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'Instagram is an opportunity to brand yourself'

Patricia Mendoza is the latest contributor to Concordia's student-powered social media initiative
August 3, 2016
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By Concordia Social Media Team


Photo by Patricia Mendoza, Concordia's student Instagram curator


Entrepreneurship is a hot topic these days — particularly at Concordia. From the National Bank Initiative in Entrepreneurship and Family Business at the John Molson School of Business to District 3, Concordia's business accelerator, this is the place to be if you’re interested in learning how to start a small business. That’s why the August student Instagram curator, Patricia Mendoza, chose to study here.

Enrolled in the JMSB Graduate Diploma in Business Administration program, Mendoza is particularly interested in women in business and in showcasing some of the related resources and activity on and around campus. She is also putting her education into action: Mendoza has started her own social media consulting business. 

Mendoza is the third participant in the recently launched student-powered Instagram curation program: #CUseenby. One student per month will get the chance to capture the heart and soul of our school and show followers of the Concordia University Instagram account their view of our campuses, people, programs, activities and experiences.

Follow Mendoza’s journey via the #CUseenby hashtag.

We sat down with the budding entrepreneur to learn why she was interested in participating in the program and what she hopes to showcase, as well as to get a few tips on creating an engaging and active Instagram account.
 

Why did you want to be Concordia's Instagram curator?

It’s a great opportunity to explore the university during the summer break. I’ve been at Concordia for two terms but I have not dug deep into the resources that the university offers in regards to entrepreneurship so I will take advantage of this opportunity to do that.

What do you hope to do with the Concordia Instagram account?

I would like to create interesting content around the topic of entrepreneurship, aiming to catch the students’ attention and increase the engagement for the account. It is a bit challenging because I want to keep it both informative and entertaining at the same time. Let’s see how it goes.

What are three or four of your favourite Instagram accounts and why?

@anewwomantoday ­– They promote female entrepreneurship in Montreal.
@inayali – It’s about coffee culture and Montreal in general.
@freepeople – Their marketing is awesome.
@snowflakesfairy – Just for fun, this one is about lifestyle and travel.

What tips do you have for Concordia students who are looking to optimize their Instagram accounts and/or take great photos?

Here I could speak for hours! Since my startup is about social media, I have been studying and experimenting with Instagram a lot. Here are some basics for our student community:

  1. See your Instagram as an opportunity to brand yourself. Think of it as your online magazine.

  2. Post quality photos. Make sure that you have good lighting, keep an eye on the rule of thirds and try to keep your feed cohesive by using the same filter or palette of colours.

  3. Express your personality in the captions; it is fine to use emojis on Instagram.

  4. Finally, using relevant hashtags is a great way to find people with similar interests. Don’t be shy — find your tribe. 

Interested in becoming a student Instagram curator? Share your Concordia campus experience. Tag an Instagram photo with #CUinstagram. If we like your stuff, we’ll be in touch!



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