How to Become a Model on Instagram

If there’s one thing that the pandemic did for the modelling industry, it was to teach models and wannabe models that Instagram is a great platform for building a reputation for yourself.

And with more than 1.4 billion users, brands quickly realised that it’s also a great place to promote their products and services particularly during global lockdowns!

As a result, a new wave of work opportunities flooded the market and since then, Instagram models have been incredibly busy. But what does it take to become an Instagram model and isn’t it just the same thing as an influencer?

What is an Instagram model?

To put it simply, an Instagram model is someone who is paid to promote products or services on the platform. This could be pretty much anything, but, as you may have guessed, the fact that you are a model means that it’s often something related to clothing or accessories. After all, a model’s main selling point is their look, right?

Are Instagram models the same as Instagram influencers?

Not quite. There is certainly some crossover between the two niches, but there are also some differences. An influencer will promote anything and everything from cooking utensils through to beauty products. Of course, most influencers will niche down and only promote items that their audience is interested in, but the key point here is that it’s not really about how the influencer looks but what they are saying about something.

An Instagram model may do something similar with products that clients send to them. But as models, these products will, for the most part, be items of clothing, accessories, or perhaps beauty products. For fitness models, they may be actual fitness products such as equipment. Models may also push a product in the same way an influencer does, but it’s often more about how the product looks on the model that the client is interested in.

Is the market competitive?

Let’s be real here for a second. The truth is that the Instagram modelling industry is hella competitive, and we’re not overstating that in any way whatsoever. It now seems that every person with a few thousand followers has jumped on the Instagram model bandwagon and that means that brands can pick and choose from a seemingly endless list of Insta models.

And yes, you guessed it, that also means that you’re going to have your work cut out standing out from the crowd. Luckily for you, we have a few tips that should set you on the right path.

How to become an Instagram model?

The steps below won’t guarantee you success, but they will certainly give you a good idea of how to become an Instagram model and get paid, and let’s face it, getting paid is what it’s all about. There’s no point in posting amazing grams to your followers if no one is paying you for your effort. That’s just a hobby whereas you want a job. Here’s how you get started on that.

It’s all in the look

Instagram is a visual platform and brands that look for Instagram models want to know that the optics are good. Yes, it’s all in the look. So, with this in mind, you will need to think very carefully about how you want to be perceived as a model on the platform. That means planning your images and taking great care in your appearance in every single one of your grams.

Think of your Instagram feed as a portfolio because when you think about it, that’s precisely what it is.

They also want to see some consistency, so pick a vibe or particular style and try to keep that as your common theme throughout. If you’re carefree and happy, then there could be lots of light backgrounds and bright colours. Take your time to really think about this and make sure that it reflects who you are in some way.

Start acting like a model

As silly as it may seem, if you want to be paid as a model, you’ll need to start acting like one. That means practising your poses and making sure that every single one of your looks like it was taken by a professional. Now, this will take some practice, but you’ll need to learn how to take shots from all the right angles. There are ways that you can take a shot that will help to accentuate your best features. Learn what those methods are and stick to them for all your posts. Yes, even the ones of you posing with your dog 🙂

Create a bio that means something

Your Instagram bio is hugely important for attracting clients so make sure that you spend a little time creating yours. First and foremost it should say that you’re a model who is open to working with the right brands. It should also include some details about yourself and a way to contact you or your representation. There are many ways to make your bio impactful so why not take a look at some of the most successful Instagram models and see how they make use of their bios to attract business.

Build that following

You knew it was coming and there’s no getting away from it — a successful Instagram model will always have a significant following. We’re talking a minimum of 20,000 followers and even that may not get you too many gigs. The simple fact is that brands want their products to be seen by as many people as possible so they will have no interest in marketing to your 3k followers when they can market to ten times that by using another model.

However, as important as follower count is, we don’t want you getting too hung up on it at the outset. You need to focus more on creating model-like posts and less so on how many followers you have. Trust us, if you are consistent and make good use of hashtags, your follower count will grow. But as with all types of modelling, you’ll need to be patient.

One little trick that you can use to build your audience is to collaborate with another model or with a photographer. That way you will be exposed to their audience and maybe snag a few followers while you’re at it. But like we said earlier, until you hit that magic 20k threshold, you’re unlikely to land any paid gigs so collaborations are for sure the way to go.

If you’ve already hit that threshold and you’re looking for professional representation, then Hunter Talent would love to hear from you. Our clients are always on the lookout for fresh opportunities to promote their brands on Instagram and who knows, we could have just the right client for you. So get in touch today and let’s take your Instagram modelling career to the next level.