Despite the rise of new social media platforms, Instagram continues to be among the top five most used.
For businesses, this means that Instagram remains a crucial investment to stay top of mind with consumers.
However, this all depends on whether your target audience is actually engaged with your Instagram presence.
So, how do you create a follower base that continuously contributes engagement to your business profile?
In this post, we will take a closer look at the elements that can help you grow your Instagram followers.
Of course, algorithms and follower counts can be tricky. Although the tips and tricks I’ve gathered in this post have worked for many, it’s essential to understand what works specifically for your business.
Advertising
Creating visibility around your business profile can come through several elements, which I will discuss later in this post.
The first and perhaps most obvious method is through advertising. Your business needs to spread the message about your product or service, and at the same time, you’re interested in gaining more followers.
Instagram ads can help put your product in the spotlight, making it easier for your target audience to visit your profile and follow along.
Learn more about how to manage ads on META
In other words, it’s a targeted presentation of your product to your audience.
I’ve previously written a few posts about Instagram advertising, which you may find useful:
- Get started with Instagram ads
- 5 tips for the new Instagram algorithm
Boost your follower count with influencers
When it comes to advertising, you might also consider collaborating with an influencer to increase visibility around your product and Instagram profile.
Influencer marketing is particularly useful for building trust around your brand.
This allows you to reach a target audience through a public figure who has already earned the trust of their followers.
In this way, the likelihood that the audience will follow your business profile increases.
It not only creates visibility for your business, but it also builds social proof, which can otherwise take time to achieve without the influence of public figures.
Reels
With the rise of video content platforms, it’s clear that short-form video content engages audiences and can help grow followers.
Instagram has heavily invested in this format by offering users the ability to create 15-90 second videos through their Reels feature.
Instagram has prioritized this video format to the extent that all videos posted on Instagram are automatically converted to Reels, and the algorithm strongly favors these videos.
Are Reels being over-prioritized?
Reels get significantly more visibility than standard posts—so much so that traditional Instagram users have launched several campaigns against the platform’s prioritization of video content.
If you want to stay competitive on social media, it’s essential to be flexible and spot new trends as they emerge.
Keeping up with trends has always been a key part of marketing, and I view this video format as an opportunity to connect more closely with your audience.
In my opinion, Reels are here to stay, so let’s look at how to use them effectively to gain more followers on Instagram.
How Reels can help
Reels provide a unique opportunity for businesses to showcase their products or services in a relatable, authentic, and trustworthy manner that is more likely to reach the target audience than regular posts.
When a Reel is uploaded, it appears on the business profile and is also featured on Instagram’s “For You” page.
This page is filled with Reels from accounts users already follow, as well as content similar to what they’ve previously interacted with.
This allows users to discover your content and explore your profile and offerings.
However, it’s important to create Reels that immediately capture the viewer’s attention.
It’s crucial to keep up with current trends—whether it’s music, editing styles, or effects—and tie them to your business content, such as showcasing products, behind-the-scenes clips, or something entirely different.
In my opinion, following these trends is incredibly exciting. It’s impossible to incorporate them all, and that’s not the goal. Instead, focus on the trends that make sense for your business niche and invest time and effort in making your Reels stand out.
Every day, users are exposed to a sea of different Reels and won’t waste time on half-baked ideas. Instead, they are drawn to high-quality videos with a simple and easy-to-understand message.
Consistency
Like most content, consistency is key to generating attention around your product.
To ensure your existing followers have content to engage with and that new potential followers see that there’s relevant content to follow, it’s important to post consistently.
Some believe it’s beneficial to post 3-4 times per week, while others feel that posting 1-2 times per week is enough to maintain followers’ attention.
It all depends on what makes sense for your business and how much time and resources you want to invest in Instagram.
There are many tools available for planning content, such as through your Meta Business Account.
Additionally, the timing of your posts can make a difference.
There’s no definitive “best time” to post, but the more content you share, the better you’ll understand when your audience engages the most.
Above all, remember that consistency can come from various formats: posts, Reels, stories, etc., all of which contribute to engagement.
It’s highly recommended to alternate between different formats to ensure you reach your audience with relevant content from multiple angles.
Other tips to gain more followers on Instagram
There are plenty of tips on how to gain more followers on Instagram, and in most cases, it’s about discovering what works and what doesn’t.
Here are a few additional tips that might help increase your follower count:
Hashtags
To increase visibility for your business, consider using hashtags.
They can be extremely helpful as Instagram allows users to follow their favorite hashtags, which often reflect their hobbies, interests, and aspirations.
This provides a greater opportunity to reach new followers by using popular and relevant hashtags that make sense for your profile and business, and which are also among those your target audience engages with.
If you’re unsure which hashtags are most relevant for your profile, try testing a few and see how your audience responds.
It can also be beneficial to look at what other businesses in your industry are doing: which hashtags have worked for them to generate a solid follower base?
Locations
Another useful tip is to always tag the location in your posts and Reels.
This not only lets followers know where your business is located, but it can also attract new followers who search for that location and come across your posts.
This works similarly to hashtags, where users can search for locations and discover relevant content.
Your engagement is invaluable
Your business isn’t the only one on Instagram—there are many others to draw inspiration from and network with.
My best advice is to build a network with people in your industry on Instagram as soon as possible.
Don’t hesitate to follow them, like their content, and leave comments when it makes sense.
This not only creates visibility for your profile but also shows that you are invested in creating engagement within your shared industry.
In short, be generous with your engagement toward businesses in your industry. It builds trust and visibility for your profile.
Be accessible on Instagram
Accessibility always creates a good reputation and gives users a reason to see your profile as worth following.
How can your followers get in touch with you to learn more about your product?
Make sure it’s clear in your bio how your business can best be contacted by followers.
Is it via DM, email, a contact form, your website, or something else?
That said, it’s important to follow up on this contact method.
Respond promptly and consistently to followers who reach out.
Comments