Shane Jordan Shares Three Essentials of Building a Recognizable Instagram Brand

Social media platforms stopped being places where people could share information and make connections long ago. Today, these platforms are a space where many creatives can entertain, inspire, and express themselves and even turn their hobbies into cash-producing machines. For some, content creation has already proved to be a lucrative opportunity. Forbes estimates that the top ten YouTube stars of 2021 pulled over $300 million in gross revenue.

More and more people are shooting their shots, trying to become a staple household name on the internet. Shane Jordan, though, explains that achieving that level of success isn’t an easy feat at all. “It seems like a lot of people think that they can become these mega-successful content creators overnight,” says Jordan. “Even though you do need something that will launch you into the stars, something like a video that goes viral, you still need to know how to stay there. Otherwise, you will just fall down to Earth and crash.”

Shane Jordan is an award-winning author with over twenty years of experience working on music and film projects in the entertainment industry. Jordan is also managing a wildly successful Instagram account of the world’s most famous French bulldog, Izzy the Frenchie.

His dog, Izzy, became an internet sensation when her bath video went viral and amassed over a billion views from collective shares in just one night. But as Shane Jordan explains, if it weren’t for his experience, he could’ve easily missed the opportunity. The strategy paid off, as Izzy’s Instagram account currently has over 1.1 million followers. Jordan is also using it to spread awareness on global issues such as women’s rights, LGBTQ+ rights, or any other issue that makes the world a better place.

“Originally, I made Izzy’s account just to show her funny moments to friends and family. But once the video went viral, I knew from my work in the entertainment industry that Izzy was marketable,” says Jordan. “So, I decided to turn her account not only into a fun space where people can see cute dogs but monetize off of it by collaborating with major brands.”

The twenty years in the entertainment industry taught Jordan a lot, and one of the most important lessons he learned is that creating and managing a lucrative career takes a lot of hard work and many sleepless nights. With that in mind, he shares three tips for aspiring Instagram influencers so that their journey to the stars can be a bit easier.

Pick Up a Few Relevant Skills

Most people are familiar with the old saying “knowledge is power” and the meaning behind Sir Francis Bacon’s quote is straightforward—having and sharing knowledge is the foundation of reputation and influence. While future influencers don’t necessarily have to be knowledgeable on every topic in the world, Shane Jordan suggests that they should at least learn a few skills such as video and audio editing.

“Instagram revolves around photos and videos,” says Jordan. “You do have some basic tools and filters at your disposal, but so does everyone else. You need something to stand out from the crowd, and if you know how to capture good videos and edit them into even better content, that’s your ticket to success.”

Find an Adequate Niche and Be Genuine in Your Interactions

After mastering these basic skills, the next step is to find a proper niche. While most advice out there says to venture into a niche with less competition, Shane Jordan points out that the most important thing is to find a niche that is compatible with a person’s personality.

“Finding an underrepresented niche is a good decision from a business standpoint. After all, it means less competition out there,” says Jordan. “However, if the niche doesn’t match your personality, you will come off as fake and your posts will seem forced. People won’t see you as relevant and trustworthy, and that is basically like signing your own death warrant.”

Be Consistent and Persistent

Consistency and persistency go hand-in-hand when it comes to becoming an influencer. Numerous studies have demonstrated that increasing the frequency of content publication can increase engagement rates. However, Shane Jordan adds that the posting schedule needs to be planned out wisely.

“It’s easy to make a plan to post two or three times a day. But you have to post high-quality content, and creating that content takes time. That’s why setting an unrealistic schedule will cause more damage than good,” says Shane Jordan. “And you have to stay persistent. Remember, not even Rome was built in one day, and the same goes for your career. The journey to success can be hard sometimes, but only those who are persistent will get to reap the rewards.”

Written in partnership with Luke Linz