Chasing the dream to become a full-time freelance inspirational lifestyle blogger, I have acquired a good amount of knowledge on how to run a business-oriented Instagram page. I've experienced both feelings of ambition and apathy throughout the last 1.5 years of starting my Instagram, but what keeps me going is knowing that my content will reach out to my followers and hopefully will inspire you to chase your dreams and live a happier, fuller life. To be honest, for the last month or so, I felt that I've lost all focus on the purpose of my blog. As a result, my blog posts completed the work that I needed to get done within a timely manner, but it was definitely missing the passion I once started with. However, after having a good long talk with one of my friends, he helped me realize that I was not blogging for the same reasons as when I first started and helped me get right back on track. I cannot be more grateful for him and for the rest of my friends who have wholeheartedly supported my blog since the beginning.

From this day forward, I promise to do my very best in creating inspirational content that will (hopefully) benefit your lives. Today, I would like to discuss several tips to run a successful Instagram page for incoming bloggers. In fact, I have inspired several of my close friends to start their own blogs or photography websites. Additionally, I want to do my part in helping you out and encouraging you to create a page that showcases your genuine personality and interests. So let's get started!

Maintaining a certain theme.
Whether you love color or embrace black and whites, I cannot stress how important it is to have a theme. Both people and companies will ask about your Instagram page and eventually, you will have to give them a straight-forward answer. Saying that you're interested in everything is too broad, so it's good to know exactly what you want to talk about. There are so many types of bloggers out there - Fashion, Food, Fitness, Beauty, Travel, Lifestyle, etc. Pick your niche and figure out what topics you are most comfortable and happy to talk about - and that's the theme of your page.

Consistent quality in photos.
I've struggled with this a lot throughout the months, as I've bounced from using an iPad to an iPhone to a DSLR camera. I never really thought what other people would think about my page at the time, but I only thought about myself. Back then, I posted whatever content made me happy and because of this, I know that a couple of my followers really appreciated my genuine personality through my photos and detailed captions. However, there comes a point when you have to realize that if you want to become a successful Instagram blogger, you have to stick to a somewhat strict portfolio. In other words, think of your Instagram page as your resume. You want to put in your best work and showcase your top accomplishments. Before, I would feature Instagram photos that lacked quality or suffered from terrible lighting issues, but I reassured myself it was okay because the photo triggered happy memories. Now, I've learned to reevaluate my page for the better and strive to maintain a certain level of professionalism behind each of my future pictures. I've started this reevaluation just a couple of days ago and it's made me so much happier knowing that I'm doing everything in my power to turn in my best work! :)

Stay engaged with your followers and the companies that you collaborate with.
Everybody likes to feel valued and acknowledged, so it's important to stay engaged with your followers so that you can learn from your audience to create better content. I'm not a fan of high-profile bloggers who never engage with their audience, such as refusing to take the time to answer a simple question like "Where did you purchase your top from?". I honestly feel that anybody in the world has time to answer their followers' questions if they make time. My audience is so important to me and serves as the reason why I am a lifestyle blogger today. Also, it's like that saying "what goes around, comes around." You can't expect thousands of likes and comments to flood your Instagram page unless you send back the same love to others. I do my best to maintain good friendships with a few close blogger friends as well as stay active with my entire audience. Additionally, whenever a brand reposts my photo, I always make sure to leave a comment that expresses my thanks and gratitude towards the repost. This also increases your chances of working with the same company again, as they are probably willing to work with such a kind-hearted, thoughtful, and appreciative individual. There's no better feeling than expressing your appreciation for others.

Follow people who inspire you.
I always make it a goal to follow people on Instagram who inspire me in any shape or form. From their creative captions to their flawless photos, I find myself scrolling through their entire page for days. That's when you know they have a certain spark for what they do and you cannot find that more attractive. Certain role models that I have been following for over a year now include so TheGreyLayers, BellyWellyJelly, Notjessfashion, Cuppajyo, ByLisaLinh, and more. By following inspiring individuals, you are setting yourself up for inspirational content and creativity. These social media influencers inspire me to do my very best, to showcase my down-to-earth personality, and to create amazing content for my followers. With my page, I want to do the very same for others. As you can see, the Instagram blogging community acts like a cycle of inspiration, inspiring individual after individual with no end in sight.

Post your content at a consistent day and time.
I never realized how important this step was, but it is pretty darn significant. Think about watching your favorite TV series. Let's say it airs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 8 PM. You expect to sit down on your couch, open a bag of potato chips, and watch your favorite show, but you realize lately that it has been playing at odd times or not at all. Eventually, your viewers will become frustrated or bored with your inconsistent schedule and move on to the next - which also means losing a good amount of followers. Similarly to an Instagram page, your loyal followers will expect a photo posted at a certain time or day. If you begin to blog sporadically or disappear for a little bit, it's definitely possible that your loyal followers will find a different blogger with a more consistent schedule to look up towards. I do my best to post my Instagram photos daily anywhere between 5 PM to 7:30 PM, but of course, life happens and sometimes the times may stray off the normal posting hours. However, if you want to keep your engaged followers interested in your content, it's best to post consistently.

And most importantly, be your true self.
There's nothing that disappoints you more than realizing that you followed a blogger who doesn't keep his/her word. It's like Walt Disney saying he doesn't love Disneyland - not too cool, right? Your followers follow you for one reason only - YOU! They do not necessarily care about the followings or the likes as much as much as the soul behind the screen. After following a few inspirational individuals, I've learned that they all share one thing in common - having a unique personality. From all of their pages, I can truly see what their character is like and what passions interest them the most. Of course, not everybody is the same in person as who they claim to be online so do your research and follow your individuals who inspire you straight from their heart to your heart. So go out there, show your true personality, and blog about whatever makes YOU happy! Eventually, you will attract a crowd that was meant to find you all along.

After reading all of these tips, I hope that you can apply some or all of them towards building a more successful Instagram page and/or blog that revolves around your true personality! It took me a lot of trial and error to figure out what worked for me and what didn't. And of course, I still have so much to learn. The learning never stops, the creativity never stops, and the inspiration never stops. Throughout this entire Instagram journey, I've come out so much wiser and much more happier. I only wish the same for you and good luck with your Instagram page!

[Outfit Details]
Dress: MakeMeChic
Necklace: Thought Blossoms
Rings: Rocksbox
Shoes: De Blossom Collection
*Use discount code "MISSCHELLE" for 35% off your entire De Blossom Collection purchase at checkout.

[Photography]
by Jonathan Ramsey Photography 360 (@jrp360)