6 Tips for Growing your Instagram Account
Instagram is one of the most popular mobile photo-sharing applications that allows you to share videos and photos publicly or privately using their service. It also gives you the ability to share these photos and videos to other social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr. You can also record live video through Instagram Live or share photos and videos about your day using Instagram Stories.
If you are looking to grow your Instagram following, here are six easy tips you can follow to help grow your following:
- Post Regularly and Be Consistent – If you research Instagram statistics, then you will easily see that people who post regularly are the ones who grow their accounts faster and see the most engagement. However, the right frequency for posting will depend on you and your brand. We don’t recommend posting just for the sake of posting. Focus on quality content, not quantity. If you don’t have enough quality content to post everyday, then do not feel compelled to do so. However, understand that your account may not grow as quickly.
- Use Hashtags – Hashtags are another crucial element when posting on your Instagram account. We know some people have mixed feelings when it comes to hashtags, but they are incredibly important on Instagram. Hashtags are comparable to keywords, and when optimized, you can gain more exposure. Currently, Instagram allows its users to post up to thirty different hashtags to each post. You will want to begin to use quality hashtags. Researching the proper hashtags is the key so make sure you spend the proper time doing this step.
- Engage with Your Audience – If people take the time to comment on your photo, make sure you engage back and “like” and “reply” to their comment within a reasonable amount of time. Additionally, leaving thoughtful comments and engaging with other like-minded accounts is another way to get noticed on Instagram. Try to stay away from standard comments like “Cool” or “Way to go!” as they can be perceived as being spammy.Instead write something meaningful and relevant to the photo itself and aim to use a minimum of 5 words in each comment. We recommend spending a MINIMUM of 1-2 hours per day on Instagram engagement.
- Post Quality Content – To elaborate on our first tip, posting quality content is key. Focus on creating beautiful, crisp, clean photos. Make sure they are light and bright and not poorly lit. If you are posting food photos, make sure the food looks appetizing! If you do not have enough quality content to post for Instagram, we recommend doing monthly photo shoots specifically for Instagram. Our clients who have invested in regular photoshoots for Instagram have seen great success on the platform.
- Use Emojis – Emojis are a universal method of expression that are used more and more with texting and of course, across social media platforms. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love emojis? Emojis may draw attention to your post and gain more engagement when used correctly. Instagram has even reported that almost fifty percent of the captioned photos included an emoji that drew in more user attention, so use them to make you post fun and more engaging – just make sure they are relevant.
- Utilize Video – Videos are quickly becoming just as popular as photos on Instagram. Instagram allows users to upload videos that can be up to 60 seconds long. Post videos when relevant to your account, but don’t feel like you have to fill the entire 60 seconds. You can post short video clips or use apps like Boomerang within Instagram to create compelling video content that’s short and sweet.
Overall
Growing your Instagram account takes a lot of effort in many different areas – from copywriting to photography, engagement, and research. Focus on creating quality content with good captions and spend the time engaging with your followers and a like-minded audience. We truly believe that a successful Instagram presence requires spending a minimum of 2 hours per day on the platform. We know accounts who spend up to 8 hours or more on the platform, too! If that seems overwhelming and you don’t know where to start, talk to us about our Social Media Management program for Instagram and how we can help you grow your following.
Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @LTMDigital!