How to Increase Your Instagram Followers: A Detailed Guide

How to Increase Your Instagram Followers: A Detailed Guide

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How do you increase your Instagram followers?
To get more Instagram followers, you need to be consistent and creative. Be dynamic in your marketing strategies, engage with other users, and collaborate with influential accounts. Don’t forget to stay on trend and participate in social media talks that you’re interested in. Most importantly, be responsible for your posts and build genuine connections.

How to increase your Instagram followers? Instagram is one of the social media giants currently dominating the online marketing landscape. The concept is simple and straightforward—focusing on visual content, such as photos and videos. Being a powerful social media and marketing tool, Instagram has become increasingly popular among influencers and businesses seeking new connections.

It’s undeniable that Instagram has become the number one social media platform among marketers. But for the uninitiated, marketing on Instagram could prove a little difficult at first. That’s why in this guide, we’ll show you what makes Instagram a good influencer marketing platform and how to increase your Instagram followers. 

Marketing on Instagram

Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, and recent developments in the app echo those found on Facebook. For example, Instagram has recently introduced a live video option, similar to Facebook. It has also introduced the “story” feature, allowing users to share photos and videos that can be viewed only for a day before being removed. Moreover, Instagram supports messaging similar to Facebook’s, but with lesser options. 

The social platform is an excellent choice for influencers who rely on visual media to express themselves. In particular, travel influencers flock to Instagram, especially those who promote a “lifestyle” as opposed to a specific brand or site. 

Makeup gurus and fashion influencers also tend to favor Instagram as a marketing platform. The site’s features adapt well to fashion influencers’ needs who rely on photos and videos to communicate and engage with their followers. On the other hand, makeup gurus tend to favor both Instagram and YouTube, with the former being used mainly for sharing finished looks. 

What Makes Instagram a Good Platform for Influencers

platform
Instagram is a platform that can boost engagement rates on posted content.

Let’s go to the heart of the issue. What makes Instagram unique is its system of how it allows people to interact. Facebook, the nearest competitor, is vastly different from Instagram. On Facebook, you need to add someone as a friend before interacting with them—although anyone can view people with public posts. 

There’s also not much of a popularity contest with Facebook these days. In the early days of the social platform’s popularity, it was all the rage to have as many friends as you can, but with privacy concerns popping up, the trend has now turned into stricter privacy options for Facebook users.

On the other hand, Instagram wholeheartedly embraces the “more is more” philosophy. Most Instagram profiles are public, although there’s an option to set your posts to private as well. But for the most part, users can just easily “follow” other people; there’s no need for affirmative action, unlike on Facebook, where your friend request has to be accepted first. This makes Instagram’s model much more suited to those looking for an audience, as opposed to Facebook, where networking is just one aspect of the game. 

Another feature of Instagram is the lack of a built-in “share” button. Facebook prominently displays this option after comments and likes, but you can also turn this option off if you want to. However, there’s no option to “share” a post on Instagram, thus making your content potentially more secure and traceable to the original owner. 

Of course, Instagram security is subject to loopholes; the system isn’t perfect. But by and large, it assures creators that they’ll retain ownership over their work, and they can control who sees it, unlike Facebook’s much more egalitarian approach to the matter. 

Why You Should Grow Your Instagram Followers

As mentioned before, numbers is the name of the game when it comes to Instagram. To be honest, for companies, your posts’ quality is just secondary to the number of followers you have. To start an Instagram influencer career, you need to gain a reasonable number of followers. When it comes to Instagram marketing, numbers translate to power, and a large following means that you have a lot of power in your hands.

Now, you may ask “How can I get 1000 followers on Instagram?” It can be tempting to just “buy” followers and be done with it. It’s totally a real thing. If you’re rich enough and enjoy throwing money at the problem, this could be an option for you. But it won’t really give you much power, especially if the followers you bought don’t engage with your posts. The key to a successful Instagram career is to get real Instagram followers, and you can totally increase your followers for free.

How To Get More Instagram Followers

tips
Creativity comes with consistency. And with consistency, you can increase your followers and grow your business.

Before we jump right to the steps, here’s a little word for the wise: everyone is different. What might work for you might not work for another person. Similarly, what might have worked for another user might not work for you. 

These tips are general advice on what you can do to increase your Instagram followers, but they are by no means gospel. At some point, you should trust your gut on something. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes; just make sure that you learn from them. 

Your Instagram journey won’t be smooth and painless. No reward comes easily. If you’re really serious about it, you’ve got to give it your all. 

Now that we’ve gotten that issue out of the way, here are some things you can do to increase your Instagram followers. 

Set Up An Account

The first thing to do is to have an account, of course. Signup is easy for Instagram, and the process is especially streamlined to encourage more users. The moment you have your account, you can begin the process of getting followers. 

Determine Your Goals

[visualizer id=”2116″] Source: mediakix.com

Like any marketing endeavor, you need to set realistic goals. You might be asking, “how can I get 1,000 followers on Instagram?” Let’s be clear here—unless you’re already popular before you sign up; you won’t find a guide on how to get 1k followers in five minutes. Of course, you could buy your way to getting that amount of followers in a specific period, but where’s the fun in that?

We’d suggest structuring your goals accordingly. Ask yourself how to get 100 followers on Instagram. Do your research. Once you get to that number, you can very well set the next goal—is it five hundred followers? One thousand? The number depends on you. 

Just make sure that your goals are attainable. Your dreams should indeed scare you, but you can’t go from A to Z in the space of an hour. You might be the next Instagram star of tomorrow, but today you’ll have to content yourself with baby steps first. 

Master the Art of Posting

When you’re using Instagram, your posts are your primary asset in your arsenal. It will define who you are, who your followers are, and your success will depend on it. Unless you buy your followers (which we don’t recommend), you won’t have any followers if you don’t post anything. You want followers who actually engage with you and like or comment on your posts. So how do you make your posts engaging enough for people to follow you? 

Be consistent and creative

Consistency is key above all. This refers to both quality and quantity. Let’s talk about quality first. As mentioned before, your posts say a lot about who you are if you’re on Instagram. When users search your name, the first thing that appears is a compilation of your most recent posts. It will inform your potential followers if they want to follow you or not. 

That being said, your content should be consistent in quality. Make sure that what you post has been edited well, if they’re photographs. If you’re a comic artist, ensure that the dialogue is clear and the story is conveyed well. On the other hand, if you’re into fashion, make sure there are no obvious editing flaws. 

It’s not bad to edit your photos on Instagram; just make sure you do it correctly. For example, when you’re smoothening your skin tone, don’t go crazy with the airbrush. We’ve all been there before, and posters know a heavily airbrushed photo when they see one. 

Build a strong brand image

Your posts should bear your signature. And we don’t mean an actual, physical signature by this. It means that when your followers see your posts, they should recognize them as one of yours even without seeing the username. 

For example, comic artists should stick to their particular style instead of changing it with every post. If you upload photos of your travel, one good idea is to have something that constantly shows up in your content; perhaps a small keychain or a trinket. It could be a little easter egg that your followers will enjoy finding.

Post more often

We’ve already tackled the consistency in quality. Now let’s talk about quantity. There’s no point in quality posts if you only post once in a blue moon. Remember that a person’s need for entertainment is insatiable, and new posts are constantly showing up on Instagram. 

If you seldom update, chances are you’ll get very few engagements. Potential followers won’t be enticed to follow your account if they see that you don’t post regularly.

Cross-Promote Your Brand on Other Social Platforms

social media
Never underestimate the power of social media to build brand trust and recognition.

You might be asking: what’s the fastest way to get followers on Instagram? The answer lies in marketing. Marketing can be done for free, or you can spend money if you have the budget. It really depends on what you’re comfortable with. Many of the current Instagram influencers built their brands through successful marketing. 

One good idea is to promote your Instagram account through other channels. For example, if you’re already an established person elsewhere, say YouTube, then it’s an excellent idea to plug your Instagram account in your YouTube videos. It’s as easy as saying, “If you want to, please follow my Instagram account at…” 

Alternatively, you can just put it in your description box. If you have many friends on Facebook, you can also ask them to follow you on Instagram. Screenshot your account, post it as a photo, and then add a witty caption with your username, and you’re guaranteed to get more followers. 

Engage and Socialize

engage
If you want to be successful on social media, you have to be social.

The general rule of thumb is to get followers; you should also follow back. But this isn’t always true. You may be asking yourself how to get followers on Instagram without following; the short answer is that there’s no easy way to do this. Unless you’re extremely popular or well-known, then it will be difficult to achieve. 

See, Instagram is a social media community—which means you have to socialize. Search for profiles that belong to your niche, like a few posts, and leave intentional comments. You can also react to their stories, mention a few accounts in your posts or stories, or send direct messages for a more personal touch. 

Collaborate with Other Instagram Users

Concerning engagement, you have to learn to work with others, this is how to grow Instagram followers for business. A good option is to collaborate with someone. Maybe you’re a fan of their work or are friends with them. It’s important to find someone with whom you can collaborate well since you’ll probably have to post some sort of finished material. 

Drama does sell, but it’s not a good idea to start your Instagram career off the back of a feud. Plus, if word gets around that your collaboration went south, chances are other Instagram users will be staying away from you, lessening your opportunities. 

Stay on Trend and Be Responsible

No one wants a tone-deaf Instagram poster. If you stay silent on every single topic that’s trending, your account will look like it’s too scripted, and people will think of you less as a person. Choose your battles carefully, though—think of the possible ramifications if you make your views known on something. 

As a general rule, you should only speak on topics you’re well informed about and matter to you. As the adage goes, “It’s far better to be silent and thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and confirm their suspicions.”

Use Powerful Hashtags

Lastly, use hashtags that convert. Some people tend to search for relevant posts by searching on hashtags instead of accounts. Don’t go overboard, though. Your post should not look like a compilation of hashtags. Choose them carefully, and when in doubt, don’t use them. 

The Takeaway

Getting followers on Instagram is quite easy if you know how to do it. Yes, the process will be strenuous, but if you really want something, you should be prepared to work hard for it. After all, Instagram marketing is slated to be part of the future. Who knows, maybe one day, those followers may turn to an actual and profitable option for you. 

Read more about Instagram marketing and how it can grow your business in our blog, “How Powerful Is Instagram Marketing? Facts That You Just Can’t Ignore.”

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