Home » Misc » How to become big on instagram

How to become big on instagram


Get More Real Instagram Followers in 10 Steps

Instagram is the foundation of so many brands’ social presence. The platform is proven to drive traffic, support sales and engage customers.

And that’s why 59% of marketers plan to up their investment in Instagram this year.

But if you’re not thrilled with your Instagram growth and engagement, you’re not alone.

Competition on the platform is fierce as more and more brands get on board. Thing is, taking steps to grow your audience is absolutely worth it. That’s because the bigger your audience, the more opportunities to delight your customers.

Ready to tweak your presence to attract authentic and organic Instagram followers? This post breaks down how to make it happen.

10 ways to increase Instagram followers

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, this post is about building an organic following.

And yes, the distinction matters!

Some brands want to take shortcuts when it comes to trying to get more Instagram followers. We don’t pretend that pay-for-play sites exist.

That said, these services aren’t worth it for brands long-term. The Instagram algorithm weeds out low-quality accounts and phony engagement from paid bots.

But we’ll bite: there’s definitely some legwork involved in growing your audience authentically.

Doing so it worth totally worth it, though. Below are our ten best tips for getting more Instagram followers the right way.

1. Optimize your Instagram account

Before you worry about how to get followers, consider how your Instagram account is set up first.

Ask yourself: does your profile “look the part?” For starters, consider your:

  • Your Instagram bio (including your slogan, tagline and/or a branded hashtag)
  • Your profile picture
  • Your bio link (and where it points to)

These details define your brand identity on Instagram. More importantly, they impact your account’s discoverability. Building a follower-friendly account means:

  • Having a search-friendly username. Stick to either your brand name or whatever’s closest to your existing social handles. If your name is too long, shorten it to a variation your audience would recognize (ex: Cold Stone Creamery’s account is @coldstone).
  • Making your profile picture professional. An appropriately-sized logo is ideal. Any text in your profile picture should be legible on a smartphone screen.
  • Minding where you point your bio link. This is crucial for turning Instagram followers into meaningful traffic or customers. It’s your only way to funnel social traffic to your site and promotions.

Linking to your homepage is fine but not always ideal. To encourage more meaningful interactions, a social landing page that points to multiple links can help.

This gives your audience total control of how they engage your business next. That means a better experience for your followers.

The best way to optimize your account is to follow a proven Instagram marketing strategy. Download our free guide to get started.

2. Keep a consistent content calendar

Momentum matters on Instagram. In other words, you likely won’t get followers on Instagram if you post at random.

Creating content and providing value is what builds your audience. Doing so consistently is what helps you keep them. Don’t let your Instagram account gather cobwebs.

That’s why sticking to a regular posting schedule is crucial.  In terms of when and how much to post, you don’t have to stick to a set-in-stone number. Most brands post daily or near daily. This tracks our own research on how often to post as well.

For reference, below is a breakdown of the best times to post to Instagram.  “Optimal” engagement is during the mid-to-late morning and early afternoons during the week.

If you’re worried about your posts not getting seen enough, we get it. Consider how features like Stories can get more eyes on your content if it wasn’t seen the first time.

3. Schedule Instagram posts in advance

There’s no denying that brands are at the mercy of the Instagram algorithm for reach. Still, posting at the right times can still give your posts more visibility. Anything you can do to maximize engagement is a plus.

This speaks to the value of scheduling Instagram content. With Sprout’s newest tools, brands can schedule Stories, Carousels, Reels and Posts.

Scheduling content in advance ensures control and organization. Instagram scheduling tools ultimately help you hit that cadence we mentioned earlier. The ability to crosspost content from other networks helps here, too.

You can also use Sprout’s ViralPost feature to nail down your timing, too. Our platform analyzes your engagement history and identifies the best times to post.

Perfect your Instagram content plan with Sprout Social

In addition to scheduling a complete picture of your Instagram content calendar, Sprout offers even more features to perfect your brand’s feed.

Share IG-approved visuals with your team using our Asset Library, or test out our grid preview feature to make sure every aspect of your presence is true to your brand style.

Get a hands-on look at these features and more with a 30-day free trial of Sprout.

4. Engage with customers, brand advocates and influencers

Figuring out how to get more Instagram followers means engaging your audience.

And one of the best ways to do that is through responding to and republishing their posts.

Enter the power of user-generated content. UGC campaigns build social proof by showing followers you’re invested in them. For example, Drunk Elephant regularly regrams their followers’ posts. They gather content with their #BareWithUs and #DrunkBreak hashtags.

Partnering with influencers with an established following is another way to grow your own audience. Content creators can get your brand in front of your target audience and build ongoing awareness for your products.

5. Avoid fake Instagram followers

There’s a big difference between fake and legitimate followers on Instagram.

We get it, too. For the sake of quick growth, it might be tempting to purchase followers.

But the drawbacks outweigh the benefits 100%. Why? Because fake Instagram followers…

  • Confuse your potential organic followers. An inactive, low-engagement account with a big following is suspicious. This can be a turn-off for fans that’d otherwise follow you and engage.

  • Provide no monetary value to your business. Think about it. Your bot followers can’t buy your stuff, can they? 

  • Generate no buzz: If you have 10,000 fake followers, how many are going to engage with your posts? Does it really even matter if your posts are brimming with spam comments?

Real people have the ability to share, like, comment and engage with your Instagram posts. Additionally, real followers actually appreciate the time you spend interacting with them. 

For example, Lush Cosmetics takes the time to answer questions and engage followers all the time. This results in customers regularly returning to share shout-outs and positive comments.

6. Showcase your Instagram everywhere you can

Don’t be shy about promoting your Instagram if more followers are your goal.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting your ‘gram, either. Here are a few ideas:

  • Add social media icons to your website and marketing emails. Social media icons make it easier for people to find your business and help you connect with customers.
  • Feature an Instagram feed on your homepage or product pages. Many ecommerce brands have dedicated UGC feeds on-site (see below).
  • Reshare Instagram-specific content or announcements on other social channels. For example, you could talk about an upcoming IG Live via TikTok or Facebook.

7. Post content that followers actually want to see

Easier said than done, we know.

Filters. Captions. Content types. Post times. That doesn’t even scratch the surface.

There are so many variables to consider, right? It doesn’t help that Instagram’s algorithm is fickle. What works for one brand might not work for the next in terms of format and timing.

For example, some brands swear by Carousels. Others are all-in on Reels. Both approaches can work. You’ll quickly find on Instagram that some content performs better than others. This is why testing is so important.

Instagram’s native analytics are surprisingly powerful. That said, investing in Instagram analytics tools will take things to the next level.

For example, Sprout makes it easy to benchmark and analyze Instagram content across accounts. Rather than second-guess what’s working and what’s not, our reporting spells it out for you.

Be confident in your content strategy by analyzing those variables we mentioned earlier.

And if you’re unsure where to start, try analyzing your competitors. A staggering 90% of brands say that social media data helps them keep up with competing social accounts.

You obviously shouldn’t copycat your competitors. That said, you can take notes on what they’re doing or posting that drives engagement.  Sprout’s Instagram Competitors report can provide a breakdown of what’s working in your industry. A little competitive research can go a long way.

Oh, and keep your ear to the ground with new Instagram trends. That way you won’t miss out on platform-wide opportunities to hop on trending content formats.

For example, Reels are popping off right now. Our data shows that 66% of consumers want to see more short-form videos from brands. In terms of trends, Reels should be on your radar.

 

8. Make meaningful conversation with your audience

Food for thought: 60% of marketers use Instagram as a service channel.

The platform is perfect for going back and forth with followers. Likewise, many popular post ideas center around asking questions and engaging in a dialogue for a reason.

Off-the-cuff questions, shipping concerns or praise for products are all fair game from followers. Check out how Cometeer responds to all of the above on their Instagram posts:

Being supportive and responding promptly shows people that you care.

You’d be surprised at how your Instagram followers increase once you start acting more personable. Our Index research shows that 89% of consumers will buy from a brand after following them on social. Every interaction counts.

Again, try to respond to as many questions or comments as possible. Doing so could make or break someone becoming a long-term follower or a customer.

9. Find hashtags where your followers hang out

Instagram hashtags have been a staple of the platform, like, forever.

That said, they don’t hold as much weight as they used to.

Dumping hashtags into your posts isn’t going to net you any new followers. Especially when there’s so much noise on the platform.

Be proactive by focusing on industry-specific hashtags relevant to your customers. For example, Lashify regularly posts content to the #LashEducation hashtag. Tags are less general and competitive than #beauty. Becoming more visible within these types of tags is meaningful for brands in the right niche.

Understanding how your hashtags perform on Instagram is critical. With Sprout Social’s hashtag analytics tools, you have direct access to in-depth performance and usage data. Figuring out which hashtags to use is just a few taps away.

10. Take steps to delight your Instagram followers

When you make your Instagram followers happy, you’ll see the payoff in audience growth. The best Instagram accounts have fans and communities (hint: not just followers).

The tips below are the building blocks for a follower-friendly account. Put them into practice in a way that aligns with your brand voice and values. Avoid coming across as needy,  solesy sales-driven or robotic at all costs.

So much of how to get Instagram followers for free is about creating an authentic community. For many accounts, this means building customer relationships. Content that highlights your personality and the humans behind your brand is a plus. This includes:

  • Inspirational content
  • Humorous content
  • Re-sharing UGC with unique captions
  • Storytelling posts
  • Behind-the-scenes photos and videos
  • Posts that raise awareness for social causes

How to get more Instagram followers (the wrong way!)

Disclaimer: Sprout Social does not endorse purchasing Instagram followers. We don’t recommend services that sell followings or “Likes.” 

As the social space becomes more crowded and competitive, brands are willing to take risks for the sake of instant results.

We’ll say it again: brands shouldn’t buy Instagram followers. Nobody should!

Why you shouldn’t buy followers on Instagram

Here are some reasons why buying followers to grow your account is a serious mistake.

Your real followers know what fake followers look like

Social consumers are getting savvier. Privacy concerns and social scammers have made people hyper-aware of weird activity. In short, people today are spam-detectors.

A sudden follower spike is a red flag. Not to mention having bots stink up your account with endless spam followers. This all damages your reputation and keeps you from growing an authentic Instagram following.

Fake followers bring nothing to the table

You’re probably worried about your Instagram metrics and understandably so.

That said, your follower count doesn’t mean much if your “followers” don’t drive engagement. You might look “bigger” at a glance but who cares? Consider how your engagement rate on the platform will suffer if your follower count is inflated.

If nothing else, buying Instagram followers violates TOS

No surprises here.

Consider how Meta has taken direct action against buying engagement in the past. They’ve gone as far as to shut down companies that sell likes. That’s because this practice violates the platform’s terms of service:

Help us stay spam-free by not artificially collecting likes, followers, or shares, posting repetitive comments or content, or repeatedly contacting people for commercial purposes without their consent.

How are you growing your Instagram following?

Listen: getting more followers on Instagram isn’t going to happen by accident.

And despite what you might have heard, there’s no silver bullet solution for making it happen.

The tips above can help you build the foundation for an organic following that actually engages with you. Putting these tips into action is so much easier with a powerful publishing and analytics tool like Sprout.

Want to see our suite of tools in action? Start a free trial today and see for yourself!

How To Become Instagram Famous in 2023 [8 Steps]

Are you wondering how to become Instagram famous?

If you want to be the next Kylie Kardashian or Cristiano Ronaldo, we’ve got bad news — we can’t make Kris Kardashian your mom or bless your feet into super-stardom. (That’s asking a little much)

But we can show you how to find Instafame. After that, whether or not you surpass Ronaldo’s 464M following is up to you.

If you want to become Instafamous, there’s a pretty straightforward formula to follow. We’ll walk you through it in these eight tried-and-true steps.

1. Define your personal brand

2. Find your niche and cater to it

3. Listen to your audience

4. Engage your followers

5. Be consistent

6. Create quality content

7. Treat your Instagram account like a business

8. Manage sponsorship interest like a boss

Bonus: Download a free checklist that reveals the exact steps a fitness influencer used to grow from 0 to 600,000+ followers on Instagram with no budget and no expensive gear.

These days, being “Instagram famous” means more than just having a large following. Instafamous accounts are usually influencers or creators, which means they can use their audiences to drive awareness about a trend, topic, company or product.

Instafame isn’t instant. You can’t buy a ton of followers, call yourself an influencer, and wait for brand deals to come rolling in.

That goes for folks who are the one-hit-wonders of viral videos, too. Sure, they might experience a brief flare of Instagram attention. But that fame will die out fast if they don’t keep producing high-quality content.

Take @flyysoulja, who had a monstrous 15 minutes on TikTok because of their viral “island boy” video. They now regularly post content on Instagram, maintaining over a million followers.

Source: @flyysoulja

The following steps take time and effort. But they’re consistent with the habits we see influencers and Instafamous folks using.

1. Define your personal brand

If you don’t have a viral video to springboard you into millions of followers, you’ll need to start at the beginning.

That means figuring out how you want to show up on Instagram. Remember, the “you” you put on Instagram is your brand. So your online identity needs to feel (and be!) authentic — your followers will know if it isn’t.

Branding can be an in-depth process. Here are five steps to defining your personal brand and some questions you can use as prompts.

Step one: Define your goals

Without clear goals, you won’t be able to measure your success. Start by thinking about why you’re pursuing Instafame.

  • Why do I want to become Instagram famous?
  • What does Instagram fame look like for me?
  • What milestones can I achieve to reach my goal of being Instafamous?
Step two: Find your differentiator

Next, consider what sets you apart from your competition. No matter your specialty, you’re probably entering a crowded market. Why should someone follow you instead of someone else?

  • What makes me stand out from the crowd?
  • What can I do better or differently than other personal brands like mine?
    • Note: This doesn’t have to be a huge difference — you could be the sassiest baker on Instagram, for example, or the most polite mycologist.
Step three: Write down your narrative

Your backstory is where you say who you are and what you care about. People remember emotionally-driven stories more than facts. Plus, staying on point with your copy is easier when you have a brand story to refer back to.

  • What is my story?
  • Where did I come from, and where do I want to go?
  • What motivates me?
Step four: Define your personality

You want your content to be consistent and recognizable. That means each post should reflect your brand’s personality in some way. Are you trying to inspire your followers? Teach them? Amuse them?

  • What are five words that describe my personality?
  • What is my brand voice?
  • How do I want people to see me? How do people actually see me?
Step five: Craft your personal brand statement

A personal brand statement is a short, catchy statement you can refer back to while creating your content. Externally, it can act as an elevator pitch.

Look at your previous answers and ask yourself, “Who am I? Why am I doing this? What makes me unique?”

You can put your personal brand statement in your Instagram bio. Consider, like creator Lauren Sundstrom has, pairing it down to the bare essentials of what your audience needs to know.

Source: @laurengsundstrom

Voilà! Now you’ve got a personal brand you can build your Instagram strategy around.

And a note: These answers will evolve with your brand. It’s meant as a guide, so don’t stress too much about perfecting it the first time.

2. Find your niche and cater to it

Once you know your differentiator (step 2 above), use it to target the niche audience that makes the most sense for your brand.

Niche followers are often fiercely loyal. Shared interests make for strong bonds and can make your relationship with your audience much less forced.

Once you understand your niche, find micro-brands adjacent to you and work with them. Trans woman, activist, model, and style aficionado Lauren Sundstrom posts regularly about only working with brands that share her eco-friendly outlook.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Lauren Sundstrom (@laurengsundstrom)

3. Listen to your audience

Your audience is your best asset. Typically, folks on the internet are mercilessly honest. If you ask a question, you can expect a real answer. When you are your brand, this can require some thick skin.

Solicit answers through questions and polls — and be specific. Open-ended questions like “What do you want to see more of?” likely won’t get you what you want. Instead, ask specific questions, like “Should I add color or keep it neutral?”

Source: @delancey. diy

Pay attention to any repeat comments or questions. There may be a gap in your communication that needs filling. Give your audience what they’re looking for, and you can inspire brand loyalty.

Oh, and don’t stress about having a small following. That just means you’re a micro-influencer. According to Hypeauditor, micro-influencers (one thousand to ten thousand followers) have the potential to earn, on average, $1,420 per month!

If you really want to increase your audience size, though, here are 35 ways to build your follower list from scratch.

4. Engage your followers

Fame doesn’t exist in a vacuum. You can only be as famous as people are willing to pay attention. So, bring your audience in and engage them — and no, you can’t take a shortcut here. Using bots for engagement (believe us, we tried it) doesn’t work.

As tempting as it is to cut corners, a quality engagement strategy will have you reaping the rewards before too long. Strong engagement remains a key player in Instagram’s algorithm. The better your engagement, the more Instagram will put your account in front of folks, and the more your brand reach will grow.

5. Be consistent

Consistency breeds credibility! It may take some time to figure out your visual style, brand voice, and posting cadence. But once you do, keep it up. Folks will start associating your brand with a certain aesthetic and point of view, further cementing it in their minds.

A social media content calendar can be a lifesaver, helping you plan ahead and post consistently.

6. Create quality content

Instagram is and will always be a visual app. That means posting visually appealing content will always be important. You may need to take a photography course, buy some video equipment, or figure out how to edit your videos and photos with photo editing software

And remember: Genuine, authentic content attracts people. Once you’ve got the basics down, you can start optimizing your content with keywords, popular hashtags, powerful calls to action, and Instagram Live content.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Alaina Michelle (@iwasyoungandneededthemoney)

7. Treat your Instagram account like a business

Your Instagram account is how you get your product (you and your personal brand) out to the world. That means it’s now your business — so treat it like one.

If you haven’t already, now’s the time to transition to an Instagram business profile or creator account. You’ll gain access to detailed analytics and creator-specific tools.

Plus, a business or creator profile allows you to use third-party apps like Hootsuite (our personal favorite, obviously).

Hootsuite lets you schedule and publish posts directly to Instagram, engage your audience, measure performance and manage your presence on other social networks — all from a single dashboard.

Hootsuite will even suggest your personal best times to post to your social media accounts directly within the publishing interface.

Try it free for 30 days. Cancel anytime.

8. Manage sponsorship interest like a boss

Now for the fun part — money! When you’ve reached a certain level of followers and recognition, you will have brands or organizations reach out to you with sponsorship opportunities.

You can also get proactive about chasin’ that cash. We’ve got expert advice on making money on Instagram.

Plus, when you’re ready to start reaching out to potential collaborators, you can use Hootsuite’s analytics to build out your brand pitch deck. Brands want to know that you’re a good bet, so being able to prove a strong engagement rate or high conversion can be a gamechanger.

Remember when you’re monetizing your account to stay on track to your Instagram stardom. Make sure you do it the right way by avoiding these common pitfalls:

  1. Don’t say yes to everything. You’ll want to treat your sponsored posts like your own content. If an offer doesn’t vibe with your brand, say no. And make sure you advocate for products or services you would use yourself.
  2. Make sure you’re comfortable with the compensation presented. If someone offers you “exposure” instead of something with monetary value, don’t be afraid to let them know you can’t pay your rent with “exposure.” Or politely decline. It’s your account and your call.
  3. Don’t agree to anything you don’t fully understand. Did you receive a detailed campaign brief? What exactly is expected of you? Reach out for clarification if you’re unsure. Otherwise, you may agree to more than you bargained for or damage a potentially lucrative partnership.

Start building your Instagram presence using Hootsuite. Schedule and publish posts directly to Instagram, engage your audience, measure performance, and run all your other social media profiles — all from one simple dashboard. Try it free today.

Get Started

Grow on Instagram

Easily create, analyze, and schedule Instagram posts, Stories, and Reels with Hootsuite. Save time and get results.

Free 30-Day Trial

19 Ways to Get More Followers on Instagram*

Regardless of whether you are on Instagram The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. personal blog or brand page, subscribers is one of the main metrics that determine the effectiveness of your account. We talk about 19 ways to get more followers on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. .

Of course, you can quickly increase subscribers by purchasing bots, but this will not work, because without a live audience you will not see an increase in reach and engagement, and it will not be difficult to “open” such a trick. In addition, it threatens to block InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, which we talked about in an article about cheating on this social network. So keep up the more workable ways to grow your audience.

20% discount for the first two months in Amplifer with the promo code AMPLI20

Yes, yes, the phrase “Know your audience” that has set the teeth on edge, but has not become less relevant. This will increase the chances of getting a relevant audience, and if you have a business account, it will help turn subscribers into customers.

All methods are effective only if you work with the target audience. Accordingly, it is better to subscribe to the audience of your competitors, to do mutual PR with blogs of your subject.

Julia Petrova
ilovetasty food blogger on Instagram

2. Tailor the content to your target audience

Once you have defined your audience, you need to start creating content that is related to their interests and needs. Your posts in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. should inspire subscribers, motivate them, evoke emotions. Look at successful profiles in your niche and learn from their posts.

We also talked about how to get your first thousand followers on the main social networks

Once you get your first thousand followers, you can ask them what posts they would be interested in. So existing and potential subscribers will understand that you are listening to them, and the desire to click the coveted "Subscribe" button will increase.

3. Create high-quality and interesting publications

InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. - about visual content, and therefore, your photos and videos should look the same. But it’s not enough to make a good visual, in Instagram, the product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. The text of publications also plays an important role. We talked about some tips that will help you make cool posts for InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation..

There are many apps that will help you make beautiful and interesting posts. Check out the video and story app collections to help diversify your content.

4. Use hashtags wisely

When done well, hashtags attract new followers. But it's not enough to use the most popular tags. For example, if you post a photo of a forest and want to use the #forest, #nature and #trees hashtags, you will see that there are millions of such publications and the probability that your post will be noticed is extremely small.

This does not mean that you do not need to use them at all, but it is worth supplementing with other tags that your target audience and competitors follow. It is also recommended to use more sophisticated and personal hashtags. Roughly speaking, instead of #sunset, you can use #luxurioussunset. We talked about how to use hashtags in various social networks, there is also about InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation..

5. Communicate with subscribers

Promotion success in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. largely depends on the interaction with the audience. They want to know that there is a real person behind the account, so motivate them to discuss posts and like them, and then react to their comments and responses. The more actively you communicate with current followers, the more new ones you will get. In addition, it will help to hear the audience better, and social listening is very useful.

6. Use cross-promotion

Reach out to bloggers who run similar blogs and organize cross-promotion. Start with small profiles, and as your audience grows, contact more and more popular bloggers. The so-called "mutual PR" can be a good tactic to promote InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation..

Mutual PR will be effective if you arrange some kind of interactive for subscribers. For example, challenges or a joint draw. A simple recommendation post is unlikely to work.

Julia Petrova
ilovetasty food blogger on Instagram

7. Follow competitors' followers

Another way to increase your audience is to follow users who follow bloggers similar to you. When they see that you have subscribed, they will know that there is another profile from the topic of interest. But please note that there is a limit on the maximum number of subscriptions, from about 20 to 160 per hour. Learn this by experience, but carefully so that InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. didn't suspect you were a spammer.

I started with manual mass following without special services. The difference between manual and service is visible in the conversion. Manual is more effective - apparently, the algorithms Instagram The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. understand how the subscription works, but you need to follow the restrictions (no more than 200 subscriptions per day). me a couple of times InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. limited the ability to publish posts for a week, suspecting that I used the service to buy subscribers. But for me, this method is still one of the most effective.

Julia Petrova
ilovetasty food blogger on Instagram

8. Track relevant hashtags

Did you know that in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. Can I subscribe not only to profiles, but also to hashtags? This is a good strategy, especially when you reach your first thousand subscribers. Track hashtags that are relevant in your niche and use them in your posts. Feel free to comment on the latest posts with such hashtags so that your InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. became more noticeable. It is laborious, but it can give good results.

9. Follow similar blogs

Hashtags make it easy to find relevant accounts in your niche that are similar in content and target audience to yours. An even greater effect can be achieved by turning on notifications and being the first to comment on their publications.

10. Post regularly

We talked about how algorithms work on major social networks, including Instagram*

It's hard to say exactly how much regularity affects subscriber growth. In any case, it makes sense to follow this advice: the better you keep the regularity, the more professional and reliable you look in the eyes of your subscribers - they will know when to expect new posts from you. What’s more, Instagram* algorithms love it if you post regularly so your posts get the best reach and engagement. It is better to publish 1-3 posts per day. Try to start with one post a day, then gradually increase and see what happens, find your middle ground. You can also refer to the experience of Ekaterina Kalashnikova, who monetized her InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. largely due to regular publications.

11. Plan your posts ahead of time

You can save time on posting to focus on more important things: communicating with followers, tracking relevant profiles and hashtags. We are not hinting at anything, but Amplifer will be a good helper in this.

Thanks to a visual calendar and a convenient editor, it is easy to create several publications at once and spread them on different days. Moreover, Amplifer will tell you which posts your audience likes the most.

Connect Instagram* in Amplifer to regularly release scheduled publications and improve reach and engagement. The first 7 days are free, without a bank card

12. Post at the right time

Now on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. algorithmic feed, but what time you post is still important. Agree, there is no point in publishing posts late at night in the hope that a large number of people will see it.

In addition, COVID-19 has greatly affected the best posting times. According to our data, now the peak in InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. shifted by 16-18 hours on weekdays and at 12 and 18 hours on weekends.

However, you cannot rely solely on the average temperature in the hospital. And here Amplifer will come to the rescue: thanks to a special algorithm, it analyzes your publications and advises the best time based on the activity of your audience. For a 7-day free trial period, you will just be able to evaluate.[instagram*]Try Amplifer to find out the best time to post on Instagram*, adapt your promotion strategy and content plan[/instagram*]

13. Use activity chats

Activity chats are great for attracting new followers to InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. They gather several users who like and comment on each other's posts. A good way to cheat the Instagram algorithmThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the territory of the Russian Federation. and increase the organic reach of posts.

The fact is that when you post a post, the algorithms InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. show it to a small number of your followers. If the post gets a lot of responses, then InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. will show the post to an even larger group of subscribers, and if there is no initial activity, then most of your subscribers will not see the publication at all.

Try to find the activity chat in a search engine or in the Facebook community directory The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation, VKontakte or Telegram. But keep in mind that the best chats are rarely in the public domain, so you will have to work hard to find really worthwhile groups. And yes, it takes a long time. But trust me, your efforts will pay off handsomely.

14. Use hashtags in Stories

We have already talked about the importance of hashtags, but they should not be neglected in Stories either. Try adding a few relevant tags to your posts and you'll see your Stories get more impressions than before. Some of those who watched will be able to become your subscribers.

Interactive mechanics will help make Stories more interesting: quests, quizzes, polls, they increase engagement and motivation to subscribe to your profile. In addition, Stories is an excellent channel for communicating with subscribers. There you can clarify what content they would like to see, arrange Q&A sessions.

15. Post videos and stream live

Making videos on social media is almost a must in 2020, as there is more and more content like this and users are spending more and more time watching it. Live broadcasts are an even more engaging content format because every time you start broadcasting, all subscribers receive a notification. We talked about this in this year's trend selection.

How to get subscribers using ethers? Make joint live broadcasts with other bloggers. They can also ask their followers to subscribe to you during the live broadcast, which can be a good channel to attract a new audience.

16. Post for thematic accounts

In InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. there are many thematic profiles where not their own content is published, but interesting posts of other users. The only thing to do is to use their unique hashtags in the hope of getting noticed.

How to find them? Use a search engine. Type, for example, “The best travel profiles in InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. ”, or about the topic of your blog. Surely you will find many such accounts.

17. Decide and Use a Consistent Visual Style

Whether you have a new profile or have been in the business for a long time, you need a consistent visual style for your posts to attract followers. You can choose a specific filter or set of effects for all photos so that they echo each other.

The importance of creating a visual style for Instagram The product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. Varya Vedeneeva told using the example of the Periodicals profile.

18. Create posts to tag friends

If you want your posts to be seen by friends of your followers, the "Tag a Friend" feature will help you. Create a relevant entertaining post and encourage followers to tag their friends. The funnier and more entertaining the post, the easier it is.

19. Try advertising

Do you want more people to see your posts? Think about advertising. In fact, you don't need a big budget to test it. Advertising can be an effective strategy, and InstagramProduct belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. can get you new subscribers in a short time.

To promote my account, I buy ads from bloggers, participate in mutual PR and use targeted advertising. I like the first method the most - you can get a subscriber for 6-10 ₽.

Anastasia Chernykh
content director at Amplifer

⌘⌘⌘

We hope our tips will help you build a meaningful audience on InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist in the Russian Federation. in other social networks where you are present. And remember that people love to follow realistic and authentic profiles. Good luck hunting for an audience at InstagramThe product belongs to an organization recognized as extremist on the territory of the Russian Federation. !

Save on auto-posting from Amplifer

Instagram[/su_tooltip] and other social networks" action="Try Amplifer" caption="7 days for free, no card needed"]Convenient and intuitive calendar, advanced editor, tips for the best time and built-in Canva editor to create impressive designs

First published on SocialToolkits.com

How to increase activity on Instagram: 7 proven tips

If you use Instagram for your business, then in your analytics you probably noticed a decrease in subscriber loyalty to your content. If you are faced with the fact that your content, products or promotions are less “liked” or commented by people, and the number of subscribers is growing differently than it was just recently - do not worry.

Not only you, but also other accounts faced the problem of a decrease in the activity of subscribers, regardless of popularity and audience coverage. Of course, given that Instagram plays a key role in promoting your brand or product, these statistics should worry you, so we hasten to calm your worries by offering 7 truly effective strategies to overcome the period of stagnation that will help take your audience of followers to a new level. growth, stimulate their interest in your products. But first, our tip number 1: for the most active and fruitful interaction with your audience, and therefore increase the number of customers, there is nothing better than regular, daily updates of your content!

Last summer, Instagram already experienced a decline in user activity, which was associated with the transition to an algorithmic feed, while it was expected that this innovation would improve connections between users on Instagram, but so far the results are not encouraging - a decrease in activity in various analytics parameters.

According to Instagram marketing expert Alex Tobo, while in the past Instagram users could count on a 3-5% increase in followers, at the moment this figure has dropped to 1-2%, and even large accounts with over 100,000 subscribers.

While it is difficult to determine what is the reason for the decrease in activity on Instagram, some experts believe that the new algorithm is to blame, while others blame the so-called "Instagram shadowban" (shadow ban), when Instagram for some reason removes your hashtags from hashtag search results, and sometimes even hides entire posts.

So, how can you help yourself in this situation?

Instagram is a place where everyone competes with each other. In order for your content to find itself on the “Interesting” tab or in the top materials by hashtags, they must be appreciated by as many people as possible, which will be seen from the many “likes” and comments, which should be as many as possible. Since there are too many people like you on Instagram who want more user tags and comments, some of them are taking the path of least resistance, turning to popular services to help them increase the number of followers or tags on their posts. These people are guided by this thought - “If I can’t get 2000 subscribers or likes within an hour, then why don’t I buy them in a bot service?”

In some cases, indeed, bots can be very useful for very busy people who are engaged in offline business and are not able to find enough free time to fully interact with Instagram followers, however, excessive use of bots can expose your account to serious risks, and here's why:

Recently, Instagram has updated its algorithm to be tougher on bots and accounts that use them. In fact, for several weeks now, users who have resorted to auto-comments, auto-add friends, etc. began to notice that their posts with hashtags were no longer displayed on the pages of search results for them. The fact is, if you use any automatic or bot program in your account, there is a chance that: a) Instagram will find out about it; b) You will be hidden or blocked. Therefore, we recommend that you opt out of their services because it is against Instagram's terms of use.

News timelines have already reported that Instagram is penalizing incorrect, "spam" hashtag usage or for using hashtags that are not allowed. It is not yet known what this is connected with, with the official position or with a software glitch of the platform, but users have already noted that even if they insert one forbidden hashtag, their messages are still not displayed when the results for search hashtags are displayed, even if together with the forbidden one in the message will also contain "normal" hashtags.

Until this problem is fixed, we recommend that you create a set of your hashtags that you use often, after making sure that they are not prohibited. To do this, just try to find them in the search. If you see messages with one or another hashtag at the top, then everything is in order.

If you find a banned hashtag, be sure to stop using it, as it will prevent other, "correct" hashtags from indexing your posts on search pages.

Now for the good stuff. Despite the issues above, Instagram hashtags are still one of the best tools for getting attention on your posts, especially if you want to get in the "Top Posts" for a hashtag.

If you've ever searched for hashtags, you've probably noticed the grid of the top nine posts displayed at the top of the results page. On Instagram, these are the so-called "Top Posts" - the most popular posts on a selected topic that have been tagged with this hashtag. Already below them are other, slightly less popular posts, chronologically and regularly updated, so getting into the top posts of the search results page means a big achievement for you and your brand!

The algorithm that selects top posts is based on several factors, including: the importance of your posts (likes and comments), the popularity of the hashtag, and the statute of limitations on your posts. If you want to get to the top of the hashtag, you need to optimize each of these factors.

One of the best ways to get your posts out to as many people as possible is to post content when they are most active. The fact is that Instagram's search algorithm gives the "green light" first of all to messages that have caused the greatest resonance and user activity, which means that the more people read, like or comment on your message, the higher it will rise. in the search hierarchy.

At the same time, your message will rise up the subscribers' newsfeed, further promoting it even more.

That is why it is so important to consider the timing of content placement in your strategy. It is very convenient to use the free Instagram post scheduler if you want to prepare materials in advance for posting on the day and time of the day you need, without your participation.

Note: according to some users, updating content several times a day can lead to a decrease in activity on your page, and this is due to the peculiarities of the new algorithm, in addition, too frequent appearance of your posts in the subscribers' news feed may be perceived by them ambiguously, this will annoy someone and be perceived as spam. If you're noticing that your view stats are dropping, try reducing your daily posts, down to once a day.

Your followers will be more eager and willing to comment or tag your posts if you encourage them to do so. For example, some kind of picture or product, as well as a question related to them, but addressed to the subscriber, for example: “Last weekend I fed deer by hand, what are you going to do this weekend?” A specially provided comment button will be very handy. The live feed of the conversation participants plays an important role in getting your post up the Instagram hashtag search rankings.

Ever since Instagram switched from a chronological to an algorithmic feed, users have been trying to “hack the algorithm”, with some users turning to using bots, while others have joined forces to create special Instagram modules, which include the so-called Instagram pods.

Instagram pods are a bit like WhatsApp group chats. These are groups of 10-15 users, bloggers or companies that have similar audiences and gather in order to “wind up” activity on their Instagram pages. People communicate with each other via Direct Message Instagram and every time someone from the pod posts another post, they share it with the group. Members of the pod leave their comments under the entry, put "likes", thereby encouraging other users to also participate in discussions.

In order to join the Instagram module, you need to add (or request to be added) to an Instagram private group chat. Usually, people get to know about the right Instagram pod from each other through conversations, but you can also try your luck in finding the right Instagram pod in Instagram-focused Facebook or VKontakte groups. Once you've become a member of a Pod, learn the rules and ethics of the Pod to make new friends, colleagues, and followers.

At first glance, some isolation of people in Instagram pods may seem suspicious to you, but unlike bots, Instagram pods are legal communities of like-minded Instagram, so you do not have to worry about your page being blocked or blacklisted.

Instagram Stories have long gone beyond the fun pastime of ordinary users, becoming one of the most relevant tools for promoting brands and products on Instagram.

We can't confirm if there is any correlation between the reaction of followers to your Instagram Stories posts and posts posted in the usual way, but it can be noted that sometimes posts to Instagram Stories increase user activity. Thanks to the provided functionality, Instagram Stories can better unlock the potential of your branded hashtags than regular posts.

Another benefit of using Instagram Stories is that you can explore a selection of stories directly from the Explore tab. When you go here, at the top you will see the line Instagram Stories with the results of the selection of stories from the accounts you use and the posts you liked the most. In addition, Instagram will also show you stories that other people have rated.

If you want your posts to appear on the Instagram Explore tab as well, you need to focus on creating highly engaging and targeted content. The better your posts, stories, illustrations, and products fit your audience, the more likely Instagram is to add your account to the featured Stories at the top of the Explore tab!

A thoughtful approach to a hashtag strategy, engaging with Instagram Pods and posting at the most appropriate time is a must for getting more activity on your page, but if you’re also aiming to grow your followers relatively quickly, then you It is worth trying another way - to organize contests!

If you're looking for some high-profile Instagram contest idea, try teaming up with another interested account, brand, or influencer. A joint contest will be useful for the owners of both audiences of subscribers, because your subscribers may be interested in your partner's profile, and vice versa, his subscribers may be interested in your account, brand and activity. You can arrange 3-5-day sales, stimulating subscribers with prizes, discounts and bonuses for being active on your pages, likes and comments.

Learn more