Instagram is a powerful visual marketing platform that can help grow your brand and build a dedicated fan base. With over 500 million daily users, it has become one of the most engaging social media channels.
If you want to increase your Instagram followers and engagement and build a loyal following over time, you need to follow these ten proven tips to ensure that you attract real fans, not bots or fake followers.
Optimize Your Instagram Profile
Before thinking about getting more followers, it’s essential to ensure your Instagram account is set up correctly. Ask yourself, does your profile look professional? Pay attention to details such as your profile picture, Instagram bio, and bio link. These elements define your brand identity and can impact your account’s discoverability.
Ensure that your username is search-friendly and your profile picture is professional. Also, make sure that your bio link is strategically placed and points to a social landing page that encourages meaningful interactions.
Define Your Target Audience
To grow your Instagram following, you must know your target audience. Understanding your audience’s interests and preferences will help you create content that resonates with them, resulting in higher engagement rates and more followers.
Post High-Quality Content
Posting high-quality, visually appealing content is essential to attract and retaining Instagram followers. Invest in quality photography or use a professional graphic design tool to create eye-catching visuals.
Remember, consistency is key. Try to post at least once a day, and use Instagram Insights to track your content’s performance and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Use Hashtags Strategically
Using relevant hashtags can help your content get discovered by a broader audience, leading to more followers. Use a mix of popular and niche-specific hashtags that are relevant to your content and target audience.
What’s the Optimal Number of Hashtags to Use in an Instagram Post?
To avoid appearing like a spammer, limiting yourself to five to seven hashtags is typical. However, you can include as many as 30 hashtags in a post.
Where Should Hashtags be Placed in an Instagram Post?
You can add them directly to the post or in a separate comment right after publishing it; it’s a matter of personal preference.
Some users choose to add single periods divided by line breaks after their caption and then include hashtags. The decision is yours, but it’s crucial to remain consistent across posts to give your profile a polished, professional look.
Engage with Your Followers
Engage with your followers by responding to comments and direct messages and tagging them in your posts. Creating a dialogue with your followers helps build relationships and encourages them to engage with your content further.
Collaborate with Other Influencers and Brands
Partnering with other influencers and brands in your industry can help you reach a new audience and increase your Instagram followers. Collaborate on campaigns or cross-promote each other’s content to expand your reach.
Host Instagram Giveaways
Hosting Instagram giveaways is an effective way to increase engagement and attract new followers. Encourage users to like, comment and tag friends on your giveaway post to enter the contest and share the post on their profile to gain even more visibility.
Use Instagram Stories and Reels
Instagram Stories and Reels are powerful tools to showcase behind-the-scenes content and offer a more authentic look at your brand. Use them to drive engagement and connect with your followers on a deeper level.
Run Instagram Ads
Investing in Instagram Ads is an excellent way to promote your profile to your audience. You can create compelling carousel ads and market your content using Facebook’s Power Editor.
By leveraging Power Editor’s advanced targeting features, you can focus your Instagram Ad campaign on people who are more likely to engage with your brand based on their interests and behaviors.
Testing and experimenting with different strategies is important to find what works best for your business or personal brand. So, choose the strategies that work well for you and your goals.
