Want to grow your Instagram profile? Wondering what latest tools you should use?
Read this article to learn all you need to know to have more Instagram users and engagement.
Many people are on Instagram for different reasons. It might be for business, information, pleasure, or entertainment.
No matter why you are on Instagram, you need to know how to grow Instagram followers organically and with ads.
Top Instagram Growth Strategies
If you are looking to get more followers on Instagram, you need to learn a few simple tricks. These will help you in the long run so that you can be successful with your message.
Here are some of the top Instagram Growth Strategies & Hacks:
Instagram Profile Optimization: Optimize your Instagram profile for search. You need to ensure that it is easy for people to find your content and what you want them to know about.
Branding on Instagram: Be consistent in your content from the look, feel, and style of content. Unlike Facebook, Instagram does prefer consistency over variety.
Instagram Content Calendar: Create a content calendar and be mindful of the best times to post. Use different analytics tools to learn when your audience is online and post during these times.
On and Off Instagram Cross Promotion: Showcase your Instagram posts on other platforms and in email. Create exclusive content for Instagram and invite your fans to check it out. Grow your Instagram profile by cross-promoting it on other popular Instagram accounts.
Hashtag Optimization Strategies. Hashtags make it easy for you to help followers find your content. Research broad and niche hashtags. Coin your own signature hashtags using a catchy phrase that they can relate to quickly.
Use Instagram Stories: Make the most of Instagram stories. 50% of Instagram users watch Stories every single day. They are also more likely to engage with your stories than your Instagram feed posts.
Use Video: Start an IGTV channel or use Instagram Reels. Stories are still very popular with Instagram Reels quickly catching on. The major advantage of using Reels is that they show up to all Instagram users compared to Stories which are only shown to your followers.
Influencer Collaboration: Work with influencers to grow your followers. Instagram Influencer shoutouts and loops are a great way to grow your followers quickly. We’ve seen as many as 30,000 new followers show up overnight.
UGC: Encourage user-generated content (UGC). Think about authentic ways to encourage your fans to share their content with you and tag your profile.
Instagram Contests and Giveaways: Hold giveaways or contests, but as you do this, keep in mind the terms and conditions. Avoid exchanging Likes for a chance to win. Facebook may flag your page for “engagement bait”
Use Traffic ads to Grow Your Profile: Scheduled Traffic Ads to your Instagram account via Facebook Ads Manager. In the ad placements, use Instagram Story as the platform and add a strong Call To Action (CTA). Use your Instagram Profile URL as the link. Traffic Ads are the best way to generate loyal followers. You’ll improve your engagement rates as these fans are more likely to stay.
Best Instagram Growth & Scheduling Tools
Many Instagram “growth” tools use automated bots for commenting and liking on other profiles. We do not recommend this method. Rather focus on authentic engagement strategies described above and share your content consistently.
Most of the Instagram scheduling tools have the same basic scheduling, analytics, and hashtag recommendation functionality. Therefore, when selecting a scheduling tool, I look for “extra” features. Below is the list of the top 3 tools we use in our agency:
Onlypult
Onlypult is one of the few tools (if not the only tool) that allows the scheduling of stories and carousel posts. You can make your stories more engaging by adding polls/tagging others. Scheduling stories via desktop is a must-have feature if you do a lot of video editing.
Onlypult also makes loading of large-size videos a lot more user-friendly (many other schedulers require you to load videos to Dropbox first). You compare the performance of your feed post vs story in a one-streamlined insights view. It helps when comparing performance for different types of posts. While it does have several advanced features, Onlypult is still relatively cost-efficient and straightforward for beginners.
Tailwind
Tailwind, the original Pinterest scheduler, recently added an Instagram scheduling option. Our favorite feature is smart-scheduling functionality: you can drag-and-drop your content into suggested timeslots for best performance.
Another noteworthy feature is ranking hashtags by relevance (niche, good, best, competitive). It helps you with choosing the best hashtags and avoiding the banned ones. Tailwind 9-post grid preview helps you see how your content will appear to the end-users in the app: you can easily re-arrange the posts if you do not like the order.
Note: You do need to connect your Instagram page to your Facebook profile for automatic scheduling.
Facebook Creator Studio
We’ve tested direct Facebook/Instagram scheduling vs scheduling via 3-rd party apps. In 9 out of 10 cases, the same post performed better if scheduled directly. While it may not be feature-rich as other schedulers, it does offer hashtag recommendations and the ability to cross-post to Facebook.
Popular Instagram Growth Strategies & Hacks
There are several hacks you can use to grow your following on Instagram.
Direct Messaging Method
In this method, you will use direct messaging to grow your Instagram. Simply find the relevant active Instagram accounts and invite them to follow your profile via a Direct Message. Make sure that your invite is authentic and not spammy. For example, you can share a link to your most popular post and invite new fans to check it out. Direct Messaging is also a great way to promote a new product, service or make an announcement. You do need to be careful and not send too many messages at once or your Instagram account will be banned.
Instagram Loops
This strategy is to use an Instagram Influencer. The Influencer will announce a sizeable giveaway and will invite people to follow all of the accounts she is following. The look is typically a shared promotion with a number of brands, making it more affordable than working with an Influencer Individually.
The two secrets of a successful giveaway:
Make the prize worth your fans’ while. Technology offers like the latest iPhones, MacBook Pro; or Luxury prizes like His and Hers Rolex Watches are very popular with fans.
Choose the right Influencers. Influencers with high engagement rates will likely deliver the best results.
Follow/Unfollow Method
The follow-unfollow method is probably the most common “hack” to grow on Instagram. The idea is quite simple: you follow lots of accounts in your niche, and you unfollow them a few days later. This method has been used for years on Instagram to grow accounts quickly on the platform. And the truth is, this method works.
As you do this, you need new fans to engage in your content. Otherwise, Instagram won’t readily show them your new posts right away. The higher your following count, the more important this becomes.
So if you keep following and unfollowing these people, Instagram may become unclear of your purpose. Using the follow/unfollow Instagram trick, you can grow your Instagram followers, but you’re definitely not growing your engaged audience.
Engagement Method
Couple Follow/Unfollow method with Engagement method. When you use relevant hashtags and engage with others using them, you attract more interested people to view your content and follow your page.
You need to ensure that more people are commenting and keeping the page engaged.
Like and leave relevant comments on some of the top Instagram profiles that are using your target hashtags. This will help keep up a conversation whenever necessary, and if you can, try to find relevant influencer profiles or hashtags in your niche. You can use engagement tools like the dollar eighty to automate the process of engaging with other accounts.
If you have others comment on your posts and stories, reply to them right away. Keep them engaged by commenting back and liking their comments.
Be Mindful of the Top Performing Formats.
Instagram Carousel posts typically outperform single-image posts by at least 50%. 1 in 5 Instagram stories get a response from your fans. Test these formats on your profile to see what kind of engagement rate you will receive. Focus on the type of posts that generate the best results.
How to get verified on Instagram
Getting your Instagram account VERIFIED by Instagram is a step anyone interested in building their Instagram audience should take. The addition of Verification instantly adds credibility to your account, your material & your stature as an influencer. Most importantly, you get the respect you deserve as an influencer.
And the actual process of submitting for Instagram Verification can be done by anyone through their app. The problem is, according to recent estimates, only 3% of app submissions are approved.
So what can you do? After all, nobody, except Instagram, can guarantee if you will be Verified or not (it is their decision).
Well, there are certain things we have learned from a LOT of trial and error that can significantly improve your chances of success. Process steps we incorporate into our Instagram Verification Submission process.
Create an Instagram verification package and deliver it to IG Headquarters. Some of the info that you need to include are:
Submission created and physically mailed to IG Headquarters.
Professional “Verification Request Letter” also delivered to IG Headquarters.
Visual Press Kit highlighting top posts, brand, style, etc.
Want help with Instagram Profile Growth or getting your Instagram Profile verified?
How to use Instagram stories and IGTV effectively.
Apart from the best Instagram growth tools you have learned to use, there are so many ways that you can use to ensure that the stories you use are effective in getting followers.
Here is how to use Instagram Stories and IGTV Effectively (and how to market with these):
6 Tactics to Increase Your Instagram Stories EngagementTell a Story. First and foremost, the easiest way to improve your Instagram Stories engagement is to tell a story, one with a beginning, middle, and an end. Make it conversational so that your readers will have enough time to go through it, and they will feel a need to talk more about the subject.
Add captions. Let your viewers know they can keep their sound on to hear more about messages you are sharing with your followers.
Use stickers. You can overlay your logo so that it is easy for the followers to know your brand anytime they see the content. Select one of the existing stickers available in the library of stickers.
Use prompts. They will ensure that your followers are up to date with your content.
Include ‘Screenshot able’ Stories. Make it easier for the followers and readers to share your Instagram Stories on their own profiles, other sites and in DMs.
Include Call to Action: For example, ask your followers to DM for download so that it is easy for you to talk to them.
IGTV Instagram Strategies
If you are looking for how to grow Instagram followers (organically and with ads) and to increase engagement learn these additional hacks and strategies for IGTV.Use the proper IGTV format to ensure that your account will be optimized, and you can use tools to keep your content relevant.
Keep your IGTV videos short but packed with information so that it is easy for the reader to remember.
Change it up so you can keep your followers engaged and interested in your content every time.
Keep the content relevant. This way, your followers will always know that you have what they need and keep following you to keep up.
It is not just enough to have followers or an account. You need to be able to teach your audience relevant information and other essential details.
Go Behind-the-Scenes. When you do this, you will get into your follower’s minds and anticipate their needs.
Use innovative promotional videos to keep your readers interested and also to reward your followers for their loyalty.
