Instagram is a popular social media platform that’s proven to be great for any small business owner. We all know that digital marketing is an affordable way of growing business, and Instagram is a brilliant place to start.
The key is establishing a large following, which ultimately means you’re promoting things to a broader audience. But, how do you get more followers on Instagram? Well, here are my top tips for you to consider:
Always use hashtags
Hashtags are the best way to get your business profile noticed by people who don’t already follow you. Essentially, people will search for hashtags on Instagram and then look through all the photos under them. These days, they can even follow specific hashtags, meaning your images can appear on their feeds. The trick is picking hashtags that are relevant to your business and what you just posted. The chance of gaining followers is high because the people who see your images via hashtags should be interested because they’re actively searching/following these tags already!
Engage in conversations
The comments section on Instagram is a great place to try and gain new followers. Find popular accounts that have a similar target audience as your business. Then, engage in conversations under some of their posts. You could reply to existing comments, post a nice comment of your own, and so on. The mere presence of your comment means thousands of people could see it and click on your profile. Don’t advertise yourself too much here, make it subtle!
Share your posts across other social media
When you post something on Instagram, don’t forget to share a link to it on Facebook and Twitter as well. There’s every chance you’ll have people that follow you on these platforms but not on Instagram. So, this ensures they know you have an Instagram account and can follow it! Plus, other people on those platforms can find these posts and follow your account too.
Run a competition
Social media competitions are always fantastic tools for drawing in new people. The concept is simple; create an Instagram post that tells people you’re running a competition and that they can win something. To enter, they need to like your photo, comment and follow your account. Combine this with the right hashtags and you will see an influx of new followers. Make sure the prize is actually worthwhile too, or else no one will bother entering! A discount code or some free products are two stellar ideas.
Post regular and engaging content
Lastly, you need to keep to a schedule when using Instagram. Don’t post once in a blue moon or else nobody will see the need to follow you. Likewise, don’t post things that aren’t relevant to your followers. Each post should be engaging and provide them with something. This could be useful tips, a joke that makes them laugh, or new product teases. Either way, if you post regular and engaging content, then you give people more reasons to want to follow you!
When used correctly, Instagram is a platform that you can grow a massive following on. Take this advice onboard if you want to get more followers without needing to spend a penny. You’ll be amazed at how effective these tips are!
