Want to know how to get followers on Instagram? You don’t need to pay for fake followers or use bots, just read this simple guide to get it.
Are you starting from scratch on social media or just trying to build a brand online? You’re probably wondering how to get Instagram followers.
And no, we don’t mean buying followers or using bots. Those tricks may increase your follower count for a short time, but they won’t do you any favors in the long run.
That’s because the only truly valuable Instagram followers are real people who care about and relate to your brand.
1. Steps to get Instagram followers
1.1. Create the basis of your profile
Create a well thought out Instagram marketing strategy
If you want to be effective on social media, you need a clear plan.
Getting more followers on Instagram is a great initial goal. But followers alone won’t create a successful Instagram account. The goal should be part of a larger plan that connects to your business strategy and marketing objectives.
Think about the reasons why you want more followers on Instagram. what do you really hope to achieve? Maybe you want to:
- Increase brand awareness
- Drive product sales
- Drive traffic to a website
Staying focused on these business objectives will help achieve consistency in your Instagram account. It will help you tell a compelling brand story that attracts new profile visitors and helps build (and keep) loyal followers.
Define your target audience
Ask yourself some questions about who you are trying to reach:
- Where do they live?
- What do they do for work?
- When and how do they use Instagram?
- What are their pain points and challenges?
The answers to these questions will help you create content to connect with the people on Instagram who are most likely to follow you.
They will also help you consistently deliver content that will keep your audience engaged in the long run.
Create a consistent brand story and aesthetics
Maybe you want to show how a product is made. Or humanize the brand by sharing an employee’s perspective. An aspirational brand can showcase the lifestyle or accomplishments of your customers.
Regardless of what you’re going for, it’s important to maintain a consistent brand image, personality and voice.
Your posts should be easily recognizable at a glance. Think of your Instagram grid as a cohesive unit. You can always use Instagram Stories to share content that doesn’t quite fit the look and feel of the main feed.
Use keywords to appear in searches
Before people can follow you on Instagram, they have to find you. But not all text on Instagram is searchable. Only two fields on Instagram contribute to search results: name and username.
Your username is your Instagram identifier. It should be consistent with the identifier you use on other social networks, as this also makes it easier for people to find you. Use your brand name or a variation of the name people are likely to use when searching for your brand.
Your name can be anything you want, up to 30 characters.
Optimize your Instagram bio and profile
Two-thirds of Instagram business profile visits come from non-followers. If your bio and profile convince them to click the Follow button, those visitors can become followers.
Your profile includes the name and username fields (mentioned above), your website and your bio.
Your bio can be up to 150 characters, so make the most of it. It conveys your brand identity and shows new visitors why they should follow you.
1.2. Create good content
Design a beautiful Instagram grid
While this may seem obvious, it’s critical when thinking about getting followers on Instagram. Every post on your Instagram grid should be high quality and visually appealing.
When new users visit your profile, the content should make them want to see more (and click Follow).
Photo size on Instagram: how to choose the right one [2023]
Write long and attractive descriptions
Instagram is a visual social media platform, but Instagram descriptions are going to help you get more reach and engagement.
Here are some key strategies to keep in mind:
- Put the most important words at the front: If your title is longer than 125 characters, users should tap “more” to see it in full. Make the most of those first few words to inspire that extra touch.
- Ask a question: This makes it easier for your audience to leave a comment. That increased engagement will help your account be visible to more people.
- Use emojis: Emojis add a little variety and can make your description more appealing.
- Try different lengths of descriptions: Although the data shows that long descriptions are more likely to improve interaction, but short descriptions can also be very effective when images speak for themselves.
Publish content intended to be shared
Your audience wants to interact with content that is useful and inspiring. So, when you plan your posts, think about the types of content that other people would like to share.
People love to share infographics. Feed that desire by providing your followers with your expert knowledge. If someone embeds your Instagram posts on their blog, you’re exposed to a whole new audience of potential followers.
People can also re-share your posts on their Instagram Stories. These posts are clickable, so anyone who wants to learn more can click on the original post. It’s another easy way to expand your reach to new audiences and potential new followers.
Make the most of featured stories
Did you put a lot of effort into an Instagram story and you’re not ready for it to be deleted after 24 hours? Instagram story highlights are a great way to introduce your brand to people who visit your profile. So use these highlights to create content with great information to show new visitors why they should follow you.
Publish consistently
Your existing followers want to see your content. That’s why they followed you in the first place-so give them what they want!
When users interact with your posts, those engagements tell Instagram’s algorithm that your content is valuable. Those interactions will increase your reach. So giving your existing followers something great to interact with can help attract new Instagram followers.
Read more about it at: Best days and times to post on Instagram
1.3. Make yourself reachable
Use relevant hashtags to reach new users
Unfortunately, the text of your Instagram posts is not searchable. But your hashtags are. Careful use of hashtags can be a great way to get followers on Instagram for free. You can even create your own branded hashtags.
Relevant hashtags can help people find your content. Instagram users can even follow hashtags. That means tagged content can show up in the feeds of people who don’t yet follow your account.
Tag your location
If the location of your post or story is clear, it’s worth adding a location tag. It’s another easy way for people to find your content on Instagram.
If your business has a physical location, tag it and encourage customers to do the same. Then, users can click on that location and see all the photos and stories posted from your store, restaurant or office.
Point to the Explore page
The Explore page is what you see when you click the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the Instagram app. According to Instagram itself, this is where “you can find photos and videos you might like from accounts you don’t yet follow.”
Half of Instagram accounts visit Explore every month. That’s a great opportunity for brands looking to grow their audience.
While you can appear organically here with all the steps we’ve mentioned above, you can also pay to access the Explore feed by selecting Explore as an ad placement.
1.4. Comprométete con tu comunidad
Follow relevant accounts
Solo debes etiquetar a las personas en una publicación de Instagram cuando el contenido sea directamente relevante para ellos. Pero puedes seguir a quien quieras. Y cuando sigues a un usuario en Instagram, es muy probable que revise tu feed y considere seguirte.
Collaborate with other brands
Don’t be afraid to reach out to other brands to see if there’s a way to work together on Instagram. The right kind of collaboration could help everyone involved get Instagram followers.
Use interactive features in Stories
Instagram Stories offer many interactive features to engage users, such as poll stickers, questions and chats. These stickers are a simple, low-risk way for your audience to interact with your content.
Pin the best comments
One of Instagram’s little-known features is the ability to pin up to three comments for each post.
Pin your favorite comments from other users, especially if they are generating a lot of engagement or speaking well of your brand to build trust with users who don’t follow you.
Remember, to improve your online presence and stand out on Google and Google Maps, having a review and customer experience management strategy can make all the difference. You can count on RAY, a comprehensive solution that can help you improve your Google reviews, rank high in search results and provide an exceptional customer experience.
2. Keep learning with these articles
Hopefully, by now you have a solid understanding of how to get Instagram followers, you can continue reading more articles that will help your brand or business in our Blog.
