Starting a new Instagram account or growing your following on your current account can be a daunting task.
With an average of 95 million new photos and videos posted on Instagram daily, there’s no shortage of competition for your customers’ attention on the platform — but with 500 million active monthly users, it certainly pays to invest in producing quality content and growing your audience.
This investment is especially important if your target audience is under 30: 55% of internet users ages 18–29 are on Instagram.
The Instagram community is also one of the most active, regardless of age; users “like” an astounding 4.2 billion posts per day. Half of all Instagram users say that they follow at least one business, and 60% say they research products and services on the platform.
So, how can you reach more potential customers on this growing visual platform? Here are some strategies that you can start applying today:
Instagram Social Strategy
It may surprise you that one of the most effective ways to increase your own following is to interact with the content that others create. Here are some ways to do that:
- Likes — From your account, “like” content that relates to your niche. Find this content by searching relevant hashtags. Some people spend hours on this strategy.
- Comments — Leave genuine, useful comments on other users’ posts. This will make you visible not only to the people who posted the content, but to the users who read their comments.
- Follows — Users are simply more likely to follow you if you follow them.
Spending time reaching out to your target audience in this way is a great way to grab their attention. When you “like” several of someone’s photos, leave a nice comment, or follow them, they are likely to visit your Instagram profile to see who are and what you have to offer. This could lead to them following you, clicking the links in your profile, or even becoming a customer!
WARNING, SALES PITCH: Learn about our Instagram Marketing services that can help you with this if you don’t have time.
Content Strategy
Having a strong strategy for your brand’s Instagram content is important for two reasons: gaining followers, and keeping followers. Here are some tips for creating valuable content that will keep your follower count growing:
- Use Hashtags — This might seem like a no-brainer, but using hashtags on your post is a must for increasing your visibility. Posts that include at least one hashtag average 12.6% more engagement than those without any hashtags.
- Post Regularly — The most content you put out, the more likely you are to be seen. The top brands on Instagram post an average of 4.9 times per week.
- Create a Consistent Look — Don’t think of each post as an individual; pay attention to how they all fit together in your profile. When users visit your profile, they will see thumbnail versions of all of your posts in rows of three. Put some serious thought into the aesthetic you want your page to convey, and decide what filters and editing tools will help you meet that goal. It’s worth noting here that 60% of the top brands use the same filter for every post.
Just Ask
Don’t assume that people who follow you on other platforms are already following you on Instagram! Putting up a quick tweet or Facebook post asking people to check our your Instagram is sure to net you some followers who are familiar with you and likely to interact with your content.
Similarly, posts that come right out and ask viewers to like or comment often get more engagement than those that don’t.
Building a following on Instagram is huge undertaking. If you followed all of the hacks we’ve listed here, you’d be sure to make a dent, but it could also amount to a job or new client!
Contact us to learn more about our Instagram Targeted Growth and other social media packages. We can handle all of the work for you, and provide you with a monthly analysis of the results!
Originally posted at www.handshakin.com.
