We’ve decoded plenty of Instagram handles by now: Sakshi Sindwani, Masoom Minawala Mehta, Bruised Passports, Siddharth Batra, Karunesh Talwar, and Rahul Subramanian. From each one, we got phenomenal tips that any content creator can use to improve their content.
But this is the first time we’re breaking down the Instagram of a creator whose content is so good that she got to meet Michelle Obama (the highest honour possible in our eyes). And, oh, she has sat front and centre to hear Barack Obama speak and chatted with Ed Sheeran.
Tips, Tricks and Whatnots’ from Prajakta Koli’s Instagram
Prajakta Koli, or MostlySane, as most of us know her, is proof of where great content can take you. So, here’s what you can learn from her goofy and creative content creation style.
1. Plan your content
Since Prajakta is a YouTuber, that’s where we landed first. One look at it, and it’s clear that she carefully plans all her content. Each week, she posts three videos. #Realtalktuesday is a candid vlog. #Sawaalsaturday is a Q&A round with her followers, and on Thursdays, she posts a variety of stuff.
2.Breaks are necessary
MostlySane has got the art of content creation down pat. That’s apparent from Prajakta Koli’s Instagram followers. But she also realises the value of taking breaks, and she explicitly shares this with her followers. It’s one tip every creator must take from her. When the going gets tough, give yourself a little R&R.
3. True to voice branded content
Prajakta does dozens of brand collaborations. However, she makes sure that each sponsored piece is true to her persona and voice. From Vedantu to Nescafe, she uses the character of Montu to create authentic branded content.
Why is this so vital?
Because when you compromise your content for the sake of a brand, it leaves a dent in your community. Your followers know the post is just for the sake of money. It doesn’t feel real to them, which leads to no engagement. So, make sure any branded content you generate is truly collaborative and fits both the brand’s and your vision.
How do you make branded content feel authentic?
The advice Prajakta gives originally came from BeYouNick, a fellow YouTuber. The trick is to remove the brand name from the Story, IGTV, YouTube video, Tweet or caption (whichever may apply) and check if the content still makes an impact. If it does, then the brand integration is seamless and perfect. If it doesn’t, then tweak your content.
4. Keep a diary of ideas
In an interview, Prajakta divulged that she keeps a diary to jot down any funny situations that happen in real life. When she’s scripting her videos, she picks up ideas and instances from the diary and then builds on them. That’s why her content is so extremely relatable. She uses life itself as inspiration – situations that happen to all of us!
5. Branch into other methods of monetisation
For YouTubers, Google AdSense is the best way to start making money. Initially, it may take time (it took Prajakta 3 months to make her first dollar), but slowly the amount snowballs. Brand collaborations are another way to earn money while creating content, but never limit your influence to just them.
Selling merchandise or any kind of physical products is a great monetisation avenue, and MostlySane makes fantastic use of it. Her Instagram bio has a direct link to her merch shop, where she sells t-shirts and sweatshirts with her unique tagline “Dum Dum Army” and, of course, her handle name.
6. Be relatable, always
There is an audience for everything. The key to a content creator’s success is finding them. And that’s the last takeaway from Prajakta Koli’s Instagram handle. Every piece of content you publish should be relatable. People should be able to identify with it.
Don’t expect to get it right from the get-go. Prajakta didn’t. Her very first videos on YouTube are clichéd and cringy. That said, trial and error will get you there.
Experimenting with different types of content will teach you what your audience likes best. Once you find it, stick to it!
