1. You need to know something about Photography:
- Joining the bookstagram means joining Instagram, a platform based on visual pleasure where pictures and photos speak more than the actual captions. You do not have to be a professional photographer, but you should learn something about how to take photos. How to use natural light, how to make sure your photos are not blurry. What is composition? What is ISO and what does depth to the photos mean? Where and how did I learn? I had great teachers: Google and YouTube!
2. Over editing is a thing
- And this is one of the stupid mistakes I did at the start. I didn't know how to take pictures so I did them in my room with my lap on, and then I used 4 different apps to edit the hell out of it. It was too much. It took crazy long, the photo lost so much quality when I ran it through four apps... not worth the stress, trust me. Invest your time in point one of this article - photography - rather than editing. Then just tweak some colours and blend the theme together - done.
3. Even if you have 1k followers you are nobody
- I started with 5 followers and I looked up to the accounts who had 1.000 followers. I thought they are amazing, inspirational, what a HUGE following they have and what amazing influencers they are. Then I reached that number and trust me, nothing changed. It was exactly the same as having 5 followers. So here is the piece of advice: NUMBER DOES NOT MATTER! Focus on friendships, on connection with people on Instagram instead. Have fun and enjoy your bookstagram journey.
4. Being a Rep is not as great as it seems.
- Yes, being a rep is amazing. You get to support this small shop, you get some free items, and you get to be where the magic happens (depends on the shop) BUT it can be overwhelming, if you rep for more companies, you get to post more rep photos a week and you will not have time for what YOU want to do with your account because you will have to do what the shops want you to do. Are you reading an amazing book by Leigh Bardugo and you want to share that with you followers, well sorry, today you HAVE to post a picture of this product that has nothing to do with the book at all. Yes, you can have photos and captions that do not align but I personally don't like that. I like to rep for one company at the time. It is enough.
Another thing here is, being rep will not make you more famous, this will not bring more followers. The shop might share your photos on their feed but the shop is not here to represent you, you are here to represent the shop. Remember that. You are bringing followers to the shop, not another way around.
With all of this being said, make sure you pick shop you truly believe in and want to support and invest yourself in this representative position.
5. Open a window so we can see you
- You can only post about books, books and books. That is, of course, fine, but if you want your account to grow people like to know who you are, what you are, where you are (DO NOT share your home address) understand this "where" as a state of mind. Share some private information, not your shoe size, but maybe include what other hobby do you have. You are much more than just a reader and that makes you stand out from this sea of readers. Show your true colours. People will be drawn to you and you will find great Insta friends.
I would still start my bookstagram knowing all this, but maybe I would approach it differently. But bookstagram is just like creativity, it is a process, it is a journey. You will never get to the finish.
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