We all want a cool-looking Instagram profile – a profile that provides great exclusive content and has a lot of followers.
To produce great content, you can always go to professionals like photographers, stylists and designers.
However, to get more followers, there are some things you need to do yourself.
Here are some tips on how you can boost your Instagram following without needing to hire an entire marketing team!
1. Use Hashtags But Use Them Right
This is an old, tried, and trusted remedy. But please use it sparingly!
It is better to put 2-3 relevant hashtags than 10 irrelevant ones.
These hashtags are suitable for posts in the feed:
#follow |
#followme |
#follow4follow |
#followforfollow |
#followback |
#followher |
#followhim |
#followall |
#follows |
#f4f |
#instatag |
#teamfollowback |
#pleasefollow |
#pleasefollowme |
#followbackteam |
#follower |
#followers |
#followplease |
#followbackalways |
#follow4like |
Hashtags for stories:
#stories |
#poetry |
#writersofinstagram |
#yourquote |
#instagood |
#photography |
#writing |
#quote |
#wordsofwisdom |
#storiesofup |
#instagram |
#quotestagram |
#qotd |
#wordswag |
#writeaway |
#love |
#igwritersclub |
#storytelling |
#storiestotell |
#storiesgram |
2. Like
A lot of people don’t know this – but on average for every 100 likes you give to random posts, you get an average of 6 new followers.
You’re welcome.
3. Comment on other people's posts
The more you comment on someone else's content, the more subscribers you attract.
Think of it as a way to “work with the algorithm”.
4. Stream
Another good way to Instagram promotion. Not everyone likes to read; many prefer to absorb visually.
So, do not be shy, my beloved anonymous reader. Spend more time on live broadcasts and you will bring new followers over to you.
This works because Instagram is designed to reward users for using the platform to its full potential.
5. Follow other people
If you see an account with popular hashtags, follow it.
There is a chance that you could get followed in return. And similar to liking and commenting, following popular accounts also makes your profile visible to other people who might be interested in your content.
Repeat this daily and voila! You’re set to get more followers and engagement on your profile.
6. Schedule posting times
The times you publish content is a very important thing to consider.
If you post stories at 4 am, no one will watch them. The optimal time for posting is 2PM to 5PM. However, depending on your content and audience, you can find the ideal posting schedule for yourself by regularly experimenting with different times.
Check using Instagram Insights at what times and days of the week you get more impressions.
7. Use filters
You might not think too much into it but the filters you pick for your photos make a big difference.
For example, according to Track Maven, professional marketers use the Mayfair filter more often than others to get more user engagement.
He is listed on The Fortune 500 Instagram.
While this may or may not work for you – give it a try and test!
8. Don't spam your followers
Spam drives anyone nuts. Think about it for a second – what do YOU do with spammers?
That’s right, you get rid of them.
Your followers will do the same to you if you end up joining the dark side and become a compulsive spammer.
Take a step back once in a while and reevaluate your strategy. Make sure you’re not spamming people with messages and posts!
9. Work with highlights
Story highlights are the first thing users see when they visit your profile (even before your posts).
So, make sure you have great highlights saved on your profile.
Other than that, well-presented highlights make your profile look beautiful!
10. Send people to your profile through linking
Leave a link to your Insta profile in as many places on the world wide web as possible.
One such place, by the way, is Paysenger. Set up a Paysenger account and link your Instagram profile.
This will display your Instagram profile link on your Paysenger profile, and people can simply tap on it to get redirected to your Instagram profile.
11. Ask your followers fun questions
Instagram promotion involves interaction with the audience. Asking your followers questions they would be interested to answer is a great way to increase engagement.
You will not only get closer to your followers, but also show to the algorithm that users enjoy engaging with your posts and stories. This will give you more exposure in return.
12. Experiment with color palettes
Fact: Blue photos get 24% more likes than red or orange photos. Don't believe it? Try posting something blue.
13. Set a weekly posting schedule
Be sure to post content on Wednesdays and Sundays.
Most marketing companies are off on Sundays so there are less posts overall and there is a high chance that your posts will get noticed.
And in the middle of the week, posts receive the maximum attention and likes.
14. Tag people in posts
When you create a post, tag as many friends as possible.
Giving shoutouts on Instagram is a great way to get more visibility. Instagram rewards collaboration.
15. Pay attention to lighting
The brighter and vibrant the photo, the better. Dark photos get low engagement.
16. Follow your contacts
Your phone book is a treasure trove of new followers.
Go to Settings and enable add friends from contacts.
You can follow everyone in your contact list by tapping Subscribe to all.
17. Buy sponsored posts or shoutouts
If you have money to spare, buy ads.
But you can do it for free. Find another account with the same amount of followers as you and offer them to ‘exchange audiences’.
Basically, you ask them to give a shoutout to you and you give a shoutout to them in return. Or you can post each other’s profile links in your bios.
18. Use content from your followers
Repost photos of your followers when they mention you or your brand.
This is how you show that you love and appreciate your audience. This is a good way to create positive feelings among your followers!
19. Use CTAs
CTAs or call-to-actions are an important part of any marketing campaign.
Use them to promote your personal brand and ask users to take certain actions.
Don't hesitate to ask for a Like, Comment, or Follow. Use creative CTAs such as “save this post” or “tag a friend”.
There’s no shame in asking for what you need - new followers and engagement.
Thanks for your attention! What do you think of these Instagram promotion tips?