Instagram Followers For Free

Gain Instagram Followers on a Business Account

Social media marketing is essential to any modern business, but just having a social profile is not enough. Receiving likes on posts and gaining followers requires a well thought out strategy. Developing a strategy that will guarantee ROI requires extensive knowledge of the platform. As a first look into social media strategy, note that Instagram is the platform with the most user engagement. Instagram’s engagement rates are 10 times higher than Facebook, 54 times higher than Pinterest, and 84 times higher than Twitter. Leveraging social platforms should be a major priority for businesses and brands, and this starts with Instagram.

According to Foundr, many businesses struggle to decide which tactics to use to build their Instagram follower base. There are a variety of different methods you can use to boost your Instagram reach. Many of these methods involve knowing how the Instagram algorithm serves content to users. Think of it as SEO for Instagram. If you are not familiar with Instagram, this blog will cover the basics on how to navigate your online social life. If you are an Instagram aficionado, this is a great time to audit your profile. It’s certainly possible to gain Instagram followers organically, for free – rather than cheating using bots or paid followers.

Instagram Follower Strategy

Social media for business marketing is not the same as posting your #brunchgoals. If you’re posting without a strategy, you’re probably not going to get very far. When someone visits your profile, you have 8 seconds to capture their attention. The profile image for your account should be the most recognizable symbol from your business. Your profile is the core of your Instagram personality so you want to write something catchy to attract new followers. You have very limited space to add a profile description so briefly state who you are and what services you provide. This is your digital business card. You get one link in your bio so its best to add a link to your business site.

Think about your business objectives and develop a content plan that will help you reach your goals. Who is your target audience? Tailor your content for the demographic that you want to reach. You want to post the right content that will engage your followers and get them to like, comment, and share. After you have posted a few times, look at your post insights and analytics to determine which posting strategy is performing the best. If you post engaging content, you’ll get a boost on the Instagram algorithm and organically gain more Instagram followers. Discover what type of content your audience likes and keep it coming!

Set Instagram Goals

What are your business goals? You need to define these goals before you can begin working towards them. In terms of growing your Instagram follower base, set benchmarks for your progress and try to meet these goals. Continuing to build your Instagram follower base should always be part of your strategy. You can start small with a goal to gain x number of followers per week and raise that number as your account grows.

Create a Consistent Instagram Image

One part of Instagram strategy that is often overlooked by brands is the importance of your grid view. When creating content, consider the way each post will affect the look of your profile. Helen Pooler, a project manager at Assignment Help and Boomessays Review, says that “whatever your goals, make sure to create a brand and personality and be consistent throughout your posts. Have a similar look and story throughout the platform, and it will make you and your content more relatable and recognizable.”

Some easy ways to achieve a cohesive IG feed is to use the same filter on all of your posts. If you manage a brand account, keep your posts similar to your branding colors. Pick one profile theme to represent your brand and stick with it. Some profiles even use a post strategy of publishing in 3’s so the grid view looks like the image above. I highly recommend using an Instagram helper app like Planoly to get a preview of what your grid will look like to plan future posts.

Post Consistently on Instagram

With so many potential viewers on the Instagram platform, posting consistently is the best way to be seen. Instagram users are searching for new content to consume, so they are more likely to follow accounts that post content regularly. Accounts with the highest number of followers tend to post up to 3 times per day, so find a cadence that works for your business.

As part of your strategy, you need to create a content calendar to plan your posts in advance. As I mentioned earlier, an Instagram app tool like Planoly is a game changer. Since you need to be posting consistently, it is wise to develop a stream of content that is ready to go. It’s tough to stick to a schedule when you are scrambling to find or make content. Keep fresh posts in the drafts, add them to your content calendar, and don’t forget about your grid view.

Use Hashtags

One of the major keys to success on Instagram is using hashtags in posts, but not just any hashtags. Research which hashtags are being used to discuss your industry and values. Find out which perform the best and use them to your advantage. Hashtags are a way for non-followers to discover your content, which is why it is crucial that you choose relevant hashtags. Leonard Wylie, a marketer at Write My Paper and Marketing Essay, explains that “hashtags are an excellent way to make your content available to those that search for relevant content to yours.”

Instagram interactions are the highest on images with over eleven hashtags, so don’t be afraid to load up your posts with relevant tags. Searching through existing hashtags on similar posts is another great way to source hashtag ideas. There are also plenty of free tools online that help companies discover and track hashtag performance.

Engage With Instagram Users

You can gain more Instagram followers easily by simply being active on the account. This means liking posts, commenting on posts, viewing stories, commenting on stories, following new accounts and sharing user generated content. In theory, you want to engage with users in the same way you might on your personal account. It’s completely free to like and comment on posts, and this will improve your reach. Comparing to SEO, a comment or like on a post is like a backlink to your profile.

When following new accounts, you should be selective. Don’t follow spam or bot accounts, NSFW accounts or people who use profane language. Follow accounts similar to yours or in communities you want to become involved in. You can find popular accounts within niche communities and engage with them to boost your Instagram follower base.

Share Video

Video became especially popular across social media platforms in 2016 and is becoming essential content for social. Instagram videos have 2x the engagement compared to photos. If you aren’t already sharing video on your company account, it’s worth the time to create great video.

Instagram’s popularity lies in the great visuals and ability to tell a story. Carry this over to your video by telling a story, tapping into your audience’s emotions, and creating a call to action. Above all, design the video to be eye-catching and shareable.

Conclusion

A big win for any Instagram account is to land a spot on the explore page. The explore page is how non-followers discover new, trending, popular content. To get on the explore page, you will have needed to master the Instagram algorithm. But if you make it on that page, you’re on the way to IG fame. It’s not easy to get on there but it’s possible and it’s a major opportunity to gain new Instagram followers.

Posting consistent, relevant content – including video – paired with carefully selected hashtags helps drive visibility for a corporate account. Interacting with users via likes, and comments is key to building loyalty and growing Instagram followers.