Have you ever wondered how random people have thousands of followers on social media? Some of these said people solely take pictures of their meals or the shoes they decided to put on that day. So how (you’re probably asking) do they get so many followers?

Well, my friend, it’s simple. There are a few guidelines everyone who’s anyone seems to follow when creating a social media persona. Most people think acquiring a larger following and having people think more highly of you is difficult, but they’re wrong. Being cool on social media is super easy; you just have to follow these simple rules:

1. When it comes to posting pictures of your food, make sure to only post it if it looks like what’s on your plate belongs in a bougie cooking magazine.

Make sure the lighting is decent, and possibly amp up the likability by including a mimosa in the corner of the frame.

If you’re only in the mood for a bowl of greens, I’d suggest ditching the veggies and getting a juicy burger or a delectable pizza – something the majority of your followers would order. You need people to be drooling over your posts, not throwing up a little in their mouths. Order as many appetizers and entrees as you can so that when you post your picture, people think you’re cool and rich for ordering basically everything on the menu.

If you’re worried about your bill at the end of all this, don’t. Price is unimportant in the realm of gathering props (or in this instance, food) for your photos. If you think the picture of your tapas is going to attract an abundance of likes and followers, then dive head over heels into that $24 bite-size spinach dip. Maybe consider going without food for the rest of the week or skipping out on rent and sleeping on your friend’s couch because this picture could get pricey. Trust me though, your social media friends will like the crap out of that picture.

And if you’re brunching with friends, make sure they aren’t seen in the picture; a food picture should be simple! If you see their arms move into your frame, swat them away. They can wait to eat their food until you’ve taken your money shot. If they complain about their food getting cold, tell them they can take it home in a doggy bag; they’ll understand.

2. When it comes to posting pictures of scenery, one might think it’s easy, but it truly takes a lot of work.

First of all, make sure your surroundings look like they belong on some over-edited travel advertisement. We don’t want to look at the flowers you planted in your grandmother’s garden for her birthday. LAME! Post a picture of an infinity-edge pool overlooking a tropical beach or a sunset through the trees in Big Sur.

If you don’t happen to be anywhere that interesting, cancel your plans for the rest of the day and drive a few hours to a popular area you’ve seen somewhere on the web.

Take a good amount of pictures, and then call it a day. It doesn’t matter if you weren’t actually in that area hanging out; as long as the picture makes people think you were, you’re golden. It might cost you a tank or two in gas, but your followers will like you more because they think you’re adventurous, and having people like you is the most important thing.

You want your followers to think you’re a seasoned traveler, so always be on the hunt for new and exciting places near you. Again, money shouldn’t matter when a good picture is in the works. If you need to empty your savings account and take a flight up north or down south for an Instagram picture, by all means, DO IT.

3. When taking selfies, the first rule of thumb is you can never have enough.

Your followers want to see your face at least once a day. You can switch up the angles and backgrounds, but always be sure that the lighting makes you look like Gigi Hadid, and use enough filters so you look like an airbrushed porcelain doll. No one wants to see that you’re like everyone else and get zits, so if you have a visible blemish, cake on that makeup or use those filters before you hit the share button.

Be sure to carve out a few hours in your day to make time for your selfies. On average, you should be taking at least 100 shots to make sure you captured a good angle, and then use the remaining time to look through them.

And judge harshly. If Kim Kardashian wouldn’t post it, you shouldn’t either.

4. If you’re in a relationship, take full advantage of having someone to both take pictures of you and take pictures with you.

Now you have a new prop for your pictures! Go online and look at pictures of couples and find out poses you can try out with your significant other. He or she may get tired of having to take pictures 24/7, but they’ll understand.

One of the most important things to think of when you’re taking pictures with your beau is that you want your followers to think you guys are the perfect couple – think Alexis Ren and Jay Alvarrez pre-breakup. When you post a photo of the both of you, you want a #relationshipgoals comment to be lurking around the corner.

You need to constantly be taking pictures as a couple in different places, so plan a ton of fun trips! When booking these destinations, decide where you should go with ideas of pictures in mind. Don’t bother going to visit his mom if her home isn’t photo-worthy. Instagram search the destination ahead of time to make sure other important people have been there, and be sure the weather and lighting will work in your favor.

Also, master the art of the selfie-timer on your phone. You’ll want to learn how to successfully set your phone down and pose with your partner to get the best shot. Just like with the selfies, allot a few hours to get the perfect picture. Your boyfriend/girlfriend may end up wanting to call it quits with you after he or she learns how important social media is to you, but if they do, they weren’t the right person anyways.

Posting photos with the intention of gathering more followers and getting more likes is easy if you just comply with these easy steps. You want people to think you’re cool and interesting, and in order for them to think that, you must stick to this script. Trust me; it will do wonders for your social media following.

Who cares if your real life is pretty bland? Who cares if you’re living in your car or on a friend’s couch because taking photos in expensive restaurants and flying to exotic places drains your bank account? As long as your photos look like you’re living a fabulous life, everyone will believe it, and they will “like” you for it. And that’s all that matters.