilised a hashtag for the holiday and how much fun was that? A perfect way to follow other people that are at an event with you and seeing different points of view. One very funny moment when we were away was seeing a wedding that was happening in the hotel where we were staying in Hvar. The guests attending were an English group of people – dressed like I had NEVER seen before. A cross between Gypsies, Kardashians and Geordie Shore – the blokes were all getting around with pimp walking sticks for goodness sakes! It didn’t take me long to see them uploading selfies at the rate of 34 per minute that I knew a hashtag would be in play somewhere – a little look at the location of the hotel and 3 seconds later I was into Shaniqua’s wedding hashtag! Best free entertainment you can get. Sure, it could be stalking, but I call it free entertainment.

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It was during the holiday that I also discovered two other features of Instagram (what? I never said I was smart) the EXPLORE option. It’s under the flash/star looking icon (what IS that meant to be?!). It was here that I have found myself at some other people’s parties. Because we were in Europe it bases this explore on people you might know, or where you might be. I got to totally crazy other people’s fancy pants European holiday and completely get lost down a stalker like rabbit hole. Rob asked me one morning in Singapore what I was doing and I was all like “I am totally attending this hot English wedding in Capri is what!” It’s a good way to find people to follow and images/styles that you might like. And you NEVER know who you might run into…Hi Nikki!

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The other feature was the following option under your LIKE button. It gives you an idea on what the people you follow are doing. Another great way to find more people to follow. I know, DER right? But I didn’t know!

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So there are my stalker tips for Instagram which I am sure that you already knew about, but thought I would share for my Mum who is still working it all out.

How do YOU do Instagram? What’s your handle so we can follow you?
What is it you love most about it?
Got any tips to share with us?
Who should we follow RIGHT NOW?

Comments

  1. It’s a compass, you wally!
    You know I love me some Instagram, big love. Oversharing? You betcha. Stalking? Of course. Off to take a photo of my coffee or something equally as thrilling…

  2. I love Instagram. It’s nice and happy. Always something fabulous to look at through someone else’s eyes. My Instagram is @Little Bu Fiji and is my journey to creating a kids resort wear line if clothing which has recently been picked up by a major department store in Fiji. Not many daiquiri or cocktail shots yet, been too busy getting the order to delivery but I promise those shots are
    Coming soon !!!

  3. Classic! Shaniqua, that’s a name Nick often uses for a certain lady part πŸ˜‰

    This is a great rundown on Insta, such a great business tool especially when you create your own hashtags like you are doing.
    I steer clients venturing into the world of Instagram to two areas on their site:
    1. Blog – http://blog.instagram.com
    2. Help – https://help.instagram.com

  4. I love the beautiful homewares like jumbledonline, the beautiful people like steelemystyle and the lovely sense of community in a hashtag like #everydaystyle, where you find inspiringly stylish girls like redcliffestyle, kimbalikes, stylingyou, colourmeanna, goodnessmel, ellaspurling, irismaystyle, styleandshenanigans, etc, etc.

  5. Well there you go Betharoony, you just taught me something new (although that isn’t hard because I am a newcomer at Instagram Central) – taught me about that Following thing. I didn’t realize that was a compass either. Just stalked you Emma Steendam and started following you. I must say, I have fallen in love with Insta. You can find me at: @misschardy8

  6. The whole hash tag thing has been kinda beyond me and I find it kinda weird when you see a beautiful picture and there’s like a zillon hash tags after it – is it all about self promo? I need to find myself a 15 yr old to give me some tuition!

    • Sometimes it can be to connect with/network with people in the same kind of industry/likes etc. So if you are an artist who specialises in a special kind of art you might use that hashtag to connect with them. Do you know what I mean? I’m pretty hopeless though!

    • Yes, my 14 and 17yo always want to add hashtags for me when I take ‘arty’ pics and then I delete the whole post because my 5 followers will think I am a wanker. I do love following lots of peeps (80+, lol I know that’s not a lot!) I get great links from IG too. It makes me happy when i am in a queue.

  7. I love Instagram because I am naturally nosy and it’s full of friendly peeps. It’s my favourite social media and I spend a disproportionate proportion of my day hanging out on it. It’s highly addictive. My handle is the_annoyed_thyroid And my favourite bit of Instagram? Having real life instagreets with friends I made right there on the interwebs.

  8. Funny you should write this today because I have been trying to work out how to use instagram on my mac. I always have to use my iPhone or iPad. Any ideas? xToni

  9. I love Instagram and being an IT nerd in my previous life I was one if those people who went and tried out all the buttons straight away to see what they do in about my first 5 mins of using it and I am amazed by how many peeps don’t know about and use these great features, so good on you for getting this important public service announcement out there πŸ˜‰

    I am a massive rabbit hole insta stalker too but I mostly just follow my friends and family and a few of my fav blogs on insta although I have recently found frenchwords and am loving it. It has a daily post of a French word and it’s meaning and pronunciation. Makes me feel very chic every time I see it pop up in my feed. πŸ˜‰

  10. I love Instagram! Only started on it a couple of months ago (@stonefruitseason) and think it’s another piece of the social media puzzle. I have friends who use it that don’t blog and aren’t as keen on Facebook, some who aren’t even on FB. I’m mad about photography, so it’s somewhere I can put up my pictures and let them do the talking, rather than relying on a wordy post.

    Lots of pics from my garden that we started from scratch, love seeing it change through the seasons and notice things changing in our second year. Occasional pics of things the kids have made. Hopefully holidays pics on day, in the meantime I can get vicarious enjoyment of other people’s sojourns!

  11. Ha!! I love that my friend @phoodiegram is on there!! Doesn’t she rock!? I am addicted to instagram @alittlepartoftheworld and love playing along with #fmsphotoaday… esp now with the Little moments app by Fat Mum Slim it makes it sooooo easy to remember and play. I just finished @interiorsaddict monthly #7vignettes (the first 7 days of each month). Also another awesome group to follow is @its_my_week they have weekly photo challenges… this week is #myweekofshapes
    There are soooo many awesome people out there and you can find people who have the same taste and likes as you which makes you sooo happy each time you open your feed.
    It is absolutely like falling down a rabbit hole… I could talk for days and days about Insta. So many fabulous and talented people out there. Enjoy exploring (stalking) and having fun. Jx

  12. Gibbergunyah says

    I love Instagram, and it is my only social media “thing”. I’m ashamed to say I got into it when breastfeeding my second baby. I was able to do heaps of vicarious travelling via friends’ photos, and see lots of lovely tidy houses when mine (with two under two) was a bomb site. It also helped me appreciate and record some of the lovely moments and beautiful aspects of our life at that time. I had to learn quickly about the privacy bits and connections as I’m a health professional in a small-ish town so I try and remain as anonymous as possible. I mostly enjoy looking at the pretty pictures, rather than contributing much myself. I only looked at it while feeding, so two years later and back at work I only check it briefly once a day. Is it sad that IG reminds me of feeding marathons with a newborn?

  13. Reannon @shewhorambles says

    I keep trying to love Twitter but I just can’t. Instagram & Facebook are my thing. And yes I knew all about those things & have spent many a sleepless night falling down the IG rabbit hole. Same as when you click into someone’s followers or who they follow & then you click some more. The best fun is seeing who celebrities follow- fascinating stuff! ( not really if you’re not into celebrities but I knida loves me a Kardashian or two.)

  14. Instagram is way fun. I love it to death, in spurts. Some weeks I’m all over it and others I get my lazy on but I do love what people can do on there and what you can create. I have no tips. I have gradually discovered all the things you outlined and love how easy it is to navigate around it. I love following you. You’ve good the knack! I’m @knockedupandabroad πŸ™‚ x

  15. I love Instagram and I love the crowd that hangs out on Instagram – so positive, supportive, friendly and nice. My kind of people! x

  16. P.S. Beth….um I’ve been using “explore” and “following” since I started.
    But thanks for thinking of me and helping me learn more……mum. X

  17. I love Instagram but don’t take many photos because I have a really old iphone and insta doesn’t like it. Twitter confuses me but I have been using it recently, or more like stalking people on it. Again, I don’t really tweet, as such, because I am not really sure, but I love it as a way to find out what’s going on in the world. Last night I stayed off ALL social media because I was taping Offspring so didn’t want to see or read anything about it!

  18. Love Instagram! Love unique hashtags for events and following people who turn into online buddies. Love that people I have never met are #sundaybakingsunday with me every weekend. It’s GROUSE. And yep, compass.

  19. Thank you beautiful girl for featuring my cake snap!… oh and for all the clever tips! I ADORE it… heapssss more than Twitter…. but I still love my FB page πŸ™‚ XXXXX Phoodie

  20. I love it, but I don’t get on there very often. All my photos tend to be of food, kids or the view around the farm. Need to get more creative. Also new to link it to my blog page rather than my private account.
    I’m @countrylifeexperiment

  21. I love Instagram and have definitely been getting Into it more this year.
    It is such a level playing field, and a nice place πŸ™‚
    I had my first insta hate the other day, which amazed me how long it took and how lovely the majority are.

  22. Lisa Mckenzie says

    Love Instagram I don’t get twitter either I’m a bit dumb I think ,I love the positive comments and nice people on IG and stalking is so much fun it’s like people watching from home.somethjbg I did learn is if you tag food pics #amealforameal virgin feeds poor people so get on it Beth x

  23. Instagram got me pregnant, so I’m a fan!!! We’d been trying to have a baby for 4.5 years, and had recently decided it was time to get started with IVF. I’d heard acupuncture was really helpful, and via Table Tonic (on IG), and her healthy lifestyle, I came across Nat Kringoudis of The Pagoda Tree. I made an appointment to see her, but via her IG page, connected to her blog, followed lots of her advice… And found myself pregnant the day after my first appointment with her! So yep, love love love IG!!!

  24. Oh I’m so glad you said that about twitter. I’m on then off then on it. Does my head inNow insta is a different story
    @countrygypsies

  25. I’ve been an intagrammmer for a whe, but after reading your discovery journey, I’m realizing that I’m definitely under utilizing it as well, can’t wait to be a stealthier stalker like you! Thanks for the tips! I’m @mimiwozn

  26. Lately, I have been relying on instagram to keep me updated with the goings on in Gaza. The images are not for the faint of heart- in fact some are deeply upsetting and have reduced me to tears. But they are powerful and show images not fit for mainstream media and they are immediate. In between worrying about the children of Gaza and Gammy and his twin sister in Perth I can hardly think straight.

  27. Leannea65 says

    As you can see I love the stuff you put on Instagram as you featured me twice on the likes. You are constantly putting a smile on my face with the things you share. Love having a look into others peoples lives. I think that’s called stalking.

  28. Awesome post Beth! I love your blog, so bright & happy:). Oh there are a myriad of ways to Instagram! We all do it differently but not too many do it wrong. I love doing the Fat Mum Slim daily photo challenges and am now kinder to myself when I don’t do a photo for the nominated ‘day’, I just have fun with it! I’m a papercrafter who does mixed media and like sharing work in all different stages – my handle is Purplesaltcr8. A couple of my fav IGers are Table Tonic, BrisStyle, Rachel Greig & BraveGirlsClub. I’ve also discovered the wonderful world of whippet IGers & enjoy sharing pics of our crazy dogs:)

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