8 Ways to Get More Instagram Followers
Growing your Instagram account may not be as easy as it used to be. But there are some strategic tips and tricks you can try out.
Here are 8 ways to get more Instagram followers.
1. Use Instagram Reels
If you’re not sharing to Instagram Reels, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity for your brand! Instagram Reels is a way to record up to 30-second video clips set to music on Instagram.
Similar to TikTok videos, Instagram Reels have the chance to go seriously viral. Instead of users only seeing Reels from the accounts they follow, users will see Reels from all accounts. This is a major game changer.
Sharing your Reel to your feed is an incredible way to increase your reach way beyond your followers — and possibly go viral doing so!
2. Optimise your profile for search
Optimising your profile for search is a majorly underutilised Instagram hack for growing your following.
Previously, if users searched for “at-home workouts”, the hashtag or accounts with the words “at-home workout” in their username would populate. But now, posts with captions, names or bios that feature “at-home workouts” should show up in search, even if that hashtag isn’t in the post. With this change, it’s still more important than ever to optimise your username and bio for search.
The best way to be found on Instagram search is to optimise your username and name field. The words you include in your name field and Instagram bio are actually searchable on Instagram, making it prime keyword real estate in your bio.
Although most people nail their username, they trip up when it comes to the name. For your name field, think about what your niche is, which industry you’re in, who you target, what solution you offer, etc. When in doubt, pop that term into the search bar on Instagram and see what appears.
So take advantage of your bio by changing your name field to something relevant to your brand or business. It’s a great way to improve your chances of appearing in the top results, if anyone searches for your target keywords.
3. Work with micro-influencers
If you’re looking to reach new audiences, then working with micro-influencers is one of the best ways to go.
While blue checks and high follower counts might be tempting, those influencers may not be the best choice for your brand or business. Micro-influencers (between 10K and 100K followers) offer the best combo of engagement and reach.
Partnering with micro-influencers has the potential of tapping into a really engaged audience without having to fight for their attention. Since micro-influencers work on a smaller scale, they tend to have less sponsored posts and are known for a specific interest or niche.
4. Create authentic, shareable content
The power of authenticity on Instagram for growing your followers is massive. One of the best ways to reach a larger group of people is by creating authentic, shareable content.
On Instagram, shared content is one of the best ways to spread your message. Users can share feed posts on their Instagram Stories or through direct messages. Whether it’s talking about the struggles of owning a business or your step-by-step skincare routine, when you’re open with your audience, your followers sense it. When you make your followers feel like friends, they may feel a natural pull to share your content with their own community of followers.
The Instagram algorithm tends to favour posts that get a lot of engagement, so when your posts are shared, it will bump the post up on peoples’ feeds. And if a post has enough engagement, it might even end up on the Explore Page. The simple act of sharing can go a long way for your brand, so it’s worth putting an effort into creating authentic, shareable content.
TIP:
Slot out time to be active on Instagram. On top of replying to comments and DMs, don’t forget about interacting with the accounts you follow and those that have similar audiences to yours. There’s a high chance their followers will check you out! When you see a post you genuinely like, comment on it! Plus, your comment may be pinned and easily seen by hundreds of potential new followers.
Engaging with other accounts also lets the Instagram algorithm know you have a “relationship” with them. This will help your account show up in related and suggested account suggestions.
5. Promote Instagram content on other platforms
If you’re looking for new ways to grow your Instagram following, cross promoting your Instagram on other platforms, like TikTok or Pinterest, could be the answer. With TikTok’s unique algorithm and Pinterest’s increasing referral traffic, many creators and brands have noticed an increase in their Instagram following since joining TikTok and Pinterest.
On TikTok, one of the first things you can do to ensure Instagram traffic is by connecting your Instagram account to your TikTok. Similarly, claiming your Instagram account on Pinterest comes with a number of loaded benefits. By claiming your account and pinning your Instagram posts, you can drive more traffic and engagement to your Instagram content over a long period of time.
If TikTok and Pinterest aren’t in your marketing strategy, you can always direct people to your Instagram through your website, email newsletter, podcast, X, Facebook and YouTube.
6. Write longer captions
Long captions are the latest trend, especially with the new Instagram keyword search. The average caption length has more than doubled since 2016. Now the average caption length is 405 characters — which averages out to be 65-70 words.
Instagram used to be all about the visuals. But now, audiences are looking to learn more about you, your brand and your mission. Influencers were first to jump on this trend by sharing lengthy captions on their posts to give greater insight into their world or to share their insight on current events.
Now brands are starting to take advantage of the trend too, especially when it comes to raising awareness for the causes they care about.
When you share more with your audience through your Instagram posts, you build a stronger and larger community. And since Instagram is allowing users to search for specific keywords, including keywords in your longer captions may help you get more organic eyes on your content.
7. Create a branded hashtag
Branded Instagram hashtags are a great way to help spread the word about your business, find user-generated content (UGC), build a community and attract new followers.
A branded hashtag is a hashtag that is unique to your business. It can be as simple as your company name, tagline or the name of one of your products, events or campaigns.
One of the best ways to see engagement on your branded hashtag is by incentivising your customer base. For example, encourage your audience to use your branded hashtag for a chance to be featured on your Instagram or to win a prize.
Plus, all posts using your branded hashtag also double as user-generated content (UGC). And UGC can seriously help skyrocket your sales and build true brand loyalty.
8. Create memes that resonate with your audience
Brands have realised the power of clever Instagram memes, especially when it comes to building brand identity, driving product interest and getting more followers.
Memes have become one of the major methods of online communication, with a reported 55% of 13 to 35-year-olds sending them every single week.
There can be some challenges when it comes to creating memes, like integrating them into your profile without compromising your aesthetic. But there are ways to do it, using apps that have a number of templates that will make your meme-creation easier.
Source: Later
