Having a sparkling Instagram feed is the best way to get you noticed this New Year - read our tips to make yours memorable

The best Instagram feeds and photography blogs are those that are eye-catching, memorable and make you want to click the like button over and over again. These days, with so many bloggers out there, it can be difficult to make your feed stand out from the crowd - but we've come up with some tips to help you do just that. Follow our advice to get the most from your social media, and please do let us know your usernames so we can see all your great work.

1. Invest in a proper camera

Modern mobile phones are fantastic at what they do, but you just can't beat the high quality imagery you can get from a “proper” camera. The choice at the moment is incredibly diverse, with something to suit you no matter your skill level or your budget.

Mirrorless cameras are often favoured by bloggers because they are small and light, but give you all the flexibility that interchangeable lens cameras with large sensors provides. We have a huge range to choose from, so you're sure to find something which suits your needs.

Another good alternative is a premium bridge camera. These all-in-one cameras are great for travelling, giving you the bonus of a high zoom without the need to swap lenses all the time.

2. Curate your feed

Many of the most popular Instagram feeds and blogs are successful because they stick to a winning formula. That can mean following the same theme (such as travel, or food), and posting images which are similar in style, composition or even colour.

While you don't have to be super rigid with your feed - think about how each photo will work with the other photos in your feed and try to maintain a good “flow” for a polished approach.

3. Use appropriate hashtags

Using the right hashtags helps other people to find your image, which is therefore likely to help you attract more likes and followers. Go for popular hashtags - you can see how many other people have used a particular hashtag as you start typing it on Instagram - to increase your chances of being seen.

The same goes for blogs, which you can tag with keywords to make sure people will be able to find them.

4. Follow other photographers

Blogging and social media is all about the community - you have to put something in to get something back. Following other photographers is not only a good way of getting inspiration and seeing what your peers are up to, but interacting with fellow users is more likely to boost engagement.

Be an active member of the community - like other people's work, like comments and search through hashtags - and you'll probably notice your own feed starts to grow too.

5. Boost your skills with a course

If you're serious about really making your feed stand out, why not consider a bespoke course to help improve your skills? Jessops offers a huge range of different courses, experiences, workshops, events and even holidays and trips to help you learn more about your camera, teach you new techniques and refine your style. You'll soon be wowing your followers with your new-found skills with one of these great offerings.

What are your best tips for creating Instagram-worthy shots? Share your best with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.