While travel feels impossible now, we can all still dream. Somewhere, somehow, people are still traveling and posting to their community and feeding our desire to see the world. Top travel Instagrammers are some of the most successful in building and maintaining this community. Consequently, as well as musing through images daydreaming, you can learn a lot about how to build a following on this platform.
Create a Conversation
One of the leading travel Instagrammers @nicole_franzen provides beautiful snaps, which is essential to the appeal of her community. However, what she does better than most is find herself in all those secret hotspots where all the cool people want to be. She is based out of New York and also builds in some posts on interiors and food, so essentially, she begins a conversation about the lifestyle we would all aspire to live.
Show Yourself
As well as showcasing travels, some of the best Instagrammers make themselves a part of the project. Not only do they illustrate the places, but the story behind the camera too. The arrival of the Stories feature on the platform is perfect for sharing information about journeys, as well as the destinations.
People also buy into people. Therefore, taking the lead from top travel Instagrammer @thecommonwanderer could be just what you are looking for. Not only have Mark and Miranda consistently posted over five years, but they have made themselves a part of the story. They document their travels for their readers, and they even got engaged in their “favourite country” Nepal last year, which was shared with their community.
And then there is the @mr.pokee. If you have never seen Mr Pokee, then, unfortunately, you have missed the boat, as he passed away. However, Herbee and Audree, two newly adopted hedgehogs, find themselves in all sorts of beautiful vistas from around the world. While we are not suggesting you need a hedgehog to build an Instagram community, we are suggesting that a cute persona works wonders.
More Than Just Your Holiday Photos
Another example of an impressive travel Instagrammer is the @the.travel.project feed. Charlie and Jess have been traveling since 2016, seemingly non-stop. They base the trips on what they call “achievable adventures through local eyes” – and the focus is on finding the human stories, as well as the stunning landscapes and encounters with animals.
As well as putting themselves in the frame, the best Instagrammers set missions for the journaling of their adventures. Look @the.travel.project posts, and you will see that they want to achieve more than just catalogue their holiday snaps.
Therefore, when you are looking to build your community, whether it is a personal site or for your business, you need to give careful consideration to what you want to achieve. What is your mission and vision for the community you are hoping to build?
Stunning Photography
It would be unfair to look at any of the top travel Instagrammers and say that they are posting any old holiday snaps. What they post to the delight of their community is some of the most stunning photography. For instance, look at @carlyscamera, where Carley Reed, a professional photographer, offers her minimalist mages showing architecture and landscapes. This is art.
Then there is @earthpix, which is a curation of some of the best travel photography from around the world. You can go to their images to enjoy kayaking among sharks in Cebu or exploring the ice caves in Iceland. The whole reason to be part of this community is to inspire our dreams through the beauty of photography.
The Best Storytellers
Yet, the reason some of these top travel Instagrammers have the best following is that they are also inspirational storytellers. We want to hear about the places and the adventures, as well as see the images. Look at @alexstohl who is a photographer with epic talent, but he also has a skill for storytelling, as he tells us about his skiing, hiking or kayaking in some of the most beautiful places in the world.
Then there is @worldwanderlust who is the Australian traveller, Brooke Saward. She started traveling solo in 2012 and now gives insight into those places you could only imagine visiting. She has been to the Danakil Depression in Ethiopia and explored the Karakorum mountains in Pakistan. It is the documentation of these travels, including her current lock down in South Africa, which makes her feed so appealing.
It is clear that there is so much we can learn from the best travel Instagrammers. Not only do they speak to our emotions and to our dreams, but they understand the importance of consistency and stories. While the high-class photography helps, it is the people behind the images that win our hearts.
For More:
- On our site: Top Trends in Travel Blogging
- On our site: Creating Great Food Photos for Instagram
