In today’s world, Instagram is an extremely valuable tool for anyone who wants to establish their personal brand or grow their business.
If you’re someone who’s looking to get more engagement on your posts and grow your account, you’ve probably seen dozens of articles and blog posts about “Instagram marketing ideas.”
The truth is that most of these articles are just clickbait.
They’ll tell you vague things like “post engaging content” or “make sure your captions are compelling,” but they won’t tell you how many times per day to post, what hashtags to use, or anything else with real substance that can help your account grow.
In this article, we’ll break down all the things we’ve learned from growing our Instagram following from zero to thousands upon thousands in just a few months so that you can replicate those results for yourself.
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Focus on creating high-quality and visually appealing content. |
| 2. Engage with your audience through comments and direct messages. |
| 3. Utilize relevant hashtags to increase your content’s visibility. |
| 4. Collaborate with influencers to expand your reach. |
| 5. Consistency is key – post regularly to maintain engagement. |
Be Consistent
Consistency is key when it comes to Instagram. If you want people to follow and interact with your account, they need a reason. And that reason must be consistent. You can’t just post random photos one day and then not post again for a week or two.
You need to maintain a flow of content on your feed so that people know what they’re going to get when they see an update from you. A good rule of thumb is posting once per day (or every other day).
If consistency isn’t enough for you, here’s another thing: quality over quantity! People don’t care about how many times per day or week you post if the quality isn’t there.
They’ll just move on without warning or notice if all the posts don’t measure up in some way (whether it’s a visual appeal or something else). So keep quality in mind as well!
Building a strong Instagram presence from scratch can be challenging, especially when you’re starting with little to no followers. Learn effective strategies to grow your Instagram account even when you’re just beginning your journey.
Post Quality Content
When you post on Instagram, you’re expected to do it in a certain way. While it’s easy to just take a few pictures and throw them up there without thinking about what your audience wants to see, this isn’t a good idea for growing your following.
You should always be thinking about what kind of content people want when they’re scrolling through their feed:
Relevance: Your photos should relate to the niche that you have chosen for yourself or your business – if not directly then at least thematically.
This is important because it will help users feel like they’re getting an authentic experience from your account by giving them images that fit into their profile of who they think you are as an influencer.
Quality: Your photos should also have high-quality images so they look professional and appealing! You want people coming back again and again so don’t skimp out on quality here!
Relevance (again): This one might sound obvious but make sure all the hashtags used in any given post are relevant both within the context of the image itself (I’d say no surprise party selfies) but also within the context of other tags around the same subject matter/theme etc.
Use Hashtags To Your Advantage
In a previous section, we discussed the importance of being active on your Instagram account. By following this advice and posting consistently, you will be able to grow your audience and make a real connection with them.
But there is another key ingredient in growing your Instagram following that can help you achieve success: hashtags.
Hashtags themselves are simple enough; they’re just words prefaced by a pound sign (#), for example, #photography or #artwork.
But used correctly, hashtags can be extremely powerful tools for connecting with new people who share similar interests as you do and growing your followers as a result!
Looking to expand your business through social media? Discover how to tap into the power of Instagram with insightful tips on using Instagram marketing to drive growth and engagement for your brand.
Engage With Your Audience
Respond To Comments
Respond to comments. This is a simple and effective way of engaging with your audience. If someone likes, loves, or shares your content, show them some love back.
Reply to their comment and ask them questions about what they think about the post, why they shared it, and so on. The more you engage with your audience, the more likely they will be interested in following you back!
Start A Conversation
When it comes to growing an Instagram following on its own merits (as opposed to purchasing followers), this is something that should be part of every single marketing strategy for any business that wants to succeed online today.
There are many ways that businesses can start engaging with their fans even before they begin building up their follower count:
Ask for feedback about products/services offered by asking questions within posts themselves (e.g., “What do you think of my new product line?”).
Ask open-ended questions like these where people are allowed input without being specifically asked what kind of response would be most useful ahead of time: What’s one thing everyone should know before buying this type of product?
What’s most important when choosing which brand/company sells quality items like ours? How do we stand out from other companies offering similar services?”
Interact With Other Accounts
Interacting with other accounts is a great way to get your name out there and cultivate relationships with potential followers. It’s also an opportunity to show off your expertise especially if they are new in the niche and don’t have much of an audience yet.
Interact by:
- Commenting on other people’s posts (try not to comment more than once per day)
- Liking other people’s posts (try not to like more than once per day)
Nail Down Your Niche And Stick To It
The first thing to do is nail down your niche and stick to it. By “niche,” I mean the type of content you’re going to be posting on Instagram.
You can have multiple niches within a larger umbrella brand, but for each account, you need to know what you’re going to be posting before starting an account.
Next up is consistency. You want this account to feel like a real part of your brand and not just another thing that gets pushed aside when it’s convenient (or when Instagram tells you it needs more engagement). Consistency keeps people coming back for more!
You don’t have to break the bank to leverage Instagram ads for your business. Find out how to take advantage of Instagram ads without spending a fortune, and watch your reach and impact soar.
Follow Related Accounts
Following accounts that are related to your own will help you build a community on Instagram. This can be done by following other accounts that produce similar content, or by simply finding accounts that have a similar follower count and engagement rate to your own.
These metrics are useful because they allow you to see which of the accounts you follow are performing well within their niche, and whether they’re producing quality content or not.
If an account is posting great photos regularly, then it’s safe to assume that they’re doing something right! Following them will teach you what works for them and how you can use those methods in your account as well.
It’s also important not just to follow other users but also potential customers who enjoy the same type of photography as yourself; this gives potential clients something familiar when they visit your profile page for the first time (and encourages them into making purchases).
Like Photos. Leave Comments
It’s important to engage with others. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have if nobody is engaging with your content. The best way to do this is by leaving comments on other people’s photos, using hashtags in your comments, and liking other people’s photos.
You can also leave comments on posts and like photos of other people’s photos as long as they don’t mind a stranger liking them (they may not even know who you are).
Unfollow Unengaged Accounts
You should be following accounts on Instagram that engage with your content. To grow your following, you want to make sure that the people who are already following you are engaging with the content that you post – this means liking and commenting on it.
If they don’t, then they’re probably not going to stick around as followers or buyers of your products.
Unfollow Accounts That Don’t Engage With You Or Others
If someone follows an account, it’s likely because they want to see what’s being posted by that account – meaning if they aren’t engaging with it, then they’re probably not interested in seeing more of it (and vice versa).
So if one person is following another but isn’t engaging at all, why would either party continue interacting? It doesn’t make sense!
Crafting a successful Instagram marketing plan requires a deep understanding of the platform’s dynamics. Elevate your marketing strategy with tips for mastering your Instagram marketing plan and connect with your audience in meaningful ways.
Post New Photos Every Day
Posting new photos every day is a good idea.
But don’t just take my word for it! Instagram’s research shows that the more you post, the better your engagement rate will be.
And why wouldn’t they want you to post as much as possible? If everyone only posted once a week or less, how many users would be using their product each day?
So keep this in mind when choosing which of your photos get posted on Instagram: If a photo isn’t getting enough likes or comments after two days, don’t repost it it’s time for something new!
Post Engaging Content
This is a no-brainer and you know it, but there are two ways to stand out on Instagram: 1) Post engaging content and 2) engage with your audience.
Posting content that engages your audience requires a balance between what they want to see (what’s interesting), what they need (what’s useful), and what you want them to do (buy something).
The easiest way to engage people on Instagram is with captions. A good caption will entice the viewer into wanting more information by using questions, providing context for what they’re seeing, or answering questions viewers may have about the image or video you share with them.
You can also use hashtags in your posts to engage with other users who might be relevant to your brand’s growth.
For example, if you’re an apparel brand posting images of some new shoes or clothes as part of an ad campaign then tagging those posts with relevant hashtags could lead followers directly toward similar products that interest them enough that they’ll also follow along!
This can help improve sales conversions too – so don’t forget about this important step! Photo Caption Tip: Want some examples? Check out our previous blog post “15 Best Instagram Captions Ideas And Tips.”
Use Hashtags In Your Posts And Stories
Hashtags are a way to find content related to your niche, and they’re also a way to get your content seen by more people.
Don’t worry about following every single account that uses the hashtag you choose if you do, it will be difficult for you and everyone else using the same hashtag to stand out from each other.
It’s okay if some of your posts are not being seen by as many people as they could because of this limitation!
It’s better to use fewer hashtags when first starting with Instagram so that you can make sure they’re doing their job correctly before adding more into the mix.
Tag Related Businesses And Influencers
Tagging businesses on Instagram is one of the best ways to get your content in front of an audience that is already interested in your niche.
By tagging related businesses, you can increase engagement with people who are already interested in what you have to offer, which will help grow your following and get more people following you.
This also increases the chances that other accounts will share your posts because they want more followers too!
Avoid the common pitfalls that many Instagram beginners fall into. Learn from the experiences of others and steer clear of the biggest mistakes that Instagram beginners make, ensuring a smoother and more successful journey into the world of Instagram marketing.
Use Hashtags That People Search For
Hashtags can be used for a variety of things like getting more followers on Instagram or finding new potential customers for your business.
But hashtags are also great for driving traffic to specific pages or places where people might need information about something specific related to what it is that you post about most often (eagerly awaiting the return of Sherlock Holmes).
Use Geotags On Your Posts
Geotags are a great way to help drive traffic to your account. They’re also a great way to get people to come to see you when they’re in the area.
When you use geotags on your posts, it tells Instagram that people from certain locations are interested in what you have to offer and should be shown more of your stuff.
This is especially helpful for businesses who want their products or services seen by local customers.
If you have an ice cream shop, for example, adding a location tag with “New York City” will show up when someone searches nearby businesses offering those services (and if they aren’t searching specifically for ice cream shops).
Conclusion
So there you have it. A simple, proven plan for growing your Instagram following. You only need to do two things well: Create great content and engage with your audience.
Once you’ve mastered that, taking it a step further by collaborating with influencers can have a huge impact on your social media presence!
Further Reading
Explore more resources to enhance your Instagram marketing strategies:
Buffer’s Guide to Instagram Growth Learn proven techniques and insights to fuel your Instagram growth and engagement.
How to Build a Massive Following on Instagram Discover actionable tips to attract and retain a substantial follower base on Instagram.
Getting Followers on Instagram: 15 Actionable Tips Dive into actionable strategies for gaining followers on Instagram and boosting your brand’s presence.
FAQs
How can I effectively grow my Instagram following?
Growing your Instagram following requires a strategic approach. Engage with your audience consistently, post high-quality content, and use relevant hashtags to increase discoverability.
What are some tips for building a massive Instagram following?
Creating engaging and visually appealing content, collaborating with influencers, and leveraging user-generated content are effective ways to build a large and engaged Instagram following.
How can I attract more followers to my Instagram account?
Utilize Instagram Stories, engage with your followers through comments and direct messages, and run contests or giveaways to attract more users to your Instagram account.
Are there any proven methods to increase engagement on Instagram?
Yes, posting at optimal times, using interactive features like polls and questions in your Stories, and responding to comments promptly can significantly boost engagement on your Instagram posts.
What role do hashtags play in Instagram growth?
Hashtags categorize your content and make it discoverable to a wider audience. Research and use relevant hashtags that align with your content to increase visibility and attract new followers.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.