Instagram Content Creator: 7-Step Guide
Instagram Content Creator: 7-Step Content Creation Guide
In 2023, Instagram content creators have taken over the platform entirely. Everything that shows up on your reels can catapult someone’s business to new heights overnight. This is probably why the younger generation is so keen on making a brand for themselves online.
Youngsters aspire to own their businesses, but not in the sense that their parents might have thought. The youngest generation of workers has the most desire to convert social media posts into a reliable source of revenue. Instagram content creators (social media creators in general) post social material to build their online presence or market their creative work — anything from acting to music to artwork.
The surge of entrepreneurship following the disruption of the business market over the last few years includes Gen Z content producers and influencers. Even though the pandemic lockdown forced many worldwide to create content and brands online, the trend has persisted due to a desire for flexibility and more control over one’s financial future.
How to become an Instagram content creator in 2023?
Follow the steps below to begin your creator journey on Instagram.
Step 1: Choose Your Genre
Choose a genre or industry related to which you’d like to generate content. Sticking to one form/genre/industry is best when starting as a new Instagram content creator. Many people try to juggle between multiple genres. This is what results in the downfall of their reach/ engagement. By choosing a genre, you can easily research and find out the target audience you’d be catering to. This helps you create targeted content bound to sell.
E.g.
You chose ‘Music’ as your genre. Therefore, you’ll create reels or informative carousels related to various forms of music, musical instruments, technological advancements in the field, and more. This is where you’ll attract music enthusiasts, music students, and even music lovers. Now, if a newly released song is trending on reels, you can release a song cover for the same and go viral. This will help you create awareness for your page and talent.
Step 2: Study Your Competition
It goes without saying that Instagram has tonnes of content creators. Every other youngster wants to be a creator or is in the works of being one. Therefore, you need to know what you’re getting into before posting. Study creators who are from the genre/industry as you. See what kind of content they make, what kind of audience they have, and what engaging strategies they use.
Also, look for feedback in the comments section of their posts/reels. You’ll find people either praising them for something or criticizing them. Note down these points to know what they like and don’t. Chances are you’ll find your future audience engaging with your competitor’s content. This will give you a better understanding of how you can be different from your competition and what your USP should be. Your goal should be to make a community, even if it’s niche, to ensure a stable source of revenue when you start monetizing your content.
Step 3: Plan A Content Strategy
Once you’re done choosing your genre and studying others in your field, start planning a content strategy. Note down your strong points, i.e., if you’re shy in front of the camera, you should only upload static posts or reels with stock/pop-culture imagery. It would help if you show your face or devise an equally original alternative to showcase your content. Reels with pop-culture imagery and movie scenes do get engagement, but they don’t garner a following for the long run as it is quite replaceable.
The more authentic you are, the more followers you’ll attract in the long run. Initially, hopping on trends or doing what others do to get followers and reach is okay. But try to make a habit of being your most natural self on the platform. Believe it or not, the quirkier and more unique you are, the more you’ll gain an audience that resonates with your experiences and content in the long run.
Step 4: Prepare A Content Calendar
Now that you’ve noted your strengths and weaknesses, it is time to take them online. Prepare a weekly/monthly content calendar with unique and exciting content based on your expertise and experience to engage with your target audience. For your first time, create a mixed batch of content filled with reels, static posts, carousels, memes, stories, and more.
Once you start posting and find out your groove, you can post the form of content that you like more. E.g., If you are a movie critic/reviewer and people love your funny take on popular movies with animation instead of simply movie clips. You can hire an animator or learn animation to make video/static content that is animated uniquely.
Step 5: Go Public
After you have batch-created your content, you are ready to go public. This is an essential step, as private profiles on Instagram do not get reach, engagement, following, or business. Depending on your need and content goals, you have to switch to a business or creator profile. Public profiles enable other users and creators to easily follow and engage with you and your content.
This also helps you run paid/sponsored content whenever you want to increase your reach. It has become widespread for creators to sponsor their content as organic reach is slowly decreasing daily and might be replaced with paid ads. It’s best to be prepared to save your well-earned community of followers.
Step 6: Start Posting Regularly
The best way for your content to grow on Instagram is to be on Instagram. Well, quite literally. The more consistent you are, the better. Post more of what your audience likes. Create content based on current trends. Make reels on new movies, current affairs, bizarre instances, personal opinions, and unique hot takes. Remember to engage with your audience with story Q&As and Instagram Live feature. This will help your audience see your life beyond the content. This will add more realism and personality to your content.
Step 7: Study Content Analytics
Use the Instagram creators studio and Insights feature built within the app to study the data of your content’s reach and engagement on Instagram. You can see the actual number of times your content was shared and saved. The kind of content that gets maximum likes and shares. The time during which your content gets maximum traction and more.
You note down these factors and ensure the next batch of content is based on the feedback you get from your Instagram Insights. Post during the golden hour when your content does. Create stuff that resonates more with your target audience and gains you, new followers at the same time. Keep checking the comments section for genuine feedback, and ignore the trolls. You’re all set to become the next best Instagram content creator.
To learn more about content creation and Instagram marketing, you can check out our digital marketing and social media marketing courses/workshops.