Top Tools and Services to Help You Grow Your Instagram Account
Instagram is a powerful marketing tool that is not only the second-largest social media platform on the web but also one of the biggest in terms of user engagement. A photo can tell a thousand words, and if you consistently post great quality images promoting a particular lifestyle or dream, you can gain a massive and highly engaged following that will be highly eager to buy from you!
But if you want to grow your channel even faster, there are a few other tools you can use to give you an edge. Let’s look at some of the best additional software, services, and more that will help your account grow faster!
Pixlr
Pixlr is another photo editing program that uses basic filters like Instagram. Unlike Instagram, there is no social element, but it does give you access to a much more comprehensive roster of editing options.
For instance, Pixlr has the option to create image collages. This is ideal if you want to show a progression, that way telling a story, or if you want to show multiple photos of the same event.
The filters can also provide some exciting options, as can the ability to write over the top of pictures. The tool is quick to use and lets you share photos directly to Instagram – an essential addition to your suite of options.
Photoshop/GiMP
For photos that you take on more professional equipment, though, there’s no reason that you can’t get even more creative still with your editing. Transfer your photos over to the computer and then use the powerful editing software Photoshop to airbrush people, increase brightness and saturation, and much more. If you don’t have the money to invest in Photoshop, though, you can always use GiMP, which has most of the same features and is completely free!
Snapchat
Snapchat is another image-centric social tool but one that lets you upload ‘self-destructing’ photos for your audience to view only during a limited timeframe. This gives your photos a much more ‘immediate’ feeling and means that your viewers will feel as though they are much more engaged with the content that you create.
What’s very interesting, though, is that Instagram now offers a similar tool in the form of ‘Instagram Stories.’ These are identical ‘self-destructing’ photos that form a timeline for your viewers to enjoy for 24 hours.
So why not combine your efforts on both platforms? Just download the photos you add to Snapchat and then share them on both media!
IFTTT
When it comes to synergy across social media channels, though, there are few tools more powerful than IFTTT. IFTTT stands for ‘If This, Then That’ and lets you do things such as posting your photos as native images to Twitter (rather than having them show as just a link) or creating backups of all of your Instagram photos in a DropBox folder. This can save you tremendous time and ensure that all your accounts are active and promoting one another!