Sometimes I struggle with Instagram ideas, especially when visiting new places on a tight schedule. How can I capture the best photos, and be inspired within a destination, or shoot when I haven’t been able to sus the scene just yet? Where should I start, how to start, etc.
Imagine if there was a way to find almost instant inspiration. Something that you simply had to open up and scroll to find something magical. Inspiration is hidden in plain sight; you just need to know what you’re looking for.
In this article, I am going to show you how to find these types of accounts and I share with you the 5 ways to find Instagrammers that will inspire you, regardless of your niche.
Why Use Instagram for Inspiration
Art inspires, photography is art, and Instagram is the biggest photo-sharing platform in the world, why not use it for inspiration?
What now? Use Instagram for Instagram inspiration and ideas?
Of course, why wouldn’t you? Guide books show you what places to visit, tutorials show you how to accomplish something, why not use Instagram to find some inspiration to create better content.
There is a small caveat, there’s always a small caveat. 😉
Namely, be inspired and create something from your interpretation.
Do not copy. Whilst imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, plain-up copying is the quickest way to lose authenticity & to build a negative rapport with the community (and it could even turn ugly on the legal side).
Now depending on what you post, you’ll find that you are more than likely already following a few Instagrammers that are creating content that inspires you. Subliminal inspiration if you will, some things that cause a smile or make you want to do that (influencers gonna influence).
This is great, and you should continue to find these accounts and learn from their successes.
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Instagram is full of talented and incredible photographers, filmmakers, designers, graphic artists, stylists, make-up artists, crafters, etc.
Whether they’re professional or hobbyists, they’re putting their art and images online for the world to see for free. Millions of people with different ideas, circumstances, locations, gear, tools, etc. All provide different results and draw different conclusions and audiences based on the over 1 billion active users on the platform.
There is a world full of perspectives for you to draw inspiration from, you just need to know where to look. Here are 5 ways for you to find that inspiration.
5 Ways To Find Instagram Ideas
1. Intentionally look for inspiration.
Remember when I said you were most likely already following some accounts that would inspire you? Why did you follow them in the first place? What was it that drew you to follow them and why do you like their images?
By being mindful of what you’re looking at, you’ll be able to see exactly what it is that drew you to it and how you could use that to communicate with your audience or within that community.
Pay attention to what you’re liking, the images that you don’t immediately scroll past, and look at what is it that they’re doing that caught your attention. Now imagine a lightbulb pinging sound in your head and think of ideas around your own profile or brand.
Yes, I know, lightbulbs don’t ping, but the sound of electrical noise is hardly inspirational, let’s try staying upbeat alright.
Related: Instagram Beginners Guide.
2. Search Instagram hashtags.
Hashtags are not just a great way to be found or to spread the word about your brand, you can also use them to connect with and draw inspiration from within the community.
By searching for hashtags that are relevant to your content, you’ll be able to gauge what is doing well and use that to guide you in creating your own posts.
The first 9 posts are the most popular recent posts & will be the ones you should look at to draw inspiration… You can look to the most recent as well, but you’ll be more likely to find the best content in the most popular section.
Don’t just search for one or two hashtags, really have a look at what the hashtags you post to and similar ones are producing.
A great way to find similar hashtags is to open one of the popular posts and look at what other hashtags they’ve used and continue along that wormhole.
3. Search through location tags (places).
When it comes to location-based photography or posts, using Instagram’s places search feature is a gold mine.
If it’s a popular area, you can get a feel for the crowds quite quickly and whether or not that spot will even be worthwhile.
Better yet, you can find hidden gems, even in overly photographed locations like Paris or Barcelona.
Locations can also help you with finding;
- What angles people are using and which look the best.
- How the light reacts and falls at a certain time of the day (think shadows and best sunsets).
- When the crowds disperse.
- Instagrammable spots in town (think colorful murals, hip neighborhoods, and interesting areas).
- Hidden gems (although, they’re admittedly a little less hidden then).
Another top trick is to use places to find similar people in your niche nearby and then to connect with them. It may not inspire you, but connecting and exchanging ideas might just be the spark that you’ve been looking for.
P.s. Befriending people close to where you are can also help when it comes to taking photos. They’ll most likely be a lot more comfortable using a camera than a regular friend and they’ll be a lot more considerate when it comes to actually getting some nice shots. Don’t forget to return the favor of course!
4. Look at suggested Instagram profiles.
When it comes to finding great profiles, you may be interested in, Instagram has got your back. The suggested profiles feature is a quick and easy way to find similar accounts to the one you’re looking at and find other creators that can inspire you.
This is similar to the wormhole effect of searching through hashtags. Click on a few creators and follow the trail of awesomeness to a more motivated, inspired, and driven you.
I tend to go to a few safe bets; these are creators I already follow and know they provide great posts that align with my message. Next, I’ll click the drop-down arrow to show suggested profiles, open up a few new tabs, or scroll them individually if going through on a smartphone, and then follow those that catch my attention.
Repeat this process with those accounts, and next thing you know, you’ll have amassed an incredible selection of resources for when you’re not quite feeling it.
P.s. You can save individual posts of exceptional nature for a more direct and quicker route when you’re looking for that little bit of fire.
Related: Are you making these 7 common Instagram mistakes?
5. Go out of your way and out of your niche.
Why stop at what you’re familiar with?
Abstract originality can be the trigger to an idea. With such a great source of incredible creators on Instagram, take advantage of it.
Go out of your way to dig deep through different accounts, hashtags, locations in and around your area and pay attention to what you find. The further you go, the higher your chances are of finding something exceptional or provoking inspiration inside of you.
You don’t have to stay entirely on a topic either. Some of the best forms of inspiration can come from content completely outside of your field of expertise.
Find the best (great creators) at what they do and delve into their feed. Is there something that they do to set themselves apart within their niche? Are there special aspects of their content that could make sense in your niche? Have you seen other people trying it within your community?
Try to pinpoint what consistencies and specialties creators put into their content and think about how you could use that as a starting point to create a unique perspective with your feed.
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Final thoughts on Instagram ideas and Inspiration
Instagram itself is full of great places to find inspiration. It doesn’t matter if you’re a professional photographer or just taking some snapshots in your spare time. When you’re looking for a touch of inspiration, just grab your smartphone and give these Instagram ideas a try.
There are plenty of ideas waiting to be explored, but make some notes and plan ahead before you decide to go taking some photos. This will allow you to get the best ideas and see unique images when they present themselves.
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