Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media networks, which has proven to be a great tool for promoting your business. For instance, Instagram engagement is tenfold higher than Facebook engagement, and 83% of Instagram users use it to learn more about brands or products.
However, Instagram is a very crowded platform, making it difficult for businesses of any kind to stand out and gain a large, engaged following. Still, it isn’t impossible as there are plenty of ways you can get Instagram followers to engage with your content and be interested in the products and services you offer.
In this article, we share five strategies to help you increase your Instagram follower count.
Table of Contents
Optimize your bio
One way of getting more Instagram followers is to optimize your bio. This is basically a summary of who and what you are, so make sure you make the most of the 150 characters that you have to promote your brand. An optimized IG bio should include a description of your brand, a CTA, and a link.
You can only use this clickable link in the platform’s main area. Some brands link directly to their website, while others update the link often to drive traffic to new posts or landing pages.
To highlight the posts of your audience and invite others to join, you should consider adding a branded hashtag to your bio.
Try different types of content
Experimenting with different types of content is another great way to get Instagram followers as it helps you reach a wider range of people.
In general, each type of IG content has its own benefits. For instance, Reels, the newest feature on the platform, offers different types of content that are larger than the photos on the Explore page. Considering that around 200 million people visit the Explore page every day, Reels can have a significant impact on the number of people you reach
Also, nearly 60% of brands consider Instagram to be an effective part of their social media strategy. If you have more than 10 thousand followers, you can add links to IG Stories to direct traffic to certain pages. Because of their high engagement rates, Instagram carousels are another type worth considering.
It can be difficult to use all of the content types available on the platform. However, you won’t know what works best for your audience if you don’t try.
Increase engagement with your audience
Interacting with your audience is also very important to growing your Instagram following. In other words, instead of waiting for your followers’ engagement to start, you can take action to create engagement opportunities.
For example, you can ask questions in Stories and in photo captions. Encourage users to tag other people in the comments. Every comment on your posts can be a way to gain new followers or to keep existing ones, so make sure you reply to every comment.
Use Hashtags
Hashtags are also essential if you want to get more followers. Using the right hashtags will help you reach a large and targeted audience as well as aid in building a community of people who share your interests.
Start by searching for hashtags that relate to your brand and appeal to your audience. Experts recommend using nine hashtags to get maximum engagement on Instagram. While Instagram allows 30 hashtags per post, be careful not to use the same hashtags repeatedly.
Many brands have their own hashtags to encourage people to use them. Some examples include #ImLovinIt or #JustDoIt, both of which we know what they stand up for.
Collaborate with others
Collaborations with other influencers or partners are another way to increase followers.
In general, when it comes to influencer marketing, it is expected to grow to $16.4 billion in the next year. Micro-influencers, which are influencers with 1000-10,000 followers, have better engagement rates than larger accounts.
Partnerships and collaborations, on the other side, can be a great way for you to express your values and personality through association. They are especially useful for local businesses.
Final thoughts
Instagram is undoubtedly one of the most used social media platforms today. This presents a great opportunity for brands to market their products.
While building your Instagram profile takes time, it is possible to see results quicker with some help. If you need help achieving your goals, follow the tips from our post to increase your Instagram followers and grow your account.
