Right now, Instagram is one of the most popular and most active social media platforms, with users that truly love to engage with the content they consume. This constant activity and popularity make it such an important and effective marketing channel.
However, whether you are just opening an account or you have already been there for some time, attracting followers and getting a high engagement rate takes time, dedication, and a lot of work.
Set Realistic Goals
Knowing how effective the platform can be for business, every company that uses it for promotion wants to learn how to get more followers on Instagram. But it doesnt take much time to realize that there isnt some secret formula that you can use to suddenly have tens of thousands of followers. And while some are lucky to create a viral post, and become famous overnight, most brands need time to grow. They have to invest in their accounts, continuously work on them, and be patient.
There isnt a shortcut to growing your following, although there are tools that claim they can help you become popular in a short amount of time. Nevertheless, many methods can help you reach the right Instagram users, get their attention, and accelerate your growth, including tools that can help you enhance your targeting efforts, paid ads, and a well-thought-out Instagram content strategy.
When we talk about Instagram growth, its very important not to confuse a large number of followers with success. The most successful Instagram accounts have a lot of followers but their success comes from their ability to inspire interaction and retain followers. In other words, to grow your following, you must first learn how to attract quality followers to your account.
Be Creative, Authentic, and Consistent
Even though they are used as a marketing tool, Instagram and other social networks work differently than traditional channels. They are not about informing the public about your products and services, and explaining why they should purchase them. They are about humanizing your brand, relating to your customers, putting them in the center, creating a community. And this kind of connection between brands and their audience has become essential, because consumers’ behavior, as well as their demands and expectations, have changed rapidly.
The only way to make sure that your brand can achieve this is if you offer relevant and valuable content, that speaks not only about what you are selling but also about your business, your values, your team, your story. Create content in different formats, post photos, reels, stories, create memes, use the right hashtags, live stream.
Dont focus too much on being the most original company on Instagram because thats almost impossible. Everything has been said before, and being unique is really hard. However, be authentic and true to yourself. Finally, be consistent, post content that works and that your audience expects, post regularly.
For instance, you can choose a few topics and/or formats, and then pick one day of the week for each of them. Of course, you can deviate from time to time, and add something new, but this type of consistency is a great way to boost your engagement rate and grow your audience.
Interact With Your Followers and Other Instagram Users
When you post good and relevant content, people will react. Social media users love when someone who runs the account interacts with them. Responding to comments and liking them is a great way to show followers and other users you appreciate their engagement. This will show you are a caring brand, it can increase loyalty and help you build a community.
But aside from interacting with Instagram users on your own account and posts, you can grow your following by interacting with users on their posts, as well. For instance, if you notice that someone who isnt your follower is commenting on your posts, visit their profile look at their posts, if you like a post react to it, or even comment. You can even follow them if you see that they match your target audience.
Furthermore, you can research your competitors, and find Instagram users that you think would like you. These people are likely to follow you back, engage with your content, bring you more new followers, and even convert in customers.
Conclusion
Instagram has changed the game for many businesses, making marketing much more affordable, and reaching the right people, more achievable. And yet, running a successful Instagram business account isnt a simple task, but its not impossible either. And, as you can see, there is no need to pay for fake followers and bots or engagement. Take your time and create a strategy based on realistic goals and focused on quality content and authenticity.