Instagram is an immensely popular social media platform that is accessed by over one billion people every month. It is reported that 63 percent of Instagram users check into the platform at least once a day and spend an average of 28 minutes scrolling through the feed. It is also an extremely user-friendly platform with a simple and intuitive interface that makes it easy for beginners to navigate on the platform, irrespective of their age.
Anyone who wants to use visual marketing to promote their brand prefers Instagram over other platforms as imagery takes center stage here. Instagram also helps brands to get noticed by more customers as the potential advertising reach of Instagram is approximately 849.3 million users.
If you want to drive profitable traffic to your website or blog through Instagram, it is vital to have a substantial number of users following your Instagram profile. Having more followers allows you to engage with your audience and create unique content for them.
It is also critical to build an authentic audience as Instagram is very prompt in removing accounts with fake followers. Moreover, your fake followers won’t be able to give you any engagement in the long run.
The good news is that you can implement some simple strategies to get more Instagram followers. You can focus on creating micro-connections with your audience and gradually convert them into paying customers.
In this article, we will look at the top tips on how to get more Instagram followers and get your message delivered to the potential customers.
Research And Incorporate The Right Hashtags
If you want to develop an effective plan for how to get more Instagram followers, hashtags are the first port of call. Hashtags are a great way to define your brand and connect with potential audiences.
The goal is to find hashtags that the target audience is more likely to check so you can get them to follow your account. While finding the right hashtag is a time-consuming process, it is critical for increasing conversions and outreach.
You can use the ‘Search and Explore’ tab on Instagram to locate the most popular hashtags. For maximum effect, it is advisable to use a combination of hashtags, including:
- Extremely popular hashtags – (associated with approximately 100,000 to 500,000 posts)
- Moderately popular hashtags – (associated with approximately 10,000 to 100,000 posts)
- Unique hashtags – specific to your brand or campaign.
For instance, if you have a fitness brand, then you can use popular hashtags like #instafit, #bodybuilding, and #homeworkout.
You can add up to 30 hashtags per post. However, make sure not to add them all in the caption. You can add a few in the comments. This strategy maximizes the performance of your posts and allows the target audience to locate you. It is also recommended to track the hashtags daily as the trends keep changing.
Use Instagram Advertising
Creating visibility and awareness about your profile is crucial for gaining new followers. Promoted posts on Instagram are a great way to reach out to a new audience. It allows you to increase brand awareness and get your content noticed by those who are unlikely to come across your posts organically. Wondering how to promote on Instagram? The answer lies in Instagram advertising.
Instagram advertising is an excellent opportunity to connect with new followers. There are over 2 million users who actively use the platform to promote their brands through advertising. You have the option of running different ads such as newsfeed ads, carousel ads, story ads, and boosted ads. You can run ads by promoting your posts on Instagram by using the ‘Promote’ button under each post.
You can also use the Ads Manager for running a new ad campaign. Instagram also allows you to place retargeting ads to target those customers who have visited your website but did not complete the purchase. These ads can include a specific call-to-action button to help drive traffic or conversions. So if you target the right audience with a number of ads, it increases your chances of gaining more followers.
Post Instagram Stories
Approximately 500 million accounts on Instagram view Instagram stories regularly. Instagram stories allow you to share moments or make important announcements through a series of photos or videos. You can also use Instagram stories to create polls that encourage more audience interaction.
As the Instagram stories appear right on top of the feed and explorer page, it is a great way to connect with more followers. The more frequently you update Instagram stories, the more they will show up on the explorer page, allowing new followers to discover your profile and follow you. You can also add up to 10 hashtags in Instagram Stories to increase the chances of new followers discovering your profile.
Post Compelling Videos
Videos are a vital component of Instagram marketing strategy as the demand for video content on Instagram is huge. In 2017, Instagram reported that there was an 80% increase in the user time spent watching videos.
Videos that are posted on the Instagram result in 21.2% higher engagement as compared to single photos. You can also increase engagement by 3x if you make video ads instead of sponsored photo ads.
It is not surprising that about 53.4% of marketers view Instagram videos as an essential component of their digital marketing strategies. The bottom line is that you must post more videos if you want to learn how to increase Instagram followers.
If you are planning to get Instagram followers by uploading video content, you cannot skimp on editing. Editing helps correct any inconsistencies and eliminate mistakes. That’s where the right Instagram video editor comes into play.
InVideo is an intuitive and free online video editor that allows you to create professionally edited videos for Instagram in a few simple steps.
You can choose from a variety of professionally designed templates and customize them as per your requirements. You can also use promo video templates to make promo videos for your brand. You can add transitions, animations, colors, fonts, images, and music to make your videos stand out from the crowd.
Use Instagram Nametags
Instagram nametags are a powerful tool for marketing on Instagram. It is a QR code that users can scan using the app and automatically follow the new profiles. You can set up your nametag in the app and customize it through different design options. You can add the QR code in your promotional materials such as flyers, emails, conference agendas, and get noticed by new followers. It is the perfect way to connect with your offline customers online.
Explore Instagram Live Collaborations
If you want to learn the secret of how to get more Instagram followers, make it a point to explore the ‘Instagram Live’ feature. It is an excellent way to engage with the existing audience and bring in new followers. Explore the opportunities to collaborate with influencers in your niche and create content with them to gain more followers.
For example, if you are launching a cafe serving healthy food, it is a great idea to collaborate with a nutritionist and conduct a Q&A on Instagram Live. It will allow you to show your potential customers that your business has a face and help them create a strong relationship with your brand.
Know The Right Time To Post Your Content
The Instagram algorithm determines which posts are more likely to show up on the user feed. The current algorithm does not show posts in a chronological manner. Instead, newer posts are more likely to appear on the feed first. Therefore, you must post when your audience is online, enhancing your chances of getting noticed by new followers. Since every brand and target audience is unique, you need to find out the time that works for your brand. For example, if your account is focused on media and entertainment, mornings may not be the ideal time to upload new posts.
Tag The Right Accounts In Your Post
Another way to increase followers on Instagram is by tagging the relevant users and influencers on your posts and stories. The tagged users get a chance to engage with the post by sharing it on their profiles. This exposes your Instagram profile to a more extensive network of users who would not have otherwise come across your post.
Learn From Instagram Insights
The analytics on Instagram provides valuable data on the impressions received for each post, reach, engagement, demographic information about the followers, etc. You can review this data regularly to change your strategy to get more followers. For example, you can use analytics to learn the preference of your followers from the demographics and customize the content accordingly. You can also change the timing of publishing your posts to gain more followers from a particular region.
Conclusion
The goal for every profile on Instagram should be to discover the real audience who are keen to engage with your brand. That’s why it is imperative to build an Instagram strategy that is focussed on how to get more Instagram followers easily.
We hope that the tips shared above help you tweak your practices, gain more loyal followers, and increase your reach.
