How to Grow on Instagram: Proven Tips, Mistakes to Avoid & More
According to a recent study, 26.9% of the world’s population aged 13 and above use Instagram.
Astonishing. Right?
The statistics underline the power of Instagram if you are a content creator or business looking to boost your online presence.
However, you can harness this power only when you grow your followers.
This article covers how to grow on Instagram, busts common myths, and outlines best practices for Instagram success.
Let’s get to it!
TL;DR – How to Grow Your Instagram
Can’t read the whole article right now? Here’s a rundown of how to grow your Instagram following:
- Finish setting up your Instagram profile
- Post high-quality content
- Engage your audience
- Use hashtags strategically
- Use dynamic visuals
- Measure performance
- Promote your Instagram profile on other platforms
In addition to the highlighted tips, we recommend embedding your Instagram profile on your website to help convert your visitors into followers.
SociableKIT streamlines the embedding process, allowing you to set up and personalize your Instagram feed within two minutes. Our widget has a built-in Instagram profile embed code generator that creates the script you can add to your website, regardless of the web builder.
Create a SociableKIT widget today and curate an engaging Instagram feed that entices website visitors to follow your profile!
Why Instagram Growth Matters More Than Ever Before
Below are the key advantages of growing your Instagram following:
- Brand Reach: Growing your Instagram following helps you reach a wider audience, which is integral to brand visibility and discoverability. This is because any follower who reposts or reacts to your posts makes them visible to their followers, attracting more look-alike audiences.
- Lead Generation: The more followers, the higher the number of potential leads who might be interested in your product or service. Suppose only 5% of your followers are high-intent buyers. This means that growing your following from 1,000 to 2,000 will likely increase your leads from 50 to 100.
- Community Building: Growing your Instagram following helps you carve out a loyal fan base around your brand, which comes with its benefits. For example, your Instagram community provides a ready market for any new products you introduce. Also, they readily interact with your Instagram posts, keeping your engagement rate high.
- Monetization Opportunities: Creators and social media influencers grow their Instagram following to unlock monetization opportunities. For example, companies often partner with niche creators with huge audiences to promote new products. Also, creators could leverage shoppable Instagram posts and affiliate marketing to diversify their income streams.
- Audience Insight: Growing your Instagram following gives you advanced insights into follower demographics and behavior, which you can use to refine your social media and marketing strategies. For example, you could conduct polls on the content that resonates best with your target audience. Also, ask your followers to suggest their favorite product features and use the feedback to improve your offerings to match customer expectations.
Common Myths About Growing on Instagram
What myth have you heard about growing on Instagram?
Below, we cover the five most common fallacies about getting Instagram followers:
- Fake Followers Are Just as Good as Organic Ones: This is a common misconception peddled by black hat agencies selling Instagram followers and bots.
However, purchasing Instagram followers is a waste of money and could tarnish your brand’s credibility and trustworthiness. Instead, grow your followers organically to attract people actually interested in your content.
- You Must Post Several Times Daily to Grow: Some Instagram users spam their followers with posts every hour, hoping to increase their visibility and reach.
However, generic posts often do more harm than good, as they might cause some followers to disengage or unfollow your profile. Focus on posting quality content that offers value to your Instagram followers.
- More Hashtags Mean More Reach: While Instagram hashtags enhance your posts’ and profile’s visibility, more is not always better, as they make your posts appear spammy.
We recommend using a few specific and general hashtags to target niche audiences that relate to your content.
- Organic Growth Is Not Sustainable: Another common myth is that Instagram controls how fast you can grow your account to avoid ‘overnight’ influencers. This is incorrect because Instagram is only against buying followers. You can get a huge following on Instagram within a few months using the strategies outlined in the next section.
- You Must Work with a Social Media Agency to Grow: Some people believe they must spend thousands of dollars hiring a social media agency to experience significant follower growth.
However, you can grow your Instagram followers using a few simple steps outlined in the next section.
How to Grow on Instagram
People often ask, “How can I grow on Instagram organically?” Well, you need an Instagram content strategy that helps place your profile in front of look-alike audiences likely to follow your account.
Below are proven methods for growing on Instagram:
1. Finish Setting Up Your Instagram Profile
Optimizing your Instagram profile is crucial when building an audience on the platform.
A simple update like uploading a high-quality profile photo helps grab users’ attention. Also, provide a concise bio describing your brand and its products.
2. Post High-Quality Content
Publish engaging content that aligns with your target audience’s interests. However, avoid being too salesy, as this might turn off your audience and cause them to disengage. Align your content strategy with the four main content pillars: educational, inspirational, promotional, and entertainment.
Experiencing writer’s block? Check out our list of 30+ business Instagram post ideas for inspiration.
3. Engage Your Audience
When Instagram followers comment on your posts, they expect a two-way conversation. As such, take time to interact with them so they feel seen and appreciated.
Additionally, engaging your followers effectively reinforces your call-to-action statements by guiding their next steps. For example, request them to send you a direct message for better follow-up.
4. Use Hashtags Strategically
Instagram hashtags make your posts visible and discoverable by new audiences. However, you must incorporate them strategically to make your content flow smoothly.
Also, avoid hashtag spamming (using irrelevant hashtags), as you might gain followers who are not interested in your brand offerings.
5. Use Dynamic Visuals
Leverage tools like Canva to create dynamic images and videos that grab users’ attention quickly. For videos, add unique thumbnails and incorporate your theme colors to increase brand recall value.
We also recommend adding video captions to make the content accessible to people with hearing impairments.
6. Measure Performance
Track metrics like follower growth rate, likes, comments, and reposts to see how users interact with your Instagram content.
For example, you might notice that Reels receive better engagement than native videos. In this case, you could post more Reels to boost engagement and enhance your content’s visibility to your target audience.
7. Promote Your Instagram Profile on Other Platforms
Promoting your profile on external platforms is a game-changer for growing on Instagram. For example, you could share snippets of your Instagram posts on Facebook and include a link to your profile. Users who follow your Facebook page will likely also want to engage with you on Instagram.
Additionally, embed your Instagram profile on your website or personal blog to showcase your posts to your visitors. You could add social media buttons to your website next to the feed so visitors who resonate with your posts can easily follow your Instagram profile.
SociableKIT provides a seamless way to showcase your Instagram profile on your personal blog or website. Sign up for SociableKIT and join other content creators and small businesses using our Instagram widget for cross-platform promotion.
Instagram Growth Mistakes You Should Avoid
Below are common pitfalls to avoid when building an audience on Instagram:
- Buying Followers: Many people are often tempted to purchase followers to inflate their numbers. However, the followers are often from inactive or spammy accounts, which could hurt your brand’s reputation. Instead, develop an Instagram content strategy to grow your followers organically.
- Improper Hashtag Use: Omitting hashtags results in missed opportunities to broadcast your Instagram content to a wider audience. Similarly, keyword staffing breaks the flow of your content, undermining user engagement. We recommend using about five relevant hashtags per post to boost discoverability without overwhelming your audience.
- Generic Content: Many brands use AI to write captions and content. However, while AI use is convenient, the content often feels generic. Edit the posts to humanize the content and ensure it aligns with your brand tone.
- Ignoring Analytics: Overlooking your performance metrics makes it difficult to know what works for your Instagram audience and what doesn’t. Use third-party tools like Hootsuite and Google Analytics to track essential metrics, like follower growth rate and engagement.
- Posting Inconsistently: Not posting regularly reduces your brand’s recall value. Over time, some users may even unfollow your Instagram page. We recommend posting three to five times weekly to give your target audience enough content to engage with, while not overwhelming them.
Best Practices for Sustainable Instagram Growth
Next, let’s outline some actionable tips to remember as you implement your Instagram growth strategy:
- Post During Optimal Times: According to a recent study, the best times to post on Instagram are midweek days from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
- Have a Content Calendar: Create a content calendar to publish posts regularly and keep your audience engaged. The calendar should also indicate the topics or content pillars you’ll cover in your posts.
- Make Your Posts Responsive: Ensure your Instagram posts, especially photos and videos, are mobile-friendly, considering most people spend their passive time (about 4 hours 37 minutes daily) on their phones. A responsive feed helps deliver a consistent user experience for your target audience, regardless of screen size.
- Include CTA Statements: Incorporate CTA statements strategically to guide users in completing the target action. For instance, you could request them to follow your Instagram profile to qualify for exclusive offers.
- Post Diverse Content: Learn how to create Instagram Reels, Stories, and Carousels to give your audience diverse content to interact with. This also helps you benefit from each feature’s strengths. For example, Instagram Reels generate more engagement than standard posts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Let’s answer some commonly asked questions about growing your Instagram followers:
Is It Easier to Grow on TikTok or Instagram?
There’s no correct answer, as it depends on your content strategy on either platform. For example, growing your TikTok mainly requires jumping on viral trends and challenges to enhance visibility. You must also use trending music for the TikTok algorithm to favor your posts.
In contrast, Instagram requires a more calculated strategy, including optimizing your profile, posting regularly, and engaging your audience in the comment section to attract new followers.
What Is a Good Follower Growth Rate on Instagram?
The average follower growth rate usually varies depending on your niche, season, and target audience.
For example, according to a recent study, the entertainment industry had a 1.82% weekly follower growth rate compared to 2.26% in the financial sector. However, the average follower growth rate across all niches was 1.37%.
Should I Buy Followers to Kickstart Growth?
No. We do not recommend buying Instagram followers.
This is because the followers will mainly be from bot accounts, which could jeopardize your Instagram account’s security in the future. Instead, use our outlined strategies to grow your followers organically.
Can You Grow Without a Niche?
Yes. You can grow your Instagram account without a niche, but it comes at a cost.
For example, the followers might not be interested in your brand beyond your content, reducing your monetization options. Also, building an Instagram community around your brand becomes difficult, which could result in low engagement rates in the long term.
Conclusion – How to Grow Your Instagram Account
With this article, you have most, if not all, of the tools you need to grow on Instagram. Most importantly, optimize your Instagram profile to create a positive first impression. However, we do not recommend buying followers as it could taint your brand’s reputation.
Prioritize quality content and set time to interact with your audience. Also, we recommend embedding your Instagram profile on your personal blog or website to reach a broader audience.
SociableKIT streamlines the embedding process – you don’t need to write code to set up or customize your Instagram feed. Also, we have responsive customer support to help you troubleshoot integration issues. SociableKIT is safe, so do not worry about your Instagram account’s safety.
Create an Instagram widget for a seamless way to showcase your Instagram profile on your website or personal blog!
