Insta-grow your followers
Using dodgy methods for an instant boost to the numbers defeats the whole purpose of trying to build a loyal niche; a following that looks out for what you’re up to next and engages with you because it really wants to. Discussed herein are a few pointers that’ll help you with growing your engagement and followers.
- Set yourself up as a business profile
The first step is making your account public and set it up as a business profile. If you want to grow followers and make money from Instagram, make sure your profile is visible to everyone. Also, changing your account into a business profile will help you in increasing exposure by providing users an easy way to get in touch with you by simply clicking on the “Contact” button. It’ll also help you to monitor analytics by viewing the insights.
- Presentation – Impactful and Impressive
Coming up with a perfect description of who you are instantly gives people a reason as to why they should follow you. A good bio gives valuable insight into what viewers can expect to see. Focus on keeping it clear and concise. Little good will come from people getting confused when they land on your page. Another valuable thing to include in your bio is a call to action. It could be anything from asking people to tag you in their photos or asking them to visit your website. In addition to that, make sure you have a good username and profile picture. You can go ahead and have a display picture that reflects the theme of your account.
- All About Posting
When it comes to posting, be consistent, focus on quality and the best timing for you to post. According to a 2017 study by Tailwind, the more often you post, the more likely you are to get likes and followers. According to their reports, accounts which post seven or more times a weak gain more likes and followers than those who post less frequently. The bottom line? Brands that get in the flow of posting consistently, see better results. Also, when you’re posting keep an eye on the quality of your content. Posting sub-standard content will lead to users turning away from your post and your account. Experiment with content to find out what gets the best engagement. Pay attention to your captions and dedicate time and effort to make them engaging and witty. Besides, timeliness is also immensely important to Instagram’s algorithm. Knowing when your followers are most active will also help you with engagement. It’s important to know that there isn’t a universal best posting time. To find out what works for you make use of the insights option.
- The Aesthetics
Do as you please. You are your own best judge. See for yourself what works for you. There are two ways of going about it. You can have a template and choose to maintain a consistent brand personality. This will help you in being easily recognizable. For this, you can choose a particular type of layout, a specific colour scheme or any other factor that binds all your posts together.
Or, you can go ahead and not follow a pattern. If your purpose of engagement is different, there is no need to comply with any fixed pattern.
- #Hashtags
Your hashtag game should be on point. Making use of relevant hashtags will make your content visible to people who are looking out for content that’s related to you/your product/your brand. Take a moment to think about where do you want your post to show up? Does using #Shoelaces make sense when you’re trying to sell flowers? Invest time in finding out what’s trending. Or, come up with a hashtag that’s unique to you. Let the creative juices flow. Be humorous, witty or ironic. Find hashtags that reflect you and echo your purpose.
For better results, cross-promote your dedicated hashtag. Take it offline on your receipts, at relevant events, on your signage. The experience will get seamless if you integrate your online and offline campaigns and make sure to list your hashtag.
Also, pay attention to not going overboard. Using too many hashtags can distract the viewer. You don’t want to dilute your message and come across as spammy or desperate.
It’s interesting how instagram hashtags have the power to get users involved as well and create user-generated content.
Finally, think about using a hashtag that doesn’t have many posts, but does have a strong community around it. For instance, #latteart will help you to reach out to a dedicated community of latte lovers than simply using #coffee
- Utilize Instagram stories
Stories are the crowning glory of your user’s feed. Launched in 2016, this feature presents you with the opportunity to put links for users to follow. Your best stories can be the building blocks of your highlights section. Since, they disappear in 24 hours; you can experiment with a variety of content without being brought down by the pressure of perfection.
- Feature your (Story) Highlights
The bio section is not the only place where you can give a sneak peek into your/your brand’s story. Think of story highlights as a trailer for your page. Make the most of story highlights to showcase who you are, what your personality is and what is being offered by you.
- Collaboration for multiplication
Remember, Instagram is a two way street. Engage in sponsorships or partnerships to grow your following. If you are starting out, find prominent people/brands in your market niche area and begin by interacting with them regularly; comment on their posts or tag them in yours. If you’re able to get a shout-out or a re-post from another account, you’ll succeed in reaching out to a different set of followers. Also, the process of arriving at new ideas and evolving your perspective will broaden your horizon.
