How to grow instagram page

Hi, I also posted this to “Photos and videos”, but I figured I’d try my luck here as well. I’ve started to want to document my climbs, as well as get my name out there to hopefully become somebody in the climbing world one day. I’ve started an instagram page strictly for my climbing. I would love to hear any tips about climbing photography (best angles, gear, editing, etc) and also how to take advantage of the algorithm. Should I use hashtags? Post reels? Let me know if youve had experience growing such a niche page. Thanks to all!

Oh boy... you're really chumming the water.

Just purchase bots, post fake shit and end up like this guy:

I'm hesitant to provide advice as I previously attempted to become a professional photographer and used Instagram as a way to build a following and network. I found it exhausting and it really killed my passion for photography in a way that I'm still having to overcome years later. I would encourage you to simply grow your page organically and have fun and post the content you want to. 

But if you're really set on this, yes you outlined what you need to do. There are tools to help you identify what hashtags people actually look up. Use them. A lot of them, but only ones that are appropriate to your activity. 

I would create a document that has these hashtags saved for different things, like areas and activities such as bouldering, sport, trad, etc., then copy these hashtags into your posts. Use the hashtag analysis tools you can find online to do this, and don't bother with hashtags that people don't actively use much. 

For climbing photography it's just photography; there are some kinda go to angles that usually look good, but they're very route dependent. Really analyze highly skilled climbing photographers like Jim Thornburg to see what works for him and then try and think of what shots would work well for the climbs that are of interest to you. Note that Jim can make dinky, ugly crags look amazing. You don't need an aesthetic climb or crag to make a good photo if you have sufficient skill. 

Also, follow lots of people, especially in your area. I would encourage you to mostly follow climbers who are actually of interest to you, otherwise the feed for that account will become a hellscape to you. 

Again, I encourage you to not try and speedily grow your page. Turning a passion into a job is a good way to kill a passion. If you find yourself not enjoying it anymore please take a break at least. Don't do to your climbing what I did to my photography. 

Ricky Harline wrote:

I'm hesitant to provide advice as I previously attempted to become a professional photographer and used Instagram as a way to build a following and network. I found it exhausting and it really killed my passion for photography in a way that I'm still having to overcome years later. I would encourage you to simply grow your page organically and have fun and post the content you want to. 

But if you're really set on this, yes you outlined what you need to do. There are tools to help you identify what hashtags people actually look up. Use them. A lot of them, but only ones that are appropriate to your activity. 

I would create a document that has these hashtags saved for different things, like areas and activities such as bouldering, sport, trad, etc., then copy these hashtags into your posts. Use the hashtag analysis tools you can find online to do this, and don't bother with hashtags that people don't actively use much. 

For climbing photography it's just photography; there are some kinda go to angles that usually look good, but they're very route dependent. Really analyze highly skilled climbing photographers like Jim Thornburg to see what works for him and then try and think of what shots would work well for the climbs that are of interest to you. Note that Jim can make dinky, ugly crags look amazing. You don't need an aesthetic climb or crag to make a good photo if you have sufficient skill. 

Also, follow lots of people, especially in your area. I would encourage you to mostly follow climbers who are actually of interest to you, otherwise the feed for that account will become a hellscape to you. 

Again, I encourage you to not try and speedily grow your page. Turning a passion into a job is a good way to kill a passion. If you find yourself not enjoying it anymore please take a break at least. Don't do to your climbing what I did to my photography. 

Have you considered climbing for fun and getting a real job?

Wictor Dahlström wrote:

Have you considered climbing for fun and getting a real job?

I presume you meant to reply to OP and not myself. However if you did mean to reply to me my answers are 1) absolutely yes and 2) absolutely not. 

Unfortunately the audience of people interested in climbers projecting 5.10 seems mostly limited to my friends and family, so I have never had professional ambitions. 

Double J wrote:

Just purchase bots, post fake shit and end up like this guy:

Not getting bots in the early 2010’s was my biggest demise as an influencer, so I second getting bots. That method eventually got @Ladylockoff a gig with NatGeo. Post daily, get everyone at your highschool (@OP) to follow you, use appropriate hashtags…and most importantly learn how to network to the right people.

With that said, be sure to actually have a quality product. Either good photos or a good purpose for your photos. Ideally you have both, but with how woke social media is you can get by with shitty photos and a good message to the right audience.

It would also help to, like, mention your insta handle so people can follow and flame accordingly. You could also get those super dope bumper stickers with your instagram and venmo so you can get follows and random idiots might even send you (root) beer money 

You kids disappoint me

Ricky Harline wrote: Unfortunately the audience of people interested in climbers projecting 5.10 seems mostly limited to my friends and family, so I have never had professional ambitions. 

You haven’t been on TikTok or Insta lately, huh? The influencers are exclusively V4 bros in the gym…..and Magnus Midtbo

Social media is a cancer of society and will be the downfall of climbing as we know it 

I mean this with no disrespect to your inquiry, but instagram is currently oversaturated with beginner climber accounts, gymfluencer accounts, climbing journey accounts, gear reviewers, inspirational quotes, "funny climbing videos" , pretender senders, awful advice about things that could possibly get people hurt and pretty much every angle you can possibly think of. Next step from there seems to be getting sponsored by a non FDA approved supplement company from some random country and start selling chalk bags that arent quite great for twice the price of a good one from your local shop. Its being so overdone that anything new is going to be severely choked out by the rest that already exist. 

Youre going to have to do something extaordinary to break through it all. 

My grouchy advice, just focus on your climbing

Obviously do whatever you like, but just realize that its wildly overdone out there. Its gonna be tough to make it into something more than just a small personal thing

Go Back to Super Topo wrote:

You haven’t been on TikTok or Insta lately, huh? The influencers are exclusively V4 bros in the gym…..and Magnus Midtbo

Lol well then in that case follow @RickyLikesRocks: upcoming programming is 5.8-5.9+ OW, four different 5.10- finger cracks I'm hoping to send this spring, planning on sending 5.9 multipitch slab this Summer, and if everything goes great I might finally break into 5.10c on bolts in the fall. 

All this punterdom AND MORE available at my shitty Instagram page that I mostly neglect. 

If by the power of mountain project I somehow manage to become a professional punter I solemnly swear to never pretend to be elderly via elaborate costume for views. Or even post regularly. 

I have never been to tiktok, AMA

Ryan Kennedy wrote:

Hi, I also posted this to “Photos and videos”, but I figured I’d try my luck here as well. I’ve started to want to document my climbs, as well as get my name out there to hopefully become somebody in the climbing world one day. I’ve started an instagram page strictly for my climbing. I would love to hear any tips about climbing photography (best angles, gear, editing, etc) and also how to take advantage of the algorithm. Should I use hashtags? Post reels? Let me know if youve had experience growing such a niche page. Thanks to all!

You’re not female?