How to Create Instagram Content From Home

No one has experienced this before, so there is no guidebook on “how to handle a global pandemic”, especially if you are a creator, or social media expert. The one thing we do know is that you shouldn’t pile on the pressure to create content looking exactly like it did before Covid. In fact, this might harm you. Numerous influencers have seen backlash for continuing to push products without recognizing the problems their audiences might be facing. Those that have continued to see success are those that have remained relatable and switched up the type of content they share in order to really connect with their followers.

The first place to start is by looking at the kind of content people are demanding right now, or even, the kind of content you like to consume. A lot of what we see on Instagram has become rawer and shifted to include elements of storytelling and entertainment whilst everyone is indoors. People want to see something relatable and transferable to what they are doing, and how they are living their lives in isolation.

Instagram Live wasn’t exactly super popular when it first came out, and users have been somewhat slow to take it up. Covid-19 has completely undone this. Instagram Live is now a completely new way to provide value to followers in an honest way. Think about it – there are no edits, no redos, no staging – it’s all completely natural, and what happens, happens – giving users the ability to communicate authentically on Instagram.

If you have a special skill that you want to share, you can think about hosting live workshops on Instagram Live or partnering up with another account to create a combined workshop together. From workouts to cooking to mixology – you can offer your followers what they love to see from you and communicate your personality beyond a static image or video. Your audience will love it because they are able to speak with you in real-time, but are also able to learn something new whilst at home, and do it alongside you.

If workshops aren’t your thing, you can always host an interview, with someone else in your niche. This is a really clever way to reach new audiences who might like your content, just make sure the pairing makes sense, and that you have some audience crossover, to make sure you both appeal to each other’s followers.

Here’s an example from Mob Kitchen which has started incorporating Lives into its content strategy:

For some, the prospect of not going outside can take a very serious toll on their mental health, and it’s important that lines are communication are open and that people are getting the resources they need to stay happy, whilst at home. Another way to reach your followers and share valuable content whilst at home is by opening up and sharing your personal routine, or what you do to stay happy and sane at home.

This can be in the form of videos, step-by-step carousels, or static feed/story posts – whatever fits your account style. Some creators have opted to publish stay-at-home series under different hashtags like ‘#stayathomewithamber’ for example. It allows your audience to follow your journey but also inspires them to try new things or have a place to go for advice that they might need. Advising, educating, and inspiring is important right now, and Instagram is the perfect place to do it.

Here’s an example from India Lee Reid who has started to create content during Covid sharing DIY hacks and inspiration:

One of the best parts of staying at home is all of the online challenges that have arisen – don’t tell us you haven’t watched at least one #fliptheswitch video. Taking part in these challenges is a fun way to create content and kill time because trust us, you’ll want to perfect it. Just like you might use a trending hashtag in order to cast your net a little wider and reach a bigger audience, you can also do this with trending content. If people engage well with your content and it ranks on a hashtag, it means that a lot more people will see your posts, and therefore you’ll have a greater potential for increased followers. Just make sure you are using the correct hashtag that corresponds with the challenge you are trying to do – you can even explore the posts in challenge hashtags to get inspiration, or create your own challenge!

Here’s an example of an account that has taken part in fun challenges to create content during Covid:

Remember all those photos that you took, just to get the perfect shot? A fun activity and a great way to find more content if you’re a little stuck is to look through old content that might be relevant now. By repurposing content, you aren’t putting energy into creating new images or videos, and are utilizing resources that might be hidden gems in your archives. We have seen a lot of this on Instagram as of late, with creators sharing inspirational quotes or photos from holidays or old shoots.

Here’s an example from Kylie Jenner repurposing content for inspiration:

 

Sometimes, you can find inspiration just by looking around you. Think about what you’ve been up to whilst in isolation – could you make a tutorial on how to tye dye old t-shirts? Maybe you could show your followers how you’ve been decluttering your room, or chronicle yourself taking up a new hobby. If you’re a fitness influencer, you can put together daily workout and meal plans, using a platform like Canva.

Just because you’re stuck indoors doesn’t mean that you can’t get creative – in fact, we’ve seen an upsurge in new creative activities on Instagram since quarantine. The most important thing to remember when you are creating content from home is that everyone else is at home too so no matter what you post, it’s going to be relatable – and, your followers are going to understand that your schedule and posts might not be exactly the same. You might even attract new followers by switching up what you post, or trying something you’ve always wanted to do.

Here’s an example from queenofjetlags, who has been sharing at-home content for inspiration:

We hope this post gave you some inspiration to create Instagram content during Covid. If you’d like to see how you can optimize your new content using hashtags, to reach 40% more people, just click below!