How to gain exposure 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 Get More Followers on Instagram [5 Simple Steps]

Starting fresh on social or just trying to build your online brand? You’re probably wondering how to get more followers on Instagram.

And no, we don’t mean buying followers or using bots. Those tricks might boost your follower count for a short time, but they won’t do you any favors long-term.

That’s because the only truly valuable Instagram followers are real people who care about and engage with your brand.

Check out our in-depth guide to learn how to grow Instagram followers organically.

Step 1. Lay the groundwork

Step 2. Create great content

Step 3. Make yourself findable

Step 4. Engage with your community

Step 5. Keep learning

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.

How to get more Instagram followers for free

No time to read the whole guide? Check out the video below for what you need to grow on Instagram this year:

Otherwise, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Step 1. Lay the groundwork

Have a thoughtful Instagram marketing strategy

If you want to be effective on social, you need a clear plan.

Getting more Instagram followers is a great starter goal. But followers alone won’t create a successful Instagram account. Your goal needs to be part of a larger plan that connects to your business strategy and social marketing objectives.

Think about the reasons why you want more Instagram followers. What do you really hope to accomplish? Maybe you want to:

increase brand awareness
boost product sales
drive traffic to your website.

Staying focused on these business-oriented goals will help keep your Instagram account consistent. It will help you tell a compelling brand story that appeals to new profile visitors and helps build (and keep) a loyal following.

Define your target audience

Ask yourself some questions about who you’re trying to reach:

Where do they live?
What do they do for work?
When and how do they use Instagram?
What are their pain points and challenges?

The answers to these questions will help you craft content to connect with the people on Instagram who are most likely to give you a follow.

They will also help you consistently deliver content that will keep your audience engaged for the long run.

Create a consistent brand story and aesthetic

Maybe you want to show off how your product is made. Or humanize your brand by sharing an employee’s perspective. An aspirational brand might showcase the lifestyle or achievements of your customers.

No matter what you’re going for, it’s important to maintain a consistent brand voice, personality and look.

Your posts should be easily recognizable at a glance. Think of your Instagram grid as one cohesive unit. You can always use Instagram Stories to share content that doesn’t quite fit with the look and feel of your main feed.

Your products don’t have to look the same, either. You can use styling to give your grid a consistent look and feel, like @themillerswifecustomcookies does:

Source: @themillerswifecustomcookies on Instagram

Use keywords to appear in searches

Before people can follow you on Instagram, they have to find you. But not all text on Instagram is searchable. Only two fields on Instagram contribute to search results: name and username.

Your username is your Instagram handle. It should be consistent with the handle you use on other social networks since this also makes it easier for people to find you. Use your brand name or a variation of your name that people are likely to use when searching for your brand.

Your name can be anything you like, up to 30 characters. You don’t want to keyword-stuff, but including your most relevant keyword in the name field can make you easier to find.

For example, travel writer Claudia Laroye (@itsclaudiatravels) includes the keyphrase “travel writer” in her Instagram name. Now, she’s more likely to be found by people looking for travel content or writers.

Source: @itsclaudiatravels on Instagram

Optimize your Instagram bio and profile

Two-thirds of Instagram business profile visits are from non-followers. If your bio and profile convince them to click the follow button, those visitors may become followers.

Your profile includes your name and username fields (mentioned above), your website and your bio.

Your bio can be up to 150 characters, so make the most of it. Convey your brand identity and show new visitors why they should follow you. What kind of content can they expect?

This bio from @abstractaerialart sums up the account’s purpose and promise in a quick, easy-to-digest way:

Source: @abstractaerialart on Instagram

If you have a professional account (business or Creator), you can include extra info in your profile, like your contact information, type of business, and location.

Step 2. Create great content

Design a gorgeous Instagram grid

Sure, this might seem obvious, but it’s critical when thinking about getting followers on Instagram. Every post on your Instagram grid must be high-quality and visually engaging.

When new users visit your profile, the content should make them want to see more (and click Follow).

Give commercial photographer @nelsonmouellic a round of applause for this visual feat.

Write compelling, long captions

Instagram is a visual social media platform, but great Instagram captions help you get more reach and engagement.

Here are some key strategies to keep in mind:

Put the most important words up front. If the caption is more than 125 characters long, users must tap “more” to see the whole thing. Make the most of those first words to inspire that extra tap.
Ask a question. This makes it easy for your audience to leave a comment. That increased engagement will help make your account visible to more people.
Use emoji. Emoji add a bit of variety and can make your caption more enticing. Just make sure you use those emoji correctly!
Try different caption lengths. Our data shows that long captions are more likely to improve engagement, but ultra-short captions can also be very effective when the visuals speak for themselves.

Will Tang of Going Awesome Places posts great photos with detailed captions that tell the story behind the shot. His Insta bio calls him a “creator of ridiculously detailed itineraries and guides.” That means this caption approach is very on-brand.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will | Going Awesome Places (@goingawesomeplaces)

Post content that’s meant to be re-shared

Your audience wants to engage with content that’s useful and inspiring. So when planning your posts, think about types of content that other people might like to share.

People love sharing infographics. Feed that desire by supplying your followers with your expert insights. If someone embeds your Instagram posts in their blog, you’re exposed to a whole new audience of potential followers.

People can also re-share your posts in their Instagram Stories. These posts are clickable, so anyone who wants to know more can click through to your original post. It’s another easy way to expand your reach to new audiences and potential new followers.

For example, here’s how a Hootsuite post about LinkedIn demographics looks when shared to my Instagram Story.

Embrace Instagram Stories

If you want more Instagram followers, you need to use Instagram Stories. Half a billion Instagram accounts use Stories every day, and 45% of the most-viewed Stories are from businesses.

People who use Stories are highly engaged. Plus, you can use the hashtag and location features in your stories to expose them to people who do not already follow you.

Make the most of Stories highlights

Put a lot of effort into an Instagram Story and not quite ready to say goodbye after 24 hours? Pinned Stories highlights are a great way to introduce your brand to people who visit your profile. So pack those highlights with great info and content to show new visitors why they should follow you.

Don’t forget to customize the cover photos on your highlights, too. Supplement company Vega keeps things on-brand and plant-friendly with their custom green highlights.

Source: Vega on Instagram

Post consistently

Your existing followers want to see content from you. That’s why they followed you in the first place. So give them what they want!

When users interact with your posts, those engagements tell Instagram’s algorithm that your content is valuable. Those interactions will then boost your reach. So giving your existing followers something great to interact with can help bring in new Instagram followers.

How often should you post? According to our analysis, between 3-7 times per week.

Post at the right time

Instagram uses an algorithm, not a chronological feed. But timing is still important to the algorithm.

Hootsuite’s social team found that the best time to post on Instagram is between 8 AM -12 PM PST or 4-5 PM PST on weekdays.

But your audience might have different habits than ours. A tool like Hootsuite Analytics can show you the best time to post for your audience based on past engagement, impressions or traffic.

Source: Hootsuite Analytics

Try Hootsuite for free. You can cancel anytime.

Start testing various times and measuring results. For example, if you’re a retail brand, you might want to test posting during lunch

Schedule your posts and stories

What if the best time to post to your account is 3 AM? (Hey, it happens.) Use a desktop-based Instagram tool like Hootsuite to schedule and publish directly to Instagram.

Scheduling your Instagram posts in advance allows you to plan a cohesive grid that tells an overarching story. It also allows you to dedicate time to creating excellent captions rather than trying to come up with something witty on the fly.

You can also use Hootsuite to schedule Instagram Stories and Reels.

Step 3. Make yourself findable

Use relevant hashtags to reach new users

Sadly, the text of your Instagram posts isn’t searchable. But your hashtags are. Using hashtags thoughtfully can be a good way to get followers on Instagram for free. You can even create your own branded hashtags.

Relevant hashtags can help people find your content. Instagram users can even follow hashtags. That means your hashtagged content may appear in the feeds of people who do not yet follow your account.

You can include up to 30 hashtags in an Instagram post, but don’t go overboard. Instead, do some experimenting to learn how many hashtags work best for your particular account.

Avoid hashtag gimmicks such as #likeforlike, #tagsforlikes, or #followme. These may give you a temporary boost in followers. But those people aren’t interested in what makes you and your content special. They’re not going to help you build a meaningful, engaged audience on Instagram.

Instead, focus on using highly targeted hashtags specific to your photo, product, or business, like stylist Dee Campling does in this #wfh shot.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dee Campling (@deecampling)

Tag your location

If the location of your post or Story is clear, it’s worth adding a location tag. It’s another easy way for people to find your content on Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Instagram’s @Creators (@creators)

If your business has a physical location, tag it and encourage customers to do the same. Users can then click on that location and see all photos and Stories posted from your store, restaurant, or office.

For example, here’s what you get when you search for the location of Van Wonderen Stroopwafels in Amsterdam:

Source: Instagram

If you’re posting from a conference or event, adding your location can help you connect with other attendees. This will expose your account to a highly relevant group of new potential Instagram followers.

Tag relevant users

It’s easy to tag Instagram users featured in your photos. Just use an @-mention in your caption or Instagram’s tagging functionality within the post.

Users are notified when they’re tagged, so tags encourage them to engage with and share the post. Your post will also appear on the Tagged tab of their Instagram profile.

You can also tag users in your Instagram Stories. Then, they can post shared content to their own Story with just a couple of taps. If they do so, their viewers can click through to your account.

Be careful, though. Tagging someone just to get their attention isn’t a great idea. Instead, only tag users featured in your photo or relevant to your post’s content.

Some potentially relevant users to tag might include:

Customers
Suppliers
Other relevant businesses
Colleagues or employees
Someone who taught you a skill or told you about something you share in the post
Anyone who appears in the photo

Encourage others to tag you

Another way to introduce your Instagram account to a new audience is to ask other Instagram users to tag you. When they tag you in a post, their audience sees your handle and can click on it if they want to learn more.

Your bio is a great place to ask people to tag you on Instagram.

For example, Visit the USA asks Instagrammers to tag them for a chance to be featured on their account.

Source: @visittheusa on Instagram

Cross-promote your Instagram account on other networks

If you want to get followers on Instagram for free, you need to make it easy for people to find you.

Your Instagram profile should be easily discoverable. If you’ve already built a following on another social network, let those fans know about your Instagram account.

Share a link to your Instagram profile and give your existing social followers a reason to check it out. (Like an Instagram-exclusive coupon code, event, or contest.)

When BlogHer hosted Jameela Jamil for an Instagram Live, they made sure to promote it on their Facebook Page as well.

If you’re just starting your Instagram account, make sure to post some content before you promote the account elsewhere. Aim for a minimum of 12 posts.

You could also highlight some of your best Instagram posts on your other social channels. Consider boosting these posts with paid advertising so your other social followers can find and follow you on Instagram.

Embed Instagram posts in your blog

You’ve already seen some embedded Instagram posts in this blog. These clickable posts allow users to head directly to the relevant post or Instagram profile.

Embedding your own Instagram posts in your blog is an easy way to share your content and drive traffic to your profile. Every new visitor to your Instagram profile is a potential new follower.

For example, say Hootsuite wanted to announce our mascot’s makeover. Sure, we could share a few pictures of Owly’s new look.

But we could also embed an Instagram post, like this:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hootsuite 🦉 (@hootsuite)

Any time you’re sharing visual content like photos, charts, or infographics in your blog, there’s an opportunity to embed an Instagram post with that content instead.

Share your Instagram account in other communications

Think beyond your social channels when sharing your Instagram account.

You can link to your Instagram account on your website, in your email signature, and in your online newsletters. The link doesn’t have to be big, either. You can use a small Instagram icon.

If you’re promoting a new Instagram account, a quick email blast is a great way to get free Instagram followers fast.

And don’t forget about your offline materials. You can include your Instagram handle on coasters, posters, packing slips, business cards, or packaging. It’s a simple way to drive more free Instagram followers to your account.

Use Instagram QR codes

Your Instagram QR code is a scannable code that allows other Instagram users to follow you instantly. It’s another easy way to promote your account on physical materials like packing slips, signage, and product packaging.

Your QR code is also a great way to get new followers in real time at networking events and conferences. People you connect with in person can scan your code to follow you without having to type out your handle. Try printing it out and tucking it into your namebadge holder for easy access.

Find your Instagram QR code by tapping on the three lines icon at the top right of your Instagram profile and selecting QR Code .

Try to get featured

Feature accounts are Instagram accounts that curate and re-share content based on a hashtag or tagging. Some of these accounts have a huge following. If they share one of your posts (along with your handle), they can send a new stream of Instagram followers your way.

There’s a feature account for just about every niche and interest on Instagram, so start exploring.

For example, @damngoodstitch features embroidery posts. The account has more than 180,000 followers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by DamnGoodStitch (@damngoodstitch)

Aim for the Explore page

The Explore page is what you see when you click on the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the Instagram app. According to Instagram itself, this is where “you can find photos and videos that you might like from accounts you don’t yet follow.”

Half of Instagram accounts visit Explore every month. That’s a huge opportunity for brands looking to grow their audience.

Ending up on the Explore tab isn’t easy. Luckily, we’ve got an entire article dedicated to helping you get there.

You can also pay to get into the Explore feed by selecting Explore as an ad placement.

Source: Instagram

Step 4. Engage with your community

Follow relevant accounts

You should only tag people in an Instagram post when the content is directly relevant to them. But you can follow anyone you like. And when you follow a user on Instagram, there’s a good chance they will check out your feed and consider following you back.

Social listening is great for finding conversations and influential users (a.k.a. influencers) to follow.

Instagram’s “Suggestions For You” section is also a handy resource for finding relevant accounts to follow. These suggestions show up in your Instagram feed between posts, in between Stories, or on the right side of the screen on a computer.

Just remember not to follow too many other accounts too fast. Your follower ratio, or the number of people who follow you compared to how many you follow, is important for credibility.

And don’t follow people just to get their attention, only to unfollow after they follow you back. This is kind of a jerk move and will hurt your Instagram reputation.

Engage with existing communities

Like all social media networks, Instagram is about the communities built within it. So make sure you’re participating in those spaces.

Get involved by liking, commenting on, and sharing content from other credible users in your community. Avoid generic comments (like “Awesome post!”) that look like they come from bots.

Engaging with other posts helps draw attention (and potential new followers) in two ways:

People get notifications when you like and comment on their posts. They may check out your profile to return the favor.
If others find your comments thoughtful or intriguing, they may check out your profile.

Work with influencers in your niche

Here’s an important stat for anyone thinking about how to get more followers on Instagram: 60% of consumers say they’d follow a brand on Instagram after seeing it promoted by an influencer they trust.

If you’re not working with influencers now, then you should definitely consider it. Luckily, we’ve got a whole guide on Influencer marketing to help you out.

Collaborate with other brands

Don’t be afraid to reach out to other brands to see if there’s a way that you can work together on Instagram. The right kind of collaboration could help everyone involved get more Instagram followers.

Think about businesses you already collaborate with in other ways. Maybe you’re connected in a local business improvement association or shopping area. How could you work together on Instagram?

One common option is to host a contest featuring products from multiple companies, like Rocky Mountain Soap Company did with Annika Mang of @borntobeadventurous.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rocky Mountain Soap Company (@rockymountainsoapco)

Try an Instagram Live collaboration

Live video keeps getting more popular, and Instagram is a great place to take advantage of the trend. Users are notified when an account they follow starts broadcasting live, so a live video really grabs attention.

To get your Live video in front of a new audience, use the “Go live with a friend” option to co-host a live video with someone else in your industry. Ask the other person to host a Live video, then invite you as a guest. The two of you will appear in a split screen, introducing you to all of their followers.

For example, Design Emergency hosts a weekly Instagram Live to interview key figures in the design world.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Design Emergency (@design.emergency)

Likewise, Wine Spectator‘s Straight Talk series features interviews with industry insiders.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Wine Spectator Magazine (@wine_spectator)

Use interactivity features in Stories

Instagram Stories offer plenty of interactive features to engage users, like poll, question, and chat stickers. These stickers are a simple, low-stakes way for your audience to engage with your content.

Polling stickers increased three-second video views in 90% of Instagram’s beta campaigns for this feature.

Source: Instagram

If users come across your Story from a hashtag or location page, they can engage right away. It’s a great way to make them want to learn more about your brand by giving you a follow.

Pin your best comments

One of Instagram’s little-known features is the ability to pin up to three comments for each post.

Today we’re rolling out pinned comments everywhere. 📌

That means you can a pin a few comments to the top of your feed post and better manage the conversation. pic.twitter.com/iPCMJVLxMh

— Instagram (@instagram) July 7, 2020

There are a couple of ways you can use this feature as part of your plan to get more followers on Instagram.

Use pinned comments to extend your caption beyond 2,200 characters by continuing the story in the comments. This lets you take on more detailed and in-depth storytelling, which may be a fit for some accounts.
Pin your favorite comments from other users, especially if they are creating a lot of engagement.

This feature can help you manage the conversation on your posts and create more opportunities for engagement.

Step 5. Keep learning

Create an AR filter

AR filters for Instagram Stories are photo effects Instagrammers can use to modify photos taken through their mobile phone’s front and back cameras.

Those posts with puppy ears? Those are done with an AR (Augmented Reality) filter. Those “which [vegetable/pizza/emoji/etc.] are you?” posts? Yup, those use AR filters too.

Any Instagram user can now create an AR filter. The filters you create live in their own section of your Instagram profile.

Source: @paigepiskin on Instagram

If your filter is not promotional or branded, it will also appear in the Instagram Stories effects gallery, where any Instagrammer can find it.

How does creating an AR filter help you get more Instagram followers? Your account name appears in the top left corner whenever anyone uses your AR filter. It’s clickable and can drive more new visitors to your profile.

Source: @gucci on Instagram

Run contests

Contests on Instagram are a great way to help you get more followers. Just make sure your entry process involves asking people to follow you and comment on one of your photos by tagging a friend.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hotel Casa Amsterdam (@hotelcasa_amsterdam)

Tagged friends will also see your post and may choose to follow your account as well.

Encouraging user-generated content as part of your contest can also help you reach more people. People will learn about your profile from posts their friends create. This is an effective way to build trust with new followers and get more eyeballs to your page.

Consider advertising on Instagram

Okay, this isn’t exactly a way to get free Instagram followers. But Instagram ads can be a powerful way to reach new followers fast by getting your content in front of people who would otherwise not see it.

And unlike buying followers, using Instagram ads is a totally legitimate and effective way to get more Instagram followers quickly with a small investment.

Target your audience by location, demographics, and even key behaviors and interests. You can also create a lookalike audience based on the people who already interact with your business.

Besides the feed, you can advertise in Instagram Stories and the Explore feed. For all the details on creating and posting an Instagram ad campaign, check out our detailed Instagram ads guide.

Learn from Instagram Insights

Instagram analytics tools will give you data on impressions for each post, along with reach, engagement, top posts, and more. You can also find demographic information about your followers, including gender, age, and location.

Regularly reviewing this data can help you identify areas where you can adjust your strategy to hel p you get more followers on Instagram.< >

Keep an eye on what time of day your followers use Instagram, so you can post when people are most likely to see and engage with your content. Data nerds who want to go deeper may want to consider a social media management tool like Hootsuite. These tools can show you the best times to post based on impressions, engagement, and traffic. They’ll also give you a bunch of other helpful performance metrics, like your follower growth rate.

Get more Instagram followers using Hootsuite. Schedule content for the most optimal times, streamline engagement, track your performance, and more—all from a single, easy-to-use dashboard. Try it for free.

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ideas and examples profile description

Author Dmitry Filyuta Reading 7 min Views 2.3k. Updated 04/02/2020

Instagram is a platform where everyone can declare themselves as an interesting person, or present their own business to attract customers. Application users can share not only their photos and videos, but also create useful content, gathering an interested audience around them. However, in order to compete with popular blogs, it is not enough to take beautiful shots and write interesting texts. That is why, many are starting to think about what to write about themselves on Instagram so that the user does not pass by and subscribes to the account. nine0005

Content

What to write about yourself on Instagram to attract an audience
So, how interesting is it to write about yourself on Instagram? How to add a description to your profile? : “How to write about yourself on Instagram”, then you want to be noticed among millions of other accounts. Not all registered users want to become bloggers or promote their products through Instagram, however, more and more people are using the profile as a tool to help develop their creativity. nine0029 Regardless of your goals, your page must be visible, otherwise how else can you stand out among so many Instagrammers.

So, how interesting is it to write about yourself on Instagram?

The profile header is the business card of each user. This is the first thing a person sees when they visit your page. The “About me” section should briefly and creatively reflect the essence of your account. I recommend starting with the following steps:
1. Think carefully about your nickname. It should be easy to read and reflect what you do and write about.
2. Enter your name and occupation so that the subscriber immediately understands who is blogging and what they are writing about.
3. Write a short description of 150 characters that will contain information about the owner of the profile. Use icons and symbols to dilute the text and set some accents.
4. As an avatar for a personal blog, choose a photo that will be remembered by your subscribers and will distinguish you from the general mass of other users. If you run a business account, the title image can be a company logo on a neutral background. nine0014
Also, make sure that the description is not overloaded with hashtags or links, and do not use too long phrases. How to add a description to your profile? This information will also be relevant for those who have not previously written anything in the "About Me" section. So, to design an account header, follow these steps:
1. Enter your profile and click on the "Edit profile" button, which is located to the right of the profile picture.
2. Fill out the page that will appear in front of you. Here you need to specify a nickname, name, website (for commercial accounts or bloggers), and also fill in the “about yourself” column.
3. After you enter all the necessary data, confirm your actions by clicking on the “Finish” button.
Sometimes you need to take additional steps to align the profile header or change the text font. For this:
- open your profile through a browser on a PC;
- select the option “Edit profile”;
- open the “About me” section and add a few spaces before the name until it is in the center of the line;
- confirm the action by clicking on the "Submit" button and go to the application from your phone to check the result.
After that, go to the main page of your profile and check the correctness of each phrase. If you need to make any changes, you can do so at any time. nine0005
How to start maintaining an account for a blogger

Only you have the right to decide what to post on your Instagram page and what posts to post. However, today Instagram is not only a platform for posting personal photos, but also a great opportunity to earn money. If you want to create a popular blog and monetize it for profit, the following tips will be very helpful: If you take on a specific topic, rather than writing about everything and nothing, you will be more likely to increase the number of subscribers to the maximum. Personally, I prefer to talk on my blog about travel and remote work, which allows me to be on long trips, but you can write about absolutely everything (recipes, business, fashion and style, parenting, immigration, sports, floristry, etc.) .). The main thing is that you can professionally cover this or that topic, and convey useful information to your audience. nine0014
Take care to evoke emotions in instagram users , motivation for action, as well as a desire to become better and more professional. Be a positive role model for your subscribers.

Identify your strengths. Use charisma or humor to talk creatively and interestingly about yourself and your interests.

Pay attention to the quality of posts and photos. Profile design should make your blog stand out from the competition. nine0014

In general, don't be afraid to experiment, but don't forget to stick to your own style so as not to lose your audience in the pursuit of popularity and new subscribers.

How to design your profile beautifully and creatively

Your Instagram page is a kind of your personal site where you present yourself or your product. It is important to pay attention to every aspect of the profile, otherwise you risk missing out on a potential reader or client, from which all your efforts will be in vain, and without proper design, your account will look crumpled and uninteresting. nine0005

Based on personal experience, I have identified a few things that have helped me transform my Instagram page and attract thousands of followers, thanks to which I can continue to promote my blog. One such technique is to use catch-phrases that hook visitors and motivate them to view your posts and subscribe. Here are a few examples to help you when describing your profile:

Forget who you are and become who you want to be; nine0014
One good thought in the morning will change the mood of the whole day;
Completely delighted with the fact of his own existence;
Do your best to understand that nothing is impossible;
The right hour comes in the right place;
Nobody canceled the laws of karma.

There are plenty of examples on the internet that you can use for your blog, but keep in mind that the phrases should be concise, creative and catchy. Add emoji or symbols to make your profile header even prettier. nine0005

Rules for creating a commercial account

And finally, if we are talking about a commercial profile, there are rules for creating an account. When visiting your page, the user should immediately understand the type of your activity, and what information you bring to the masses. It is necessary to fit all the necessary information into 150 characters, but the description should be no less interesting and original than that of bloggers.

If you don't know where to start with a business account, I suggest going through the following steps:

List the main services or products you can offer to your audience.
Add a description of additional options. For example, travel agencies often list visa processing and airline booking services, although their main activity may be the sale of tours.
Take care of the preferences of your target audience. If your target audience is girls and women, including young mothers, and your business is a beauty salon, you can indicate that you have a children's playroom. nine0014
Write a post or create a story about why customers choose you. Post reviews about your products or services so that other subscribers can form their opinion about you based on the answers of your regular customers.
Highlight your uniqueness. For example, if you have your own flower boutique, you can specify unique varieties of flowers that can only be ordered from you.

Browse other popular bloggers or stores for the latest Instagram trends, but don't forget to keep your personality. Get creative with your profile development and your audience will definitely find you. nine0005

4 rules for a successful strategy - Authentica magazine

Analysis

How to choose a platform for a salon and what to post.

Varvara Selizarova

Link

Together with Natasha Karakina, the strategist of the communication agency Setters, Authentica figured out how to stand out from other salons on Instagram, what content will circulate online without any promo, and whether it is worth opening a Telegram account.

Choose the right social network

The choice of social network depends on the target audience, location and prices for services. Natasha notes that if the salon is located in a million-plus city and works with premium brands, you can try Facebook. It makes sense for more democratic projects in the regions to be promoted through Vkontakte. The norm in the beauty market is promotion through Instagram.

*Women make up 58% of Instagram's monthly audience. In Telegram, 67% are men.

Natasha Karakina

Setters strategist

Instagram has more advertising tools. For example, there is targeted advertising and the ability to integrate bloggers into content. Similar tools appear in other social networks: “Recently, I see integrations in Telegram more and more often. Like Instagram bloggers, channel authors share reviews and promotional codes,” Natasha notes.

The White Garden Health and Beauty Center (118,000 followers) is promoted through Instagram: “In this social network, we focus on photo and video content. And to promote the online store, we launched targeted advertising,” says Katya Pastukhova, SMM manager of the salon. “Guests want to see how the procedures go, what is the result, what products can be bought in the boutique of the salon. It is important for us to convey the atmosphere, to show what we are capable of. Instagram copes with these tasks perfectly. We are also looking at other social networks.” nine0005

Source: @beliysad

According to Karakina, you should think about entering other social networks only after the promotion strategy through Instagram has brought the first results in terms of reach or leads put the item in the shopping cart).

To choose a suitable site, it is worth analyzing the client base: determine the age and professions of people who apply for services to the salon. Next, see in which social networks you can meet your audience. You can do this on the Web-Index platform - they publish monthly up-to-date data on Russia. Market analysis will also help. Check from which resources the competitor's website receives traffic. nine0005

The norm in the beauty market is 10-20 ₽ per subscriber on Instagram. Approximately how much you will spend for a person from a promo post to go to the salon account.

Natasha Karakina

Strategist of Setters Communications Agency

“It is worth considering that in the regions people still use Viber,
and WhatsApp overtakes Telegram in terms of audience size. If you already confirm customer records in Telegram, you can think about your own channel or a chat of loyal customers with bonuses for UGC (photos and videos that customers create. - Note ed.),” says Natasha Karakina. nine0005

A Telegram channel is worth starting if there is a strong well-known personality behind the brand. There are similar cases in the market of cosmetic brands. For example, star make-up artist Sergey Naumov talks about his own cosmetic brand in his channel Sergey Naumov. The channel has more than 7 thousand subscribers, and posts gain up to 20 thousand views.

Think over a content plan

On Instagram, you can joke with your followers, share stories, recommendations, and experiences. For example, the network of Moscow salons Mute Moscow (64.9thousands of subscribers) publishes expert advice on how to style and care for hair. This initiative has grown into a separate educational project - zap.education.

Source: @mute.moscow

In the profile of the Moscow beauty studio Bebebe (27.8 thousand subscribers), in addition to pictures of manicures and haircuts under the hashtag #mood, there are photos and videos with models, dogs, frames from popular films. The posts contain positive attitudes, for example: “My actions are only 10% of success. They are important, but0% success defines my thinking" or "Very soon I will be in the place where my dreams come true." Some moody publications gain 11-15 thousand likes.

In the salon "White Garden" they also talk about their services. A high percentage of retentions in product photography or announcements of new procedures. But most of all attention is received by "quotes of the day" - sayings of famous writers, thinkers, musicians, politicians, including Maxim Gorky, Confucius, Elvis Presley and Margaret Thatcher. On average, such posts gain 2-3 thousand likes, while any other publications get about 300-400. nine0005

View this post on Instagram

Post by Beliy Sad (@beliysad)

“Quotes hit the maximum number of hearts: not everyone smears with retinol in the fall, but everyone is happy or sad. There are much more people who receive quotes than those who are interested in cosmetics and procedures,” says Yulia Shumakova, General Director of Bely Sad. She came up with this format together with the founder of the center, Oksana Lavrentieva. Previously, the frame with the quote of the day hung at the reception of the salon, and after the launch of the Instagram account, the phrases migrated there. nine0005

“The content of publications and the manner of communication (Tone of Voice, ToV) depend on the marketing strategy of the salon and its positioning in the market,” says Natasha Karakina from Setters.

“In the account of the Kynsi salon, we focus on expertise and hospitality,” says Nata Oreshnikova, PR director of the studio. — We conduct live broadcasts with nutritionists and rehabilitation specialists, discuss a healthy lifestyle. We publish selections of current styling, tell you how to strengthen, moisturize hair and give it shine. We always accompany posts about products and services with useful information and interesting facts. For example, from a publication about body products St. Barth you can find out that the brand is named after the island in the Caribbean, which was discovered by Christopher Columbus. And the houses there at different times were built by ballet star Rudolf Nureyev, musician Paul McCartney and designer Marc Jacobs. We are friendly with guests both in the salon and on social media.” nine0005

Source: @kynsisalon

Make posts interesting and easy to read

Avoid overtly selling posts. Combine information about services with interesting facts and useful tips.
Design publications so that users do not have to forcefully read large blocks of text. Separate text into paragraphs, use bullets, and do not include more than three emojis in a post.
Publish user content (UGC), this will create a loyal community around the brand. nine0014
Respond to the agenda: publish posts linked to news or holidays.
Be simpler: formulate thoughts in short sentences, not get carried away by epithets and metaphors.

Create viral photos, videos and texts

One of the most effective ways to promote your salon on the Internet. Users like and distribute unusual content themselves.

View this post on Instagram

Posted by 💅🏻Nail Sunny 💅🏻 (@nail_sunny)

The Nail Sunny salon account (2. 2 million subscribers) has nail art tutorials. For example, masters show how to grow stems of flowers on nails or turn them into crab claws. Such videos have become the hallmark of the network, they go under the hashtag #nailsunnytutorial. You can find more than 83 thousand video instructions on it. As Eleonora Mavsisyan, co-founder of the chain, said in an interview, 25-30% of clients come to salons after watching these videos.

“We talk about current trends in nail design and implement unusual ideas. Ambiguous and crazy tutorials are our specialty. Such content spreads on its own, because it causes a reaction among users: people discuss the design and share posts with each other, ”says the entrepreneur.

The White Garden Health and Beauty Center uses targeted advertising on Instagram to promote an online store, and collaborates with bloggers and influencers to promote the account. “According to our observations, the recommendations of opinion leaders 9 work best to increase sales0189 on personal pages. After their feedback, we receive a flurry of requests for recommended services,” says Yulia Shumakova, CEO of the salon.

The salon's monthly promotion costs include the salaries of the SMM specialist and the budget for targeted advertising. “So far, these costs are quite low,” says Valentina Akimova, PR director of the center. The team did not disclose the exact amount.

According to Natasha Karakina from Setters, the budget for promotion varies from 50 to 600 thousand. nine0005

It will depend on the size of the content production team, the complexity of filming, the number of advertising channels and the company's goals: to increase coverage or attract new potential customers.

“Getting leads is the hardest part because it's hard to get people interested in a product or service. It is difficult to answer the question of what is more expensive - to increase coverage or attract leads. It all depends on the niche and the specific situation. For 100 ₽, you can increase coverage by a thousand people, or you can attract one potential client, ”explains the expert.