Writing an ebook about Instagram has been for a while in my mind. Some of the readers of this website have been asking me lately about Instagram tips and info. The truth is that if I had to write a blog post about this topic, it would have been a very long one. Hence, I composed an ebook called Instagram explained, trying to reply to the most common question: how can you grow your Instagram account?
First things first. Growing your Instagram account is a long term project. It means that you cannot do it overnight and also you have to work on it consistently. If you expect to rock the platform a week or two after you sign up for an account, you’ll be disappointed. You will also be disappointed if you think that Instagram growth comes only with great photography; it doesn’t.
Why I thought of writing an Instagram ebook
I’ve been using Instagram daily for six and a half years (you can follow me here). The truth is that when I created my account, I never thought I’d really use it.
But as time went by, I saw potential. Instagram helped me to develop as a photographer and also helped me to meet new friends. Apart from that, I have slowly started to work with brands through Instagram and, therefore, make an extra income from time to time. Not that bad, right?
As I said earlier, this didn’t happen overnight, of course. It actually took me some years to grow my Instagram account. Certain things worked, others didn’t: as it’s always the case in life, it takes trial and error to develop. Experimenting with photos, experimenting with hashtags, and checking the platform’s options were among the things that helped me grow my Instagram account.
On the other hand, Instagram has changed -and it has changed a lot. Implementing a new algorithm a few years ago changed the platform overnight. Nothing was the same anymore on IG: engagement dropped, users started to complain, cheaters buying followers appeared. It was a shift of dubious quality that was never really well perceived by the Instagrammers. Minor changes started to happen now and then. People complained even more.
But let’s face it: we either had to deal with it or leave the platform forever.
I decided to stay. I’m not sure if it was a decision based on sentiment: I have managed to grow my Instagram account, I have posted hundreds of photos, and I still wanted to see what my Instagram friends were posting. I didn’t have the same zest anymore, but I thought of staying there, on that virtual landscape, to observe the changes. I have seen Myspace becoming a ghost, and I wanted to see how Instagram would look like.
Writing the ebook about Instagram was somehow the natural evolution of my relationship with the platform. You see, I can only put my thoughts in order when I sit down and write. I wanted to share my Instagram experience with my readers, my friends, and maybe some people that might be equally interested in understanding Instagram. If I could grow my Instagram account, you should also be able to grow your Instagram account too.
Instagram Explained: a 44-pages ebook
The title of the ebook is “Instagram Explained.” While a small part of the ebook might remind you a bit of a memoir, the truth is that I tried to include lots of tips for growing your Instagram. Actually, I have written every single tip that worked for me throughout the years.
Let me say this first: if you think that there is a magic recipe for succeeding on Instagram, don’t lose your time. There isn’t. The Instagram tips that I mention here are more of a complete Instagram strategy: from aesthetics to hashtags, from how to interact and engage to working with brands. In other words, I am sharing my entire strategy, the one that helped me grow my IG account and make some money out of it.
More specifically, Instagram Explained deals with the following topics:
- Understanding Instagram
- How to curate your Instagram feed
- What not to do on Instagram
- What you should really do on Instagram
- How to work with brands
- My Instagram experience
- The future of Instagram
You can also read this ebook as an Instagram guide. While you won’t find inside the very elementary info (how to upload a photo or add a filter), Instagram Explained will help you understand the platform better. That being said, it will help you to get an idea of what Instagram can potentially do for you or your business. Moreover, it will help you adapt to Instagram’s logic and finally start growing your Instagram account.
Each of the topics mentioned above deals with several subtopics (ex. How to engage and interact, my hashtag strategy, personal vs. business Instagram account, etc.). Plus, at the end of every section, I’m sharing my personal experience.
For whom Instagram Explained is interesting
I didn’t try to write a scientific essay nor a case study. This is my journey from zero followers to more than 30K. In this ebook, I narrate my experience, I share how I grew my Instagram account, and also how I worked with brands. That being said, this Instagram ebook (or Instagram guide) will be useful for both the newbie and the advanced Instagram user.
For people starting now on Instagram, the ebook will be their guide on how to set up a long-term strategy and IG presence. Through the ebook’s pages, you will learn how to use the platform in order to achieve your goals properly: for some, this is growing an Insta-following, for others to promote their brands. Whatever the case might be, Instagram Explained will uncover the mechanisms of Instagram and will show you what the platform is all about.
For the more advanced users, in other words, the ones who use Instagram for months or even years, the ebook is useful too. Although you probably know by now what Instagram is, you might not be aware yet of how to grow your Instagram account further or how to monetize it. Instagram Explained contains several sub-chapters about working with brands, how to reach out to them, and how to curate your feed correctly. Plus, sub-topics like my hashtag strategy for Instagram or how to post-process your photos will give you further development ideas.
Who might not find the ebook so interesting
If you are one of those guys who are active in Instagram communities or have a significant number of followers, the tips offered in this ebook might not be that interesting. While I include all the tips and strategies that I used in the past, the truth is that you are probably aware of most of them. Plus, if you’re running a big account, you have most likely monetized it already. Therefore, “Instagram Explained” might be interesting for you only as a memoir.
There are certain sections with stories from Instagram’s past (do you remember #communityfirst?). I have also included some criticism about Instagram. As I write in the ebook, it’s not my goal to reject the platform. But seeing it changing a lot makes me sometimes sad because we have put so much effort into it.
A few facts about my Instagram ebook
- The ebook is 44-pages long (or 12,000 words long).
- I preferred a PDF file instead of an epub. The reason is that I didn’t want you to download extra apps for reading it. It’s better to save space for post-processing apps instead.
- It took me two months to write the ebook. And almost another one to edit it.
- There are a few of my Instagram photos on the ebook. I thought of not adding too many because it might distract you from reading.
- By clicking on any of the ebook’s photos, you will be redirected to selected articles on my website. Some of them are about gear, others purely informational. But I think that this is offering a more rich experience.
- Instagram Explained costs 7 euros. I know what you’re thinking: why didn’t you make it 6,99? The truth is that I’m not a big fan of that marketing technique. It might as well be some particular case of OCD; I don’t know. But if you feel that you are more of a 6,99 guy, then here’s the deal. Just add before check out the coupon code GIMMEBACKTHATCENTGEORGE and get that cent back. Sounds fair, right? 🙂
- You can read my Instagram ebook on any device: desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone. However, keep in mind that you’d better use the landscape mode for reading it on a smartphone. While the portrait mode will work just fine, the truth is that you might have to zoom in sometimes. Reading should be a pleasant thing, though: go for the landscape mode.
Where you can buy “Instagram Explained”
You can buy the ebook exclusively via my Travel Shop. The Letters To Barbara is running an SSL protocol, which offers the most secure Internet environment. All your transactions on this website are processed via Stripe, which is one of the leading payment gateways. Therefore, your transactions are 100% safe. You can also pay via Paypal.
As I already wrote, Instagram Explained costs 7 euros. You can buy the ebook by using either your credit card or your PayPal account.
After purchasing the ebook
Well, first of all, after you read the ebook, I would love to hear your opinion. I would really like to know what you think and if you have already started to implement the Instagram strategies.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram here and observe my Instagram journey. Mention me in your photos or your Instagram Stories, and make sure to ask me your questions. Comments, DMs, e-mails, whatever you prefer. If your questions trigger me, I might write another Instagram guide. And if your question makes it to the next ebook, you will get it with a big reduction. Deal?
Everything is tested several times regarding downloading the ebook, reading it, etc. However, if you experience any kind of problem (from accidentally buying the ebook twice to issues with the file), I’m here for you. Just visit my contact page and write me a message. Please keep the receipt and add the order number in your e-mail. We will sort everything out together within 24 hours.
So, get your “Instagram Explained” copy here. Happy reading 🙂
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Last Updated on January 27, 2021 by George Pavlopoulos