Instagram Round-up: All the best tips from the BritMums community

We made it through January hurray! I don’t know about you but I’ve had a serious case of the January blues. Blogging at this time of year can be disheartening but I have been spending lots of time over on Instagram: my ‘happy place’ it makes me feel loads better. I’ve seen so many excellent posts about Instagram over the last few weeks so without further ado, here are the best Instagram tips, tricks, and thoughts from the BritMums community.

Karen from My Winter and Jonah has shared her top tips on how to boost your Instagram organically. I loved her insights and am always blown away by a special couple of photos that Karen has shared across social media which have amounted to over a million likes! Totally inspiring. 

Hilariously, my most popular photo to date is this one… It seems to fly around Insta, go quiet for a little while and then pick up again! It's Jonah at 2 months old… So if you haven't seen it before, here it is, enjoy! What's your most favourite/popular pic @liss_andtheboys @carterandus @baileyandosc @wishesandwellies ?This boy 👌🏻. • • • • • #baby #perfectbabies #justbaby #igcutest #babypix #littlefierceones #momswithcameras #ig_kids #igkiddies #UniteinMotherHood #our_everyday_moments #kidslookbook #lastmodels #littleandbrave #clickinmoms #kidsforreal #dearestviewfinder #mom_hub #magicofchildhood #kindredmemories #pixelkids #simplychildren #dearphotographer #childofig #childhoodunplugged #ocl_158

A photo posted by Jonah & Winter (I'm Karen 🙋🏻) (@mywinterandjonah) on Aug 7, 2016 at 12:26pm PDT

I really enjoyed reading advice from some of Instagram’s top travel bloggers over on Tin Box Traveller. This is a really great post put together by Claire and a great place to start if you want to do some goal setting. 

We all know posting photos of your kids on Instagram, they can be tricky. Sharon from Life After the Playground has 10 tricks for posting photos of kids on Instagram – when they are teens and tweens. There are some really great ideas for poses, check it out! 

Victoria from Butterfly Crafts has shared 6 great tips to help you make the most of your Instagram. It was good to be reminded to make the most of the clickable link in your profile, I am always forgetting to do this.

Hannah from What Hannah Did Next asks: What kind of Instagrammer are you? In Hannah’s words “Who doesn’t love looking through a book or magazine that has pretty pictures. I like that your feed becomes your story and you can make it anything you want it to be.” 

A bit of a different one from me here. My husband needed to get some shots for work and I was roped in to swirl some smoke bombs around. I'm a right wuss even when it comes to sparklers, so I wasn't particularly keen to handle them. Turns out that I didn't lose an arm or burn any fingers 😄 I also liked the fact that they came with instructions on the side and they emphasised a few times to be used with care and 'don't be a dick'. That made me smile but also worry how easily I might ACTUALLY be a dick 🙄😂 I think I can be pursuaded to hold them again though because they're pretty cool aren't they?

A photo posted by Hannah (@whathannahdidnext) on Dec 7, 2016 at 12:20pm PST

Speaking of what type of Instagrammer you are, I really like the way Fashion Mommy uses her Instagram for showcasing her personal style. For her, it’s a visual, online diary of photographs and images. She has really found her niche on Instagram with her fashion style posts getting the most engagement. 

Fiona from Dolly Dowsie has managed to gain two thousand followers and doubled her engagement in just one month! This is a really insightful article packed full of tips to help you grow your Instagram organically and increase engagement on what you’re posting. 

Last but not least a brilliant article from one of my all-time fav Instagrammers. Harriet from Toby and Roo has grown her Instagram by a staggering amount. If you want to know how to go from 0 to 50k in just 12 months you absolutely have to read this. 

Who's coming to FLEX APPEAL MANCHESTER tomorrow? 👯⚡️🎉 I'm going to be there to flex shit up with @mother_pukka 👯🙌🏻 supporting her amazing #flexappeal campaign for flexible working 💻📱for people who happen to be parents (and everyone else too! 👊🏻👊🏻) Why 🤔? Because I've been been told "put some make up on 💄💅🏼 on and get into work" when suffering with morning sickness 😷, because I've heard my husband 👱🏼 told "What do you want TWO weeks off for?!" When asking for his paternity rights 😱😠 and because I don't think it's right that I've been told off 🗣 for looking "too happy" in a Facebook photo 📱while off sick during a miscarriage from a baby centred workplace. ☹️ I'm joining @mother_pukka – are you? ✊🏻💪🏻 #parentingtheshitoutoflife #motherpukka

A photo posted by Parenting Blogger 💕 Harriet (@tobyandroo) on Jan 26, 2017 at 12:38pm PST

As always here is a mini round-up of 5 of my favourite Instagrammers, and my top picks for February:

@muminthemadhouse – Jen is attempting to live a creative life in The Mad House with 2 boys aged 10 & 11. Fuelled by tea, fabric and stationery, addicted to washi tape.

@jennyseaves – Writer of Monkey and Mouse is a great lover of the outdoors and creator of #Whatevertheweatherkids hashtag.

@lecoindemel – is a mama to 4, self-confessed food addict and a night owl fuelled by coffee (sounds like me!) 

@caro_mad – is a family and lifestyle blogger and writer. She loves travel, stationery, interior design and all the beautiful things in life. 

@familyoffduty – is travelling the world with her family and documenting and sharing all of their adventures with us on Instagram.