How to grow fast 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!

16 Ways To Grow Your Instagram Following Fast

In times when social networks have already become bread and butter for many, the popularity of such platforms as Instagram just keeps on growing. Based on statistics provided by Statista, with June 2018 Instagram has reached and since exceeded the 1 billion active monthly user mark.

Instagram users in millions. (From Statista.com)

But while the fruits are getting sweeter, reaching for the branch is getting harder. Determining the overall purpose of your Instagram account, coming up with the content strategy and designing it for the maximum engagement were the tricks that did wonders in the early days of Instagram. Now it’s just an expected norm and you have to go the extra mile to grow your channel.

This is THE list of tips and tricks that will ensure quick and smooth gain of real followers, provide the highest return on investment and will be worth your time.

1. Use hashtags to their full potential

Using hashtags is one of the most effective ways to get followers without following others. Hashtags let new people discover your content. You can have up to 30 hashtags for each post to increase its exposure. However, tagging random hashtags will not do the charm.

Easiest way to come up with the hashtags that are relevant and will bring more followers in is to explore the most general hashtags that fit your Instagram account. If you look up #sports, #fitness, check out other hashtags that are tagged in the post. See what’s trending as the chances of being discovered are way higher when using less generic hashtags.

Chris Hau is a successful seller on Sellfy and, as an artist, his Instagram account is well designed. However, even the greatest artwork needs a way to be discovered. That’s why Chris tags his posts with a list of hashtags that are relevant – to create a way for Instagram users to discover his work.

 

It sometimes might be challenging to come up with 30 relevant hashtags, so if a little spark of creativity is needed, you can always play around with hashtag generators like All Hashtag, Instavast and others. Although the tools are great, you should always hand pick the hashtags you feel fit your post the best so your content doesn’t come off as spam.

Hashtags are more than a one way ticket to the ‘’explore’’ section. Be creative!

2. Join micro-communities

Since Instagram introduced an option to follow hashtags, keeping up with micro-communities has become a breeze. You’ve already found the hashtags you’re gonna be working with and, to stay in the loop, follow them. See the hashtag as a social group that you want to fit in and be noticed. Like other posts, comment and start conversations and attract attention.

Once you have a solid and dedicated following, you can take this a step further and create your own micro-community like @sorelleamore has done with her own hashtag – #AdvancedSelfie. The tag has accumulated more than 40 thousand posts.

3. Interact with top influencers

The word ‘’networking’’ is in the very essence of social networks – that’s what you ought to do! You have already found your niche hashtags, your niche communities.

And if you’ve been persistent, you have probably noticed the key players in the group. Like, comment, ask questions, interact and see if you can establish a mutually friendly relationship with them.

The great thing about Instagram (and other social media platforms) is that the competition does not involve stealing a piece of a pie from another. It’s like… cloning your pies and exchanging with them. Make friends and promote each other’s content, do collaborations and organize mutual giveaways.

Take a note from a well-executed mutual promo between @charlyjordan and @evanpaterakis!

4. Get the best out of Location tag

While, from the first look, it might seem that the Location tag on Instagram is for businesses and flashy teenagers that want to brag about where they had their dinner, every Instagrammer can find their benefit there.

You can look at it as an ‘’extra hashtag slot’’ and use strategically picked locations or tag the place of the photo. Imagine a random person looking up the nearest Papa John’s and seeing your goofy smile and that controversial pineapple pizza on the table. That’s calling for a comment, or what?

@foodcoma_eats is an absolute winner when it comes to dominating burger joint place tag top photo section. Take a look:

 

5. Follow people who like competing pages

Sometimes it’s impossible to be noticed without tapping on the shoulder. If your Instagram account is all about blueberry cupcakes, there is a chance that you could find some potential fans in the follower list of the chocolate cupcake account. Imagine all the people that would love to see your content on their feed, but will be missing out on it just because they haven’t stumbled on your account yet. Tap them on the shoulder – follow them!

This is what Richard Lazazzera,  Instagram Marketing expert did:

6. Follow a large amount of users

If you’ve been an Instagram user for a while you must have gotten random followers or follow-requests, right? The first ones got you excited, the next 15 were annoying, but then you started paying attention to what that account posts.

That’s because the follow/unfollow system has become a widely used and accepted form of advertising. And it’s still a fairly successful one.

While the process is straightforward, Instagram has not publicly disclosed the maximum hourly or daily amounts of follows allowed. It’s been speculated that different factors come in the play, such as account age, number of followers, overall engagement and potentially others.

However, it seems that 40 follows per hour is a safe amount for a new account, which can be gradually increased over time as the account ages and gains more followers.

@boostthebold is using the strategy and, based on the follow/follower ratio, seems like it’s working pretty well.

You don’t have to push yourself or risk your account by following the maximum amount of accounts allowed. Everybody will agree that 5000 follows and 64 followers don’t look that great, right? Keep it classy, increase the numbers gradually. Some stop following once they reach 10k followers on Instagram, others keep on going. The idea is to get your account snowballing first and let it develop itself later on.

Follower app to help you out with this is always an option, but a paid one and a risky one as Instagram terms of service does not appreciate automatizing actions.

7. Nail the captions

Storytelling, expressing feelings, providing a setting, giving the backstory will add to the post. A beautiful picture without a caption is still just a picture. A great caption is what turns a picture into a story and a memory. Captions will not increase your exposure, but they will, in fact, be one of the determining factors if the user is going to follow you or not. Turn the visitors into followers by impressive post descriptions.

Sellfy seller @sorelleamore knows that a fascinating photo might not do the job alone. That’s why she designs great captions to earn that like. Photos and captions go hand in hand.

8. Call to action

Since Instagram has changed the way posts show up on users’ timeline, follower engagement has become crucial. No user engagement will mean your posts will be put at the very end of the line.

On the other hand, if user engagement is high, your posts will be one of the first ones your followers will see. It’s Instagram’s way of giving users the content they are looking for.

Reduce the power distance. The closer you are, the higher engagement on your posts. It doesn’t always have to be a call to buy or download something – ask a question, ask to like if they can relate, make them choose between options and let your followers know that you care for them and they have a say.

Look at how creative.cliche does it.

9. Have a schedule

Consistency is a cornerstone of success. So whatever your posting frequency is – stick to it. Posting too rarely will result in low engagement and slow account growth, while overposting might seem spammy and lead to losing followers.

The top Instagrammers post once or twice a day and that is what researchers seem to have proven to be optimal. So why fix it if it’s not broken? If you need a helping hand, look up post scheduling platforms like CoSchedule and Later.

10. Post in peak times

It’s not something you can figure out right of the bat. You can of course research the peak times that promise the most likes and highest engagement, but it’s better to analyze your own statistics. Why?

Because, trust me, blueberry muffin pics peak at different times than Victoria Secret models photos!

11. Repost other users’ content with tags

You can note down the times that seem to work best or you can use free tools like Squarelovin and Union Metrics to do the math for you.

There are plenty of popular accounts that live off of other people’s content. It’s not bad as long as the creator gets the credit and is tagged. It’s a win-win situation. Creator gets exposure, while the reposting account gets content and increases its following.

Instagrammers were quick to adapt the ‘’reposting promo’’ even for personal photo memoirs. A simple and (mostly) free advertising option is a post for post where two Instagrammers come together and agree to repost 1 of each other’s posts by tagging the person and giving a shoutout.

This is a very popular and, when you think about it, a natural strategy utilized by photographers. Artist posts a photo of the photoshoot with a tag of the model, hence creating content for own account while promoting the other person just like photographer @samuelelkins does in his IG account.

The model (in this case professional model @mnkata) then posts a part of the photoshoot on own account tagging the photographer which ends up being a mutually beneficial activity.

This same strategy can be applied by any two accounts that have an overlapping target audience.

12. Get your Instagram account promoted on other networks

If you’re looking to gain followers on Instagram fast, this one is designed for you.

A Buzzfeed employee wrote a perfect example article promoting her social media accounts while being informative and professional about it.

She left the impression that she went the extra mile to do you a favor, to answer the most frequent questions relating her expertise instead of coming off as a salesperson. Readers will not boo you out and, if the article is really good, your post might get promoted.

Don’t limit yourself to buzzfeed. Dig around, look for blogs in your industry, find think-alikes on reddit, look up Twitter accounts with the same interests. It might not be easy to find the right target and even more difficult to hit the bull’s eye, but once it happens, it can blow up your account overnight.

P.S. If all this sounds like too much of a hassle, you can always skip the lobster night and get a paid article or an add on the very same blogs.

13. Host Giveaways

Giveaway is a low cost promotion and a follower engagement boost, if it’s done right. @wake.up.nutrition and @eatprotes are collaborating on this one. A like, a follow and tag a friend for a free protein goodie? Anytime!

Giveaways will not only increase engagement on your posts, but can snowball your account follower wise. It all depends on how they are planned and organized. There are different ways of how to play out this card. You can go for increased engagement and require the user to be like the post in order to participate in the giveaway, or you can collaborate with other creators asking your followers to like the post and follow the co-host of the giveaway and the co-host does the same for you. Or you can just ask to tag a friend in the comment section, hence the post engagement is high and new people will be exposed to your content.

14. Try videos, live videos, and Stories

World has already adapted to today’s information overload. People let the information past and ignore it, if it’s not easy to filter or quick to grasp. A study shows that 80% of consumers would prefer to watch a live video from a brand rather than read a blog, while 82% prefer live video from a brand over social media posts.

Stories, videos and live videos is a great opportunity to introduce your followers to the backstage, show your routine, tell a story, host a Q&A session – it will all add a spark of life to your account.

  • Story highlights are great to pitch your account to the newcomers. Tell them what you do and why they should follow you.
  • Stories will keep your account name in the air and keep your followers active.
  • Videos can get you highlighted in the explore section just like regular posts.
  • Live videos do magic when it comes to community building.

Popular fashion vlogger @itsmarziapie likes doodling around with Instagram stories by posting bits and pieces of her daily routine as a story. Compared to regular posts, the stories are quick snaps with thoughts, stories or questions, while her regular posts are professionally looking pictures, like you would imagine a fashion vlogger would take.

15. Run Instagram ads

A common English saying goes: ‘’You have to spend money to make money.’’ And it stands true today. Instagram ads is a way to simply but effectively grow your account without doing any additional work besides providing quality content. On-network advertising takes little effort as you don’t have to prepare a special format material. The era of ‘’how to reach the target audience’’ is over, you just simply pick and choose the characteristics of people you want to see your ad! The best thing about Instagram ads is how naturally they are included in users’ feed without being annoying at all.

The cost of running a highly targeted ad with especially particular user specifics is around $5 per CPM (cost per thousand impressions) which is half as much as the same ads would cost on Facebook, according to WordStream.

The great thing about running Instagram ads is the fact that you don’t have to spend all your savings, you can easily do $10 campaigns and see how much it benefits your account and then decide, whether to increase your investment in the ads or not.

16. Use analytics and keep track

There are many apps and softwares that can come in handy besides the ones mentioned above. For example, link shorteners like Bitly, Buffer and Capsulink are excellent tools to track what content brings the most traffic to your links in the bio, where your visitors are coming from and adjust your future campaigns accordingly. Moreover, they allow you to create branded links  which can better attract your customers’ attention, build brand awareness and increase your visibility online.

It’s crucial to note down of what works best for you and what doesn’t work at all, what takes more time and what can be done quickly, what you enjoy doing and what you would rather not do. It’s all about making choices and prioritizing to be consistent and successful. You’ll only find your recipe of success by doing.

Your turn

These 16 tricks will keep your Instagram to-do list full. Like any other aspect in life, Instagram too requires either chunky time investment or some dollar bills. Perfect, if you can do both. If not, there are plenty of other tricks you can try to make sure your Instagram account grows. If a frog can achieve 4 digits of followers, so can everyone else.

40 tips on how to promote your Instagram

1. Do not forget to put hashtags that will help increase the number of subscribers: #instafollow, #l4l (Like for like), #tagforlikes and #followback.

2. Like as much as possible. For every 100 likes you give to random photos, you will get an average of 6 new followers.

3. Run contest . The easiest way to do this is to post a themed picture and ask people to like it so they can participate.

4. Start promoting profile on your pages in other social networks. Write what your blog is about and why people should read it and invite them to join.

5. Be generous with likes and comments - this is the easiest way to attract new subscribers.

6. Use common hashtags to make your photos visible in the global search. Among the most popular are #love, #instagood, #fashion and #photooftheday.

@westwingde

7. Time matters. Research has shown that the best time to fast is between 2 pm and 5 pm.

8. Follow people who use popular hashtags (#followme, #likeforlike) because many of them will follow you back.

9. Remember, quality is important , not quantity. Monitor your profile and leave only beautiful and high-quality photos. Believe me, no one is interested in flipping through hundreds of photos of salads.

10. Love the Mayfair filter. Track Maven listed this filter on The Fortune 500 Instagram as the best choice for marketers.

11. Check that you have completed the biography section . Complete it with suitable words and hashtags, and also provide a link to your website. But remember: no spam! Otherwise, subscribers will lose interest in the profile.

12. Ask questions to subscribers. This is a great way to connect with your target audience.

13. Post on Sundays . It is on this day that people post photos a little, so your post will be seen by the maximum number of people.

@nastiapoberezhna

14. Be consistent with . Think about who and why you are doing this. The more clearly you answer these questions, the faster you will attract the right audience.

15. Call people to action. For example, ask them to write their opinion about your photo in the comments.

16. Don't be afraid to post often. It may seem that the more often the photos flash, the more indifferent the subscribers behave. But according to the Union Metrics program, there is no relationship between posting frequency and audience activity. At least negative.

17. Follow suggested users. Go to settings and select "Find and invite friends" and then "Recommended users".

18. Set geolocation . This will be especially useful if you run an Instagram company. So you will have the opportunity to attract new subscribers-neighbors.

19. Schedule publications with the Later program. Consistency never hurt anyone.

20. Agree with popular blogger to advertise your profile or product. So information about you will quickly scatter over the network.

21. Research has shown that blue images get 24% more likes than orange or red images. Post something blue and see for yourself!

22. Let fast on Wednesdays become your obligatory ritual. This is because posts get more attention and likes in the middle of the week.

23. Write the word "comment" more often in posts. This encourages your followers to share their opinions and be more willing to join the discussion.

24. Post photos showing 's face. According to research, such publications are 35% more popular than others.

25. Tag in photos of people. Your post will also be seen by friends of friends.

26. Remember the rule: the more light the better.

27. If you have a business account, create a branded hashtag . So users can specify it when purchasing a product. And it will increase your visibility on Instagram several times over.

28. Share live photos. Show that behind the beautiful picture there are living people .

29. Business trick: share photos of your followers mentioning your brand or product. This pleasant step shows that you value each client. In return, they will definitely share your photos in their feed.

30. Brand yourself : Use your nickname for more than just your profile. A notebook, a case or a branded sticker on a car will surely attract the attention of potential subscribers.

@romantimo3

31. Invite friends from Facebook to follow you. To do this, in the profile settings, select "Find friends on Facebook."

32. People love stories. Share your experiences and thoughts, so you will gain their trust and establish contact. Just remember that the post should be emotional and bright, not snot in sugar.

33. Tag people , even in stories, don't be lazy.

34. Do not be shy in your posts to ask for likes . As practice has shown, such publications receive 89% more likes.

35. In advance plan not only time, but also content. Prepare your materials and only then start filling out your feed. For example, write posts for a few days in advance, and then publish them gradually. The Instagram filling schedule will help you stay focused on the main topic of the blog.

36. Post a motivational or inspirational quote .

37. Synchronize phone book with your account. Go to settings and select "Contacts" in the "For Subscriptions" section.

38. Be active on profiles with similar topics. Especially if you run a business profile. Chat in the comments , ask questions and let influencers know about you.

39. Collaborate with other users. Find accounts with the same number of followers and invite their owners to arrange a joint promotion. This will help you and your partners to win an audience and attract the attention of new people.

40. Create a unique hashtag, by which you can organize a challenge for your subscribers.

Based on cosmo.com.ua


Tags: Instagram, blog, how to become famous, tips, social networks

Decided to make money on Instagram*. But now you look at your brand new account and feel like a small fish in the ocean of successful bloggers... Believe me, everyone went through this path from scratch, and the most difficult stage is the first 3,000 subscribers. Here, many give up and leave the account, but not you! Now we will tell you how to achieve the first goal, overcome the “valley of death” and promote your page on Instagram*.

Contents :

  • Prerequisites before promotion
  • Try the standard methods everyone advises
  • Test promotion methods that few people use
  • Write a plan of action
  • How long does it take to promote Instagram* from zero to 3000
  • I do everything but they don't sign
  • Summing up

Prerequisites before promotion

Check your profile against a short checklist before you start promoting your Instagram account*:

  1. Is the description complete? It is clear what your account is about, and the name is related to the topic. Even if you use your first or last name, write the field of activity.
  2. The profile has been converted to a business page. How to do this, read the detailed Instagram Business Profile Guide*. It will be difficult to sell and track statistics without this option. You can leave the regular page if you are blogging. But remember, as soon as you want to take something for advertising, you still have to show statistics to the advertiser. And it is only available for a business profile.
  3. There are 12 posts in the feed. No one will subscribe to an empty account, you need to fill in the first screen of the visitor. This is just 12 posts, but you can write more. Pictures should reflect the essence of your topic, texts should be useful and capacious. How to do it? Look at what posts you save on Instagram* or other social networks, and do the same.
  4. No selling content. Until you reach your first 1,000 subscribers, use useful and engaging content. Do not push away from the first seconds with the impression “they are selling something again” - this will not help promote your account.

Another tip: search Instagram* for posts using the hashtag #evaluationaccount and ask for feedback on your profile in the comments. Looking from the outside will help you see what you did not notice.

Try the standard methods that everyone advises

We have collected the main tips that are most often repeated in articles on the topic “How to promote Instagram * on your own from scratch”. You don't have to give them up - check it out for yourself. The main thing is to gain experience.

Tell everyone

You probably have a profile on Vkontakte or Facebook*. Publish a post that you have an Instagram account*. Write why read you there, in addition to existing profiles. Send a letter with the news about the new account to the database of contacts or customers by email.

Follow and like

Be active to get noticed on Instagram*. At the initial stage, mass following can help, but you should not abuse it. Better to do it manually. Keep in mind that Instagram* does not approve the connection of third-party mass liking services and may block the account.

React Stories instead of people who might like your topic. This method will attract a more loyal audience and active subscribers.

Run a contest

Give away your product for free or raffle it for meeting conditions. Tell about the contest on your pages and inform that the draw is only among subscribers. It is not necessary to make a repost a condition of the competition. Ask your friends to share the contest on their pages.

Instagram Contest Examples*

Test promotion methods that few people use

Promotion takes effort, so get ready to work in the coming months. If you plan to relax more, then allocate a budget and set up targeted advertising on Instagram*. Or try non-standard approaches in promoting your account.

Announce a challenge

Put on a reality show and talk about how you are trying to promote your Instagram account* from scratch. Report in stories and involve everyone who wants to help, promise a cool ending if the idea ends in success. Let everyone know "I'm gaining 3,000 in a month!", maybe someone will come up with new ideas. Use Instagram Stories* to share what's happening and engage viewers in the process.

The public goal in stories is 1,000 people on the course

Use the $1.8 method

This method was used by Gary Vaynerchuk, one of the top bloggers in America, to promote his account. The method is called "$1.8". In English there is an analogue of the Russian expression "insert your 5 kopecks", only percentages. The bottom line: "insert" your 2 cents in the TOP 9 posts for 10 hashtags in your topic. It turns out a contribution of $ 1.8 to the development of your blog.

How to promote Instagram* from scratch by yourself using this method? Choose 10 hashtags related to your topic and comment 9 every dayposts. If the post has a question, then give a meaningful answer. Pay attention to engagement: the post should have at least 5% likes from the number of subscribers. Don't give up and keep investing your "2 cents" every day.

Write a comment on the hashtag #relaxation for a blog about yoga

Write articles

Write a guide or instruction on your topic with the answer to the “how” question and place it on a popular site. For example: vc.ru, TJournal, Spark, Yandex.Zen, Peekaboo. Mention your Instagram account* and indicate that there is even more material on the topic.

For example, links to accounts on Instagram* in an article on vc.ru

Post ads

How can an ad help promote Instagram* from scratch? In Ukraine, the girl gained thousands of subscribers by simply posting a handwritten message on an A4 sheet on a pole. This unusual trick can work, especially if you use a QR code.

An article about a girl who gained 42,000 subscribers

Run a marathon

Gather an audience for a useful marathon. Come up with a theme and easy tasks for the week. Here you can also promote the publication (you remember that we have transferred the page to a business profile, but only they have this option directly from their Instagram account*). Ask your friends to participate or tell your friends. Be sure to organize activity under posts and in stories to promote your account: collect reports on tasks or come up with challenges for shooting videos for Instagram Stories*.

If you need an analytics tool to track your progress, we recommend picking it up using the article “The 5 Best Instagram Analytics Services*: Pros, Cons, Opportunities and Prices”. From it you will learn about the possibilities of analyzing the audience and content on the social network. This will help you improve your strategy and increase promotion efficiency.

Examples of how to collect for a marathon on Instagram*

Do not forget that during the promotion of Instagram * your profile should be updated with new posts and stories. No time? Create content months in advance and upload to SMMplanner. The service will independently publish posts on a schedule.

How to plan your Instagram feed*

Write an action plan

A clear plan will help you not miss posting days and track your progress on Instagram*. Try strict mode for 30 days to reach your goal of 3,000 subscribers.

How long does it take to promote Instagram * from zero to 3000

We need to get 3,000 subscribers - that's 100 people a day. With 8 hours of work, we need 12 people per hour. Suppose every tenth person who sees the publication subscribes to you. This means that the conversion is 10%, and you need at least 120 people to find out about you per hour.

Keep track of these stats by reviewing your page report every evening. If growth is not enough, then scale up. Run 2 marathons, put up a few ads, ask not 5, but 10 friends to tell about you.

How to track your progress

Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Choose activities from the article and mark your progress every day.

Instagram promotion success table*

A more visual and convenient way is to use the DataFan service. It will display account statistics in a ready-made report or automatically update data in Google Sheets.

In addition to subscriber data, DataFan will show you which posts your audience visited the most, which posts were most subscribed to, and help you achieve your goals faster.

What will help you to be regular

Add to the table — when and what actions you will do on Instagram*. You can fill the cell with color when the task is completed. Write a comment to the cell if you have an idea or want to write down your emotions.

Instagram posting table*

How to stay motivated

Think about how you will please yourself for every hundred subscribers. You can enter the data in the table so that motivation is in front of your eyes. Share your achievements in all social networks - it motivates you to follow your project.

How to stay motivated to promote Instagram* from zero to 3000

I do everything, but they don’t follow

The lack of an active influx of new followers makes many give up and think: “I should have started earlier. ” Most often, the problem is in the profile, not in your actions. Therefore, check your Instagram account * according to a short checklist.

1. Clear topic

  1. The description answers the question: “Why should I follow this account?” or "What's interesting here?"
  2. A quick glance at the photos shows the theme of your account, and they are beautiful (Instagram* is a visual social network).
  3. The texts are written in clear language and on your topic.

Try using an unusual theme, it will help you promote your account more easily. People will subscribe because they haven't seen anything like it. For example, on Instagram*, the account of a girl) who lives in Paris and interviews random passers-by is popular.

2. Content fits the audience

You understand who you attract to your account. No need to write “girls, look at the bouquets on my page by March 8” under the post of a fitness trainer on how to lose weight after giving birth. There, advice about your yoga mats will look more harmonious. You don't have to run a "my menu for the week" marathon if you're selling financial planning services.

3. Regular posts

You may have posted 12 posts and forgot about your account while promoting. To keep your circle in Instagram Stories* always active and post at least 2-3 times a week, use SMMplanner. Shoot content for stories, write posts, take a couple of hours of delayed planning and engage in audience engagement.

We also recommend reading the article “How to create a content plan for Instagram Stories*”.

Let's sum it up

To promote a page on Instagram* from zero to 3000 subscribers per month, you need regularity. In actions and updating content in the profile. Write down the plan for the days of the week and note the progress. Treat account promotion like a game, and your perseverance will turn into excitement. Remember that after the first 1,000 subscribers it will become much easier! Don't give up if you're behind schedule.


Learn more