Figuring out how to build an Instagram following is something nearly every Instagram user wants to figure out, especially businesses. Unfortunately, building your following isn’t always obvious. Instead, it can take work, trial and error and frustration if you try to do it all yourself. Luckily, you don’t have to, because we’ve put together this guide to help you grow your following and carve out your space in your niche.
There are a number of different things you can do to expand your following, and you’ll probably need to try more than one. These strategies are the kind of things that can be combined and stacked to create better, more effective Instagram growth. Before we get started, though, you need to know who your ideal follower is and why they should follow you. That will help you later.
Use An Instagram Growth Service
The first way to build an Instagram following is to use a growth service. This is very different from buying followers. When you just buy followers, you can’t control who you’re getting, if they’re real or if they’re relevant to your niche. You don’t know if they’ll stick around or unfollow you after a few days. And they most likely won’t be interested in engaging with your content.
But employing an Instagram growth service is different. An organic growth service will use engagement marketing tactics on your behalf to find real, organic followers who want to follow you. Engagement marketing involves finding ideal followers and liking some of their photos so they see your account. Then, they’ll come check out your profile and decide if they like what they see. If they do, they’re likely to hit the “follow” button. Since they’ve chosen on their own to follow you, you know they want to see your content, and they’re probably going to engage with your content.
Always steer clear of anyone who says you can buy a specific number of followers. There’s no way to guarantee that unless they’re using fake accounts or bots, and like we said before – you don’t want those types of accounts following you anyway. Instead, make sure you read a company’s process so you understand how it works and where your followers will come from so you know they’re real.
Optimize Your Profile
Another key element to growing your Instagram following is ensuring your profile is up-to-date and ready to impress. After all, when people follow you, they first see your profile. If they don’t like what they see there and aren’t impressed with your content, they’ll probably click away. So audit your profile and see what you need to improve.
Your bio is your first impression. Make sure your bio clearly states who you’re and what your mission is. You have a limited word count, but use emojis as necessary to communicate as much information as possible. Then, employ the call to action buttons so people can easily contact you. Finally, make the most of the link in your bio by using a link in bio tool that allows you to include multiple links so your audience can access all of your important content that’s not on Instagram.
At the end of the day it’s your content that draws followers to your page. Stick to a consistent theme that matches your niche and brand. This will give off a positive first impression when potential followers come to your account. Be real and genuine and consistent with your brand’s personality, but also try to make your Instagram account look coherent. The more put-together you can make it, the more likely potential followers are to like it.
Post High-Quality Photo And Video Content
Speaking of making your account look good, let’s talk about your posts themselves. You want your photos and videos to be good quality so your followers will look forward to seeing them and feel compelled to engage. You’ll also want to encourage engagement in your captions. Strong captions are important, because they keep your followers reading all the way through so they can reach the call-to-action. Ask questions and encourage your followers to comment or share the post.
You can also run contests or giveaways on your feed posts. Those images and captions tend to get plenty of views. Ask for engagement (such as likes, comments and even tagging a friend), and watch the comments appear. Make sure whatever you’re giving away is aligned with your brand so you get engagement from the right people.
Video content is also incredibly important on Instagram, and you have plenty of options of what kind of videos to create. IGTV allows you to post long videos, Instagram Live lets you go live with your audience, and the newest option, Reels, gives you the chance to have fun with your content.
Videos have high engagement, and social media platforms like Instagram are actually giving more attention to videos than photos. They are also a great opportunity to be personable with your followers and help them get to know you. IGTV videos are a great place to post tutorials. Instagram Live is perfect for Q&As or live training where you can engage with your audience. With Instagram Story videos, you can easily show the behind the scenes of your business. Reels, much like TikTok, is the perfect place to share fun, goofy videos that allow you to just be creative for a little while.
Take Advantage Of Free Instagram Tools
Finally, if you’re wondering how to build an Instagram following, you should look into taking advantage of free tools on the internet. Sure, there are also lots of paid programs and platforms, but when you’re just getting started, there are free tools that can help you elevate your strategy significantly. Some tools do a variety of tasks, but sometimes it’s best to use multiple tools when each one specializes in something different. This way, you know you’re getting the best of the best and can be confident in the programs you’re using. Here are four that you really should be using.
- Squarelovin’
The first tool to mention is Squarelovin’, an Instagram analytics tool. Analytics are crucial on Instagram and any other social media platform, because they show you what your audience does and doesn’t like. You can compare how well two different posts performed to determine the type of content your audience wants to see. You can also look at when they’re most active to determine the best time for you to post. With a dashboard like Squarelovin’s, you’ll be able to see your growth, account stats, and engagement with a quick and easy look. If you only use one tool, it should be an analytics tool.
- Preview
Another great tool to have in use is an Instagram scheduling app, like Preview. You don’t want to have to think about posting to Instagram every single day. Instead, with a scheduling app you can batch-produce your content and get it ready to go. Whether you use a scheduling program that automatically posts for you or one that reminds you to do so, you’ll have everything set to go so you can quickly and easily publish content and move on with your day. By scheduling in advance, you can save time and stay consistent. Being consistent also helps your followers know what to expect from you and helps them look forward to your posts.
- Kicksta Hashtag Generator
An excellent way to grow your reach on Instagram is by having a good hashtag strategy, but it can be difficult to decide what hashtags to use. Knowing which hashtags are relevant to your audience can feel overwhelming at first. That’s why a tool like Kicksta’s hashtag generator can come in handy. You can start with one hashtag and then search for top, random and best match hashtags that are related to your first one. This can help you find the most current, popular hashtags in your industry or niche so you can get in front of your ideal audience easily.
- Adobe Photoshop Express
We already talked about how important it is to be sharing high-quality photos. Using a tool like Adobe Photoshop Express will help you edit your photos quickly and easily and make them look great. It’s an easy-to-use app with one touch transformations so you don’t have to be a designer to make your photos look better. If you’re not sure what to do, Adobe Photoshop Express also has video tutorials and ways to spark your inspiration so you can upgrade your photo game.
Building An Instagram Following
Trying to figure out how to build an Instagram following is not an easy task. With the tips we’ve shared here, as well as these four free tools, you’re certainly ready to begin. As with everything, you’ll need to test these strategies to see what works for you. That’s why it’s so important to have an analytics tool. When you have data and can see how posts resonated with your audience, you’ll be able to make better-informed decisions moving forward and can create the best possible content for your audience, even if you’re in a highly-competitive niche.