Ultimately, social media success as a content creator requires consistency and openness to trial-and-error. You have to put in the work, day in and day out, knowing that some days will be better than others in terms of engagement, numbers, and your morale. Sometimes you’ll dream up a strategy that seems incapable of failing, only to watch it do the exact opposite. Achieving Instagram success—and by success, I mean establishing (and scaling) loyalty from your community—is a particularly challenging beast because it’s easy to compare your activity to other ‘Grammers. And if you’re a beginner, getting started alone could feel intimidating, especially as new features launch at a fast rate.
For those who find it difficult to jump in headfirst and want a little guidance instead, there are plenty of beginner-friendly online courses that answer the common questions asked by entrepreneurs and creatives. These options cover a gamut of popular topics, from how to create attractive visuals to working with influencers (if you’re a business owner) to crafting video clips. Of course, none of these is a guarantee that you’ll garner millions of followers and next-level engagement overnight. You still have to create a strategy that’s uniquely beneficial to you, while perhaps incorporate some of these learnings into your plan.
But for now, consider setting some time aside to participate in these Instagram primer courses, none of which you have to pay for.
How to Create an Instagram Content Plan
Later has a series of popular (and free) video courses that dive into some of the most popular aspects of an Instagram routine. This one teaches you how to create an inspo board, identify your audience, and more, all of which are components to building a content plan.
How to Use Instagram Stories for Business
If you’ve mastered your Instagram feed but want to create more interesting Stories content, this one-hour course includes 12 videos that cover strategy, design, and growth.
How to Write Engaging Instagram Captions
This free workshop, which includes a free worksheet, will help you to stop thinking of Instagram captions as an afterthought in your marketing strategy.
Mobile Photography Basics for Instagram
You don’t need an expensive camera to pull off captivating visuals for your Instagram account. This beginner-friendly Skillshare course dives into the best photo apps, as well as storytelling tips and tricks.
Instagram Marketing for Startups and Entrepreneurs
Udemy’s free course for startup founders and content creators covers a lot of ground in a short time period. In addition to showing you how to set up a business account, you’ll also explore a ton of content ideas.
How to get 50,000 Authentic Followers on Instagram
Udemy’s free course focused on follower count promises to teach you how to make “quality posts, network successfully with other accounts, engage with followers for further growth and engagement,” and more.
Instagram Influencer Marketing For Businesses
This Udemy course is for business owners who want to grow their following and create a strategy for working with influencers to promote their brand.
Video for Instagram-Tell an Engaging Story in Less Than a Minute
Skillshare’s course, taught by a digital storyteller and video producer, reviews filming and editing techniques that can be used to enhance mobile video content.
Get Giphy With It-Creating Gifs for Instagram Stories
Gifs are some of the most shared content on the Internet and by learning to make your own, you have yet another avenue for introducing your work to potential followers.
Captevrix Free Social Media Influencer Marketing Course
Join Captevrix’s email list for access to pre-made templates and tips for incorporating influencer marketing into your social media strategy.
Influencer Marketing Strategy
This Coursera course, created by Rutgers University, will teach you how to create a tailormade plan for engaging and partnering with influencers.
Subscribe to the BlogHer newsletter for more tactical advice, exclusive content, and timely event updates.