8 Things You Can Do to Increase Your Instagram Following

Social media success relies heavily on gaining followers and extending your network of connections. The more followers you have, the greater your reach and exposure will be. It can be a bit tricky to gain followers on Instagram if you are just starting out, or do not have much experience with the platform. In this article we are going to go over eight things that you can do to start growing your Instagram following today. 

Optimize Your Instagram Bio 

We have mentioned it many times in the past, but an optimized bio is the starting point for any good social media account, especially Instagram. This is the place where you let potential followers know what your business is all about. Your bio is also the only place where you can provide a clickable link for your audience.   

You only have a couple hundred characters to create your Instagram bio so use this space wisely. Provide a description of what your business does, a call to action, and a link to your website or landing page. A great call to action that many successful Instagram accounts use is one asking followers to tag them in their posts. For example, a call to action could say “Tag @220Marketing and share your success story!” The content they create will be shared with their followers, and you are able to share it with your followers as well.  

Bonus Tip: Update your bio link often to correspond with new content you have posted. If you make a recent post on VA loans, update your bio link to a VA loan landing page for a week! 

Make Use of Hashtags 

Hashtags are a valuable social media tool for categorizing your posts and sharing them with a specific audience. While they are useful on all social media platforms, nowhere are they more important than on Instagram. On most social media sites, one or two hashtags in a post would be considered appropriate. On Instagram, you are able to add up to 30 hashtags per post. While you are able to add this many, you do not have to add 30 hashtags to every post. Roughly 10 or so hashtags in a post is considered ideal and enough to see maximum engagement for that post. 

When deciding on hashtags for your post, don’t always go with the most popular ones. These most popular hashtags are overflowing with posts and it is easy for your content to get lost. Niche hashtags can be far more effective when it comes to reaching a specific target audience.  

Cross-Promote Your Instagram Page 

Don’t rely solely on Instagram to attract Instagram followers. Promote your Instagram account wherever you can. Add links on your website to your Instagram page and other social media pages. Include a link in your email signatures, and in any automated correspondence such as e-blasts and monthly newsletters. Wherever you might interact with clients, there should be a link. Site visitors and individuals you are in contact with are already interested in your business and what you do. They are far easier to attract as followers than those who might find your page randomly while on Instagram. 

Write Great Captions 

Instagram is a highly visual social media platform centered around photos and videos. However, captions that you create for content can often have a tremendous impact on how your post is perceived. As an example, let’s say you post a photo of a couple who just recently purchased their first home. Consider writing a story about how they came to you with a goal in mind, and how you were able to successfully help them achieve this goal and become first time homeowners. Stories like these often resonate with individuals and can make them more likely to share your content with their followers. Stories, humor, inspirational quotes, and more can be highly successful for increasing engagement. 

Tag Your Location 

Similar to how hashtags work, Instagram allows you to add a location for each post. When a user clicks on the location tag, they can see posts from that specific area or office location. This is a great way to reach local users, which is especially important for local business owners. When other users tag your location as well, both your posts and their posts will be visible under that location tag thus increasing your overall exposure. If you attend trade shows or charity events, be sure to tag those locations as well in any images or videos you share from the events.  

Post Often and Consistently 

While you may be able to get away with a few posts per week on other social media platforms, Instagram is one where you will benefit greatly from posting every day. In fact, posting anywhere from one to three times per day is ideal. Instagram is very fast paced. If you only post once every few days, it is easy for potential followers to miss what you share. By posting multiple times per day, you greatly increase your visibility. Many Instagram users are active throughout the day so posting anywhere between the hours of 9am and 4pm is safe. Experiment with different times throughout this window to find out when your posts see the most engagement. Post consistently at these times when you can. Considering using tools that allow you to schedule posts at these times to ensure you don’t miss opportunities when you are busy. You may even want to outsource this to a team that will handle all of your social media posts for you. This allows you to focus on your clients while getting the social media exposure you need. 

Take Advantage of All Post Formats 

Instagram is more than just photos. You can create posts, stories, reels, and do live video sessions. Posts are the classic photo and video format you are more likely accustomed to. Stories are for more spontaneous content. Reels are a video format and are generally focused on being more entertaining than informational. Live videos are great for things like an AMA session where you can engage with followers in real-time. Instagram will show followers what they enjoy seeing so it is important to share content across all of these different formats when possible. Limiting yourself to classic posts will decrease your overall engagement. 

Run an Instagram Giveaway 

If you spend much time on Instagram, you have likely seen a giveaway or had a friend tag you in one. When you run an Instagram giveaway, entry into the content can require that someone follows you, or tag someone that they know in a comment. If you offer something interesting, you will find that many people love entering these types of giveaways. A small giveaway now and then can help you gain a great number of followers! 

If you are struggling to grow your Instagram following, contact 220 Marketing today. Our experienced social media team can help guide you in the right direction so that you can start seeing results from your efforts on Instagram and other social media platforms.