How to Grow Your Instagram Following
Struggling with Instagram for your business? Learn how to grow your Instagram following by engaging your audience.
Instagram is quickly becoming one of the most important social media platforms for those who want to reach a broader audience. Back in 2018, the platform broke the 1-billion users* barrier and things are only looking up. Figuring out how to tap into user bast to grow your Instagram following is on every small business owners’ mind.
With the organic reach of websites like Facebook or Twitter dwindling down, it seems that Instagram is the new way to go for a shot at improving your exposure and outreach. Keep reading to learn more about how to grow your Instagram following.
Create quality content to keep your audience engaged
Needless to say, growing your Instagram following will start with quality content.
Nobody is going to follow your account if you have nothing to offer. Take your time to plan ahead and, if possible, have a calendar or schedule or at least some of the content that you are planning on posting. Naturally, you should leave some room for some impromptu posts and let spontaneity do its thing. However, it can be vital to have some photos and captions lined up, so you can always post new things regularly and keep growing your account.
You do not need to spend a lot of money on professional photos or videos. Even shots that you take with your phone are you going to be perfectly OK, as long as the pictures and the captions are engaging. Posting a selfie is fine, but if you post for pictures of yourself every day, people might lose interest because you’re not giving them anything new.
In much the same way, you should avoid posting self-promotional content exclusively. This can create a situation of overexposure, with people getting tired of your posts and sales pitches. Instead, try to diversify what you post.
If you are promoting something, such as a business, don’t just post ads: post interesting content, such as behind-the-scenes looks, as well as pictures of others using your products. You can also balance these posts with something more personal, such as a cool photo of you on a weekend hike. While too many of these pictures can be trite for people who don’t know you, a small look into your personal life here and there might lend some humanity and credibility to your account. People are interested in connecting with others, and a “personal touch” is one of the things your followers are looking for! Whether it’s through a story or a picture post, put some thought into what you publish! Any Instagram marketing strategy professional will tell you that content is king.
Seek out like-minded users and start networking
Instagram is an excellent platform if you want to network with like-minded businesses or individuals. Users can support each other by following one another and coming up with strategies and other ideas to tap into each other’s follower base. For instance, brands and influencers often create mutual content and tag each other in their posts. Artists might recommend other musicians they like, and in turn, they will receive a post recommend in their own music to the former account’s audience. The possibilities are truly endless. Building a strong network and starting real relationships with other users can be a great way to build a larger Instagram following.
Don’t underestimate the importance of stories
“Stories” is a relatively new feature for Instagram. Many people love them because they are more immediate and have a more powerful reach, even though it’s not as long-lasting as a traditional photo post. The fast-paced nature of Instagram stories appeals to younger generations, especially since it’s also a great way to get more creative and have some fun while posting life or business updates. Having said that, a surprising amount of people and businesses are overlooking or underestimating the importance of stories to grow their Instagram following.
Take your time to understand how this powerful feature works, and do not miss out on the opportunity to reach a larger audience and to keep your followers more engaged. Instagram and Facebook marketing expert know the importance of using these newer features, and they know how to come up with successful strategies.
Reply to comments, post comments, and be genuinely active on the platform
The Instagram platform values interactions between users. This means that a post with more comments is going to perform better and potentially achieve more visibility. For this reason, it is important to start conversations on the platform. There are many ways you can go about it. One of the most effective solutions is to ask questions within the caption of your image posts. You can also use stories to ask questions and even start polls. Whenever your followers or other users comment on your content, make sure that you reply!
Whenever you take the time to respond, which should be as soon as possible, make sure you further the conversation by asking more questions. This is a really good way to build the momentum of your posts and potentially spark in other users’ interest. Statistically, people seem to be more interested in checking out the comment section when something seems to be happening there! In addition to that, you’ll also have another significant benefit: building a stronger relationship with people.
Show an interest in your followers
Let them know that you are interested in what they think and that you are not just using them to pump up your numbers. If you take the time do you have a meaningful conversation on Instagram, you can create an interaction with a stranger into a potential follow. You can also use this technique to keep your current followers more engaged and give them a reason to keep coming back to your posts.
In conclusion, these are just some of the many things you should consider if you are looking to grow your following on Instagram. These simple tips can help you grow your numbers over time, but you need to keep working at it every day.
Growing your audience is not a one-time thing task: you need to use these principles every day and be on the lookout for new trends and ideas. Some of the most successful people and businesses on Instagram think ahead of the curve and never stop looking for ways to be innovative, exciting, and engaging for their old and new followers.
