5 Ways to Skyrocket Your Instagram Following
If you are not using Instagram as part of your marketing strategy, then I can assure you that you’re missing out and leaving opportunities on the table. Instagram offers an unprecedented amount of untapped potential for any business. Even for someone like me who still operates a startup in hope of finding its true calling. Follow along and I’ll share with you 5 ways how you can skyrocket your Instagram following in less than a week.
Personally I’ve never considered myself as very photogenic. As a matter of fact in my teens and twenties, I was considered to be an introvert by some folks. Being social though, has always been an intricate part of my personality. So that earlier perception may have been slightly off! Maybe this is essential to the success I have experienced recently with my company Razor Sharp Digital. Make sure you follow along and I promise that this will be your worthwhile.
Out of all the social media networks, Instagram was the one that I always lagged in. Regardless of what I did and tried, it never really panned out to be anything more than just another social media platform to update. It became quite frustrating – especially given the fact that I strive for success in everything I put my mind to. Perhaps a slight case of perfectionism! So, this past week or so I set out on a mission to test out a few strategies on Instagram.
I was quite surprised at the results and therefore wanted to share my experiment. Please keep in mind that your outcome may vary based upon your strategy, implementation and execution. Fundamentally though, the suggestions outlined below should indeed boost your following, improve engagement and perhaps open doors to new opportunities.
The follow recommendations take into consideration one week of experimenting. During this timeframe my Instagram account gained 60 organic targeted followers.
Use Your Instagram Business Profile
Not too long ago Instagram introduced business profiles. An enhanced way for brands to market their products and services while offering a suite of tools to help measure, evaluate, and monetize performance. If you have not yet converted your personal Instagram profile to a business one then checkout this helpful article that can help you do so. It really is a breeze.
I would pay particular attention to the vertical bars in the upper right-hand corner. This is where you can access your insights. It is a great way to keep tabs on the effectiveness of your profile and ultimately, your performance. There are many perks to using Instagram business profiles. Many, I haven’t disclosed in this post although highly suggest that you review them further.
Outline Messaging & Content Strategy
Like everything else marketing related, Instagram requires a strategy. A path that defines in part the type of messaging and content you will be sharing with your target audience. If you’ve not bought into the fact that Instagram video works and boasts higher engagement, then you’re massively missing out. The screenshot below shows impressions on my posts over the last 7 day period. You will notice that majority of them consist of short video clips.
Video has an 80% higher engagement and effectiveness on awareness in comparison to other marketing endeavors. Particularly in comparison to context such as words. The exceptions in the screenshot above is an image post of my family, which always does well on social media in general. Aside from that though, the number of impressions are actually fairly decent considering the small following I have.
Here are a few key takeaways I would advise, specifically from a messaging and content strategy standpoint.
- Make sure you have a solid understanding of your target audience and buyer personas.
- Publish content that adheres to their specific needs or wants. Ensure that you have infused a human element throughout. Personality and character are important!
- Comprise quick 30-60 second videos for increased engagement.
- Focus on sentiment in terms of perception, that you are creating with other users.
- Leverage popular hashtags that coincide with the message of each post.
Utilize Top Posting Times
It’s important to have a good handle on when your followers are online. This is one of the perks Instagram business profiles offers in terms of analytical data. That way you can publish your message during peak times when your followers are more inclined to interact with it.
The beauty about this analytical data on your followers is that you can break it down further. Shown above, you are viewing activity for Mondays. In the actual app, you can actually swipe to view activity by day. This information can be particularly handy especially if you are comprising a social media calendar.
Don’t Forget the Hashtag
Building a following and audience on Instagram organically, is a tough task. You need to strongly consider using of hashtags as they will help amplify visibility of your individual updates. Not only that, but I would highly encourage you to also factor in Instagram Advertising as part of your strategy. Although in terms of organic growth, you can absolutely leverage popular hashtags. Through their usage, you can not only build a targeted following but also a community interested in whatever it is you have to offer.
When it comes to using popular hashtags, I’ve discovered a few ways to, well…identify them easily.
- Pinpoint keywords from within the caption of your Instagram post.
- Include those specific keywords after your caption and following the # sign.
- Check Search (the magnifying glass on bottom) for popular hashtags based on your keywords. This will tell you existing or similar hashtags being used, and the number of posts.
- Get into the habit of using top hashtags that have proven to be engaging.
I’ve discovered that consistency with hashtag usage can go a long way. It helps build an engaged community that will establish recognition for the value you offer.
Be Consistent In Your Approach
One of the key ingredients for Instagram success is consistency. The same principal, in fact, is applicable across all social media channels. You have to be consistent with your strategy as a whole. One of the main reasons is because at a specific point, you are fulfilling an obligation to your followers. They will become accustomed to your publishing routine and expect new content during specific days and times. This is probably one of the hardest things to grasp for Instagram advertising.
Contingent upon your social media strategy, developing consistency can in fact be a huge undertaking. For instance, my YouTube show The Biz Grind is a daily endeavor. On average it takes me a couple of hours a day to record, edit and publish the video. Not to mention creating a short video clip for Instagram either prior to or after the actual video is published. My intent is to generate higher awareness and interest.
Be consistent. Building an avid community of loyal followers. Post valuable information that pertains to your audience.
How are you utilizing Instagram for business? I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments in the section below.
Lead/Featured images: Copyright: ‘http://www.123rf.com/profile_mangsaab‘ / 123RF Stock Photo
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