First of all, the fact that I’m writing this post and it means the year is almost over is just too overwhelming right now! I mean, how did we get through another whole year already? But, alas, we did. And that means it’s time for me to share with you my favorite Instagram accounts this year.

Every year, I experience new things, meet new people, find new accounts to follow, and fall in love with some of those Instagram accounts. And, I can tell you, I can be pretty picky about the accounts I really like! So, I want to share my top picks with you, as well as a few reasons why I love each of them.

Even if you don’t love the same accounts, I hope you’ll find some inspiration in each of them as to how you can work on and improve your own Instagram content for next year. Because, in all reality, that’s what I want for you: to learn and grow!

(By the way, these are in no particular order. Just how they showed up in my Instagram account  

Sugar and Cloth

If you’ve followed me for a hot minute, you know I love this account. Poor Ashley at @sugarandcloth is probably tired of me talking about her! But I genuinely love her account because it’s beautiful, fresh, and colorful. It’s fun and pretty to look at. But she also shares great decorating ideas, party tips, recipes, and fun things to do. All of which are on her blog which she promotes via her Instagram account.

Oh, and btw, her Stories are pretty kickass too. She’s worth checking out for sure!

Love Bomb Co.

If you’re a fun, snarky, sassy lady, this account is your vibe! The @thelovebombco company has mostly coffee mugs and similar items, but their witty slogans and mantras are what make them beyond desirable to consumers like you and me.

Beyond just their great product, they also do a good job with their Instagram content strategy. They mix in UGC for a fresh vibe at all times and that shows their products in a context more of us can relate to. And then they throw in the sassy quotes to keep their audience entertained. Now, you know I don’t love quotes on Instagram, but when as a creative integration like this account, I can accept it 

La Jolla Mom 

If you have any interest in travel, the @lajollamom account, run by Katie Dillon, will be a huge fave for you. Katie travels the world and shares her amazing experiences. Not only are her photos drool worthy, but she shares so much good info, that this account is great for any tourist! Katie will share insights about the city, the hotel or restaurant she’s at, and give you secret tips to navigating that city. Even if you don’t get to travel to these luxurious places, learning all about them is (almost) as fun.

Yellowillow

Sometimes you just need a stunning, beautiful account to follow. Hello, @yellowillow! Run by an artist, Anne McIsaac, her primary theme is, you guessed it, yellow! All of her photos have some pop of yellow in them. Now, picking a color theme is easy, executing it isn’t. But Anne gets it right. Now, true, she is a photographer and artist, so she has an advantage. But I encourage you to use her account as inspiration for finding a consistent theme (with color) even though her content is extremely varied.

Made by Kasia

You know those perfect, airy, staged photos on Instagram? Well, Kasia makes them so you can use them! The @madeby.kasia account is full of those perfect images that you only wish you could create yourself. And, even better, she does actually have stock images that you can get your hands on. Beautiful AND useful? Worth the follow for sure!

Pumpkin the Raccoon

Because, he’s a raccoon. With dog siblings. And they have this amazing lifestyle that’s just too cool to ignore. #thatsall

You’ll want to check out @pumpkintheraccoon

San Diego Zoo

Ok, I know, I like animals! But, who doesn’t?! And the @sandiegozoo account has some amazeballs images to perk you up when scrolling through your feed.

They incorporate UGC, share insights and information as an educational tool, and talk about things going at the zoo so that visitors have an inside track as to what to do. To keep things fun, they use regular themed content too and encourage the park visitors to participate. This is something to think about when sharing information about your business on Instagram.

Parker Kennedy Living

If you have any appreciation for interior design, the @parkerkennedyliving account will give you all the feels! One word: gor-geous!

While his captions aren’t to die for, Lance does share a ton of his personality in his posts and captions. You really get a feel for who he is and what it’s like to work with him. We always talk about your brand voice and how to build trust through transparency. This account is a great example of how to do that.

Brite Lite Tribe

I’ve got a total thing for fun, sassy content (and products) these days. Which is why I love the @britelitetribe account too. It just makes me happy to look at it! While I don’t have any neon signs in my house (yet…), this account does a great job of showing you how you could actually pull it off stylishly. I’m kinda envious, to be honest 

But beyond that, they do great product placement. Selling a simple neon sign is no easy task. There’s no context or appeal to a sign in a box. But lit up, on display, in a way that makes you feel like you’re a part of that post, that’s what sells! If you have products in your business, please look at this account for inspiration.

The Yacht Stewardess

Ok, back to a travel account… but damn, is this one a good one! I’ve actually had the privilege to meet Gemma, who runs the @theyachtstew account, when she was working on a yacht anchored in my home town. She is seriously the nicest person and to follow her – and live vicariously through her posts – is easy to do! She literally gets to travel the world, on amazing super yachts, and she shares those experiences on her Instagram account.

The photos are beautiful and she has really figured out great photography styles for Instagram. Even if you’re not into the whole travel thing, check out her account to see how she photographs various items, tablescapes, landscapes, and people. She really creates an organic environment that the audience can immediately be drawn into. This is something to emulate with your own content!

And there you have my top 10 favorite Instagram accounts for 2017. What are your favorite accounts? Comment below – I’d love to check them out!