Instagram is one of the world’s most popular social media platforms, with over 1 billion users.
In today’s digital age, Instagram has become an effective marketing medium for people and companies to interact, share, and connect with a large audience. Therefore, if you are an influencer or an entrepreneur looking to build an empire, leveraging its power to widen your social network is essential. This article lists ten tried-and-tested methods to help you increase Instagram followers on your account.
1. Optimize your Instagram bio
Instagram is a visual platform, and optimizing your Instagram bio is the first thing you need to do to gain more followers and establish a solid social media presence. A good Instagram bio draws attention, allows your audience to understand who you are and what you do, and helps build a connection with your audience by facilitating easy interaction and communication. Therefore, it is essential to implement proper SEO strategies to help increase your account’s visibility by driving more organic traffic and engagement. The following points can help in optimizing your performance:
- Get creative with your Instagram handle and select a username that reflects your persona.
- Be clear and concise while describing your business or your account on your Instagram bio by using the right keywords.
- You can add links to other social media accounts or your website, slogans, taglines, or even a branded hashtag to your bio.
- Add a captivating profile picture
- You can also use geotags to reach users searching for content about a specific location if your content is location-specific.
2. Determine your target audience
The next obvious step is to determine your target audience so that you can implement strategies and tactics according to the interests and behaviors of your current demographics. Social media analytics platforms like Sprout Social and Hootsuite can assist you in identifying patterns and trends in your customer data. According to statistics, almost 85% of Instagram users are under the age of 45, and the majority of the users are millennials and Gen Zs. So, if your target demographics are Gen Xers or Boomers, investing your time and resources in other tactics is better.
3. Create an Instagram business profile
An Instagram business profile can help your brand reach the visibility that you aim for. Having a business account offers several advantages, including access to Instagram Insights. This feature will help you learn more about your account’s followers, post analytics, discovery metrics, and account performance. This data allows you to build targeted promotions that grow your account. With a business profile, you can also create sponsored Instagram posts that help your posts reach a wider audience.
4. Schedule posts using a social media calendar
It’s essential to be consistent in regularly posting your content. If you want to maximize your posts’ engagement, post content consistently and regularly to increase your brand’s visibility and attract an audience. Using a scheduling tool, you can schedule your posts in advance on Instagram. By scheduling posts, you can regularly interact with your Instagram followers, increasing your follower count. An effective tool for organizing, planning, and carrying out your social media content strategy is a social media content calendar. It has the potential to improve not only time efficiency but also your social media workflow. The ability to create and prepare content in bulk, plan posts ahead of time, and automate the scheduling process are its most significant features.
5. Power of user-generated content
People value other people’s opinions rather than businesses. That is the power of user-generated content. User testimonials help validate the authenticity of a brand and increase consumer trust. Therefore, to gain followers, curate content that features happy customer testimonials that resonate with your brand’s aesthetics. You can pin users’ reviews in the highlight section or encourage them to share their experiences via posts or stories using specific hashtags. This can help in drawing a larger audience. Additionally, followers of your users or influencers who share your brand’s content on their profile might also get tempted to check out your page. According to research, 93% of brands believe people trust content created by other customers.
6. Collaborate with influencers and brands
We all have heard about influencer marketing. Influencers are social media celebrities who cater to a massive base of followers with specific interests and lifestyles. By tapping into their popularity, you can easily promote your products or services to a large audience across various demographics. You can do this by selecting suitable influencers with similar interests to your brand’s values and aesthetics.
Following are some of the ways you can partner with the influencers:
- Paid sponsorships- This is the most common and straightforward method of working with the influencer, where you pay them to promote your product or service on their page. You can set conditions on the quantity of posts, the nature of the content, and any specific messaging or hashtags you wish to use.
- Brand collaboration- You create content jointly with the influencer, where they endorse your product via co-created posts and stories, giveaways, or Instagram Lives, which can provide new insights and expand your audience.
- Product exchanges- Some influencers prefer to accept free products instead of cash payment in return for an Instagram feature or review.
7. Create interactive Instagram stories
Instagram stories are one of the latest features where you can quickly share short snippets of your life’s moments. Although these stories disappear after 24 hours, a great thing about Instagram stories is that you can share them on top of your Instagram feed in the form of highlights, and no fees or post-boosting are involved. Instagram stories can be pictures, too. However, videos tend to result in increased viewer engagement. Also, their
8. Connect with the audience through Instagram live
Use Instagram Live sessions to have direct conversations with your audience. This promotes interaction in real-time and strengthens a feeling of community. For instance, you could hold online sessions to introduce new products, provide brief tutorials, or have interactive quizzes and fun Q&A sessions. Customers can browse your products in real time if you operate an online store.
9. Instagram verification
A blue tick or a verified badge near your username validates your authenticity. It makes it known to followers that the account belongs to a celebrity or a credible public figure, as it requires the person or brand to be unique and notable. Thus, by becoming Instagram verified, users can be more confident that they communicate with a real account, not a phony or impersonated one.
10. Create Instagram reels
Instagram Reels are brief, captivating videos with a maximum duration of ninety seconds. Reels are a great way to expand your following and draw more crowds to your content. They can be entertaining, creative, and educational and are considered Instagram algorithm gold. It is also simple enough to cross-promote these short videos on other platforms like TikTok, which will help you expand your audience and gain more followers.
So, if you have not started using the Reels, this is the time. You can be creative by making visually appealing Reels utilizing pre-installed stickers, filters, music, voice-overs, and transitions. This is important since you have only 90 seconds to capture someone’s interest.
Conclusion
Getting more followers on Instagram is more complex, and there is no magic pill for making it happen. However, by adopting a strategic approach, you can build a community of like-minded individuals who value your content and are interested in active engagement with you and your brand. You can attract more followers with time, continued effort, and persistence. You can boost your visibility by creating high-quality content, posting consistently, and actively engaging with the audience.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the Instagram algorithm work?
The Instagram algorithm prioritizes content based on user engagement, relevance, and timeliness, making it essential to create engaging and timely posts.
What type of content works best on Instagram?
Visually appealing, authentic, and engaging content that tells a story or sparks conversation resonates best with Instagram users.
How important are Instagram Stories and Reels?
Instagram Stories and Reels are crucial for engagement, offering a dynamic way to connect with your audience through creative and spontaneous content.
Can I increase my Instagram followers overnight?
While there’s no magic formula for instant growth, consistently creating quality content and engaging with your audience can steadily increase your followers. You can also use instagram growth services like RushMax to grow your instagram with real followers quickly.
What’s the significance of building a community on Instagram?
Building a community goes beyond gaining followers; it involves creating a loyal and engaged audience that interacts with and supports your brand.
How do collaborations and partnerships help on Instagram?
Collaborations and partnerships expand your reach by tapping into new audiences and adding diverse content to your feed.
Is posting frequency important on Instagram?
Yes, regular and consistent posting keeps your content visible and helps maintain engagement with your audience.
Do hashtags still matter on Instagram?
Hashtags are still relevant as they help categorize your content and make it discoverable to a broader audience.
Do you know how I can make my Instagram profile more attractive?
An attractive Instagram profile includes a clear bio, a recognizable profile picture, and a cohesive theme in your posts.
What’s the best way to engage with my Instagram followers?
You can engage with your followers by responding to comments, asking for feedback, and creating interactive content like polls and questions.
Is it necessary to have an Instagram business account?
An Instagram business account provides access to insights and features like sponsored posts, which benefit growth and engagement.
Would you happen to know how I can use Instagram Insights effectively?
Instagram Insights helps you understand your audience better, allowing you to tailor your content strategy based on performance metrics.
What role does user-generated content play on Instagram?
User-generated content increases authenticity and trust, showcasing real-life experiences and testimonials from your audience.
How can I effectively use Instagram Live?
Instagram Live is a tool for real-time engagement, ideal for product launches, tutorials, and interactive Q&A sessions.
What is the
Instagram verification adds credibility to your profile, assuring users that they interact with a genuine account.
How do Instagram Reels differ from regular posts?
Instagram Reels are short, engaging videos that creatively showcase your content and reach a broader audience.
What do you think is the best strategy for Instagram hashtags?
Use a mix of popular and niche hashtags relevant to your content to maximize discoverability and reach.
How often should I post on Instagram?
The ideal posting frequency varies, but consistency is critical. Could you find a schedule that works for you and your audience?
Can I repurpose content from other platforms for Instagram?
Yes, repurposing content is efficient, but please make sure it’s adapted to fit Instagram’s format and audience preferences.
