How I gained 150k followers on Instagram (and how you can too)

So I recently hit 150,000 followers on Instagram, which is still something i’m struggling to wrap my head around.

And I only made the account 5 months ago.

But I have to be honest, it didn’t just happen by accident. 

For the last 5 months I’ve been following a strict framework that absolutely anyone can follow, regardless of your skill level or creative niche.

So as a thankyou to the people who read these letters, here is the exact framework I used… for free!

Step 1 - Presentation Matters

These days, if you’re simply uploading your designs / artwork as still images, it’s going to be ruthlessly difficult to build an audience (even if your work is absolutely incredible).

It’s crucial to understand the importance of how you are presenting your work, not just the work itself.

Let me give you two examples:

Example 1: A designer uploads 3 designs a week to Instagram. He only uploads the design itself with no accompanying content.

Example 2: A different designer uploads 3 designs a week to Instagram. She prints out the designs and on the second slide of each post uploads a photo of her holding her printed design. She also writes in the post description a little background on how she created the design and what it means to her.

The difference is the amount of work required in each example is actually fairly small. However, the second example is substantially more effective as it gives the audience context and insight into the person behind the designs.

Sharing our personality and creative process on Instagram adds a whole new dimension to our art. People don't just want to see the final masterpiece; they're intrigued by the journey that led to it!

Remember, presentation matters almost as much as the art itself.

Step 2 - Learn how to edit videos

I’ve talked about creative skill stacking before; the idea of learning new skills to enhance the ones you already have.

Video editing is a perfect example of this.

If you go right back to my first reels on my Instagram, the video editing isn’t that great. Over the last few months I’ve put in endless hours into improving my video editing skills, and I think this has played a large factor in the growth of my account.

It doesn’t need to be extremely fancy or professional, just research how to make fast-paced, highly-engaging videos.

I personally use a mix of Premiere Pro and After Effects to edit my Instagram reels, and I think both are fairly intuitive and beginner-friendly.

Step 3 - Stand out

About 2 months ago I completely stopped using trending music. 

Firstly I noticed that all my videos that performed well (1M+ views) didn’t use trending music and instead used songs that I actually enjoy.

So, try NOT using trending music and curate music that fits and enhances your brand.

I understand this advice is quite literally the opposite advice to any other “guru” out there, but it worked for me.

Here’s the harsh truth: how are you expecting to stand out amongst the thousands of other creators out there if you’re all using the exact same music and trending sounds?

Instead, you should be considering how you can present your work and your ideas in your own unique way.

Take inspiration from other creators, but don’t just blindly copy other people’s style. Learn to carve your own path.

And this isn’t just about trending music, be true to yourself in all aspects of your design work, and don’t be afraid to be as authentic as possible. People will always respond well to that.

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I hope you found this mini-guide valuable! If you want me to talk about any other specific topics in these letters, don’t hesitate to reach out and let me know.

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you have a beautiful day 🙂

George