With the new year only hours away, it’s a good time to reflect on accomplishments from the past year here at Theresa’s Reviews with a 10k Instagram followers celebration! This website started in July of 2014, and with little knowledge of social media and marketing, it grew slowly and steadily in the past two and a half years. Today on New Years Eve, I’m excited to share our celebration for reaching 10k Instagram followers!

Theresa’s Reviews 10K Instagram Followers Celebration

If you’re not on Instagram, you might be wondering why gaining a following matters. Writing has become more about marketing than it ever has in the past. Years ago, when writers could easily find regular work writing for content mills, it didn’t matter if you wrote good material or promoted your work. Now with many changes happening with Google’s algorithm each year, writers need to know how to tell a good story as well as how to be influential on social media. This is why reaching 10K followers is a major accomplishment.

In this article, I will share some of my tips and strategies. Plus, you’ll get to see me wrangling a 10 balloon as well as fun outtakes showing how difficult it was to do this with children! Since there was wind and a snow squall outside, we decided to shoot inside. Although having the toys in the background wasn’t my first choice of location, it seemed authentic to what my website and Instagram are about, since I share the latest parenting ideas and children’s products with modern families around the world.

Reaching A Major Goal By 2017

Reaching this major goal required a lot of hard work. My strategy was to use good quality photos, but I discovered that posting authentic snapshots and videos of my life as a mother reached a large audience too. For example, a recent cell phone video I shared of my husband narrating my daughters’ first time playing Pie Face received over 1000 views, the most views on a video post I’ve received so far.

Dress by Sea Lily. Children’s clothes from Rockin’ Baby.

This year, I was reminded that reaching goals happens with help and support. Thank you to every reader who follows my writing and appreciates the stories about my family. I genuinely appreciate every like and comment. Samantha looks at the amount of likes our photos get too. She is always excited to see how popular the  simple moments from her life are.

Also thank you to an incredible and understanding family who doesn’t mind me taking the occasional break to check my social media accounts. Checking in on Instagram from time to time makes a big difference in growing my account, but it’s not just work. I genuinely enjoy seeing what’s happening with everyone. The fact that motherhood is so universal is apparent when you make connections around the world.

I appreciate that my daughters are not only the topic of my posts, but are also key masterminds behind Theresa’s Reviews on Instagram. From Georgiana insisting I record our mommy and daughter dances for a live audience, to Samantha running certain technical aspects from the backseat of my car, Theresa’s Reviews wouldn’t exist without my two daughters.

Advice For Gaining An Instagram Following

If you are on Instagram and can’t seem to gain a following, I have some advice to share. When you are already using twenty to thirty well-chosen hashtags and communicating with other users regularly, it can be frustrating not to see immediate growth.

Keep working at your goals. If one strategy doesn’t work out, try another. One effective strategy is to regularly follow users in your niche who are active on Instagram. Widen your niche to include a global audience, but stay within your topic. For example, I follow mothers from around the world. I would have a much harder time gaining a following if I only networked with local moms.

Don’t listen to naysayers. Since improving my Instagram following, I have had several companies approach me about sending me samples after finding my profile. Opening an instant line of communication with companies is beneficial and is well worth the time.

You don’t need expensive guides or seminars to gain followers. Follow people who interest you, and you’ll discover that they are interested in what you do too. I follow German moms and Italian home cooks, not because they blog, but because their lives, language, and culture intrigue me. It’s fun to discover that they reciprocate this interest too.

My final piece of advice is to stay true to yourself. If you think coming up with a brand or a niche sounds difficult, all it means is being you. Whether you are choosing photos to post or a caption to write, share something true about your life, and be authentic in your responses to anyone who comments on your posts.

Be generous. Go out of your way to boost other people’s posts with likes and comments, not to get them to visit your account, but to show good character.

Sea Lily Dress For The 10K Instagram Follower Celebration Photo Shoot

To grow your Instagram account, work with companies who not only value and appreciate you, but who also fit with your core values. I loved working with Sea Lily for my outfit in this article. The Sofia Silk Dress they sent over looked gorgeous and fit well! With a high-low hemline and black silk embroidery, the dress can be dressed up or dressed down for any occasion. From work to parties, you can wear this dress for professional events as well as celebrations.

Something special about the company is that with every purchase, proceeds go towards ocean conservation. Environmental concerns matter a lot to me. Since I love traveling and the outdoors, I have seen many beautiful places in nature that I wouldn’t want to deteriorate. I appreciate that by supporting this company, you can support a greater good.

To learn more about Sea Lily, you can check them out on Instagram and Facebook.

Rockin’ Baby Kids’ Clothes

For my daughters, Rockin’ Baby sent over two outfits. This company carries more than just baby clothes. They have styles that fit pre-teens. To appeal to all ages, they carry unique looks that range from classic to rock ‘n’ roll styles. Another thing I like about Rockin’ Baby is their motto, “You Buy, We Give,” which focuses on their decision to donate clothes and baby slings to children in need.

To get my daughters ready for the photo shoot, I selected a matching print for the top (the Pink Brushed Check Dress as well as the Pink Brushed Check Blouse) and two unique vests. I paired each outfit with matching black sparkly pants for an energetic, celebratory look.

Since my older daughter pulls off a fun style well, she is wearing the Faux Fur Gillet. This vest comes in a fun shade of pink and has soft fur that she loves to wear. Since it is very cozy, she wore it happily.

For Georgiana, I went with a more classic look. She is wearing the Borg Gillet vest, which reminded her of a sheep’s wool. The whole family couldn’t help but cuddle with her because her vest was so soft and cozy!

To learn more, visit Rockin’ Baby on Facebook and Instagram. They have awesome styles and a wonderful, charitable outlook.

Hilarious Photo Outtakes

I promised some fun photo outtakes from the photo shoot, and here they are! Georgiana is hiding behind me in this first one, and in the next, the 10 balloons are completely uneven. Although it was difficult to try to get the picture perfect shot of us all together with an even balloon, we had a lot of fun trying.

Once again, thank you for following along in my journey as a blogger! For more info about me, check out the About section!

You can find Theresa’s Reviews on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Flipboard and Youtube.

Disclosure: I received an item for free, but it in no way influenced my opinion!