Instagram has become one of the top social media platforms in the world and it is still growing and marketers are coming up with creative ways to gain followers on the platform. We have come up with a couple of simple growth tactics to implement in order to gain more Instagram followers.
Here are some growth tactics for more Instagram followers.
Utilize your Instagram Bio
You are able to have one link on the platform in your bio. You want to make sure that you are utilizing that precious real estate to your advantage. As your account grows there are other features you can leverage, such as links in your posts and in your stories. However, if you have a small following then the only real link you can have is in your Bio – which is why it’s super important.
You may be tempted to drive all your Instagram followers to the home page of your site or the about us page, but you should consider creating a land page specifically for your Instagram followers. This is a great opportunity to gather valuable information and create longer-lasting relationships.
By creating a landing page, you can showcase a special offer that your Instagram followers will take to. Maybe a free e-book download, a video you know they will love and appreciate, or an opportunity to grow your newsletter subscription.
Keep this link fresh and update from time to time with new special offers, but keep those offers of driving the same goal of growing your newsletter subscription.
Have a Solid Instagram Content Strategy
If you want to succeed on the Instagram platform, then you need to know what to post that will draw attention to your target audience.
A couple of things to consider when coming up with your Instagram Content Strategy
Be consistent in posting on Instagram
Out of sight, out of mind is never truer than on Instagram. Be consistent by posting constantly to the platform. In the beginning, test out posting times and analyze when you get the most likes and engagement and then be consistent on posting.
Have a Theme for Your Instagram Account
Make your brand shine on your Instagram account by keeping consistent with your theme. If you are posting motivation quotes then don’t have a random post with your kids on your feed. Does a post of your kids fit in your branding message? If not, then keep with a theme that will work and showcase your brand.
Higher Quality = Higher Engagement
While being consistent and having a theme is important for your growth on Instagram, it is even more important to have high-quality style pictures. We are not telling you to go out and hire a photographer, but we are saying that if the picture is not good, then don’t post it. Keep your standards high and your audience will keep coming back to your profile and will keep engaging with your posts.
Post Videos on Instagram (including Stories and Reels)
Video is really where it’s at nowadays. More and more brands are using video to help highlight their brand, and social media users are spending hours watching videos. While YouTube really dominates when it comes to long-form content and videos, the emergence of TikTok and Instagram’s “Reels” are really drawing users to prefer “short-form content.”
There are so many types of videos you can create, especially when it comes to short-form content. You can film people behind the scenes of your business to give social media users an inside look at what you are doing for your clients. You can cut up longer form videos into many short-form snippets, turn blog posts into videos and so much more. With Instagram’s Instagram Stories and Reels, this is a great way to keep your audience engaged in your day to day operations and helps grow your brand in the marketplace.
Engage with your Instagram Audience
While you are growing your audience on Instagram, do things that you can automate. A personal touch gives a voice to your brand and your profile on Instagram.
- Explore hashtags to see what people are discussing in your niche market. Take the time to do your research in the hashtag world. Use popular hashtags to get noticed and introduce your brand to that audience. Hashtags rule the world on Instagram.
- Engage directly with other users through comments. Put a couple of minutes each day and go and comment on posts that fit your demographic or your niche audience. You can mention other profiles similar to the same way you do Twitter with the @symbol.
- Use your name in comments to let people know who they are chatting with. If your profile is a brand profile, then when leaving comments to add your name on the end. This gives a little warm feeling and lets people know who is leaving the comment.
- Join in on the conversations on your competitor’s pages. There is no rule saying that you can’t converse with your competitor’s audience. This is a great way to get out in front of your demographics by joining in on the conversations on your competitor’s profile. Of course, keep it simple and lighthearted and nothing negative. If you share negative comments it will only make you look bad and not the other way around.
- Do your best to respond to all comments at the beginning of your growth. Engage with your audience by commenting back to their comments on your post. Make sure they know you are commenting back to them by direct contact with the (@profilename).
Shoutouts!!!
Building your digital marketing web is essential in your growth as a business and there is no better way than shoutouts by influencers. Influencers are a great way to expand your reach in the market place. There are numerous ways to grow your reach with influencers and we will touch on this a little.
Paid Shoutouts!
If you have a marketing budget, then you should have a line in there for influencers or Brand Ambassadors. There are tons of great influencers on Instagram that help brands reach a broader audience with just one post. This needs to be a strategic approach to get the most bang for your buck.
You can approach these influencers directly or you can use services that connect you to the right influencer for your market. There are also some apps out there that can also help connect you with influencers.
Offer FREE Stuff
If you sell a product or service, you can also woo influencers by offering free swing in exchange for shoutouts. If you are a clothing company, outdoor bag company, or any type of company or brand that can offer something for free in exchange for shoutouts then this is an avenue worth looking in to.
Don’t Overlook the Data
Instagram has introduced its new analytics for your company to track and see what works best for your brand. There are some companies out there like SocialRank, SocialBlade, and Minter to help track your analytics.
If you are using Social Media scheduling tools like Hootesuite and Tailwind it will have built-in analytics to help track the numbers.