If you’re hoping to become a model, your best tool might be something you already use: Instagram. The social media app has helped plenty of models get their start and cement their popularity in the digital age, but just having an account won’t guarantee success. You’ve got to be savvy and smart about how you post on Instagram — just ask these models, who have used it to elevate their own careers.

1. “I’m really deliberate about how often I post. People think you have to post several times a day but you definitely don’t as long as you develop an expectation with your followers and stick to that. Personally, I post once a day on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, and that works for me.” — Kayla, 19

2. “I love interacting with my followers. I always try to reply to some of the comments and love using Instagram stories to ask for their opinions. I feel like it creates a really special bond between me and my followers — I’m not just some ideal to them, but a real person they can rally behind.” — Tatiana, 22

3. “I try to be real on Instagram. It’s so easy to hide behind some curated persona, but I don’t want my audience thinking I’m someone I’m not. Every now and then I’ll post about a struggle I’m going through or about one of my insecurities. I think it really connects with people.” — Nell, 33

4. “For me, Instagram tells a story. It’s telling people who I am and how I want to be remembered, and I would never share something that I wouldn’t want to have as part of that story. You just have to make the story interesting enough that people want to engage in it.” — Preet, 20

5. “I always keep a theme with my posts. I’ve got an aesthetic, and that’s why people like following me. You pretty much know what you’re going to get with me, so people know upfront whether or not they’ll like my posts. I think it really helps garner a following.” — Alejandra, 25

6. “The most underused part of Instagram is the caption. Like yeah, the photos matter, but I think what you have to say does, too. I put a lot of thought into what I’m going to post before I actually post it. I prefer to connect with my audience through my words as well as my photos.” — Frankie, 23

7. “I pay attention to what does well and try to post more content like that. I think Instagram is all about reading your audience and understanding what they want. If a certain kind of post doesn’t do well, I stop posting them. And if something does really well… well, you already know.” — Kerry, 22

8. “I don’t use Instagram just to post things on my own account. I really make an effort to comment and like other people’s posts. Reaching out to others and making an effort with them makes them what to put in the effort with you. It’s like Internet karma.” — Suchitra, 27

9. “Give credit where credit is due. Tag your photographers. Tag the people who create the products you use. Tag the restaurants that cooked the food you’re sharing. People love shout outs.” — Haven, 24

10. “Authenticity matters, but I think it’s more complicated than that. People don’t want to just see everyday normal lives, they want to see a dream lifestyle. You’ve got to balance the inspirational with the aspirational, if that makes sense.” — Morisa, 21