10 Ways to Get More Instagram Followers
Want to know how to get more Instagram followers?
As a brand or small business, growing a following on Instagram can be tricky.
The days of “cheating the system” with buying followers or using bots are over. These things may make it appear as if you have more followers, but they do not help your business in reality.
Followers are only truly valuable when they are your ideal audience who care about what you have to offer. So how do you get more ideal followers on Instagram?
Here are ten ways to get followers on Instagram:
1. Have a clear Instagram marketing strategy
If you want to use Instagram effectively, you need a clear strategy. While getting followers is a great goal, followers shouldn’t be the only metric that determines your success. Instead, gaining followers should be part of your larger digital marketing strategy and business objectives.
2. Use Keywords to Appear in Searches
If you want to gain followers, people have to find you first. That is why you want to make sure your page is optimized for searches and easy to find. The first step is to use relevant keywords in your Instagram name. So Instead of just putting “Bob Smith,” try putting “Bob Smith - Travel photographer.” This simple change will up your chances of getting discovered when someone is looking for a travel photographer on Instagram.
3. Use relevant hashtags to reach new users
Hashtags are still the best way to get discovered on Instagram. Therefore, using hashtags thoughtfully and strategically will help you reach new users and increase your following. You can include up to 30 hashtags in an Instagram post, but hashtags are often more effective based on quality rather than quantity. Do some experimenting to learn how many hashtags work best for your particular account.
4. Post content that is shareable
Getting other users to share your content is one of the best ways to get free advertising and exposure. Think about creating content that a large number of people can resonate and connect with so they will want to share on their Instagram stories or feed. Great examples of viral content are quotes, infographics, memes, blogs, etc. The more content other people are sharing, the more exposure and followers you will get.
5. Aim for the Explore page
The explore page is where you can find photos and videos that you might like from accounts you don’t yet follow. So getting featured on the explore page will let Instagram share your content with users who might be interested. Half of Instagram accounts visit Explore every month. That’s a huge opportunity for brands looking to grow their audience.
6. Encourage UGC and others to tag you
Another way to get exposed to new users is to encourage your audience to create content on your behalf and tag you on their posts. User-generated content (UGC) tends to do very well on Instagram because people trust their peers and are likely to follow in their footsteps. A great way to encourage UGC is to create an original hashtag for your brand and feature the content on your page.
7. Engage with Existing Communities
Like all social media networks, Instagram is about creating community. You want to engage with those communities and build your own. Get involved by liking, commenting on, and sharing content from other credible users in your community. Avoid generic comments (like “Awesome post!”) that look like they come from bots.
8. Collaborate with Other Brands
Collaboration over competition. ALWAYS. So don’t be afraid to reach out to other brands to see how you can work together on Instagram. If you collaborate with the right accounts, it will help everyone involved gain more followers. Collaborations could look anything like IG lives, giveaways, IGTVs, bundles, etc.
9. Work with Influencers in your niche
Influencers are still a great way to gain exposure to the right audiences. 60% of consumers say they’d follow a brand on Instagram after seeing it promoted by an influencer they trust. Find influencers in your niche and find ways to collaborate with them to gain exposure and increase your followers.
10. Run contests and giveaways
Contests and giveaways are a guaranteed way to increase your following. People love to win free stuff, and they love interacting with their favorite accounts. Giveaways will also increase brand awareness and give your brand a positive image. Try running contests and giveaways where users have to tag their friends and share on their stories to enter.
If you are struggling with growing your Instagram and want some guidance, let us help!
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