How to organically gain followers 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 followersBefore 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 accountBefore 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.
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.
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.
4. Engage with customers, brand advocates and influencersPerfect 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.
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.
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 canDon’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.
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 outInstagram 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 followersWhen 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.
Platforms for buying Instagram followers
You shouldn’t risk your account or organic followers for the sake of boosting your numbers. But if you’re dead-set on trying an Instagram followers app, we can’t stop you.
Here are some options:
Path Social (Web)
Path Social’s platform is intended for influencers looking to grow their following. Touting “no bots, no fake users” and an AI-powered platform, the tool markets itself as being legit.
Followers & Unfollowers (Android)
This Android app identifies mutual followers and non-followers.
This makes it easier to go on following and unfollowing sprees. Of course, doing so can be a red flag to Instagram.
Reports + Followers Tracker IG (Apple)
This Apple app has a similar function as the one above. In short, you can track mutuals and non-followers in one place.
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!
7 Steps to Organically Increase Your Instagram Followers
Is it even possible to organically increase your Instagram followers anymore? While this platform is one of the best places to communicate your brand visually and connect with your audience, it’s no longer just a social network.
Since the launch of Instagram Ads, Instagram TV, and Instagram Business Accounts, it has transformed into a playing field for influencers, marketers, and businesses to promote themselves.
Today, people use Instagram not only to connect with their friends but also to connect with their favorite brands and shop online. Studies have found that the majority of consumers use Instagram to search for a brand and 80 percent of them follow at least one brand on Instagram.
If you’re active on the platform, there are two ways to increase your Instagram followers: through paid and organic ways. If you’re just starting out your Instagram marketing journey and still not sure whether to spend your money here or not, you’re in the right place. In this article, we’ll go through the step-by-step process of gaining followers organically.
You don’t have to spend a penny if you follow this guide, but you do need patience and consistency because it does take time. However, with Instagram, slow and steady wins the race, allowing you to build an authentic and engaged audience that’s more likely to connect with your brand and convert.
If you’re ready to organically increase your Instagram following, let’s dive in.
1. Create Engaging Content
Instagram users are engaged and love to share and comment on photos and videos that they think are good. A study found that on average, Instagram images get 23 percent more engagement than Facebook images.
In order to catch your audience’s attention on Instagram, the first rule is to create engaging content. The more engaging your content is, the more likely people will share it. Here are some tips on creating engaging content and boosting your engagement rate on Instagram:
- Upload more video content because video posts are proven to get 38 percent more engagement than posts containing images. If you don’t want to hire a professional video agency, you can create your own video using these video marketing tools and platforms.
- Create content that your audience can relate to. The best content will depend upon your audience, so you need a clear understanding of who they are first and foremost.
- Post about viral topics from other channels like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
- Use the right hashtags to generate engagement and subsequent followers. To get it right, try the hashtag formula from Jen Herman, Instagram advocate and social media trainer, which she explains in a recent Social Media Examiner post.
How to Establish a Consistent Instagram Theme for Your Business
2. Schedule Your Posts
After you’ve gathered fresh and engaging content, the next step is to schedule your posts for one week to one month—depending on how far out you like to plan. The key is posting at the right time. Hootsuite did a study on this using data from Unmetric and after analyzing the top 20 Instagram accounts from 11 different industries they found that the best times to post vary from one industry to the next.
For example, the best time for travel and tourism is on Friday between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. while the best time for media and entertainment are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 to 3 p.
m. Read the full Hootsuite Report to find the best times for your industry.
3. Collect a List of Related Accounts Within Your Niche
Compile a list of all competitors and major accounts on Instagram within your niche. For example, if you’re in the food and beverage industry, you might compile a list of all major food bloggers and restaurants that speak to the same audience as you.
Start by getting to know these accounts to better understand what you should publish. As you compare the brands, ask yourself:
- What topics does their audience engage with?
- Which posts are getting the most likes?
- How often do they post?
Now, use your competitors accounts to build your following too.
If you want to make money on Instagram as an influencer, this is one of the most important aspects of what you’ll do to to grow your audience. With a clear niche, you’re more likely to drive the engagement that companies want to see to choose you as their influencer.
Don’t forget about your blog. Do a content competitor analysis with this free competitor analysis guide and template.
4. Follow Your Competitors’ Followers
After you have your list of the accounts, the next step is to follow their followers one by one. Those people are your target market because they already follow your competitors, which means that they’re interested in your industry and likely what you’re sharing as well.
In the current Instagram algorithm, you can only follow 50 to 100 people every day. If you follow more than 100 people per day, there’s a chance your account can get suspended by Instagram. Again, take it slow and steady.
5. Like and Leave Comments on Competitors’ Followers Posts
Dedicate yourself to connecting with a high volume of followers and engage authentically as you do, leaving comments when posts stand out to you. This shows that you’re paying attention to what they’re posting and also ensures that they notice you.
Ideally, many of these followers will like you what you’re sharing and follow you back—making it a simple way to organically increase your Instagram followers.
Branding in the Age of Social Media: How to Get it Right
6. Join an Engagement Group
An Instagram Engagement Group is a community of Instagram users who help each other in gaining more engagement and followers. Most of these groups are found on Telegram; HopperHQ explains how they work:
“Instagram Engagement groups are basically group conversations within Instagram and also on other platforms (e.g. there are several on Telegram app). They are called engagement groups because everybody participating in these groups are willing to like and/or comment on other members’ posts in exchange for their own posts getting liked and/or commented.”
If one member of the group uploads a new post on Instagram, the whole group will help by liking, sharing, and leaving comments on the post. Most groups also have rules that you have to follow to participate to make sure everyone gets the most out of each post.
The bigger the group is, the faster you’ll grow your followers. What’s even better is a group that can like and comment immediately after the new post is uploaded. This makes it easier to get featured on the Instagram Explore Page, giving making it easier to organically increase your Instagram followers.
You can find free engagement groups at:
- BoostUp Social
- WolfGlobal
You can also get engagement, but more importantly, organic followers, by following accounts that host Instagram Follow threads, like LarsenMedia. The idea is simple: you introduce yourself in the comments and then everyone follows one another for a follow back. All the accounts are real and authentic, making this an easy way to increase followers, even up to 60 to 100 new followers in one day.
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Are you struggling with follow/unfollow games on Instagram? Join our thriving community – a @womeninbusinessclub initiative.
⭐️ Follow @larsenmedia ⭐️ Type ‘This is Me’ with a short intro about yourself and where you’re based. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⭐️ Like each other’s posts and follow each other on this thread to make new friends. ⭐️ Tag 3 of your business besties who are looking to grow their following too. ⭐️ Keep coming back for more! Pop back every few hours as more people join in. ✨This is me, Shosannah.✨ I’m the founder of Larsen Media, a social media and marketing agency. We help small and medium-sized businesses create and distribute valuable, relevant and consistent content to attract and retain their target audience. Happy Monday! #followbackmonday #makewavesmonday #growthmindset #socialmediamarketing #staybossyladies #socialmediavisibility #socialmediatips #smallbiztips #freelancetofreedom #businessgrowthstrategy #savvybusinessowner #bossbabe #creativepreneur #smallbizowner #goalgetter #womenwithambition #laptoplife #dreamersanddoers #shemeansbusiness #mumpreneur #womenempoweringwomen #femaleboss #smallbusinessowner #socialmediaagency #marketingagency #larsenmedia
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7.
Repeat and Be ConsistentIf you don’t want to spend money and still grow an engaged following, these methods work and are free to use. In my experience, gaining your first 1,000 followers in two months by doing this is very achievable. This means that in less than two years, you could achieve 10,000 followers without spending a penny. All while building a true and engaged audience.
BONUS: Find Better Hashtags
Don’t just choose any hashtags for your posts. Use these guides to find the ones that allow you to target ideal clients and build an organic community.
Organically Increase Your Followers on Instagram
By gaining followers organically, you can save your marketing budget while also curating a high-quality audience that will connect with your brand and ideally convert into a customer or client. Be ready to invest your time and you’ll see it is in fact possible to organically increase your Instagram followers as soon as tomorrow.
How to get followers in 2022 on Instagram: from 0 to 10,000
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As practice shows, the first 10,000 subscribers are the hardest to get. The reason is simple: people are reluctant to subscribe to little-known pages. But nothing is impossible. We have compiled 14 tips for you to help you grow your profile from scratch within a year.
#1 Join mutual PR groups / Liketme
How can a little-known page quickly gain followers? Join mutual PR groups, this tactic is best for promoting new accounts.
It works like this. A group of participants is recruited, after which everyone sends a link to their post. All members of the group like and comment on each other's posts, thereby increasing the reach. When there are a lot of likes and comments under your post, it arouses the interest of other people: they want to see what is there.
Sounds nice. But. There are many groups for mutual PR and on various topics, for example, about travel, fashion, etc. To attract your target audience, join such groups on the topic of your page.
And to keep the attention of new subscribers, you should also subscribe to them.
This is a short-term strategy for developing a page from scratch that will not increase sales, but will increase brand trust and awareness.
#2 Repost someone else's content
To promote his store, Nicole Martins Ferreira, an SMM specialist, started using the Repost for Instagram app to repost other people's content.
One of these reposts got 52,862 views, 1,264 comments and 9,147 likes. It was a big hit, Nicole didn't even have 10,000 subscribers at the time. But remember, according to Instagram policy, you need to request permission to repost from the author of publications. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting banned.
Why reposts of other people's content, and not publications of your own? Newbies don't have such good content, and reposting - what could be easier? nine0005
What content to repost? Use hashtags to find the most popular posts, share the ones that got you the most engagement.
This is the simplest and most effective strategy for beginners.
#3 Ask followers to share photos
It's much easier to promote your Instagram page if you have a product or service that your customers share on their profile. If you post content with your customers, it will increase your social security and credibility. nine0005
If you haven't had any clients yet, you can contact an influencer (blogger) that suits your niche and order a review of your product. It is better to choose bloggers who have about 5,000 subscribers. Such accounts have a much lower cost of advertising and a more engaged audience.
You can also offer cooperation. For each completed sale through a referral link, you pay a commission to the blogger.
If you already have clients, you can ask them to tag you in their story or feed in exchange for a gift or a discount. Once you have enough clients, you don't have to ask anymore, they will tag you for free. nine0005
#4 Create a consistent style and stick to it
Yes, sounds like " blah blah blah " .
Let's figure it out.
Often people subscribe not because of the published content, but because of the anticipation and the ability to predict what your next post will be.
Let's say you run a corgi page and post cute pictures and videos of him every day. Users who come across your content may notice that you always have cute corgi photos. They will subscribe and start following your page, waiting for new cute corgi posts. nine0005
Sticking to a single style or theme is more than a branding game. We are talking about the psychophysiological component of emotions: the expectations that your existing and potential subscribers create. They want and expect to see more content of the same type or style every day.
By sticking to a consistent style, you build confidence and trust in your brand, which in turn helps increase your following.
#5 Use hashtags
Many social media experts recommend using 5 to 11 hashtags. Don't be afraid to ignore such advice!
Start experimenting with hashtags and eventually you'll figure out which ones are right for your brand.
Why not use 30 hashtags? You can add all these hashtags to the first comment under the post, which few people will see.
Is your goal to increase coverage? Then this is the easiest way. With hashtags, your posts will rank higher for keywords, which increases your reach. nine0005
If you want to reach your target audience, then you should avoid generic hashtags like #love or #life, use niche hashtags.
#6 Use location tags
Increase your reach with « Location Tags » , it indicates the city or place where the video or image was taken.
If your business is in a specific city, you can use these geotags to make it easier for people to find and follow your Instagram account. nine0005
Locations have their own feed, stories and hashtags - use this sticker and your content will be automatically added there.
#7 Start blogging
Do you have a blog? Start running it on Hashtap or Yandex.Zen.
You can add links to your YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook accounts to your blog post.
The more people who read your blog, the more likely they are to go to your social media pages and follow. nine0005
This is more of a long term strategy and you may not have a blog. But the faster you start it and add links to your social networks, the more likely you are to gain subscribers.
#8 Follow competitors' followers
To promote your account, you need to find people who follow your competitors' pages.
Do you know your competitors? Find them! Then study their profile, content and who comments on their posts, highlight your target audience. Start chatting with them. nine0005
It's best to choose smaller competitors to start with, as larger ones may have good loyalty programs that you may not be able to afford at the moment.
#9 Work with bloggers
Why bloggers? Every blogger has his loyal followers. By running ads with a blogger, you are guaranteed to get new subscribers and, most likely, sales.
But when choosing a blogger, carefully study his profile, exclude cheating subscribers.
Sign an agreement so that the blogger cannot use bots. Due to the rapid influx of fake followers, you can get your account banned. You do not want this? nine0005
#10 Giveaways
Giveaways are another effective way to promote your account.
If the draw is published on the site, you can make a subscription to your social networks a mandatory condition for participation. This is how you unlock your account.
If you don't have many subscribers, you can post about the draw in free groups and blogs. You can also negotiate with bloggers - you send them a product, they review it for free and talk about the draw. Many agree to such conditions. Result? Hundreds of new subscribers in all social networks. nine0005
If you don't have your own audience yet, this is a great way to attract new subscribers. And to attract the target audience, you need to choose a blog from your niche.
Is your goal to promote your account? Then this strategy is for you if increasing sales is not.
#11 Collaboration with other brands
While you are at the start of your page promotion, collaboration with other brands is a quick way to build a target subscriber base. You just repost and tag each other's profile. nine0005
You don't have to do anything but repost. New subscribers will write to you first.
#12 Instagram Tips/Guide
Instagram Tips is a new way to share educational content in the form of tips and hacks. In the IG guide, you can add: a title, description, video or image, as well as use already published posts in the feed.
There are 3 guide formats available:
- Places - collections of interesting places, objects, etc. in your city or some other city. nine0152
- Products - collections of products that you sell on your Instagram.
- Posts - your existing posts on the same topic, collected in one place, to which you can add titles and comments.
If you have interesting and useful tips, they will be shared with them.
This will increase your engagement and reach, and with them the number of subscribers.
#13 Use Instagram analytics
« Embedded » Instagram analytics gives incomplete information about your followers.
Connect third-party analytics services to get more data. Many of these services are free.
Best free analytics services for Instagram:
- Sprout Social
- DataFan
- Popsters
- Live Dune
All these services collect highly informative statistics on subscribers and your content. To figure out your target audience, analyze metrics such as engagement rate, number of new followers, unsubscribers, and inactive accounts. Use this data to better understand your audience. nine0005
A very loose translation and adaptation of an article from the Oberlo blog.
Christina
Kerbs
Yandex.Direct and Google Ads certified specialist.
Knows everything about medical marketing and coffee varieties.
14 methods to get 1000 subscribers in IG (free + paid)
The first thousand subscribers is a significant number for any blogger, and not only on Instagram. This is an indicator that the content has passed quality control and the process has moved off the ground. For commercial accounts, rising exposure helps increase sales, which is why many brands maintain their Instagram pages. nine0005
Before you start gaining subscribers, make sure your profile is complete and you have a content plan. It is important that you post regularly and explore your niche creatively - there will be no chance to make a first impression a second time. With this in mind, let's analyze from simple to complex what tools will help to collect the first thousand followers on Instagram and increase their number further.
Related:
Account design: 25 beautiful profilesHow to manage Instagram (50 chips) from a marketerHow to come up with a nickname on Instagram: 35 ideas for a business account and a personal blogHow to get followers on Instagram for free
These ideas will help increase the number of followers on Instagram without cheating and they rely on the internal functionality of the social network.
Some tools work on the principle of "tagging": you set a description, hashtags, geotags, etc., and the social network independently generates recommendations for users.
Other methods work for content diversity. Instagram allows you to create posts in various formats so that every blogger can reach their audience. This is what you will use to increase your reach and increase the likelihood that you will be noticed on Instagram. nine0005
1. Hashtags and keywords
They will help you get good coverage, get recommended and attract new followers to your Instagram account. But this will only work if the hashtags are relevant to the topic of your post. And do not abuse high-frequency tags: firstly, your post will be lost in the general stream, and secondly, there is a risk of being shadowbanned.
Use low-frequency tags - under which less than 10 thousand publications are placed, and medium-frequency - from 10 to 500 thousand.
They belong to niche search and are more likely to attract the target audience.
For convenience, type a few dozen target hashtags and combine them under posts, but it's better to repeat them less often. The optimal number of tags under the post is up to ten.
And one more tip, which is not related to promotion, but will be useful for setting up an account on Instagram. When you write all the hashtags, create a system of your own unique tags that no one uses. They will be needed for easy navigation through different sections of your posts. nine0005 Hashtags for publication
An important point that you should pay attention to when promoting on Instagram is the profile header. It is the profile header that is your "face", the first impression of the account. The role of the header is to give a concise answer about what is happening in the profile, to inspire confidence.
Strong text and use of keywords in the header communicate positioning and brand benefits, influence the growth of subscriptions and sales.
Do not get carried away with writing in a hat, be brief, but understandable. In addition, Instagram only skips 150 characters. nine0005 On the left is an example of how not to fill out a profile header, on the right is an ideal profile header
2. Geotags
Geotag your publications. On the map, this will look like a place of interest that can be visited for several reasons. For example, you sell your services there. Geotags can also be placed by your clients (not necessarily bloggers) who maintain their Instagram pages for friends and acquaintances. The person will see the mark on the map, read the post, look at your profile and, if he likes it, subscribe. nine0005
Even if you don't have a business, geotagging still makes sense. They help users who are interested in the life and blogosphere of their city. But the main factors determining whether a person subscribes or not remain the thematic niche of the profile and the quality of the content.
Subject to all these conditions, it is a great way to get targeted followers on Instagram for free.
Life hack. Do you want to save time when working in social networks? To do this, you need SMMplanner, which will automatically publish a post or story with tagged users, geometers and hashtags. You can also set up automatic deletion of posts and comments. Click and test for free -> SMMplanner
3. Participation in challenges
Today you won't surprise anyone with Instagram marathons and challenges, but, nevertheless, in order to attract new subscribers, this method will come in handy. A challenge is a challenge that the account owner throws to his friends, the audience after performing certain actions. The main thing in challenges is not only to do something and show your coolness, but to encourage the audience to repeat after you, accept a challenge or throw a similar one to your friends, close circle, etc. nine0005
If the content responds to a large number of people, then they will repost it to their stories, comment, tag you.
At first, you can resort to a little trick and arrange a discussion and reposting on a certain topic between you and your friends in order to attract the attention of the audience.
4. Mutual PR
On Instagram, VP (mutual PR) is another of the coolest ways to gain an audience. It can be used by both novice bloggers and business accounts. nine0005
You need to carefully choose partners for mutual PR. They should have a target audience as close as possible to yours, approximately the same number of subscribers - and, of course, the conditions for cooperation should be suitable.
For example, a photographer and a make-up artist can promote each other's pages, since they have approximately the same target audience. In addition, this is an ideal tandem for further cooperation.
Mutual PR on Instagram - stories5. Joint content (co-authorship)
Not so long ago, Instagram introduced a new user collaboration feature - joint publications and Reels.
In addition, today brands, influencers and celebrities are more willing to cooperate than to compete. Now users can invite other people as authors of publications. Co-authorship in the IG will help increase the reach and engagement due to the fact that the post will be seen by a combined audience of all authors.
For collaboration, you can choose a partner not only from your niche. For example, a company selling building materials can cooperate with a furniture factory, and a beauty brand with beauty can cooperate with a blogger. nine0005 Co-authorship in IG
To find a suitable author or brand for a joint post, it is enough to check the match on the following parameters:
- Your products/services do not compete with each other;
- You have a similar target audience;
- Goods/services complement each other;
- Human factor: it is better to work with nice people, so your companion should inspire confidence and inspire sympathy.
6. Blogger commenting
Comment on posts by bloggers with a similar target audience. Write not only an assessment, good or bad, but also ask questions, suggest an idea for the next post. Try to stand out, but delicately, without unnecessary criticism, so as not to end up in a bathhouse. In a word, show keen interest and competence in topics, and new potential subscribers will notice you.
7. Traffic flow
Attracting followers to Instagram from other social networks is a great way to increase the number of followers for free at the first stage of promotion. Use all the social networks that you lead. Put a link to your Instagram in all your profiles. Write in the status that you are mastering a new format, publishing a photo of your life in IG. nine0005
Then periodically remind your followers that you now have Instagram and invite them to visit your profile.
Share news in posts: for example, you announced on VK that you would not release posts on weekends, you went to the sea, and photos from your vacation will be regularly uploaded to IG. This way you can organically increase the number of followers on Instagram without taking almost any action.
For example, if you have your own business, insert a link to your Instagram on your website, on e-mail newsletters and even Yandex.Maps and Gogle Maps. Thus, you will collect additional traffic from different sites. nine0005 Link to Instagram
8. Interactive stories
What is it about? Obviously, by posting regular stories to your profile, you won’t gain new subscribers in any way. This is where interactive stories come to the rescue - "add yours" or "add yours" stickers. Their essence is as follows: this sticker allows everyone to take part in discussions on the site. Users can respond to other people's stories with their photos and videos that match the topic of discussion.
I think this is a cool opportunity to promote your profile
- Instagram games: 32 examples (posts + stories)
- Instagram Story Ideas: 150+ with Example Stories
9. Reels
Facebook on Instagram has its Tik Tok analogue — Reels. In this section, you can post videos lasting from 15 to 60 seconds. Track trends, participate in challenges. Here you will also find an audience, draw attention to the blog.
Instagram seeks to promote a new content format. The algorithms of the social network are more favorable to videos made in Reels and display them more often in recommendations. Use this hack to get followers on Instagram before your competitors do. nine0005 Reels on Instagram
Important. If you have a TikTok account, you can upload your videos to Reels, but it's better to make them here - Instagram has a negative attitude towards TikTok icons on videos.
10.
Tagging posts Posting a link to your page with other users will draw attention to your Instagram profile and help you gain followers. Ask acquaintances, friends or clients to tag you in a photo or story. So you will collect targeted followers who are interested in the life of not a particular blogger, but also his circle of friends. nine0005 Link in the story to the profile
11. IGTV
Instagram allows you to upload long videos up to 1 hour. During this time, you will show your product or the entire new collection in detail, answer frequently asked questions, tell you about the business from the inside, etc. And here you can save recordings of live broadcasts.
This method, like the previous one, works to increase the coverage and recognition of the account. If you regularly post unique, useful and unusual "catchy" content, it will become easier to gain new followers on Instagram. nine0005 Long Instagram videos
Related:
IGTV (Instagram TV): complete guide + video chips12.
QR code Create your own QR code and add it to business cards, ads, any other printed matter. In general, if you use offline advertising, feel free to place a code on it to quickly go to your Instagram account. This will help you gain traffic and expand your audience.
Qr-code on Instagram13. Manual mass following
The essence of mass following is that you subscribe to users and like their publications. These should not be just random profiles, but your target audience. Seeing such notifications as in the screenshot, users will go to the page, look at posts and stories, and probably subscribe. nine0005 Massliking and massfollowing
Lifehack. The easiest way to promote an Instagram account is with the help of automatic mass following. He will independently do all the actions (likes, views of stories, subscription to users) that will promote the account and increase sales. Click and test -> Zengram (Promo code "INSCALEPROMO" -20% for everything)
Paid ways to attract subscribers
It is not easy to promote a page on Instagram with completely free methods, especially in the early stages - to get the first 1000 subscribers, you will have to try.
Paid promotion methods will help speed up the process. nine0005
This includes external tools that expand the basic possibilities of page administration: show additional statistics, automate actions, wind up followers.
There will also be classic marketing techniques that involve having and planning a budget: targeting, buying ads from other bloggers, holding contests.
1. Targeted advertising
Advertising targeting — is not an easy task: to search and segment the audience, design ads, calculate the budget. Each stage involves detailed study. If you are a beginner, then you run the risk of losing money. But the effect of achieving the goal is simply colossal, so targetologists are well paid. nine0005
Even if you are just approaching the milestone of 1000 followers and are not confident in your experience, it makes sense to study the principle of action and conduct the first "sighting" targeting with a small budget, and then see how much your number of followers on Instagram has increased.
Life hack. Do you want to learn how to create vivid photo and video content that your audience will love? Then we recommend taking the course “promotion on Instagram”. After training, you will be able to independently launch targeted advertising, create unique and attractive content to attract new subscribers. Click and sign up for the course -> Promotion on Instagram
2. Advertising with bloggers
People trust other people more. Bloggers are trusted, as they recommend the product as if through their experience, give a balanced assessment with all the pros and cons (if they value their reputation). Therefore, advertising with them is a great way to get subscribers.
There are several criteria for finding the right blogger. First, it must have your target audience. Secondly, evaluate the reputation and credibility. Look in the comments under the posts and see what and how they write to him.
And, thirdly, its subscribers must be alive, i.e. not twisted. nine0005 Posted by blogger
Plus, you don't have to buy ads for your Instagram profile only in IG. For example, if you have your own women's clothing showroom, you can buy ads from a Tik Tok influencer. Moreover, this platform is gaining popularity with space progression.
Advertising in public
Another no less effective way to promote your profile is advertising in public (and not necessarily in the IG). A strong "exhaust" is given by advertising in VKontakte groups. The peculiarity of VK is that this social network brings together mainly Russian-speaking users, so it is perfect for promoting companies of almost any format. nine0005
So, an additional plus of VK can be called a significant number of thematic communities, applications and integration into third-party services, for example, on Instagram.
Related:
Instagram advertising exchange: TOP-5 services + 8 life hacksHow to get people to subscribe?
At the beginning of their journey to promotion in the IG, many users make a gross mistake - they gain subscribers for the sake of a beautiful number, while the quality of their content is the last thing they think about.
Trite, but it's true - only if you regularly publish high-quality content, subscribers will be drawn to you. nine0005
Let's consider the option when you already have some kind of base of followers that are actively showing up on your account.
1. Subscription gift
It is a very common practice to motivate users to subscribe to you. So, some bloggers and entrepreneurs go to small tricks to get an influx of followers. For example, for a subscription, some bloggers thank their followers with their promotion guides or checklists ala "TOP useful photo editing apps from ...". nine0005
So, as a gift for a subscription, entrepreneurs give a discount on the first purchase in the store, or on the first visit to a beauty salon, as in the example below. And as practice shows, this method of attracting an audience has proven its effectiveness.
Gift for subscription In order to make your life easier, below is a list of services with which you can set up an account check for a subscription to your page.
| Service | Cost per check |
| Instateleport | 1 ₽ |
| Instasub | 2 ₽ |
| Smmbot | - |
2. Direct mail
Use direct mail to draw attention to important information. This should not be a request to like or subscribe - users will consider such messages as spam. Direct is good when there is some news. For example, announce the same contest or tell that something really unusual has appeared on your page. nine0005
But don't get carried away: there is a limit on messages in Direct. An account that has been in existence for less than three months can send 30 messages per day. From three to six months, the limit is already wider: 40 messages. After six months from the moment of registration - up to 50 messages per day. If these conditions are not met, you can easily get a block.
In the table below, I have collected for you several useful services for mass mailing in direct. They are arranged in the order in which we recommend them, the first three are the top ones, and then out of order. nine0005
| Name | Cost (per month) | Promo code + trial period |
| Zengram | From 1 490 ₽ (“INSCALEPROMO” 20% discount on everything) | 3 days |
| Bridgit | From 490 ₽ | 1 day |
| Boss Direct | From 990 ₽ | “inscale” +5 days free |
| Zeus | From 110 ₽ | “INSCALE” +3 days free |
| Instaplus | From 399 ₽ | 5 days |
| SocialKit | From 1100 ₽ | 7 days |
Related:
Mailing in Direct: 30 services + 4 steps how to do it By the way.
Have you heard about the new method of promotion on Instagram? SocTool has a unique algorithm that allows you to intercept the target audience from competitors online. The service will instantly establish a contact (subscription, like, message in Direct) while the user is online. Click and test - SocTool
3. Contest
If you already have your "backbone" of active subscribers, then announce the contest on your page. Play a gift, and as one of the conditions for participation, indicate a subscription. The main thing is that there are other conditions that will help to fairly select the winners. Otherwise, the contest will turn into a simple giveaway, after which you will lose all subscribed participants.
The timing of the competition should be such that everyone who wants to complete the task, but not too long, so that people do not get tired of waiting for the prize. Optimal - 5-7 days.
Holding a contest on Instagram
Related:
Uploading comments to IG: TOP 5 services + how to do Instagram challenge: 13 ideas of 2021Cheat followers on Instagram
The fastest method to gain followers - cheat programs.
We do not support this method of promotion, as it is not reliable. It has a number of shortcomings, but at the initial stage it will give impetus to the development of the account in order to attract advertisers as quickly as possible. nine0005
- Websites for bulk purchases of subscribers
Subscribers are cheated by bulk purchases or with the help of job exchanges. The meaning of the subscription package is that you order a lot and immediately in a couple of clicks. The table below contains the most popular resources operating in this mode:
| Service | Cost (per subscriber) |
| TmSmm | From 0.14 ₽ |
| Likemania | nine0375 From 0.35 ₽ |
| Mrpopular | From 0.08 RUB |
| Prostospec | From 0.28 RUB |
| Prskill | From 0.07 RUB |
- Job exchanges
The second option - smm job exchanges.
Here you independently compose the task, prescribe the conditions, set your own price for subscribing to you. The order will appear on the site, and only those users who have passed the selection criteria (suitable for gender, age, geolocation, etc.) will execute it. nine0005
As an advertisement
In addition to detailed task settings, such exchanges have one more advantage. They can also be used as a performer. By completing tasks, you earn internal currency (points) that you can spend on promoting your profile.
| Service | Cost (per subscriber) |
| Likeinsta | Fully customizable |
| nine0375 Minimum from 0.5 ₽ | |
| Unu | Minimum from 1 ₽ |
| Socpublic | Minimum from 0.2 ₽ |
The main disadvantage of cheating live followers on Instagram is that it will not bring activity, will not show interest in the content, and, moreover, will not give any conversion and upward movement.
Of course, this method will help to increase the number of followers on Instagram, but it will not be of great use. nine0005
Also, it's not worth getting a large number of subscribers at once because of the profile blocking. When there is not yet the first thousand subscribers, let's be specific: wind up from 50 to 100 custom, but no more. And as you reach the designated goal, be sure to delete inactive accounts and bots. A list of profile cleaning assistants is attached:
| Service | Cost |
| InstaHero | 199 ₽ / 1 cleaning | nine0379
| SpamGuard | Choose a personal tariff |
- Mass actions
Programs select potential subscribers and carry out mass actions on their pages on your behalf: put likes, view stories, subscribe. It is possible to show which accounts to pay attention to: the search will be conducted by the audience of competitors, interests by hashtags and geotags under which you publish.
- Mass following and mass looking
Massollowing and masslooking automation. Set up the simultaneous execution of all actions or select any one desired option. The whole process is carried out through the cloud. Confirmed the task and calmly go about your business further. We give a list of programs that will subscribe you to a potential audience:
| Service | Cost (per month) | Free period |
| Zengram | nine0375 1 490 ₽ ("INSCALEPROMO" 20% discount on everything)3 days | |
| Bridgit | 490 ₽ | 1 day |
| Instaplus.pro | 299 ₽ | 5 days |
- Massliking
Software for mass liking posts of other social network users. The principle of operation is similar: a person will see that you like him, go to the page and subscribe if he likes posts and stories.
A working option to increase the number of subscribers. nine0005
| Service | Cost (per month) | Free period |
| Instaplus.pro | 299 ₽ | 5 days |
| Bridgit | 490 ₽ | 1 day |
briefly about the main thing
There is no universal formula for how to get a thousand followers and promote your Instagram account from scratch. Now you know what promotion methods are relevant for her. nine0005
I remind you that you need not only to gain subscribers, but also to be able to keep them. To do this, make a rule for yourself - post content every day. At least a few stories, if suddenly there is no time to write "long posts". The main thing is not to let your subscribers forget you.
What you do best (for example, photos of cityscapes) - will be the main theme for Instagram.
