The emphasis in this challenge of my 52 Assignments book is not a fact-filled primer on how to perfect your cat ‘composition’. It’s all about how to create a really strong and distinctive identity for your account. This quick post shows you how the focus on this element is one that each cat (or other pet) photographer needs to get absolutely perfect to be a magnet for followers.
We are an official Amazon affiliate which costs you nothing but allows us to donate to our US rescue Place for Cats since Amazon Smile has been removed..
Creating a distinctive identity can be the hardest thing to do with your cat’s instagram account and finding a focus and a genuine personality is tough. There is no insta-easy answer.
Like much of social media, you can experiment with different types of posts and monitor the results. What worked? Was it the cute kitten photo or the serious portrait? What did you like but others didn’t? Be inspired by other kitty Insta accounts but remember what you like matters as well, the ideas and stuff close to your heart will help you geerate your best content.
The distinctive identity you create for your cat on Instagram
- There is no fun is running an IG account with a zillion followers if your heart isn’t in it. Find what you love and see how you can use it.
The Instagram Brief
Compose images with ‘pet personality‘ using a consistent theme or tone.
How would you do this for your cat’s Instagram account? Be alert for silly and special moments. Use Burst mode on a smartphone or DSLR to capture several shots (then choose the most fun one). Anything that makes your cat look almost human is something many people can relate to. Add text, maybe create a simple Reel movie and capture hearts by the bucket load.
Explore other cat accounts on Instagram and see which ones appeal to you. Why do you like them? Is it a colour scheme, graphics, quirky cat behaviour, a courageous CH cat or the weekly #wickedcatwednesday they do brilliantly well? Absorbing inspiration from the cat accounts you like the most, be inspired and get inventive.
How Do You Make Your Account Distinctive?
The opportunities are limitless, but this doesn’t help those of you setting out to give your cat account a focused identity. Let me kickstart your thoughts with a few prompts:
- Use a particular prop.
- Use a particular set of colours that identifies your brand.
- A specific filter or photography style like black and white.
- A distinctive backdrop.
- Something ephemeral like humour or gentle mindfulness.
With your idea create a series of portraits for your cat composition for Instagram project, this idea of a consistent theme or tone is great focus to help you find the personality and feel you want your cat account to have. It keeps you on a path and lets you discover what you like, and what you didn’t. For this post I created three images using Dash Kitten brand colours and our cat theme in Canva Pro but I confess that DashKittenPhotos our IG account has a way to go before it looks unique enough!
Cat Composition Hashtags
Hashtag tips include:
- Specific: #cat #Bengal #rescuecat #reptile
- General: #cats #blackcatsofinstagram #ratsofinsta
Finally, Adam Juniper, author of 52 Assignments, Instagram, advises you to post regularly to help boost your success. How you post will depend on any scheduler you have access to.
Instagram Scheduling Resources
- Buffer social media scheduling tool (Aasic) Allows ten posts for free and three channels for your scheduling. Simple to use.
- Hootsuite Free account – 1 user. 2 social accounts. 5 scheduled posts
- Creator Studio – Free content management tool lets you create and schedule content for Facebook and Instagram through your own Facebook account.
Marjorie Dawson
Marjorie is a motorbike riding blogger and award winning cat photographer who believes that everyone can create impressive cat photographs and fun movies with the camera they carry.
She is a Professional Member of the Cat Writers Association, Kuykendall Image Award winner and published photographer at the Guardian newspaper.
Marjorie, yet more great tips from you! And these could go for dog accounts, too. I’m on IG, but I do admit I keep it private as hackers bug the heck out of me and I’ve had a few friends have their photos stolen. I do watermark mine and drop quality, but honestly, I hate that compromise as I like to put out my best work. Now, at this point, I may just keep it private…but I do go back and forth. I get a lot of interaction on my FiveSibes FB community page and these tips go for that as well – need something eye-catching and I love your mention of showing personality. I think that latter is what really made my FS page successful – showing their fun, crazy, loving personalities! Will be Pinning these tips to share!
This is really good advice. I have been doing some Insta Reels but I’m having so much fun I’m not sticking to my niche, or a brand appearance! I do need to focus more and maybe create a template that is recognizable.
Great article on posting. I like the idea of scheduling. The whole social media thing and timing it just right is a bit of a heavy lift. I admit none of that falls into my favorite pile. I’ve bookmarked the Buffer.com page and I’ll try to figure that out to hopefully up my game. Very timely post, Marjorie! Thanks!
Great post! I love posting on Instagram and do so often, but I haven’t had a ton of luck growing my follower count. I don’t mind too much, though. I mostly post for myself, to have a fun place to look back at photos of my dogs. I’m not a huge fan of the trend towards reels lately. There are other social media apps for videos, I wish Instagram would stick to just photos.
Thanks as always for the great tips, I post at least once a week if not more on Instagram and need to focus more on it, you always teach me something
These are all amazing tips!
Great tips for Instagram! I enjoyed Instagram more when it was mostly still photos. I don’t like so many videos constantly popping up.
Leah, I am told that you can control it a bit by clicking Instagram > then choosing ‘Favorites’ and chosing your fave static content. Saves your sanity!
There seems to be a bit of a backlash against the video element. I avoid my home feed.
Great post. I really need to do more on Instagram. XO
I do have an IG account, but I rarely if ever use it, other than to check on others once in a blue moon, LOL! Same with Facebook. That one is getting to be about impossible to know if you’re even at the right page, even on your own account. Go figure. I just stick with the blogging, far simpler, LOL!
I do enjoy seeing what you do, and you make wonderful images, no doubt the reason behind your recent awards!
You know your stuff. I take the worst photographs of anyone out there. It’s just what it is.
Have a fabulous Thankful Thursday. ♥
What a great primer for all the things Insta users should be thinking about! Thank you, Marjorie!
What do you think of Instagram becoming more like TikTok? We liked Instagram for the pictures – some videos are fine, but if we wanted to be looking at TikTok, we’d be looking at TikTok.
IG as another Tiktok is not something I enjoy. Like you I love Instagram for the visuals cats and visuals are so inspiring.
Those are fabulous photos and always the best tips too. Thanks for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!