Instagram is a fabulous place to get your blog noticed, especially if you want to expand your reach and increase your success level – and get a publishing deal. Today, the success of your blog significantly depends on how well you build a platform and connect with experts in your niche. Considering this, promoting your blog on Instagram is definitely worth your time. Sanjay Bojan shares with you an essential guide to kickoff and start promoting your posts on Instagram.

1. Choosing an Instagram profile name

Your name is how you will be recognised and remembered by followers. When choosing a name, consider if you want to use the name of your blog or your name for the Instagram profile. How do you know which is best? That depends on many factors like:

• Whether you are the sole owner of your blog or you run it jointly with a partner or partners.

• If you have chosen a lifetime career as a blogger or you would want to switch to another career in the future.

• If you plan to market yourself or your blog or the service you are providing.

• If you plan only to publish one book from your blog content – or many books that might or might not be related to your site.

Depending on these factors, you may decide you want your name or the blog’s name for your Instagram account. In some cases, you might want two Instagram accounts to satisfy different conditions or ways in which you’d like to be known.

Note that there are two parts of naming your Instagram account – the Instagram account name and the Instagram handle name. You may consider your name for the account and the name of your blog for the handle. Or vice versa.

2. Setting up an Instagram profile.

First things first: Decide if you want to keep your account private or public. Obviously, if the purpose of your Instagram account is to promote your blog and build author platform, your account must be public.

As you set up the profile, you will be asked to add the following three pieces of information to your account.

Display picture: Does your blog have a logo? If yes, use the logo for the display picture or avatar. If not, it is never a bad idea to use a photo of yourself. A headshot allows your visitors to know who you are. And a head shot can be appropriate if you plan to author books – including blogged books. Instagram images are circular. So set up an image accordingly.

A short bio: The short bio is extremely important. Make it informative, and try to give it character and personality. You only get four lines, but they should speak volumes about you, your blog, and your books.

Link in the bio: The short bio is the only place where you can introduce a clickable link. So don’t miss this opportunity to promote your blog.