Each month, one billion active users access Instagram across the globe. If you want to reach a large audience, Instagram is certainly the way to go. The visual platform is easy to engage with, making it a perfect way to connect with your audience.
But how do you even go about gaining more followers? Luckily, with a solid plan and consistent engagement, you can boost Instagram followers for your account. Let’s take a look at exactly how to do it.
Optimize Your Profile
Your profile is the page where people figure out everything they need to know about you. So it’s important that it is completed fully and in the best way possible. After all, it shows off your brand identity.
To start, choose a profile image that stands out and shows something about you. It can be a picture of you if you are the face of your account. Or it could be something about your brand. A logo is always a good way to go.
You also need to fill out your bio. Say a little bit about what you do. Start with the question “why should people be interested in following you?” You can also sprinkle in related keywords or hashtags that can help you get found easier.
The link in your bio is a great way to get people to take the next step. You could link to your homepage if you have a website. Or you could link to content that you feature in “link in bio” posts. You can also use a link landing page so you can add multiple links of interest.
Your username is more important than you may realize. You want it to be search-friendly so people can find you if they are looking for you or related topics. Because of this, try keeping your username close to your brand name.
You can shorten your username if your brand name is too long. But make sure it’s something your audience can recognize. Also, don’t add numbers or special characters. If you already have another social media presence, keep your handles as close to the same as possible.
Create a Consistent Instagram Post Schedule
Consistency is key when it comes to getting followers on Instagram. You want to post every day around the same time to make sure your followers don’t forget you. It also keeps your brand at the front of their mind.
You can post multiple times a day, as long as it doesn’t become spammy. About three times per day is ideal. In order to try to get the most people to see your posts, you should publish throughout the day.
When you post is just as important as how often. You want to post when your potential followers are most active. There are a few general guidelines as to when is best. But you should also experiment a bit to see when you get the most engagement.
If you’re planning on logging in and setting up a post whenever you are scheduled to do so, it’s going to get old pretty quickly. Luckily, there are scheduling tools that can help. You can upload your posts ahead of time, including captions and hashtags.
Then the tool does the hard work for you. These tools can also help you see your upcoming content visually, which is important on a visual platform. In addition, you are much more likely to remain consistent with your Instagram post schedule.
Post Valuable Content
People follow accounts that provide them with valuable content. Whether this content comes from entertainment, helpful advice, or something else, it needs to provide something to them. Otherwise, they simply will not follow.
If you want to gain more organic followers, you need to post this type of content. You need to craft posts that are entertaining, helpful, or valuable in some way. To do this, you have to learn what your followers want to see.
Start by keeping an eye out for new Instagram trends as they start on the scene. This can give you a starting point for what is popular. Your competitors can also be a good place to find tips for what is working.
When doing this, make sure your content is still unique in some way. If you simply copy everything one of your competitors is doing, you aren’t providing your followers with something valuable.
You should also listen to your followers. What posts of yours are they currently engaging with? Once you discover what type of posts your followers enjoy, you can tailor your new content to match their preferences.
With this information, you’ll start to feel comfortable in what you are doing. However, keep the door open for experimentation. Change caption, posting times, or content types. You might end up discovering something else that works or even starting a new trend.
Take Advantage of New Features
Instagram continually works to improve the app. The app today looks almost entirely different than the app did years ago. These changes lead to new features and new ways to connect with your followers.
One of these features is Instagram Live. With Live, you can engage and grow your followers by hosting special events, doing interviews, or sharing your thoughts. It can be a great way to create direct engagement.
Instagram Reels have also become quite popular recently. With this feature, you can post entertaining videos that are only around 15 or 30 seconds long. This feature also comes with editing tools and allows you to add music and extras.
It is also important to keep an eye out for what is coming in the future. If a new feature is unveiled, you want to make sure your brand is able to use it right away. Consider occasionally checking Instagram news to see if any new developments occur.
As Instagram continues to evolve, keeping up with these new features can help you stay on the cutting edge to boost your audience engagement.
Connect with Partners
You don’t have to go at it alone. You can even harness your audience to connect with them and grow your followers. User-generated content has quickly become a great way to feature unique content and help your audience feel connected and showcase how they feel about your brand.
For instance, if a follower shares a post about using and loving one of your products, you could reach out to them and ask for permission to share their post. Just be sure to give proper credit to build trust with the user.
You could also host contests to create even more user-generated content. Perhaps you might hold a giveaway where you choose a winner out of everyone who shares a post about your brand and uses a unique hashtag.
This can get your account shared with a larger audience than you might be able to on your own. Finally, connecting with influencers can be another helpful way of building influence and credibility.
Avoid Fake Followers
While gaining as many followers as possible may seem like a good idea, it’s very important that those followers and legitimate followers. Fake followers don’t add anything of value to your account. After all, they won’t share or comment on your content.
In addition, you could lower your credibility if your actual followers learn that your high number of followers is mostly bots or fake accounts. If you are paying for these followers, you’re not going to see a good return out of your investment.
Engage with Your Followers
You might be tempted to create your posting schedule, get everything ready, and forget it until you need to update your posting schedule again. But if you want to build brand loyalty, you need to actively engage with your followers.
If someone posts a comment on one of your posts, make sure to reply. A simple reply can go a long way in establishing a community. It can also show that your social media is responsive, making more users interested in following.
This is especially important when it comes to questions or concerns from your followers. You want to show that you actually care for and listen to them.
You can also engage with users who are not quite your followers yet. Search for relevant hashtags and look at the posts that show up. Don’t be afraid to interact with other users’ posts too. It shows you are engaged and you’re likely to get followers from this activity.
Get Ready to Boost Instagram Followers for Your Account
If you want to boost Instagram followers for your account, it’s vital that you are active on the platform, both with your own posts and in interactions with others. You should also use all of the new features, optimize your bio, and avoid fake followers.
