In 2023, Instagram secured its place as the 4th most popular social media platform, with an unbelievable 1.35 billion users across the globe.
It’s an effective social media marketing channel, especially for industries that rely on visual content, such as e-commerce, to reach potential customers.
Whether you’re an Instagram influencer, blogger, or business owner, there are plenty of ways to make your content more visible and increase followers on Instagram.
However, In this blog post, I will share some hidden keys through which you can skyrocket your Instagram game.????
So, without further ado, let’s dive in.
1. Following the ideal content genre
Sticking to the most suitable content genre is the key, fellas. But now, you’re probably sitting there, scratching your head, mulling the age-old question: What on earth defines the holy grail of Instagram content?
Alright, gather ’round, my dear pals! Let me teach you the ropes…
Trendy content:
People these days are all about jumping on the latest trends. Whether it’s beauty, tourism, photography, food, art, or the Kardashians. Stay on top of the trends, and watch your Instagram following puff up.????
Just like Businessinsiderin couldn’t contain its excitement and had to share a post about Threads, a mind-blowing “text-based social app.” taking over the internet like a storm.
User-generated humorous content:
Know that your audience wants to connect with you on a personal level. So, give them memes, stories, and reviews, and watch them fall head over heels. It’s like their love language, but with a side of laughter.
Just like how Starbucks shared a meme relevant to its brand. ☕
Posting user-generated content is like having a squad of cheerleaders standing for your brand. As Starbucks shared a clip of one of their happy customers;
So go ahead and let your customers do the talking because nothing says “legit” like a bunch of happy customers showing off your stuff.
Instagram reels, carousels, live, polls:
Back in the day, Instagram users were limited to just stories or mostly text-based visual options. But now the tables have turned.
Now you have Instagram reels, carousels, and live sessions or polling features which give your brand a real boost and connect with your audience in a whole new way.
Just like Target, the retail giant decided to bless us all with a little dose of reality on Instagram. They posted a reel that screamed,
“Hey, you hardworking folks, take care of yourselves!” ????
I mean, who would’ve thought Target would become our self-care guru? Convincing customers to snatch up their beloved skincare goodies from their store.
Desired content theme:
Apparently, there’s a saying that goes, “First impression is the last impression.”
So make sure your first impression leaves a lasting impact.
Know that every brand niche dances to the beat of a different drum when it comes to its content theme. ????
Here check out Mahacopyco following a two-color text-based theme using pastel colors. Which is so soothing and pleasing to look at.
Or Crumblecookies follows a product-focused theme using soft pink color;
However, Some brands keep it classic with black and white or transition themes. Others are like walking rainbows, embracing bright colors or neon themes. And then some go for the Seasonal or minimalist theme as less is more.
Here check out more Instagram content themes.
Upcycle content:
Upcycling content means giving your old rusty content a second life. Here’s how! Just reshare your old creations in a way that is new, creative, and useful to nowadays public. Don’t forget to give your content a makeover before it feels like a left-out piece in a thrift store.
Also read: How to Fix the “Instagram Bio Links Not Working” Issue?
2. Create eye-catching visuals
Listen up, my friend! When it comes to visuals, you gotta make ’em pop like a magic trick. The kind which makes people’s jaws drop and eyes bug out like,
“Whoa, hold up, I need to see this sorcery!”????
It literally takes a couple of seconds for a person to evaluate if your visual content is interesting to them or not. Therefore, your posts should be appealing enough to draw in viewers to click to explore your page further.
In the same social.runway (a marketing expert) profile is eye-catching and user-friendly, as she used a bright neon-colored theme and graphics based on text.
In addition, the extra sparkle and intense color blocking in her feed make you feel like you’re going through a digital wonderland.
How can I create aesthetic visuals?
You can create aesthetic or brand-specific visuals with the help of graphic designing tools. Two popular tools that come to my mind are Canva and Adobe Illustrator. These offer a wide range of templates, fonts, and graphics that can skyrocket your design game.
Also, by trying out different filters, you can add a unique touch to your content and make it more visually appealing to your audience. Moreover, playing around with dimensions can also make a significant impact.
Also read: How to Shorten a Link for Instagram Bio: Step-by-Step Guide
3. Optimize your Instagram profile
If you want to capture the spotlight ????and draw in a larger audience. Then don’t forget to optimize your Instagram profile. Here are a few tips and tricks through which you can optimize your content.
Adding relevant keywords in the bio:
Cheers to Nikki and her tag-tactic username! ???? The well-known traveler nikkiitomlin fits like a glove here.
Her user name is a combination of the tags “Travel Creator,” “Solo Female Traveler,” and “Lifestyle.” representing her entire niche and interest.
She wrote a casual yet snappy bio saying, a girl here to inspire and a Goofy adventure photographer.
Additionally, to increase followers on Instagram you might consider including branded hashtags and CTAs in your bio in order to improve your account’s visibility. This is a simple method to ensure that your account appears in hashtag searches too.
Catchy caption:
Today’s users tend to prefer shorter yet catchy captions over lengthy blocks of text. Just like paulo.travels used the phrase “Giant of the Seas” to portray a cruise ship traveling on the Caribbean Sea.????
Need a hand with crafting your own captivating captions? Try out this free social caption generator!
Tag location:
While there are countless techniques to enhance our posts, one useful trick that often goes unnoticed is adding our live location. This way you can provide your audience with a more personalized encounter just like incredible_europe.
Use trendy sounds
It’s the little things that make life oh-so-exciting! Just like trendy sounds. I mean we all love trendy music, don’t we?!???? And here’s why your next Instagram post should have some groovy audio effects.
I saw chefsperfect using a trendy audio sound called “Makeba by Jain” on Instagram. ????????
This original audio clip has up to 14.8 Million viewers on Instagram. Whereas it helped chefsperfect to get over 100,000 views.
Instagram alt text
Most of the industry’s top players use a sneaky strategy known as “alt text” on Instagram. In order to grab a vast number of relevant audiences.
It’s a brief explanation of the visual you’re sharing. However, when you share a photo or video on Instagram, you can include alt text.
A picture, reel, carousel, or Instagram Story all fit this bill. In addition, Instagram’s alt text can include up to 100 characters.
4. Use niche-specific hashtags
When dealing with vast amounts of information, hashtags come into play. They can be beneficial in generating conversations, enhancing brand reputation, and building credibility.
Consider creating custom, product category, location-specific, or niche hashtags. This way, it would be easier for your targeted audience to locate you.
Just like this coffee fanatic on Instagram (coffee_rn), ☕uses hashtags relevant to her profile, like #coffeerecipes #espresso #coffeerreels #cofefeinspiration, etc.
Now if someone desires to search for coffee recipes, they’ll come across her epic post on the screen.
How can I find popular hashtags?
Use ContentStudio’s AI Writer ✍️trending section to find the most popular niche-specific hashtags. Another valuable tactic is to replicate the hashtags used by the leading influencers in your specific field.
After finding the necessary hashtags, try crafting a creative post centering around them. As it will assist you in connecting with an even broader audience.
How many hashtags should I use?
Instagram places a limit on the use of hashtags, allowing users to include a maximum of 30 hashtags in a single post, which includes both the caption and comment sections.
However, playing with multiple sets of hashtags and evaluating their effectiveness is recommended.
5. Using bio-links to cross-promote content
Know that the best way to cross-promote your content is to set your Cross Promotion goals. And choosing the right social platform to go along with, like LinkedIn and Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, Youtube and Instagram, etc.
Whether you’re a professional looking to expand your network or a brand aiming to reach your target audience, cross-promoting content using bio-links is the key.
What is a bio-link, and how can I create one?
Bio-link is a clickable URL that users can add to their social profiles, such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. However, by using Replug, you can create, shorten, track, and optimize links with catchy call-to-actions, retargeting pixels, and custom domains.
Also read: How To Add A Instagram Link In Bio?
How can I share multiple URLs in a single bio-link?
You can share multiple social URLs in a single bio-link with the help of Replug tool bio-link feature. Hosting all the links in one customizable page allows your audience to choose where they want to go, depending on what interests them. Below is an example:
6. Create brand awareness by collaborating with influencers
Influencers know the art of capturing attention. Their ability to connect on a personal level makes people feel like they can believe them and that their opinions are authentic.
Just like Binance collaborated with famous influencer Cristiano in order to showcase their new NFT collection.
Whether it’s through captivating storytelling, relatable experiences, or insightful content, influencers know how to hit the nail on the head. ????
How can I find influencers who match my brand and audience?
Remember, the key to success lies in conducting proper research. You can find the right influencers through Trendy Hashtags, conducting vast Social media searches, keywords on Google, Lookalikes, Competitors, or other Influencer marketing platforms.
Like optimumnutrition_uk ( the world’s best-selling protein powder brand) collaborated with gym coach therugbytrainer.????
How can I collaborate with influencers?
To collaborate with influencers in the right way, you should ask them to:
- Share custom-made reviews about your brand on their stories.
- Repost your content in their profile.
- Create unique videos that reflect your brand persona or values.
- Share personalized, engaging posts about your brand.
- Conduct live sessions with them.
7. Using social media management tools
The modern generation forever chasing social trends like a gold mine, And expect brands to be mind readers too.
Like, “Hey brand, I want a product that will solve all my problems and make me breakfast in bed. Get on it!” ????
Now certainly, you can’t do that, but to get all your ducks in a row and put things on automation, we recommend using some useful AI tools and social media management tools like Content Studio.io, Replug.io, Wordstream, Canva, Predis.ai, or Flick, and so on.
- ContentStudio.io: All-in-one social media tool for agencies, brands, and marketers to Publish, write, or analyze Multi-channel social campaigns.
- Replug.io: Shorten, track, and optimize your links with catchy call-to-actions, retargeting pixels, custom domains, and powerful analytics.
- Wordstream: WordStream’s easy-to-use software allows for more effective paid search and social campaigns for online advertisers.
- Canva: Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Used to create social media posts, presentations, videos, logos, and more.
- Predis.ai: a user-friendly Instagram post editor that makes creating and editing Instagram posts easier than ever.
- Flick: this AI-powered tool handles copywriting, scheduling, hashtags, and analytics seamlessly for you.
8. Make your account into a business profile
To be verified shows your audience that you have undergone an in-depth procedure to prove your identity and authenticity.
This verification badge is the cherry on top, giving customers the green light ????to trust your business with their eyes closed. Yes, we’re talking about the blue tick that adds an extra layer of authenticity to your online presence and helps you increase followers on Instagram.
Think about it – when you come across a genuine brand, just like Copypose on Instagram.
How can I get my account verified on Instagram?
Instagram shares the following process;
There are two ways to get the verified badge:✔️
- Subscribe to Meta Verified. Learn more about the eligibility criteria.
- Apply for the verified badge if you are a public figure, celebrity, or brand and meet the account and eligibility requirements outlined below.
For accounts not subscribed to Meta Verified, Instagram look at a number of factors when evaluating accounts to determine if they meet Instagram verification criteria.
In addition to following Instagram’s Terms of Use and Community Guidelines, your account also needs to be:
- Authentic: Represent a real person, registered business, or entity.
- Unique: Represent the amazing presence of the person or business. Only one account per person or business may be verified, with exceptions for language-specific accounts.
- Complete: Your account must be public and have a bio and profile photo and be active when you apply.
- Notable: Your account must represent a well-known, highly searched-for person, brand, or entity.
Instagram review accounts that are featured in multiple news sources and don’t consider paid or sponsored media content as sources for review.
Also read: How to share your Instagram Profile link?
9. Engage with your audience
In 2023, people prefer interacting with real humans instead of chatbots. Hence having a personal approach toward your audience is recommended.
Getting involved with your audience in the proper manner can really help you increase followers on Instagram; here’s how:
- Organizing stories in highlights.
- Communicating through comments and Stories.
- Reply to your audience in the Dm’s.
- Occasionally set up giveaways.
- Include questions in your posts to prompt your followers to share their thoughts, opinions, or experiences.
- Running contests and campaigns to increase brand reach.
- Define your brand voice and aesthetic
- Conclude CTA’s in your posts.
- Share viral content with a touch of your own brilliance
- Tagging-related profiles in your posts.
- Create your own filters and badges.
However, you can ask for more followers on Instagram just like bloggers do on Youtube or content creators do on Linkedin, TikTok, etc. Moreover, you can use Instagram analytics to feed your persona research.
10. Choose the right time to post
Once people see your brand regularly in their feeds, they start noticing it, like that one catchy jingle that gets stuck in their heads and refuses to leave. ????
But let’s face it, being a social media guru can be exhausting sometimes! We recommend using artificial intelligence (AI) or social media management tools to automate your postings. ⌛
Which tool should I use to schedule Instagram posts?
ContentStudio– An all-in-one social media tool for agencies, brands, and marketers to Publish, write, or analyze Instagram campaigns.
It can be your personal assistant who schedules your Instagram posts for the entire month, so you can focus on more important things, like taking more cat pictures, ????trying new tricks to increase followers on Instagram, or learning coffee recipes.
What is the best time to post on Instagram?
Best times to post on Instagram:????
- Mondays from 10 a.m. to noon
- Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m.
11. Analyzing content statistics
With constant updates and algorithm changes, what worked yesterday might not work today. By staying in the loop, you can adapt your approach and maximize your reach and engagement.
For that purpose, I recommend you use an Instagram analytics tool to keep track of important metrics such as impressions, reach, engagement, top posts, etc.
Here’s what not to do…❌
- Buying fake Instagram followers
- Not crafting user-friendly content
- Generate no buzz
- No use of using management tools
- Buying likes/comments
- Not cross-promoting content
- Following no trends
- No eye-catching content
- Lack of brand awareness
- Not creating a specific plan for marketing
- Providing no monetary value to your business
- Not Upcycling Content
However, gaining followers on Instagram can be challenging in today’s social media landscape. But using good strategies can attract more leads and increase your followers.
Thank you so much for staying with us till the very end. If you have some pointers in mind as to how to increase followers on Instagram, Do share them with us in the comment section.????
FAQs
How can I get 1,000 followers on Instagram?
There are a lot of tips and tricks that can help you reach your goal of 1,000 followers. Some of the most popular ones are utilizing high-quality user-generated content, using hashtags, and optimizing your Instagram profile.
Where can I buy Instagram followers?
Although we do not recommend purchasing followers. As they bring nothing to the table. But the final decision is yours. Anyway, here are a few websites where you may purchase Instagram followers- Kicksta, UseViral, or SidesMedia.
Why do Instagram followers freeze?
There can be multiple reasons behind this issue. Some of the most common ones are glitches in the Instagram app, temporary overload of the Instagram servers, and not engaging with your audience.
Who has the most Instagram followers in the world?
Cristiano Ronaldo is the most-followed person, man, sportsperson, and European on Instagram, with over 596 million followers.
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