You have every reason to want to build up your Instagram following. Increasing your Instagram follower count will help in many ways from greater brand recognition to more sales opportunities. Getting more people to pay attention to what you’re doing isn’t impossible but it will take some time so be patient. Here are several ways to get more Instagram followers for free:
Optimize your Instagram bio
Before doing anything with your Instagram bio, make sure that you have an Instagram Business profile. It’ll give you more features to work with including better stats. Once you’ve converted to a business profile, start optimizing your Instagram bio.
Be sure to have a clear profile picture whether it’s a headshot if you’re an influencer or a logo to represent your company. After you’ve uploaded a great profile pic, include a concise summary of what you’re about and a link to your website. Your summary in your Instagram bio needs to communicate how you best serve your target audience. It’s in your best interest to show off your personality as well.
You can also add a couple of key hashtags to your Instagram bio to give yourself more chances to be discovered. People shouldn’t have to think about what your Instagram account is about if you’ve optimized your Instagram bio.
Post different content from your Facebook posts
While it may be easy, do not repost your Instagram posts to your Facebook business page whenever possible. Give your customers and clients a reason to follow you on both platforms by creating a different experience for each social platform. Focus on quality photos and videos for Instagram since Instagram is designed for people who consume information visually. If you don’t have the skillset to produce high-end photos and video but have the resources, outsource your Instagram content needs within a reasonable budget. It’s a worthwhile investment that will pay off in a growing following.
Use hashtags
Did you know you can use up to 30 hashtags on an Instagram post? Instagram allows the use of many hashtags which will give you more chances to be discovered. No, you don’t have to use 30 hashtags in every post but you should at least use several hashtags that are relevant to the industry you are in. Here are a few examples of hashtags if you are marketing a shopping mall:
#shopping
#fashion
#mensfashion
#womensfashion
#holidayshopping
#christmasgifts
Don’t forget to use hashtags for the city you’re in along with surrounding areas if you’re a location-based business. This will help you get more people in the door who live close by.
Reply to all comments and direct messages
As Instagram’s algorithm continues to change, the importance of comments and direct messages continues to increase. Stay on top of all comments and direct messages you receive. It’ll help you maintain a positive online reputation and build a loyal following. Responding to everything you receive shows that you care and are paying attention to your community.
Post consistently to your feed and Instagram Stories
You can’t succeed on Instagram if you don’t post consistently. Figure out a sustainable schedule and stick to it with the help of scheduling software like Later.com or Facebook Creator Studio. If you can post twice a day then post twice a day. If you can only have enough content to post every other day then do that. The main thing is that you provide a consistent source of value for members of the Instagram community.
How have you been building your brand on Instagram? Do you have any questions about Instagram marketing? Comment below of email Josh at josh@jamiascreative.com!