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In today's episode of The Blogger Genius Podcast, I sat down with Petra Atanasova, a Bulgarian vegan and vegetarian food blogger and the creator of Sunglow Kitchen. Petra shared her incredible journey of growing her Instagram followers from 2,000 to over 100,000 in just four months.

The episode delves into the strategies Petra used to achieve this remarkable growth, offering actionable advice and detailed insights for anyone looking to boost their Instagram presence.

Petra's Background and Initial Struggles

Petra's journey began during the pandemic when she decided to start her blog after experiencing burnout from her job as a chef at a plant-based cafe. Initially, she struggled with her blog's growth but found success after learning about SEO and optimizing her content.

However, a Google algorithm update caused a significant drop in her traffic, prompting her to diversify her income streams by focusing on Instagram.

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Key Strategies for Instagram Growth

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1. Creating Successful Reels

Petra's primary strategy for growing her Instagram following was through creating engaging and visually appealing Reels. Here are the key elements she focused on:

Length of Reels: Petra's Reels are typically between 20 and 30 seconds long. She noted that shorter Reels tend to have higher watch times, which is crucial for retaining viewer attention.

Number of Cuts: Her Reels often contain 30 to 40 cuts, with each shot lasting less than a second. This rapid editing style keeps the content dynamic and engaging.

Content Focus: Petra emphasizes the importance of showing only the most critical movements in her videos. For example, if she's cutting a cucumber, the reel will only show the knife slicing through the cucumber.

Tools Used: Petra uses CapCut for filming and editing her videos. She shoots in clips rather than long videos to save storage space and make the editing process cleaner.

1. Providing Value and Engaging the Audience

Petra's approach to content creation is centered around providing value and engaging her audience.

Here are some of her tactics:

Recipe Series: She created a successful recipe series that showcased her expertise as a professional chef. This series not only provided valuable content but also established her authority in her niche.

Call to Action: Petra often includes a call to action in her Reels, such as "Comment 'tofu' for the recipe." She uses ManyChat, an automation app, to send the recipe link to anyone who comments with the specified keyword.

Captions: For recipes that she has blog posts for, Petra includes the ingredients in the caption and directs viewers to her blog for full instructions. For other recipes, she provides the entire recipe in the caption. This strategy has led to higher save rates, which are important for the Instagram algorithm.

1. Using Trending Music

Petra highlighted the importance of using trending music in her Reels. Trending music can increase the chances of your reel being discovered by a wider audience, as Instagram's algorithm tends to favor content that uses popular audio tracks.

1. Dealing with Controversy

Interestingly, some of Petra's most viral videos have sparked controversy. For example, one of her videos received comments questioning her credentials as a professional chef. While this initially affected her mental health, Petra learned to view controversy as a way to drive engagement. She now occasionally incorporates controversial elements into her hooks to spark conversation and increase interaction.

Monetizing Instagram Following

1. Creating and Promoting an Ebook

Petra is working on an ebook featuring no-chop recipes, which have been well-received by her audience. She plans to promote this e-book through her successful recipe series and by collecting email addresses from her followers.

1. Offering Consulting Services

I suggested that Petra consider offering consulting services for Instagram audits, given her keen eye for improving Instagram content. This could be a valuable additional income stream for Petra.

1. Brand Partnerships

Petra is also exploring brand partnerships as a way to monetize her Instagram following. By creating high-quality video content for brands, she can leverage her large and engaged audience to generate income.

Maintaining Consistency and Avoiding Burnout

Petra shared some valuable tips for maintaining consistency and avoiding burnout:

Batching Content Creation: By planning and creating content in batches, Petra can stay ahead of her posting schedule and reduce the stress of daily content creation.

Taking Breaks: She emphasized the importance of taking breaks when needed and not being too hard on oneself. This app