This is the first time I'm sharing my Instagram success story. It's a story about persistency, patience, kindness, adaptability and a little bit of luck!
The story
- Part 1 -- The Beginning
- Part 2 -- Kindness
- Part 3 -- Persistency and Patience
- Part 4 -- Content is King
- Part 5 -- The Future
The Beginning
I'm not even sure where and when the beginning began! It must've been years and years ago, when I still had an iPhone in stead of a Samsung and I decided to install Instagram for fun. I made some photos around the house and in Amsterdam, but I never gained serious followers. I didn't really get the point of Instagram so I stopped using it...
Until about a year ago!
Over a year ago I heard more and more success stories, I saw Instagrammers travelling the world making pictures, living the good life! I started thinking that maybe I should take my Instagram account more serious. First thing I did was clean up my account, removing all the photos. I wanted to focus on what I like, that what I really enjoy most in life: ART!
TIP: Focus on what you really LOVE
I knew that if my account would turn into a success, I'd better be focussing on something I enjoy doing. You really don't want to be posting daily about something you're not passionate about.
What to post about?
At the time I started posting on my Instagram account again, around november of last year, I was pretty excited about handlettering. So I decided my creations would make great posts on Instagram.
I participated in a 30-day challenge, making new handlettering work every day and I connected with other people that were excited about handlettering.
Once the challenge was over, I felt like I needed to move on to something else and created my own challenge. In December I decided to create a new creature every day. I kinda felt like giving up on Instagram, but this way I forced myself to paint or draw daily.
TIP: Whatever you do, DON'T GIVE UP!
Gaining followers
I gained some pretty enthusiastic followers with my crazy creatures and I had a lot of fun creating these. Once my challenge was over, I had around 3000 to 4000 followers. Pretty decent ofcourse, but it was still my big dream to get noticed by a larger audience, having my art get published by a big account or maybe hitting explore on Instagram?
Feeling lost
Once my challenge was over, I felt kind of lost. What was I supposed to post? What did my followers want to see? What did I want to make? I got my inspiration from Bored Panda, they shared this speed challenge that Mike Crilley came up with. Since it was a popular article and it seemed like a lot of fun to do, I decided to give it a go. I painted an eye, lips and an ear which all got a decent amount of likes, which made me decide to continue doing these speed challenges for a while. And then this happened...
The Day my Instagram life changed
It was the day I became Insta-famous! My post hit the Explore page of Instagram and I gained a massive amount of followers. It was all pretty overwhelming I must say.
After that, all I had to do was sit back and relax...
NO OF COURSE NOT!!
A lot of work has gone into my Instagram account since then. I'm growing more and more aware of what the success factors of growing an Instagram account are. Like I said in the beginning: persistency, patience, kindness and adaptability are important factors.
More posts about these success factors will follow soon
STAY TUNED!
-> Follow me on -> Steemit - YouTube - Instagram - Tumblr - Facebook <-
Very inspirational and uplifting!
I wish you the same kind of success on Steemit and on everything that you are going to do with that attitude!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks so much! Glad to hear you like my story! I love spreading some positivity 💖
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
"It's a story about persistency, patience, kindness, adaptability"
Shoot, I'm going to need a work-ethic? I thought this was going to be a get rich quick post. ;)
Upvoted.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Haha, yeah it sure feels like work sometimes 😅 It's tough, takes up a lot of time and gives me regular headaches. For me it's the best 'job' in the world though! 😄
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Consistent persistence with aiming to exceed your limits is the formula for success. As they say, it is the journey, not the destination.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Yeah, you're right! I'm not even sure what the destination should be, so I'm just enjoying the ride 😃
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Wheeeee! =)
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks for Share! like your post and love it!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I love to watch people succeed. It's nice to know your hard work is being rewarded. Congrats, and keep going!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks so much! I'm hoping to see lots of others succeed as well 💖
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I should try this method on Instagram to get my art noticed
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Who cares about instagram nowadays when we have steemit
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I believe the success factors apply to all social media platforms. I love Steemit, but I'm not gonna abandon other platforms for it. I'm hoping those other platforms will learn from Steemit though ;)
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Great post, I'm learning more about social media as of right now and your post was very informative!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
@artwithflo, thank you for the wise words. Makes me understand that I must keep on keeping on.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Yeah, never give up! 😃
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks to share. It was awesome!!!! Upvoted!!!!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks so much, I really appreciate it!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Hooray!! I love it. Keeping being a shining example @artwithflo !
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks so much my friend, I'll do my best!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Now I feel motivated to do good with my IG. 😂 And to do art everyday. It takes a lot of inspiration to do that. 😭 Congratulations on the 225k!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Yeah it does! There are days that it gives me headaches 😅 I can't let my followers down though. Inspiration can come from anywhere! The best ideas come while taking a shower or driving my car I guess 😂
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Hahaha. I can definitely relate with the shower one! XD
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
I LIKE your attitude. And your little critters are WAY kewl?
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thanks! I want to make some more critters in the future 😊
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Wow, it is an inspirational story. I thought it is almost impossible to grow the account to this size on instagram for an artist. I only see the celebrities and foodies who managed to do that. I was helping my friend there, he makes amazing food photography and grew his instagram account to 25k. It was hard work and grow was very slow. I recently brought him to steemit, showerd how to write a post and now he starts from scratch once again :) His account is @instagoodfood, maybe you saw his work on instagram.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
Thank you so much! Yeah, it is hard work, maybe even more for photographers. I really enjoy watching food (and eating it XD) so I'll check out @instagoodfood, thanks for the suggestion!
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit
No problem. He is good, was even featured on few huge accounts and in magazines. It is good to see the progress from what he did at the begining.
Downvoting a post can decrease pending rewards and make it less visible. Common reasons:
Submit