How to Grow Your Instagram Following
More than 200 million businesses use Instagram to connect with audiences and promote their products or services. Just creating an Instagram business account isn't enough, though. If you want to see real results from posting on Instagram, you need to implement a strategy and follow best practices on the platform.
In this article, we'll discuss some of the tips Instagram has shared to help you grow your account's following.
Tips to Succeed on Instagram
Lay the groundwork for success on Instagram by posting engaging, high-quality content that's relevant to your audience. Then, take your Instagram profile to the next level with these tips.
Take Advantage of the Platform's New Features
Social media platforms are always evolving. To succeed, you need to be aware of any updates and adapt to them.
As platforms release updates, their algorithms tend to favor content relating to those updates. Stay on top of the trends and utilize these new aspects to ensure your content never goes out of date.
For example, Instagram recently announced four new stickers that users can add to their Stories. Using new features like these stickers may help get your content in front of a larger audience and boost your engagement rate.
Breaking Things Down Can Make It Easier to Keep Up
Thinking about everything involved in running a business Instagram account can be overwhelming. Don't let that scare you. In reality, you can break down all the big-picture objectives into manageable tasks to excel at promoting your Instagram account.
Just like you schedule time out of your day to go to the gym, clean your house, or practice any other important habit, schedule some time to run your business's Instagram page. Make a list of all the tasks you need to tackle, such as:
- Researching Instagram trends
- Updating your Instagram bio
- Coming up with new content ideas
- Repurposing content your business previously created
- Responding to comments and engaging your followers
- Creating new content to post and editing it
- Requesting and posting user-generated content (UGC)
Pick one task to focus on at a time, and break it down into even smaller actions if necessary. Breaking down these types of tasks helps make the content creation process less daunting and allows your creativity to go wild without any extra pressure.
Tips to Succeed With Reels
In 2020, Instagram introduced Reels: vertical video clips that can be up to 90 seconds long. They were Instagram's answer to TikTok.
Some businesses don't use this feature, but you shouldn't underestimate the power of great Instagram Reels. Done right, Reels can boost the engagement on your page and even go viral. Use these tips to get the most out of your Reels.
Timing Is Everything
The first three seconds of your Reels are crucial for grabbing viewers' attention. Share something eye-catching or intriguing in those initial seconds so your audience sticks around for the rest of the video.
Keep your reels between 30 and 60 seconds long for optimal engagement and reach. Users may lose interest in longer videos, but shorter videos may not be long enough to impact viewers or share valuable information.
Also, find the best times to post to connect with your target audience. Create a content calendar ahead of time so you can consistently post at these times.
Stay on Top of Trends
Remember to include relevant hashtags in your posts. Instagram hashtags help you reach more people who are interested in the specific topic you're discussing. Instagram lets you use up to 30 hashtags per post, but try to stick to three to five. Posts that use too many hashtags can look like spam and be counterproductive.
Another way to use trends to reach a larger audience is trending audio. Using popular or trending sounds helps increase the reach of your posts, similar to hashtags. Someone who hears a trending song or sound can click on it and see other pieces of content using the same sound. If your content also uses the audio clip, users can discover it that way.
Tips for Succeeding Across Platforms
Every social media platform is different, so you should adjust your strategy and the type of content you post for each platform. That said, the following tips are applicable across all platforms, including Instagram.
Prioritize Timely Responses
Social media is interactive. Users expect to hear back from businesses as often as possible, and without significant time delays. Like or reply to comments on your videos or posts within seven days to help generate more engagement and expand the reach of your posts. Responding within 24 hours is even better.
Be Consistent
If you're sharing your content on more than one platform, it's essential to establish a consistent posting schedule. For example, you might publish an Instagram post and Reel on Monday, a LinkedIn post on Wednesday, and two Facebook posts on Friday.
Optimize Your Instagram Marketing
Optimize is here to help grow your Instagram account's following and start generating results. To learn more about how Optimize assists with Instagram management, schedule a free consultation!