As a business owner or manager, it’s essential that you know how to run an Instagram business page. Social media is a necessity when trying to build your brand and reach a large target audience. In more recent years, Instagram has climbed its way to the top of social media platforms. 

Instagram allows you to reach an audience through photos and captions. Instagram’s business page feature allows you to place contact information into your bio including links to your business’ email address and website address.

Getting started on Instagram, however, does require some general knowledge on how the platform works. Whether you’ve been absent from your Instagram account for quite some time now, or if you’re new to the platform altogether, it’s time to start getting acquainted with it. 

Knowing the ins and outs of Instagram is going to be your starting point for attracting previous customers and gaining new ones. To start your successful Instagram journey, continue reading below. Here’s everything you need to know about getting started on Instagram!

1. Choose a Username That’s Recognizable

Unlike Facebook where you simply put the name of your business for your profile, Instagram allows you to create a user name for your account. However, it’s advised that you consider using your business’ name or a username that’s recognizable to customers. 

There’s no first and last name on Instagram, but you can place all of the words of your business’s name together to create one username. If need be, you can use underscores to separate different words, but many companies just put it all together as one. 

The username that you choose is going to be how your customers and followers find you. When creating your account, Instagram will also ask for your full name. Be sure to fill this information in with your business’s name. 

This will bring your account up when people search for your business.

2. Upload a Profile Picture That’s Recognizable 

Your next step will be to upload a profile picture that’s recognizable as your business. The perfect size of an Instagram profile photo is 400×400 pixels. You want to choose something that Instagram users will see an automatically know that it’s your business. 

One great idea for a profile photo is your business’ logo. Your previous customers will know exactly who you are when joining Instagram and new customers will begin to associate your logo with your brand. However, do keep in mind that you’ll need to upload your profile picture on a mobile device using the Instagram app. 

If your logo isn’t saved into your mobile device, then you can import it from Facebook. 

3. Update a Well-Written Bio

A great profile picture needs a well-written bio to back it up. What’s considered a well-written bio for businesses on Instagram? Instagram gives you a 150-character limit for your bio. 

This means you need to be clear and to the point in your bio. State who you are as a brand, what makes you stand out from the competition, what your mission statement is, and forms of contact. Be sure to place your website and email address or other contact information in the bio as well. 

These will be shown as links and your followers can click on the links and be directed to your website or email in a matter of seconds. 

4. Start Following Other Pages

You’ll want to begin following other pages on Instagram. The more accounts you follow, the more connections you’ll make. It’s another way to network and another way to get to know other people in your industry. 

Use Instagram’s search tool to search for businesses similar to yours or related to yours. Do you work with other companies? Find them on Instagram and be sure to follow them. 

Once you follow them, you can almost guarantee a follow back. Search for them using the names of the companies or hashtags that are relevant to the industry. You never know, you might even become inspired by what these other pages are posting. 

5. Post Valuable Content and Photos

Now it’s time to start posting your own content! At the bottom of your Instagram app, there are 5 different icons. The middle app with the plus sign inside the box is how you’ll add your photos. 

Unlike the profile picture, you can upload a photo to your feed from your computer. Use this link: https://setapp.com/how-to/how-to-post-to-instagram-from-mac to learn how!

Once you click this button, you’ll be given the option to take a new photo to post or upload an existing one. You can also create a new video or post one already saved in your gallery. Once you’ve got your photo, you can then add on filters and other types of enhancements. 

Although using a filter here and there is great depending on the type of photo or video you’re posting, keep in mind that you don’t want to go overboard with filters either. Be sure to scroll through all the different editing options before posting to ensure you have a perfected final product. 

But before you hit post, there are a few other things you should know about as well, such as location and hashtags. 

6. Set Up Your Location

Before you post a picture, you’ll have the option to put the photo’s location on it. It’s ideal that you use this feature because it’ll let followers know where your place of business is if you have a physical address. You might even come to learn that someone else has already named your place of business for you. 

If not, go ahead and name it yourself! Then, when customers use your products or services, they can add your location to their own photos and spread the word! Once you post a photo with your location, the location will appear on top of the photo as a blue link.

Click the link to see all other photos tagged at your location. Anyone who adds your business’ location to their photos will have those photos appear here. You can then see what customers enjoy about your business! 

7. Always Use Hashtags

Hashtags are another important factor to consider before posting your photo. Hashtags are a great way to attract people to your Instagram page. For example, if you sell hair products and use a hashtag, “#healthyhair,” you’ll draw attention from people who are looking up posts on healthy hair. 

However, be sure to use hashtags correctly. When posting a photo, the hashtags in the caption should be directly related to the photo you’re posting. There’s nothing worse than tricking people into visiting your page by putting a hashtag on a photo that has nothing to do with it. 

8. Interact with Your Followers

If you want to be successful on Instagram and stay successful, then you need to interact with your followers. When followers send you direct messages or DMs, be sure to reply to them within a few hours. If anyone comments on your photos or ask questions, always be sure to respond back. 

Even if it’s someone leaving a comment about the product and not a question, respond. This shows your commitment to your brand and your customers. It’ll also keep your followers engaged. 

Another way to interact with followers and keep them engaged is to post promotions, contests, giveaways, and more!

9. Research Your Competition

You never want to take the same content that your competitors are posting and use it for your own page, however, what you can do is visit their pages and get inspired. See what it is they’re posting, how often they’re doing it, and how they keep their followers engaged. 

What do you like or dislike about their Instagram page? Take this information and find ways to incorporate it into your own page while staying unique and true to your brand. 

10. Advertise Your Instagram Account

Advertising your Instagram account is another must. If you’ve only used a Facebook account and a website for years, how do you expect your current customers to find you on Instagram? Advertise your new social media platform by posting links to your account or your Instagram handle on all of your other pages.

Promote your new social media account in any way possible. You can even consider adding it to your business cards!

Getting Started on Instagram Takes a Few Steps!

There are several steps that you need to take when getting started on Instagram. However, once you follow these steps listed above, you’ll be a successful Instagramer in no time!

For more posts similar to this one, be sure to keep checking back with us daily!

Are you thinking about sitting down at your computer and writing a book for the first time? It can be a nerve-racking experience!

It takes the average author anywhere from a few months to a few years to write a book, depending on how much research needs to be done for it. The editing process associated with writing a book can also take a lot of time to play out.

With this in mind, there are some tips for writing a book that you should follow before you get started. They’ll help you create a book that people will actually want to read cover to cover.

Many of the tips will also make writing a book so much more manageable for you. Here are 11 tips you should keep in mind at all times while piecing a book together from start to finish.

1. Take a Look at the Most Popular Book Genres

There are some book genres that are more popular than others. These days, people seem to be in love with genres like action and adventure, sci-fi, and self-help.

There is something to be said for picking one of the lesser-known genres if you want your book to stand out in the crowd. But generally speaking, you should try to aim your book at the genres with the largest audiences if you want to enjoy success.

Browse through the different book genres that are popular right now and choose the one that you think would work best for the book you have in mind.

2. Figure Out What You Want Your Book to Be About

What exactly is the book that you write going to be about? That’s a question that you’re going to have to answer—and answer well—when you first start kicking around the idea of writing a book.

You might have a very general idea of what you want your book to be about. But it’s important to nail down a crystal-clear idea before you sit down to write it.

Ask yourself questions like:

• Which characters will appear in the book?
• Where will the book take place?
• What time period will the book cover?
• What will be the main source of conflict in the book?
• How will the book end?

You can, of course, alter your answers to these questions slightly while writing the book. But you shouldn’t be making up answers as you go along. 

3. Make Sure Someone Else Hasn’t Already Used Your Book Idea

You might not think there’s any possible way that anyone has ever thought to write a 50,000-word book that doesn’t include a single word with the letter “e” in it.

But guess what? It exists!

There are upwards of one million books published per year. This means that authors have run the gamut over the years when it comes to generating new book ideas.

Before you put your pen to paper and start writing a book, it’s a good idea to make sure no one has written a similar book already. You might be surprised to find that someone has capitalized on your current idea in the past.

4. Outline Everything That’s Going to Happen in Your Book

As a writer, an outline is going to be your best friend. It’ll help guide the way while you’re writing a book and prevent you from finding yourself in a situation where you’re not sure where to take your book next.

As we mentioned earlier, you should ask yourself a bunch of questions with regards to your book while trying to decide what it’s going to be about. You should also take your answers and use them to formulate an outline for your book.

That outline will create a path forward for your book and keep you on track as you begin writing.

5. Create a Space to Write Your Book—and Commit to Writing Every Day!

This is easily one of the best tips for writing a book. When you’re writing one, it’s essential to create a space that you can use to do it.

It’s also essential to commit to writing your book every day. Even if you only write a few paragraphs, it’ll help you to build up some momentum over time.

There are very few writers who sit down and knock out the same number of words day after day. You should mentally prepare for the ebbs and flows that come along with writing prior to penning your first paragraph.

6. Consider Showing Some of Your Early Work on Your Book to Others

After you have one or two chapters of a book done, you might feel really good about it. Or you might worry about whether or not you’re writing a book that people will want to read.

Either way, it never hurts to get a second opinion from someone you trust. They may tell you that your book isn’t as good or bad as you think it is.

Some writers are wary about showing anyone their work until it’s been written, edited, and tweaked over time. But if you don’t mind showing off your writing in the early stages, you may want to ask someone to put a second set of eyes on the work you’ve been doing after you start your book.

7. Keep Writing Your Book, Even When It’s Difficult to Do It

There are going to be days when everything that you write comes out like crap. There are also going to be days when you find yourself sitting and staring out the window wishing you could be doing anything except writing.

On these days, there’s no shame in getting up and going outside for a little while to clear your mind. But you shouldn’t let one or two slow days stop your momentum.

Keep on writing, even when you find it incredibly difficult to do it. You’ll get back into a groove and find your way before long.

8. Hire Someone to Perform a Final Edit on Your Book

When you finish your book, you’re going to be ecstatic. You’ll feel like shipping it right off to the printer and starting to sell it on your website.

Before you do that, though, you should consider hiring a professional editor to step in and edit your book for you. They can help you make your book so much stronger than it is and turn it into a better finished product.

Hiring an editor will cost you some money. But it’ll be one of the best investments you make when writing your first book.

9. Come up With an Amazing Cover for Your Book

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” might be a good thing to keep in mind when it comes to meeting new people. But ironically, it doesn’t always apply to books themselves.

People are going to judge your book by its cover when you start selling it. It’s why it’s important to spend almost as much time on your book cover as your book.

Work with a graphic designer to come up with a great design for your book cover. It’ll intrigue people more and get them interested in your book when they finally get their hands on it.

10. Print Up Copies of Your Book and Make It Look Official

You’re going to be spending many long months, if not years, working on your book. So when people are able to pick it up, don’t you want it to look as professional as possible?

You can achieve this goal by working with a company like QINPrinting that specializes in book printing. They’ll make everything from the front and back covers of your book to the words on your book’s pages look great.

People will want to flip through the pages of your book and read them when they see how professional it looks.

11. Drum up Interest in Your Book by Marketing It the Right Way

You can write the most amazing book ever and print up as many professional copies of it as you want. But if you don’t market it effectively, those copies are likely going to sit on your bookshelf.

In this day and age, marketing a book has never been easier. You can utilize social media to build up a following for your book if you play your cards right.

You can also sell copies of your book right on your website and make it easy for people to purchase them. This will increase the chances of people buying and reading your book.

Use These Tips for Writing a Book People Will Love

It’s not easy to write a book that people will want to read. There are so many books released every year that many books—especially self-published ones—often get lost in the shuffle.

Don’t let these things stop you from writing a book anyway. As long as you put the tips for writing a book found here to good use, you can bring a book idea to life and make people fall in love with it.

Read our blog for more tips on designing a beautiful book.

Are you in the process of starting a new business? If so, you’ll want to create a visual symbol that makes your brand immediately recognizable to customers and sets you apart from your competition. A high-quality logo can help you accomplish that.

Unclear about what goes into a good logo design? Not sure what trends to chase, or what you should include or exclude to create a  great one? We’re here to help!

In this article, we’re covering 2020 logo trends and best practices you should know. So you can create a logo that’s fresh yet familiar and makes people want to engage with your brand.

2020 Logo Design Trends, 5 to Keep an Eye On

Need some fresh inspiration to create your business’s logo? Here are 5 major trends that can help you start off on the right foot.

Simplicity is King

One of the longest-running trends in logo design is simplicity. That’s because simplicity is impactful. Customers are much more likely to remember something simple and clear than a cluttered visual that’s hard to comprehend.

Simple logos are also a lot more scalable. The more visual elements you add to a logo, the harder it is to discern once it’s presented on a different platform in a different size.

One way to embrace minimalism and simplicity in your design is by incorporating simple geometric shapes. Lines, squares, dots, and curves can make a design feel cleaner, clearer, and simpler. They can also provide an often-needed balance to your design.

Animation

One of the newest trends in logo design is animation. It adds a layer of whimsy to any design and can make a brand seem friendlier and more easy-going. To take it a step further, add a cartoon-style layer to the logo to up the whimsy and playfulness of your brand.

Retro is Back

Retro style logos are officially back in 2020. That means retro patterns, color schemes, and fonts. These style elements can give your brand a laidback and approachable vibe.

Specific Colors

This year we’ll also see a number of brands incorporating specific shades of color into their brand. One trending color will be mustard, which has already been popping up in a variety of fashion and design company logos.

That’s because mustard is a warm color that denotes maturity and sophistication in a friendly way. It’s also an effective alternative to gold for any brands looking for a higher-end logo.

Mint will also play a more prominent part in logos come 2020. Mint can help your brand feel more uplifting and fresher with its soft green hue. It’s also versatile. It’s fresh and fun nature makes it great for a variety of brands, including health and wellness, lifestyle, and home.

Lilac, while already popular, will continue to be a trending color in 2020 as well.

Responsive Design

UX design is on everyone’s mind now when it comes to design. This emphasis on user-friendly, functional design will most likely extend to logos. Responsive logos reflect how advanced a company is within the digital space and make branded experiences clear and clean regardless of platform or device. By creating a responsive logo, you can guarantee that your brand always looks polished and professional.

Ready to Create Your Logo?

Creating a visual representation of your brand can seem tricky and complicated. But it doesn’t have to be. By checking out these 2020 logo trends, you can get the inspiration you need to create a dream logo with ease.

Did you find the tips and trends in this article helpful? Need more advice? Check out the rest of our website for more insights.

Did you know that 85% of consumers buy from a certain brand because of the colors used in their marketing materials?

So, if you were thinking of using your favorite color for your logo, think again, as that might not be the best strategy.

Keep reading as we go through the meaning of some of the most commonly used colors in marketing and other tips that’ll be useful for creating your logo. By the end, you’ll have all the tools you need to pick the best colors for a logo!

1. Blue

Blue invokes calmness and confidence. It makes the brand look intelligent, safe and trustworthy. If you want your logo to look professional as can be, this is your color.

Popular for: IT and healthcare

Not so popular for: Food and fashion

2. Red

We all know that red is the color of passion and seduction. This color is often used by marketers because it creates a sense of urgency in the consumer, which many times leads to sales.

Popular for: Sports and food

Not so popular for: Transportation services and baby products

3. Green

As environmental awareness grows, so does the usage of green by brands. This color represents nature, peace, and freshness, and it’s definitely the one to choose if you want to create an eco-friendly brand.

Popular for: Health brands and energy

Not so popular for: Car brands and fashion

4. Orange

If you want your brand to have a friendly image, you should make orange your logo’s main color. It symbolizes energy and boldness, and it’s the ideal one if you want to appeal to young people.

Popular for: Food and entertainment

Not so popular for: Finance and fashion

6. Yellow

Finally, yellow is a very optimistic color, so it’s the way to go if you want to create a joyful, warm image of your brand. This color is also very celebratory and action-oriented.

Popular for: Entertainment and food

Not so popular for: IT and fashion

Choosing the Best Colors for a Logo: Two Extra Tips

As you can see, there are entire definitions behind each color, and that’s something you can’t ignore when designing a logo. But there are other tips you can use in the process:

• Don’t stick to one color

Choosing a palette will give you a lot more freedom when creating other visual pieces. If you’re not sure what other tones go with your main one, simply generate a color palette from images that are connected to your brand.

• Experiment, experiment, experiment

Even if the first logo you come up with looks good, try it out in other colors. This way you can also show your different creations to other people and ask for their opinion. Remember, many heads think better than one!

• Keep it balanced

Too many strong colors and your logo will be overwhelming. Too many neutral ones and no one will notice it. The secret is in finding a balance between the two.

So, What Color Will It Be?

Don’t worry – you don’t have to make the decision right away. But now you are well-equipped to choose the best colors for a logo, so get thinking!

If you’d like to read more articles on how to create the perfect logo, make sure to keep exploring our blog.