Instagram is one of the most popular social networks in 2019. Currently, the platform has over 500 million active users and this number is constantly growing. Such a positive trend is not surprising: the mobile application has a lot to impress its fans. If you have decided to try yourself in blogging and do not yet know how to use Instagram on your phone, then read our article. In it, you will learn where to start.
What is the secret of Instagram’s popularity?
What is Instagram and how to use it? Instagram is a website designed for communication, as well as for sharing photos and videos. In addition, the platform is great for promoting your brand, as it has some useful tools for marketing campaigns.
What is the reason for such worldwide recognition? It’s obvious. The application has rich functionality, an accessible and simple interface. In addition, the developers of the social network constantly improve and update their “creation”, adding new and new options, which greatly please their fans.
It is also worth noting that Insta is not just a hosting site with “photos”. It is also a camera, editor, and a major resource for publishing original photos and videos in one package. All of this is provided to customers for free.
So it’s not surprising that with such advantages, the program has become popular.
Note. The desktop version of the social network has a more limited range of functions than the mobile version.
How to install Instagram on a phone
So, it’s time to start describing the simplest instruction for working on Instagram for beginners. We should start with the very basics – installing the utility. Since everyone now uses either Android or iOS, let’s figure out how to do it on each operating system separately.
On Android
On alien smartphones, the application download algorithm is quite simple:
- Unlock your gadget screen.
- Go to Google Play and log in to your gmail account.
- Click on the search bar and type in “Instagram”. After a short wait, the system will provide suitable results. Most often, the top icon in the list is what you need.
- Tap on the “Install” button and wait for the file to download to your device.
- Check the utility for viruses. Usually, the Android OS includes this automatically.
Done. Now you can start communicating.
Useful to know. If an error occurs when downloading a program from Google Play, it is possible that you have insufficient memory on your phone. Clean up your internal storage.
On iPhone
On “Apple” smartphones, everything happens in a similar way. You need to open the App Store, find the necessary software and download it to your device. After that, all that remains is to launch the social network and proceed with the procedure of registering a new profile.
Important. Try not to install “fake” applications on your phone. Most often, such utilities have nothing to do with the official Instagram website.
Creating a new account
After installing the mobile application on your device, you need to register your first Instagram account. This is done very easily – just pay attention to the system prompts. You will need:
- An active email address;
- A phone number;
- The phone itself;
- A created password;
- A Facebook page (optional);
- 3 minutes of free time.
If you have all of these, then let’s move on to the account creation process:
- Launch the Instaseti utility.
- Click on the “Register” button and choose the registration method: via phone or via email.
- Enter the necessary information. An email will be sent to them after the procedure is completed to activate the profile.
- Tap “Next”.
- Enter your first and last name.
- Create a password.
- Create your unique and non-repeating username. It will be used for authorization in the future.
- Confirm.
- Subscribe to 5 recommended accounts.
That’s it, now the “world” of photos and communication is open to you.
Note. If you have a Facebook page, instead of creating an account, choose “Log in with Facebook”. Of course, this method will not exempt you from filling out the page and creating a password, but it will significantly simplify and speed up the authorization process.
What to write in your profile – formatting
The next step is to fill out your profile (header). You need to:
- Add a profile picture. To do this, click on “Edit Profile” and on the gray circle with a person’s image, select a photo from the gallery or take a new one using the camera.
- Enter your first and last name if you didn’t do so during registration. You can replace this information with the name of your company or brand.
- Indicate your website (if you have one). To do this, click on the “Website” field and insert the URL link.
In addition, it is desirable to provide some information about yourself. Why is this necessary? To attract an audience. For example, a client visits your page and doesn’t find any description of your brand. This will discourage them and they will want to find another company to satisfy their needs.
So, to create a description, follow these rules:
- Limit yourself to 150 characters;
- Write briefly but clearly;
- Avoid spelling errors;
- Use emojis, but don’t overdo it;
- Add unique hashtags that can be used to find your posts.
You can indicate anything in this field. For example:
- The direction of your activity (what you produce or create, who you photograph, what items you sell, etc.);
- Education, awards, and achievements (if you are, for example, a private lawyer);
- Location (region, city, or small town);
- Contact information for feedback (messengers, social networks Facebook, Twitter, Vkontakte, etc.);
- A mini price list (for customer orientation on prices).
How to register a personal blog
After your profile is ready, we move on to connecting the necessary type of page. Let’s start with “Personal Blog”. This is the most common account, which usually appears immediately after registration. That is, it does not need to be activated separately.
This type is perfect for users who simply want to exchange “thoughts” in comments and publish their videos and photos. In addition, unlike a professional account, this account can be completely hidden from prying eyes. This is done in “Settings”, in the “Privacy” section by activating the “Private Profile” button.
How to set up a business account
If you plan to manage a company account, then switching to a business account is essential. A business account is much more functional and allows you to:
- order promotional campaigns to promote your posts;
- track statistics (user interaction with your profile, reach, target audience parameters, etc.);
- add a “Call” button to your main page.
To change your personal blog to a professional one, follow the step-by-step instructions below:
- Launch the Instagram app and log in using your username and password. Your login can be your linked phone number, email, or username (nickname).
- Tap on the “person” icon located on the bottom horizontal panel.
- Access the menu using the functional button (three lines).
- Open settings.
- Click on the “Account” line.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on “Switch to Professional Account”.
- Confirm the action.
- Choose whether you will be managing a personal blog or a business account.
- Select a category, for example, “Health/Beauty”.
- Confirm.
- Link your Facebook account by entering your details in the input form.
- Save changes.
Important. Proper use of advertising tools on Facebook will help you attract a large number of followers.
How to add posts and photos to the feed
Let’s move on to creating the first post. It can be either a photo or a video file, each of which has its own requirements for the service. The clip should be:
- up to 1 minute long for the feed; up to 15 seconds for stories (if longer, it is automatically cropped or split into parts);
- in MP4 or MOV format (avi cannot be attached to the post);
- shot with an aspect ratio of 1:1 (feed), 4:5 (feed), or 9:16 (stories);
Note. In IGTV, widescreen video files with a 16:9 aspect ratio are allowed.
Photos should be:
- clear, without huge inscriptions covering the entire image;
- square for the feed (1:1 or 4:5); vertical for stories (9:16).
It should be noted that materials that violate anyone’s copyrights are not allowed. Otherwise, you can easily get banned by the administration.
Now let’s look at the process of publishing a photo/video. The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- Open the social network app and tap on the “plus” button located in the bottom menu.
- Take a new photo/video or upload it from the gallery.
- Tap “Next.”
- Scroll down the filter carousel and choose a suitable one. Applying filters is optional, but they will definitely enhance your image.
- Go to the “Edit” tab and adjust the brightness, contrast, and tones.
- Add a caption. It can be plain text, hashtags (example: #hashtag), mentions of acquaintances (example: @username), emojis, etc.
- Tag people, specify the location.
- Set up cross-posting to a synchronized Facebook page (if needed).
- Click “Share.”
That’s it, now wait for likes and comments. Don’t be lazy and try to respond eagerly to followers’ feedback. Users love it because this nuance shows you as a “live” blogger.
Important. Before sending the post to the feed, don’t forget to double-check the written text. Be sure to eliminate all typos and spelling errors. Otherwise, instead of praise, you can get criticism and remarks directed at you.
How to find friends on Instagram
If you don’t have any subscriptions yet, don’t worry – finding them is very easy. Firstly, you can link your phone number in Instagram and synchronize your contacts. This will allow you to find friends from your phone book. Secondly, you need to use the search section: by usernames, hashtags, and even by places. Thanks to these two methods, you can easily find like-minded comrades.
For convenience, let’s describe each method in more detail.
The first one:
- Launch Instagram and click on the “person”.
- Click on the functional button (three bars) and go to the “Interesting People” section and select the “Connect Contacts” option.
- Refresh the page and subscribe to your acquaintances.
The second one:
- Open the program and click on the “magnifying glass” icon.
- Tap on the search bar and enter any username: celebrity or real friend.
- Go to the user’s page and click the “Subscribe” button.
As soon as the person notices that you have added them, they may subscribe to you as well.
That’s all the guide for beginners on how to use Instagram on a mobile phone. Of course, this is only the basics: the functionality of the application is much richer and needs to be studied more deeply. Useful tips from our article will come in handy for those who are just starting to work in the social network.