Years ago, mom blogs provided the support and community mothers needed to make them feel less isolated and alone. Now we have Instagram, an app that connects us to a wider world beyond our homes, giving us an escape from our hectic lives and at the same time offering an opportunity to make a legitimate living while spending more time with our children. If you want to be one of these enterprising mothers, here are golden nuggets of wisdom from these six trailblazing influencer moms.

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Just get the ball rolling

Before attorney-turned-stay-at-home-mom Michelle Gindi (@buddhabowlsandburpees) gained her 16,000 followers, she made her Instagram account to show off her meal preps for moms and kids.

She admits that at first, her photos were really bad, her captions were boring, and she didn’t even know to use hashtags. But just a year later, her account is generating income through sponsored posts and free merchandise from brands.

Michelle’s advice to aspiring Instamoms is to get started! You’ll find a lot of tips on how to grow instagram in 2019 online, but nothing will come out of it if you don’t post your first photo. If it sucks, it’s okay. You’ll learn as you go.

Build something you love and believe in

Shannon Barker & Michaela Ehrle (@mothertruckerco) attributes their success to a whim. What was a spontaneous DIY mom hat project turned into Mother Trucker. Two years after opening their Instagram account, they’ve amassed 30,000 followings, among those are big-name stars like Jenny McCarthy, Jana Kramer, and Tori Spelling.

It takes sacrifice and stringent time-management, updating while waiting in line or after bedtime, but Shannon and Michaela say that having fun and building what you love and believe in is the best way to go about it.

Love your true offline self first and you’ll gain confidence online

People might think that Ginger Parrish (@gparrish) racked up 145,000 followers by flashing her signature red-lipped smile, but it’s actually her relatable captions. Ginger likes to keep it real; she communicates with her audience as if she’s talking to them one-on-one. In a place where things literally need to be “picture perfect”, knowing your true self, and sticking to what brings you joy is the first step towards online success.

Be patient and be prepared to put in the work

It took Hannah Carpenter (@hannahacarpenter) 3 years for her Instagram account to gather 40,000 followers and turn a profit via sponsorship and product placement. To do this, she takes hundreds of photos just to get a decent one. But more than taking the perfect shot, Hannah says that engaging and interacting with people is the key to Instagram success because it builds connection and feels more authentic, like conversing with a friend.

According to statistics, 70% of today’s millennial consumers are more likely to buy something a friend endorses than one recommended by a celebrity. So put in the time and effort to like and comment on posts so that people can find you.

Don’t let your account define you

Angelica Calad (@taylensmom) is someone who knows the value of engaging your audience. Just as her Instagram account started organically, her 138,000 was built on 2x a day posts and unparalleled responsiveness. This may seem impossible to do as a mom with two daughters, but Angelica believes that knowing where to draw the line helps. She advocates being open and transparent with your audience, but also not letting the account take over what’s important - your kids and your life.

It’s okay to take a day off!

Sia Cooper (@diaryofafitmommyofficial), with 442,000 followers, still posts and answers emails by herself. But if she’s too tired or her kids aren’t well, she doesn’t hesitate to take the day off. She keeps it honest when she misses updates because her audience might be feeling the same way, and after all, as a mom, her priority is her family!

Conclusion

At the end of the day, being an Instamom means prioritizing your children and family. It’s living your authentic life while leveraging your circumstances to make either a side-hustle or a veritable business.