Instagram Etiquette

If you are fairly new to the photographic world of Instagram, here are some golden etiquette rules. Follow these and you should be relatively safe from any trolls out there.
Copycatting – One of the ultimate sins on Instagram is stealing someone else’s epic photo, changing the filter, and pretending that it’s your own. Create original content and respect your fellow Instagrammers.
Too much cheese – There are certain things that appeal to you and you’re going to want to post 100 pics of your cat with all your heart, but beware of falling into cliche. Give your followers something interesting to keep them coming back for more.
Overshare – Some pictures are just best left unposted. There are some people out there with wicked senses of humour, but there are certain things your friends really don’t want to see: drugs, explicit and revealing images, pictures of you on the loo, what was left behind when you get up from the loo, a broken toenail… Keep your inside jokes in the circle and off social media.
Trigger-happy – It’s completely acceptable to take several photos and upload them in the same day, but you will be crossing an unspoken line when you don’t use Instagram for a week and suddenly spam your followers with 14 uploads in a matter of six minutes.
#Toomuch – Hashtags help Instagrammers to categorise pictures. If you take a picture of Nelson Mandela’s capture site, a proper hashtag might be #longwalktofreedom. But #drowning #a #photo #in #unrelated #hashtags will only frustrate and possibly confuse your followers. Keep it witty and relevant.
But first, let me take a selfie… – Snapping an unhealthy amount of pictures of yourself has somehow become socially acceptable, but everything in moderation. Too many “selfie” shots will annoy your followers, especially if they were taken in rapid succession and the only distinction between them is micro expressions. Flip that camera around on someone/something else every once in a while.
Follows are earned – It’s assumed that you would “like” a photo because you found it aesthetically pleasing. Not because you want every person who’s picture you liked to feel appreciatively obligated to follow you in return. And unfollowing someone because they didn’t do this, is frowned upon. “Like” amazing pictures for the sake of liking them.
One rule to rule them all – The essence of Instagram is to document life, show off your quirky moments, and tell a vibrant, filter-filled story. When you post those pics you’re super proud of, your followers will most likely “like” them, too.
Source: The Huffington Post