Internet/Sociala medier – Internet/Social media – Charlotte Lundqvist Photography

How to Have a Healthier Body Image

20 maj, 20205 juni, 2020Publicerat i Inspiration, Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media, Psykologi / PsychologyMärkt Body image, Happiness, Mental Health, Psychology4 kommentarer

What are your thoughts on your body? Is the first thing that comes to mind that you like it? Or even love your body?

A poor body image can affect someone in many ways, like work performances, in relationships and even in your overall life. Many times people have specific parts of their bodies that they don’t like, it can be something “small”, like their lips or nose. Or it can be the legs, arms or tummy.

If you asked 100 people about what they don’t like about themselves, you would probably get a pretty long list.

I hope that will change in the future.

So why do so many people have an unhealthy body image?

If you want someone or something to blame for having a poor body image, you could blame it on the upbringing (maybe a family member said something about a specific body part, or that certain body parts should look a specific way) or maybe you would blame it on the media, which never seems to get enough of publishing how to get the “perfect” body.

Certain celebrities make a living advertising diet products, most of the times it is products they don’t even use themselves and sometimes those teas/shakes/whatever can actually be dangerous for your digestive system.

Anyway, the point is not to talk too much about the bad side of this subject. I want to give you ideas on how to get a better body image.

And who wouldn’t want to feel better about their body?

But before that, remember that there is no such thing as the “perfect” body. There have always been ideals, but those ideals have changed with time and will keep on changing.

Here are some ideas to have a healthier body image:

Remember what your body is able to do. Studying biology and all the functions of your body can help you see that. Every part of your body have an important job to do, and it’s working its ass off to stay alive and healthy. So look at your body like a friend that is keeping you alive instead of focusing on how it looks.

Give yourself compliments. Decide every day to look at yourself in the mirror and give yourself three compliments. And if you have had a bad day and think bad thoughts about your physical appearance, you have to apologize to yourself and give yourself compliments instead.

You probably wouldn’t say rude things about your friend’s appearance, so why do you do that to yourself? Stop it. Treat yourself the way you would your best friend.

Focus on being healthy. A healthy body is way more important than a good looking body. Please don’t change your body into something that it is not, just because society/celebrities/family members/friends thinks so. Cut those influences out of your life. I once knew a girl who were told from an early age how women were “supposed” to look like. She ended up doing operations to look that way and contemplated starting to wear corsets. I tried to talk her out of it, but I know that it can be very difficult to change your views if you have been subjected to something that much in your past.

Try to shift your mindset of the way your body looks to taking care of it instead. And by the way, if you’re healthy, you get kind of a glow, and that is gorgeous. And you will be happier. And happiness is awesome.

Do a social media detox. Remove/unfollow those bad influences who only post heavily edited images of themselves or “perfect” looking pictures. Instead, follow real people who are open and honest. We all know how easy it is to use filters. Stop doing it and stop trying to look like something that is not you. If you constantly try to change your looks because you don’t think your pretty/skinny/fit/whatever enough on social media, how are you supposed to feel good in real life?

Choose your inner circle wisely. Hang out with people who truly care about you and are in no way shaming you. Not they way you look, or what you do. Spend time with those who will lift you, bring you good energy and support you.

I’m absolutely not saying that this is easy, it takes a lot of work. But I believe that if we start to take care of ourselves and be kind to ourselves, no matter how we think we look or what we think we deserve, the future will be better. For all of us.

Do you have any suggestions on how to have a healthier body image? Please share in the comments! ❤

And if you are looking for my e-book How to Find Inspiration you can find it through the link here!

What to do When Stuck at Home

13 april, 20205 juni, 2020Publicerat i Inspiration, Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media, Psykologi / PsychologyMärkt Corona, Self Isolation, Staying home, To do-list4 kommentarer

Most of us have now experienced the toll that social distancing has taken on our minds. Although you feel like you would really, really love to get out and visit your friends and family, that may not be realistic and safe. In my previous blog post I wrote about not going insane and you may recognize some of my ideas from that post, but let me present to you a longer, more varied list to help you stay sane.

So if you’re stuck at home, here is a list of things you can do in the meantime:

Read good books. I mean, what would be the point of reading bad books? None, really. Some of my favorite books include How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and Living Successfully with Screwed-Up People by Elizabeth B. Brown (not that I’m living with a screwed-up person – it’s just an interesting book on how to handle difficult ones).

Watch good video clips. Like on YouTube, or why not Ted Talks. There are tons of inspiring stuff out there, no need to watch depressing sh*t.

Take naps. They are awesome. If you’ve got nothing better to do, the nap is here for you.

Make a kick-ass playlist with your favorite songs and dance around your house.

Take a shower/bath. It will relax you and help you feel less stressed about being stuck. Just try not to think too much about being stuck.

Clean. Everything.

Yes – even those drawers where you put all of your utensils. If you have a big house you could be occupied for weeks. Make sure you get every single speck of dust.

Play with a pet. Doesn’t even have to be your own.

Bake stuff. Bread, cookies, cakes. Maybe you’ll start a bakery when this is all over.

Rearrange furniture. You could basically, perhaps, live in a new house by the time you’re allowed to have friends over again.

Video chat with loved ones.

Experiment with make-up. And hair styles. But maybe don’t do anything radical you might regret, like cutting your hair yourself.

Sing for your neighbors. You know, this is the perfect time. Since social distancing is advised the literally cannot force you to stop. So go on, use those pipes!

Create your own workout program. It can be as ridiculous as you choose. The important thing is to get moving and up from the comfy couch.

Have spa nights. Self-care, people! It’s more important than ever. And you can do it over and over and over again.

While you’re at it, light those candles up!

Make lists of what you’re going to do when all of this is over.

There you have it! And if you do want a good book to read you can always download the digital version of How to Find Inspiration right here:

Take care and stay safe!

The e-book of How to Find Inspiration is available here!

This article is also published at https://howtofindinspiration.com/

How to Stay Sane While Isolated

28 mars, 20205 juni, 2020Publicerat i Inspiration, Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media, Nyheter / News, Psykologi / Psychology4 kommentarer

I know most of you are in some way affected by this Corona crisis. Many of you are living in quarantine and being isolated.

Even if you’re not, you’re probably staying away from meeting up with friends and family for a while. So what can you do during this crazy time to stay sane?

Here’s a few ideas:

Reach out to your friends, family or neighbours and ask how they’re doing. Call them, or even better, video chat to see their faces. It makes a difference and I’m sure they would love to see you, even if it’s just through a screen.

Read good books. No surprise this is coming from yours truly. Personally, I’m reading a book about body languge, but I do have many books in my shelves to go through.

Don’t fall into the dark pit of the media. Seriously, how many times do you really want to be reminded of how many people are currently infected/has died? It’s not good for your mental health, so please, try to limit your intake of bad news.

Do continue to take showers. Even if you live alone and others won’t be disturbed by your smell, you will feel better if you take care of yourself.

Get some daily exercise. If you move enough to break a sweat for about 20 minutes, your brain will release happy hormones which will make you feel – that’s right – happier! If you can’t go outside, check out online classes or make up your own routine.

Take a walk in a park or forest if you can go outside. Something called forestbathing is amazing for your mental health and will, like working out, release those happy hormones.

Watch good movies/tv-series. By good I mean those that will make you feel happier. Here are some links to the lists of my personal favorites:

Inspiring Movies Part 1: https://howtofindinspiration.com/inspiring-movies-part-1/

Inspiring Movies Part 2: https://howtofindinspiration.com/inspiring-movies-part-2/

Inspiring TV-Series: https://howtofindinspiration.com/inspiring-tv-series/

Do you have any tips on what to do while isolated? Please share in the comments.

Sending you lots of love!

This post is also published at the blog on https://howtofindinspiration.com/

The e-book of How to Find Inspiration is available here!

How Self-Compassion Leads to Healthy Body-image

27 september, 201828 september, 2018Publicerat i Bildredigering / Editing, Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media, Psykologi / PsychologyMärkt Body image, Kindness, Photo editing, Self care, Self compassion18 kommentarer

Have you noticed how we’re constantly reminded of our appearances? Friends are talking about what they’re dissatisfied with, some find it hard to accept compliments, media is consistently showing us how we should look by encouraging weight loss, workouts and the “right” way to look just – you guessed it – right. Often, these idealized images of beauty are making us feel inadequate since these standards are almost impossible to meet. I believe it’s more common among women than men, but this article is for everyone.

So what should we do when we’re being overwhelmed by this negative information?

The answer is self-compassion. We need to change the way we think about our bodies and ourselves. Instead of critiquing we need to change to appreciation and care.

These are a few ways self-compassion helps:

The media information are being put into perspective

This is one a the biggest sources of body-shaming. Not only the tips and ideas to become “perfect”, but also the stupid comments made by people sitting behind their screens, using their time to be mean to others. When looking at images of very fit people, try to remember how much time they’ve put into making their bodies look like that. But more importantly, remember how easy it is to manipulate images by making people look skinnier, more muscular or smoother. With the touch of a few buttons we’re now able to change our entire bodies before we post the photos. So don’t believe everything you see. And as a photographer, I can tell you that a lot of it has to do with shooting from the right angles. It can make a complete difference.

Self-compassion makes us aware of our physical state and appreciate our functions

If we only focus on what our bodies looks like, we miss appreciating how our bodies feel. That, in turn, leads us to not be aware of physical signs, like hunger, pleasure or pain. Not being self-compassionate makes us experience it from an outside perspective. Being self-compassionate will make you experience your body from the inside out – like you’re supposed to. Self-compassion has its roots in self-care and concern for our well-being, which makes us appreciate our bodies and motivate us to be kind to ourselves. This will also make us respect our bodies. And who wouldn’t want to feel like that?

Self-compassion will reduce self-punishment

If you aren’t self-compassionated you’re more likely to punish yourself for feeling undeserving. Like not eating the food you want because you didn’t get that workout done this morning.

You’ll se others as allies, not enemies

Self compassion will make you view others in a more humane way. You’ll realize that other people have their own struggles, and just because you believe someone is perfect it does not mean that they believe they are.

So just be kind to yourself, and others. It’s the nice thing to do.

Source: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/in-love-and-war/201703/5-ways-self-compassion-promotes-healthy-body-image

Den dödliga selfien (Varför människor riskerar sina liv för selfies) – The deadly selfie (Why people risk their lives for selfies)

23 augusti, 201823 augusti, 2018Publicerat i Fotograferingar - Photo Sessions, Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media, Resa - Travel20 kommentarer

(In english below)

Varför människor riskerar sina liv för selfies

Över 100 personer har dött av selfies och det är dags att uppmärksamma varför detta har skett istället för att bara anta att personerna är osmarta som försatt sig i dessa situationer. Vad är den bakomliggande orsaken till att människor riskerar sina liv för en bild?

Det är värt att nämna att dessa människor generellt uppvisar normala beteenden i vardagen. Så hur kan deras agerande leda till döden?

Belöningar

För det första så tycker människor om att ta risker för att få något i utbyte. Detta kan handla om stora eller små risker beroende på vilken personlighet man har. Att göra något riskfyllt ger ett adrenalinpåslag som tillsammans med dopamin ger en riktig kick. Hjärnan reagerar med spänning vid tillfällen då en mindre rädsla upplevs vid risktagande som ändå innebär överlevnad. Ta bara nöjesfält som exempel: människor betalar pengar för att uppleva rädslor som sannolikt inte leder till döden, men kanske nära döden-upplevelser (beroende på hur rädd man är). Risken för dödsfall eller skador minskas genom säkerhetsprocedurer som exempelvis bälten som knäpps runt midjan vid berg- och dalbaneturer. Ju mindre risken är, desto mindre är belöningen. För någon som har höjdskräck men ändå väljer att åka attraktioner uppe i luften blir belöningen större vid nedkomst än för någon som inte har någon höjdskräck alls. Dopamin- och adrenalinpåslaget är större för den som tar större risker och överlever. För den som inte har rädsla för höjder blir påslaget mindre och det krävs mindre säkerhet för att påslaget ska bli lika stort. Som att friklättra ett berg utan säkerhetslinor eller kanske gå ut på kanten av ett högt berg och titta ner. Dopamin är ett riktigt njutningshormon så när målet är att få fler dopaminkickar är det sannolikt att riskerna som tas blir större. I det här fallet kan risktagande låta som något dåligt eller dumdristigt, men ta exempelvis när man ska testa något nytt som känns främmande och lite obehagligt – då krävs ett mod och att långsamt överkomma gränserna för vad man tolererar. Det kan handla om att åka skridskor för första gången, flyga till ett annat land eller börja på ett nytt jobb. För att nå framgång krävs det att man utmanar sig själv.

Uppmärksamhet

Människor gillar uppmärksamhet. Vi är sociala varelser som generellt vill bli uppmärksammade och få uppskattning. Även om det finns grader av detta (alla kanske inte vill ställa sig inför en stor publik och hålla föredrag) så behöver man få någon typ av uppmärksamhet från andra för att må bra. Sociala medier skapade inte något djupt behov att få uppmärksamhet utan dessa känslor har alltid funnits. Företag som Facebook, Youtube och Instagram skapades för att tjäna pengar på detta grundläggande behov. Att få nya vänner på internet eller så kallade ”likes” har visat sig leda till aktivering av den dopiaminutsöndrande delen av hjärnan för njutning på samma sätt som hyllning och uppmärksamhet av att exempelvis ha utfört ett bra jobb gör. Människor som hade mer aktivitet i detta område vid positiv feedback var sannolikare beroende av sociala medier och som resultat av detta deltog i större utsträckning i uppmärksamhetssökande beteende, som att utföra potentiella skadliga handlingar för att kunna ta och publicera selfies.

Men att ta selfies är inte totalt narcissistiskt utan undersökningar har visat att många selfies publiceras för att lägga upp tidsföljande händelser i ens liv eller för att starta diskussioner kring viktiga ämnen. Andra undersökningar har visat att kvinnor som tar och lägger upp selfies på internet blir stärkta till att ta kontroll över sin självbild så som den syns online. Även om detta är anledningar som inte har med narcissism att göra så är den största anledningen att ta och publicera selfies just för att få uppmärksamhet.

Att undvika den dödliga selfien

Tror du inte på att du skulle kunna hamna i en riskfylld selfie-situation? Att du själv aldrig skulle utsätta dig för något livshotande för bildens skull? Då bör du tänka om! Har du aldrig kört för fort när du börjar tänka på något som gör dig upprörd? Eller gjort något på grund av grupptryck som du egentligen inte ville? När det är känslor inblandade ökar sannolikheten för alla människor att ta risker.

Visste du att kvinnor är lika troliga att ta risker som män och blir i större grad uppmuntrade till det? Det är alltså lika troligt att kvinnor, som män, tar risker för att fånga den där spännande selfien.

Fundera på alla små risker du själv tar varje dag, som att skjuta upp ett projekt inför en deadline, köra lite fortare när det gula ljuset slagits om, spela om mindre summor pengar eller andra liknande risker. Tänk nu på alla negativa effekter dessa risktaganden skulle kunna leda till. Det kan handla om att bli av med jobbet, att dö i en krock eller att förlora dina pengar. För någon som står utanför och ser på detta skulle det vara lätt att säga att dessa händelser hade kunnat undvikas, men det är definitivt svårare att säga om man är själv i stunden. Om man nu vill undvika att råka ut för hemskheter till varje pris så är det värt att lyssna till den där lilla rösten i huvudet som säger ifrån (om nu rösten är vid sinnets fulla bruk), lyssna när andra säger ifrån, vara medveten om sin omgivning, vara medveten om inverkan som alkohol och droger har, uppmärksamma hur grupptryck fungerar och våga säga ”nej”.

Källa: There’s a scientific reason why some people risk their lives for a selfie – By Catherine Franssen https://www.salon.com/2018/06/29/theres-a-scientific-reason-why-some-people-risk-their-lives-for-a-selfies/

Why people risk their lives for selfies

Over 100 people have died from taking selfies and it’s time to find out why instead of just assuming these people are being stupid to have put themselves in dangerous situations. What is the real reason people risk their lives for a selfie?

It’s important to know that these people act normally in their daily lives, so how can their actions sometimes lead to death?

Rewards

First of all people like to take risks in order to get rewards. It can be about big or small risks depending on what type of personality they have. To act risky will give you a shot of adrenaline which together with dopamine gives you a kick. The brain will react with excitement when being just a little scared while doing something risky which probably won’t lead to death. Just take amusement parks for example: people pay a lot of money to be a bit scared, probably without thinking they will die but almost have near death-experiences (of course depending on how afraid of heights you are). The death risk or risk of getting injured will be much lower as soon as the safety procedures come in to place, like getting strapped in and checked by personnel to make sure you are safely secured before the ride. The lower the risk, the smaller the reward. For someone who’s afraid of heights the risk is bigger and so is the reward compared to someone who’s not. For them it takes less security to gain the same adrenaline and dopamine kicks, like free climbing or standing at the edge of a cliff. Dopamine is a pleasurable neurochemical, so when the goal is to get more of this you’ll probably start taking more risks. In this case it might sound like something stupid, but think about when you try something new that feels uncomfortable or a bit scary – it will take courage and bravery to slowly get on the other side of your tolerance level. It could be about going ice skating for the first time, fly to another country or start a new job. To become successful you need courage and challenge yourself.

Attention

People like attention. We are social creatures and we generally want attention and praise. Even though there are varying degrees of these needs (everyone might not want to talk in front of a large audience), people need the recognition from others to be psychologically healthy.

Social media didn’t create a deep need to be recognized or praised, these feelings have always been a part of human nature. Businesses like Facebook, Youtube and Instagram was created to make money from this need. Actually, to gain new friends online or “likes” have been shown to activate an important part of the dopamine-releasing pathway in the brain in the same way praises or recognition for a job well done does. People with more activity in this area when gaining positive feedback are more likely addicted to social media, and thus taking part in attention-seeking behaviors (like self- deprecating and posting selfies).

However, the act of taking selfies isn’t totally narcissistic, studies have shown that many selfies are posted to show a timeline of one’s life (in an autobiographical way) or to start conversations about important topics. Other studies have shown that women are empowered by taking selfies and being in control of how their own image appear online. Still, the main reason people take selfies are about narcissism and gain recognition.

Avoiding the deadly selfie

You don’t think you would end up in a risky selfie situation? That you would never put yourself in a life-threatening situation for a picture? Think again!

Have you ever speeded up while thinking about something that makes your blood boil? Or done something because of peer pressure, something you didn’t want to do? When feelings are involved people are more susceptible to some risk-taking.

Did you know that women are as likely to take risks as men? And that they more often are being encouraged to take more risks? It is as possible that women are as prone as men to take that exciting, lifethretening selfie.

Think about all the small risks you take every day, like procrastinating a project before a deadline, speeding up before the yellow light switches, light gambling or other smaller risks. Now think about all the negative effects these decisions could have on your life, like losing your job, lose your life or lose your money. For someone on the outside it might be easy to say that those risks could have been easily avoided. It is much more difficult to recognize in the heat of the moment by yourself. If you want to avoid taking risks it may be worth listening to the tiny voice in your head telling you what to do (of course depending on if that voice is of sane mind), listen to others telling you otherwise, being aware of your surroundings, being aware of the effects alcohol and drugs have on your mind and recognize how peer pressure works and daring to say “no”.

Source: There’s a scientific reason why some people risk their lives for a selfie – By Catherine Franssen https://www.salon.com/2018/06/29/theres-a-scientific-reason-why-some-people-risk-their-lives-for-a-selfies/

Veckans Inlägg Instagram – Instagram Weekly

4 februari, 201811 februari, 2018Publicerat i Fotograferingar - Photo Sessions, Fotografier - Photographs, Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media5 kommentarer

Den första bilden togs norr om Stockholm vid en liten insjö. Vädret var helt perfekt den här dagen och hela himlen med solnedgången speglades i vattnet. Klicka här för att komma till inlägget.

What a beautiful thing it is to stand tall and say ”I fell apart, and I survived”.

Link to the post here.

Tropiskt regn

Efter att ha kommit en bra bit in i den tropiska regnskogen i Ocala, Florida, drog ovädret in över oss. Detta var den sista bilden som togs innan vi flydde. Hela beskrivningen från äventyret finns under bilden!

Tropical rain
When we went to the incredible Ocala National Forest in central Florida there were these trails you could hike to truly see the wonderful nature. The thing was, right before we started walking, a lady in the park told us there had been several sightings and encounters with black bears. They even had a sign saying ”Be bear aware” (which of course I thought was funny at first since Björns name is actually bear in swedish). But that was until I asked about what to do if you see a bear. Basically you’re screwed if one decides to attack. It runs and climbs faster than humans so the best thing you can do is stand still, make noises and never EVER turn your back on it. And hope it’s not having a bad day.
So with that information we were thrilled to check out the forest by ourselves. (Not-but we went anyway)
I was pretty nervous so I sang and stomped the entire time until we reached a pond where an alligator was chillin. That was the perfect spot for one of my portraits for the book. I had just changed into the dress and Björn took this one – and the sky opened up. During hurricane season you don’t get much of a warning before it starts to pour. After this we ran to the nearest camping groung until the thunder and rain had passed. I kind of like this one though, and you can see the rain in it.

Link to the post here.

Det här med att skriva ut fotografier – visst tycker ni att det är så mycket roligare att faktiskt se era vackra bilder istället för att låta dem glömmas bort på en hårddisk någonstans? Det tycker jag med!

Länk till inlägget finns här.

When I go to different homes I always imagine what the empty walls would look like with printed photographs. In my own apartment I love to switch out my wall art from time to time, but I could never not have art displayed in my home. And did you know that kids growing up in homes with photos displayed of themselves will psychologically make them feel a deeper sense of belonging than the kids living in homes without their photos displayed?
My parents have an entire wall filled with photographs of me and my siblibgs from when we grew up and I LOVE it!
So go and print some of your photos now!

Link to the post here.

Hur du använder hashtags på Instagram

5 december, 201712 januari, 2018Publicerat i Internet/Sociala medier - Internet/Social media10 kommentarer

Har du funderat på varför vissa inlägg kan få flera hundra likes, medan andra bara får några få? Eller varför vissa får massor med kommentarer och andra tycks vara osynliga?

Detta kan bero på flera olika anledningar som antalet följare ditt konto har, tiden på dagen då du postar dina inlägg eller kvaliteten på dina inlägg. Eller vilka hashtags du använder. Och det är just hashtags som ska vi reda ut här och nu så att du lättare når ut till fler konton och har möjlighet att få fler följare.

Hur använder jag en hashtag?

En hashtag används i texten i själva inlägget, och genom att skriva #winter kan andra användare se ditt inlägg då de söker på ”#winter”. Det går att skriva sina hashtags i kommentarsfältet men för tillfället tycks Instagrams algoritm blockera användare från att synas om dessa placeras som kommentarer istället för i textrutan.

Instagram tillåter max 30 hashtags per inlägg, fler än detta kommer inte att synas och du riskerar även shadowban om du försöker att bryta mot Instagrams regler. Läs mer om shadowban här.

Vilka hashtags borde jag använda?

Det beror helt på vad ditt inlägg handlar om och vilken målgrupp du vill nå ut till. Säg att du driver en inredningsbutik i Stockholm och vill driva fler kunder till din butik är det lämpligt att din målgrupp består av boende eller besökare i Stockholm. Om du då använder internationella hashtags som ”#interior” med väldigt många användare så kommer ditt inlägg bara synas en kort stund innan det försvinner på grund av alla nya inlägg. Använder du istället ”#interiörStockholm” som inte har lika många inlägg så kommer ditt inlägg synas under en längre tid. Vid maximal användning av hashtags som inte har över en miljon inlägg så ökar du möjligheten för att synas för rätt målgrupp under en längre tid. De konton som är inriktade på resor och använder hashtagar som ”beautifuldestinations” och ”travel” som har flera miljoner inlägg kommer bara synas några sekunder innan flödet av nya inlägg tar över i listan. Dessa kan istället bytas ut exempelvis ”#exploretheglobe” och ”#sheisnotlost” som har färre inlägg och därför gör det möjligt att synas längre.

Vilka hashtags borde jag inte använda?

Förutom de som har flera miljoner inlägg så bör du inte använda begränsade eller blockerade hashtags. Om en hashtag blivit begränsad så innebär det att det bara är de mest populära som syns, inte de senaste. Har en hashtag istället blivit blockerad så går det inte ens att söka på den. Konton som försöker använda dessa typer av hashtags riskerar att råka ut för shadowban. Läs mer om detta här.

Övriga tips

För att lyckas med Instagram gäller det även att du har ett syfte med ditt konto. Är syftet att visa resebilder så bör du inte lägga upp en massa blandade typer av bilder, som exempelvis kläder, citat, selfies (som inte har något med resor att göra) mm. Om ditt konto ser rörigt ut så kommer potentiella nya följer dra sig från att följa dig. Försök få kontot att se så enhetligt ut som möjligt. Något annat som vissa inte är medvetna om är att generellt så syns ens inlägg bara för ca 10% för de följare som man har, och det är viktigt att engagera sig i andras inlägg för att synas. Om någon lämnar en trevlig kommentar på ditt inlägg så blir du väl nyfiken på vem det är?

Använd Stories för att visa mer av din personlighet. Det kan handla om bilder eller videoklipp som bara ligger uppe under 24 timmar, och det påverkar inte hur ditt konto ser ut visuellt.

Passa på att kika in på något av mina konton @clundqvistphotography eller @clundqvistportraits när du ändå rör dig i Instagrams djungel!

Lycka till och skriv gärna en kommentar och berätta hur det går!

How to use hashtags on Instagram

Have you wondered why some of your posts can get hundreds of likes, while others only get a few? Or why some get lots of comments and others seem to be invisible?

This may be due to several reasons, like the number of followers your account has, the time of the day you post or simply the quality of your posts. Or what hashtags you use.

And hashtags is what we’ll figure out here and now so you can easily reach out to more users and in the end get more followers.

How do I use a hashtag?

A hashtag should be used in the text of the post itself, and by typing #winter, other users can see your post as they search for ”#winter”. It’s possible to write the hashtags in the comment field, but Instagram’s algorithm seems to block posts from appearing if hashtags are placed in the comments field instead of in the text box.

Instagram allows a maximum of 30 hashtags per post – more than this will not be visible and you’ll risk shadowban if you violate Instagram’s rules. Read more about the shadowban here.

Which hashtags should I use?

It depends entirely on what your account and your posts are about, and what audience you want to reach. Say you are running a interior store in Stockholm and you want to drive more customers to your store, it is then advisable that your target group consists of residents or visitors in Stockholm. If you use international hashtags like ”#interior”, which has many users, then your post will only be visible shortly before it disappears because of all new posts. If you use ”#interiörStockholm” (the swedish word for interiorStockholm) which has a lot less posts, your post will appear for a longer time.

With the maximum use of hashtags (that do not have over one million posts), you increase the ability to appear in front of the right audience for a longer time.

Those accounts that focus on travel and use the ”beautifuldestinations” and ”travel” will only appear for a few seconds because of the many million posts with those hashtags. The new posts will soon take your post’s place and yours will disappear in the list.

These accounts could instead use ”#exploretheglobe” and ”#sheisnotlost” with fewer posts, meaning yours will be shown for a longer time compared to those with million posts.

Which hashtags should I not use?

In addition to those hashtags with many million posts, you should not use restricted or blocked hashtags. If a hashtag has been restricted, it means that it’s only the most popular ones, not the latest ones, that will show up when someone searches for it. If a hashtag has been blocked it is not even possible to search for it. Accounts that try to use these types of hashtags are likely to end up being shadowbanned.

Other tips for success

In order to succeed at Instagram, you should have and know the purpose of your account. If it is to show travel photos, you should not upload a lot of mixed posts, such as clothes, quotes, selfies (that has nothing to do with travel) etc. If your account looks messy, potential new followers will likely not follow you. Try to make your account look as good as possible.

Use the Instagram Stories to show more of your personality. This can be photos or videos that only which will last only 24 hours, and it does not affect how your account looks visually. Something else that some may not be aware of is that in general, one’s posts appear to only about 10% of the followers. Therefore it is important to engage in others’ posts to be seen. If someone leaves a nice comment on your post, you’d be curious about who it is, right?

While your working your way through the jungle of Instagram’s do’s and don’ts, go ahead and look me up @clundqvistphotography or @clundqvistportraits and say hello!

Good luck and let me know in the comments section how it goes!