Whether you’re an established brand or just getting started on Instagram, it’s essential to have a solid strategy for increasing your followers. By putting these five expert tips into action, you’ll be well on your way to an organic following that engages with your content.
Use your website, marketing emails, and other social media to promote your Instagram account. Encourage your current followers to follow you on Instagram by providing an easy link in every post.
Post Often
Posting high-quality content consistently is one of the best ways to grow your followers. With Instagram’s algorithm giving preference to posts with the highest engagement, focusing on engaging your audience will help you get more visibility.
Engaging with your audience can also improve brand trust and loyalty. This can lead to more sales, referrals, and advocacy. Starbucks is a great example; they often encourage customers to share photos of their coffee or drinks on Instagram with the tag #Starbucks, which helps them build community and promote their products.
Ensure that your Instagram profile is optimized by using a recognizable profile picture, writing an engaging bio, and a clear call to action. This will make your business easily identifiable and encourage new users to follow you.
Post Relevant Content
Forget the follower frenzy – getting more Instagram followers is about building a genuine connection. It starts with captivating visuals that scream your brand’s identity, from mouthwatering food pics to stunning landscapes. But visuals are just the bait – you need the hook! Share a diverse mix of content that educates, entertains, and inspires. Think bite-sized knowledge bombs, hilarious reels, and stories that ignite hope. Finally, sprinkle in strategic hashtags like magic dust to attract new eyes. Remember, genuine connection is the key that unlocks the door to loyal fans, not just fleeting followers.
You can also boost your engagement by reposting user-generated content (UGC). This is a great way to show appreciation for your followers and build trust with new ones. For example, the e-commerce store Lush Cosmetics takes the time to respond to comments and tags. This helps customers feel valued and builds customer loyalty. In addition, they feature their Instagram feed on their website and product pages to drive traffic.
Include a Call to Action
Whether you’re running Instagram ads or just posting content to your feed, including a call to action is essential. It directs your followers to take a specific action, such as buying your product, visiting your website, or contacting you.
You can add a Call to Action (CTA) in your caption, using an emoji, and even with the official buttons that Instagram offers businesses. You can also use them in your stories and, if you have an account with more than 10k followers, in your bio.
Using language that creates a sense of urgency – such as “Limited Time Offer” or “Act Now” – encourages people to act sooner. It also helps if you respond to followers promptly, showing that you care and have their best interests at heart.
Ask Questions in Your Captions
When growing your Instagram following, you must remember a few crucial things. For starters, it’s essential to understand your audience. This means not only understanding their demographics but also their psychographics.
The best way to do this is by using questions in your captions. This will help you engage with your followers and encourage them to respond.
Another great way to increase your reach is by using the location tag in your posts and Stories. This will allow you to connect with people in your local community.
Finally, be sure to avoid buying followers or participating in engagement pods. Social media users are becoming savvier and will immediately recognize these activities as spammy and low-quality.
Interact with Others
There are a lot of ways to interact with your audience on Instagram. Interacting with like-minded users can help you grow a more engaged community and improve your chances of showing up in their feeds. For example, tagging other accounts or adding relevant hashtags can make your posts more visible to a broader audience. Having a search-friendly username (the ‘@’ name and account name that appear below your profile picture) can also help since the algorithm prioritizes searches based on keywords in these two fields.
Providing consistent value is another great way to keep your followers engaged. This could include killer how-to content, exclusive promo codes, or behind-the-scenes looks at your business. Responding to comments and DMs is also essential for building engagement and creating stepping stones for reciprocal solid relationships.
