Who are Edinburgh’s InstaFamous and what do they actually do?! Good question. That’s what we asked some of the city’s most influential social stars at the first in our series of inspiring free events at YOTEL Edinburgh, aptly named YO-TELLs.

We invited renowned travel journalist and blogger Caoilfhionn Rose to be our host and share some insights into the wonderful (and sometimes weird) world of Instagram alongside Edinburgh’s InstaFamous. Fashionista Aoife Malone, blogger Daniel Benjamin, WearWhatWorks blogger Caoilfhionn McMonagle, and foodie enthusiast Pippa Perriam of Eatinburgh were all there on the night to share the highs and lows of having their lives on social media – as well as what it takes to become a social media star.

Our panel have managed to engage audiences and build a community who rely on their opinion for recommendations in beauty, fashion, dining out and things to do in the city. They inspire, connect with like-minded people and consistently grow their following.

So, how do they do it and what did we learn?

• Authenticity is key. Partnerships, recommendations, friendships – if it doesn’t feel natural or align with your brand, your followers will know
• Don’t lose the joy! As soon as it becomes a chore it’s game over. Remember it’s a hobby and if you don’t feel like posting, don’t do it. It’s okay to take a break
• Blogging isn’t dead. Yes, Instagram may give you instant gratification with its likes and follows – but having a blog gives you somewhere you can develop your thoughts and really showcase your personality
• It could all end tomorrow. No one knows what Mark Zuckerburg is going to do next so don’t invest all your time on your Instagram grid
• Some of the panel’s current favourite Instagrammers are: RetroFlame, Louise Cooney and Hollie Mercedes, who are all easily identifiable with their distinctive content
• Consistency is key – having a posting schedule or routine is important. If your followers don’t see your content, it’s easy to get lost in the mix
• Growing takes time. For anyone just starting out knowing that growing an organic following takes a huge amount of time, even to reach that first 100 followers
• Honesty is the best policy. Be transparent with your followers, if you didn’t like a product/place then don’t recommend it
• Editing is not all bad. The panel all admit they have and do use apps to enhance colours or edit people out of the background of images
• Detox is needed. In the ever-changing world of Instagram, it’s important to remember to stop scrolling every now and then, to take a step back from the screen

Follow @yotel to hear about further YO-TELLs events.