It’s no secret that in a social media-consumed day and age, you don’t have to publish a poetry collection in print to gain traction. Being able to create a free Instagram account by the click of a few buttons, millions of poets are resorting to online platforms to promote their content. It’s easy for your hard work to get lost in the mix.

As hard as it is, don’t focus on the number of followers or likes. Instead, you will want loyal readers who genuinely enjoy your content, not just pages that mass like your posts without reading them or follow you just to get a following back. Here are a few things for poets to keep in mind to stand out on Instagram amongst its growing writing community.

Be Yourself

Creating a poetry page that makes you proud will naturally grow. With that being said, don’t try too hard to promote yourself. It’s easy to assume that the Rupi Kaurs of the online world all grew their pages by spending money on sponsored posts. Admittedly, I’ve done it; I’ve got caught in that trap.

At the end of the day, if you don’t enjoy creating and sharing your work, your followers will feel it. Don’t fall too far into the mindset that your page is a business. Always remember the fulfillment you feel after writing something you’re proud of––that’s why you do it.

Develop Relationships

Don’t be afraid to create friendships with other Instagram poets. Ask another creator you enjoy to collaborate or direct message them once in a while to see how they’re doing. Not only will building a poetry community improves your own writing –– you can spin ideas off of each other –– but it also helps to promote your page. You’ll notice your friends will start to share your work on their Instagram stories, which means they genuinely read your work and want others to as well. Do the same for them.

Post Short, Concise Poems

In my opinion, Instagram is the ideal platform for poets because you can share an entire piece in one post. However, you have to remember how easy it would be to scroll past it. This is why I find keeping your Instagram page limited to short to medium length pieces is the most efficient. Otherwise, you run the risk of some followers not reading the entire poem. Posting a longer poem once in a while doesn’t do any harm, but I find it optimal to dedicate them to a blog or post half of the poem in the Instagram photo itself and the rest in the caption.

Build an Original and Captivating Aesthetic

As selfish as it may seem, the overall atmosphere of your Instagram feed matters. It all starts with the appearance, the first thing consumers see after clicking your username. Pick a colour scheme and an overall vibe that speaks to you.

You can also use a pattern when posting your poems. Choose a couple of templates on an app of your choosing (I use Canva) and form a pattern that best suits your aesthetic. You can alternate between templates, use three of one and then three of the other, or post two of one template and then one of the other to form lines within your feed.

Here’s some of my favorite Instagram poets:

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