Forty percent of all adults in the United States are Instagram users, making it one of the most popular social networks. This makes it a worthwhile platform to devote time and energy to, but cultivating an audience can be difficult. Here are eight ideas for gaining your first thousand Instagram followers.
Instagram remains one of the top channels for audience expansion. More than a billion people use it around the world, and 71% of businesses in the United States do as well. Moreover, you may get four times as many Instagram engagements as you would on Facebook. Instagram is the destination of choice for ambitious entrepreneurs and content creators.
It is simple to find advice on how to increase Instagram followers when searching online. Most of these strategies, however, are more feasible for accounts with thousands or millions of followers. The first 1,000 followers are the most challenging to get on any social media platform because of the minimal attention paid to accounts with fewer than that number of followers.
We’ve compiled eight free ideas on how to gain Instagram followers and hit the 1,000 mark. Let’s get into it!
1. Make your Instagram bio relevant:
Your bio will serve as the initial introduction to potential followers; by optimizing it, you can reach your targeted audience. They will most likely hit the “follow” button if they like what they see.
If so, what are the most important points you want to make? Just think of it as your “elevator speech” in just 150 characters. Remember that only your username and name are searchable, while the remainder of your bio is not.
The following bio elements can aid in attracting followers:
- A sophisticated, high-quality profile picture
- A call to action (the hashtag you want people to use to spread the word, the URL you want them to follow, or your own personal details)
- Copy that appears to have been written by a human (rather than a robot).
2. Integrate your network:
As was mentioned before, the hardest part of building a following on social media is often the first few hundred followers. To get started, why not just do what everybody else you know does? They will likely return the favor and, perhaps, suggest you to their friends. Examine Facebook and your contact list to ensure that you’ve used every connection.
Depending on the nature of your Instagram account, it may be beneficial to connect with local or comparable businesses. This article is not entirely about “how to obtain Instagram followers for your business,” but it is important to remember. They will be motivated to do the same if you tag them, comment on their posts, and share their content.
3. Find your audience:
Try to explain your ideal audience to yourself when you create your account. Describe the appearance of your ideal consumer avatar. Who are their followers, what do they comment on, and what motivates them? Then, seek out additional accounts that cater to the audience you just outlined.
If you are a travel vlogger, for instance, you should search for travel accounts and travel vloggers that meet your audience criteria. Find the accounts and content creators who post often and get a lot of interaction.
Now, the objective is to leverage their profiles and audiences. Respond to their posts. Follow and communicate with their followers. Engage! Before your audience will gladly follow you and engage with your material, you must capture their interest and build rapport.
4. Live and breathe the guideline:
“Five likes, one remark, and one follow”
The “5 likes, 1 comment, and 1 follow” method can boost your chances of gaining Instagram followers, albeit it is not always effective. Find an account that you would be proud to have as a follower—and, ideally, one that you would want to follow—and like at least five of its posts. Comment on your favorite post, then follow the author.
Put effort and time into your likes and comments, as this demonstrates that you are a real person. Fake accounts frequently do not interact. By liking posts and initiating a conversation—even if it’s just a fire emoji comment on a dog video—before following, you demonstrate that you are a genuine account that is interested in their content. Don’t give up if at first, you don’t succeed. As long as you’re contributing to the conversation and not spamming them, it’s worthwhile to be persistent and convince them to follow you back.
5. Discover your brand’s voice:
If you want to gain Instagram followers, you must view yourself as a brand, which may sound a little businesslike. This doesn’t mean you have to be too serious, but it does mean you have to think of your profile as a storefront, landing page, or customer service resource for your favorite brand.
People may use the term “tone,” but it’s really about your brand’s identity. The style of your captions and comments should be consistent, so you’re not using text slang in one post and standard English in another. The language of every brand is unique, but a straightforward, semi-casual tone is a solid starting point for gaining more Instagram followers.
This also applies to your visual cues. In terms of style, it is advantageous to have a consistent “thing” that is your own. An Instagram account filled with unrelated photographs and videos is fine. But if you want to increase your Instagram followers beyond your friends, family, and coworkers, you must organize your content so that it appears distinctively yours.
6. Create captivating, shareable captions:
Writing a captivating caption is an art form. Whether you use questions, humor, or fun information, using captions correctly is a quick way to increase engagement on your posts and allow your followers to get to know you. Action verbs, emojis, and humorous descriptions are all tried-and-true Instagram caption options that can help you get followers.
Engaging with your existing audience is essential if you want to get new Instagram followers. Write a basic, open-ended question in a post or use a poll or question sticker in your Stories to spark conversation.
Always respond to comments, since each one is a possible opportunity to get a new subscriber or keep an existing one. Make your followers your friends, and your time will be well spent.
7. Inform others of your stuff!
People enjoy learning new things. Using carousel posts to explicate a question, idea, or procedure can stimulate the curiosity of the audience. Carousel photos have the best interaction rate on Instagram because they are so captivating.
Use carousels to solve problems, educate individuals, or simply amuse your audience with a humorous “before and after” article.
8. Optimize your visual content for Instagram:
You wouldn’t try to play an outdated cassette tape on a PS4, so why would you publish an out-of-place photo on Instagram? You do not need to be a skilled photographer to take high-quality photographs, but you also cannot publish random, blurry selfies. True, but that is not the way to gain 1,000 Instagram followers!
If you have the time and money, professional cameras and editing tools are ideal, but a smartphone will suffice. In the end, you need to make content that people will remember and is consistent with the voice of your brand.
Consider symmetry, minor details, multiple perspectives, negative space, and the need to concentrate on a single subject.
I work at Likes Geek as a marketing researcher and journalist with over 5 years of experience in media and content marketing. With a demonstrated history of working in the international news and financial technology publishing industries. I manage content and the editorial team at Likes Geek.