Grow Your Instagram

Growing an Instagram following from scratch is easy, right? Just post some pictures every now and again and that’s it?

Wrong! There’s a lot more to it than that, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. If you use Instagram in the right way, it can be such a brilliant tool for reaching new customers, increasing brand awareness, building an engaged audience, and making your brand stand out amongst the competitors. And most importantly for you, it can be an enjoyable way to connect and build genuine relationships!

Here are seven ways to help you grow your following:

1. Know your target audience

One of the most important steps to growing your Instagram following is knowing who you’re trying to reach and what your target market is. What are they interested in? What type of content do they enjoy? You can use Instagram Insights to get a better idea of who’s engaging with your posts, and then use that info to tailor your content to their interests. It’s also important to consider who you’re following, ensuring you focus on accounts you can engage with, who’ll engage with you in return. When you connect with the right audience who like and engage with what you post, your following will grow naturally.

2. Create content that stands out

Instagram is ALL about visual content. These days people will have a quick scroll on social media when they’re commuting, waiting in a queue, or even bored during a conversation… so your content needs to stand out to make them stop scrolling and pay attention, particularly now in the age of short attention spans! Focus on good lighting, visually appealing graphics, and a consistent, recognisable style that shows off the best of your brand. But Instagram isn’t just your grid – don’t forget about Stories and Reels.  Reels are videos that can reach a wider audience or even go viral, while Stories are perfect for engaging with your audience. You can use your story to share quick updates, give behind-the-scenes glimpses, or get to know your followers by asking questions and posting polls.

3. Post consistently

Consistency is one of the most important factors to consider if you want to grow your Instagram following. Posting regularly keeps your audience engaged, makes sure you stay visible, and helps to keep the algorithm on your side. But consistency doesn’t mean constantly. Posting twice a week every week (or whatever schedule works best for you) is better than posting 5 times in one week then ghosting your account for months! A content calendar can help you plan posts in advance so you know you’ve always got content going out. You can even use Instagram’s scheduling feature in Meta Business Suite to keep your feed active even when you’re busy.

4. Hashtags

Hashtags are one of the best ways to increase the reach of your posts and get your content in front of potential new followers. It’s best to use a mix of popular and niche (but relevant!) tags to make sure your content is shown to the right people. You can use up to 30 per post but that can be excessive – don’t just add 30 for the sake of it. It’s essential to stick to tags that relate to your post and brand to attract followers who are interested in what you offer – posting unrelated tags can be harmful and decrease your engagement.

5. Engage with your followers

If you want to grow your following, it’s important to build and maintain relationships with the followers you already have. Engaging with your audience is crucial – make sure to reply to comments, like other people’s posts, and interact with other accounts in your area of business. This shows your followers (and the algorithm!) that you’re active, which can create a sense of community and even friendship that people want to be involved in. The more you engage with others, the more likely they are to follow and engage with you.

6. Track your performance

Stay aware of what’s working for you and what isn’t working so well by using Instagram Insights to track your performance. See what type of posts are getting the most engagement and the most reach, and which ones aren’t making the biggest impact. Use this information to change your strategy and content plan to focus on the content that your audience likes the most. Adjusting based on what works can take a bit of trial and error to begin with, but it will help you to grow your following over time.

7. Run engagement strategies

Don’t wait for people to find you! Running engagement strategies is a great way to make new connections, strengthen current ones, and build a sense of community around your brand. Regularly engage with your ideal audience by responding to their comments, liking their posts, and starting conversations their DMs. Don’t forget to interact with new people too – proactively engaging with accounts that align with your brand or target audience increases awareness of your business and helps you build relationships with potential new followers, so don’t be afraid to comment on their posts and share their content where appropriate.

Growing your Instagram following organically with people who like and engage with your brand is not a quick process. You might have to try out different post formats, different hashtags, or different post timings, but these strategies will set you up for a good start.

If you’re still overwhelmed at the thought and you’d like more hands-on help, In Collaboration offers full social media support to take care of everything for you – you don’t even have to think about your social media and it will be growing in the background!

Or, if you’d prefer to stay in control but you need some guidance, our business mentoring sessions can help you build a solid Instagram strategy that you can handle yourself going forwards.