Social media presence is an unstated necessity in this digital era, and the success of your business could easily hinge on it.
If you feel slightly overwhelmed by the thought of growing your Instagram followers, then don’t! There are some simple ways by which you can grow your presence and improve your Instagram popularity. Of course, there are paid tools that can do the job for you, but let’s talk about something that doesn’t cost you money and is more authentic.
- #Hashtag your pictures
Hashtags allow you to target a particular audience. The more specific you are with your tags, the more focused your potential consumer will be, which could work in your favor. For example, you might be tempted to tag a picture of your breakfast with #food. Instead, you could be more specific. Use #pancakes for high specificity, or #breakfast, if you want to be discovered by a specific audience. Using hashtags that are unique to your business along with general hashtags that connect like-minded users to a specific topic creates value.
You’re allowed a maximum of 30 hashtags per post, but you might want to think strategy. Using a few relevant tags per caption is great, and add the rest of them in the comment section! Be strategic in your hashtag usage, now that Instagram allows users to follow hashtags too! You can get more tips from our article, Hashtags on Instagram: do’s and don’ts.
- Geotag your pictures
Capitalize on the sense of familiarity that Instagram users feel towards locations they know by geotagging your images. Users are interested in knowing where the action is happening just as they are interested in pictures from locations that they know. Another advantage is that other users posting pictures from the same location may see your photos and be led to your page.
- Know what’s trending
Be on the lookout for posts that garner the most likes and interactions in your business community. See what’s popular and use similar ideas for your future posts. Did you know? Pictures that contain an element of symmetry are quite popular! Pictures that have the potential for human connection also attract more engagement. Growing your Instagram followers means so much more than simply adding numbers – it increases your chances for meaningful conversation with a wider audience. And introduce yourself as well! Your followers want to know who you are and see more of you.
- Caption your pictures
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but adding a caption does wonders for any image, giving it both meaning and perspective. A caption is a great way to attract a viewer’s attention and has the power to transform an ordinary picture into a brilliant one through wit. If you can make your audience laugh, you know you’re on your way to an increased following! Ask a question and be the one to start the conversation. Do not forget to answer your followers as well!
- Filter power
Instagrammers seem to respond more favorably to certain filters. This may have an impact on engagement with your audience. The top 5 filters gathering the most likes seem to be Willow, Normal (no filter), Toaster, Mayfair and Sutro. Try a few of them and pick your favorite filter matching your brand and color palette.
- Pace your pictures
No matter how tempting it may be to post numerous pictures all at once, don’t! Spread them out uniformly over a couple of days to make sure you don’t spam your followers’ feeds. You could also use apps like PicFrame and PhotoShake! that combine multiple images into one single frame if you really want all those images to be seen immediately. Don’t spam your own profile and be consistent! It is better to post once a day than to post 5 times on a Monday and nothing for the rest of the week.
- Connect and converse
In the real world, you talk, you interact with people, and win friends. You do the same on Instagram and grow your followers. Connect your Instagram account with your Facebook page so that more friends can see your pictures and follow you on Instagram as well. Tweet about your latest Instagram image, or pin it on Pinterest to increase the chances of being discovered.
If you see a picture you like within your community, comment on it, like it, repost it if you must. That’s how you get noticed and are more likely to acquire new followers. If you share someone else’s picture, always remember to give them credit.
- Time it right
Access your Instagram analytics to see at what time of day and during which day of the week your audience is most active on the app. Once you know when engagement would be maximum, post your pictures. There’s a better chance for your pictures to be discovered at this time.
- Run a contest
A contest is a great way to improve your organic reach and to connect with your audiences. Begin with setting up goals and developing a clear strategy on the type of contest you wish to run, such as tag a friend, comment-to-win, like-to-win, or photo challenge. Set the duration for the contest, and determine contest conditions. Pick prizes that are relevant to your brand and its message. Create a unique hashtag for your contest and promote it over various channels. A successful contest will generate additional leads, increase your reach or sales, increase brand awareness, and of course, grow your Instagram following.
- Promote yourself
Let your audience and potential followers know who you are, and what your business is all about. Use Facebook’s integration with Instagram to your advantage to reach a wider audience, and boost your posts if you think necessary. Affix your Instagram handle to your other social media bios, and use an Instagram business card. Invite your contacts through email to follow you on Instagram. Be proud of your brand and of yourself, and people will feel the same way!
As Instagram releases new features and offers better experiences, use them to your advantage to grow your audience and increase engagement. Begin with these ten ways to grow your Instagram followers, and leverage the platform to your brand’s advantage.
At Them You & Me, we guide you through your social media strategy. If you would like some insight and assistance with Instagram, we’re happy to help.
Digitally yours,
Marie
This content was inspired by a great article that can be found here.
