Are you looking to grow your Instagram following but unsure how to attract and engage with followers? According to a recent Hootsuite article, “1 in 2 people have used Instagram to discover new brands and 2 in 3 people say that the network helps foster meaningful interactions with brands.”
Grow your audience by following our top tips, ranging from optimising your profile to scheduling content and starting important conversations.
1) Optimise your Instagram Account
First things first, you must ensure that your Instagram profile has all of the key elements that help to form the foundations of your brand identity: an appropriate username, a branded profile picture, an optimised bio and a link to your website.
Adding a link to your profile is a great way of driving traffic to your chosen destination, whether it’s to your brand’s website or to a relevant landing page. Creators often utilise the link feature to direct users to certain pages that are related to the content discussed in their posts. The popular phrase “link in bio” helps to keep the profile current and able to join the conversation on trending topics.
2) Determine your Brand’s Value Proposition
It is important to identify your target audience, their likes, dislikes and pain points because this will assist you in posting content that is both informative and relevant. Your profile should have a clear value proposition, i.e. why should someone follow you? Whether it’s for behind-the-scenes content, top tips or exclusive offers, identifying areas to focus your content that will appeal to your desired audience is key for converting potential followers. This doesn’t mean that all of your content should be the same because this would quickly become repetitive. However, identifying key themes amongst your content brings value to your profile.
3) Create a Content Calendar & Schedule Posts in Advance
Once you have optimised your profile and identified your audience, it’s time to think about the content you’re going to be posting. Creating a content calendar is an excellent way to maintain a regular posting schedule. Scheduling your posts in advance allows you to post at optimal times of day in order to generate the most engagement. Another benefit of pre-scheduling your content, using an app such as ‘Preview’, is that it can help you to create an aesthetically pleasing feed which will add a professional and seamless feel to your profile. Posting consistently helps to improve your brand visibility and maintain a strong presence on the platform.
4) Make your Content Shareable
Creating content that is shareable is a great way to increase reach and engagement. Informative carousel posts, inspirational quotes and trending memes are all effective ways to spark your followers’ interest. Memes that relate back to your brand are great for tapping into popular culture, appealing to a wider audience and helping to improve general brand awareness.
Reaching out to influencers to collaborate on projects will help to broaden your reach whilst also helping to create a sense of trust between your brand and potential customers. Influencer marketing allows for your products/services to be advertised to an audience without the audience feeling as if they’re being obviously sold to. This in turn helps to create an authentic relationship and grow your following.
5) Promote your Instagram Everywhere
Make sure that your Instagram handle is linked on your website and social platforms to help guide users to your Instagram profile. Creating a button on your website that links directly to your page is also an effective way to achieve this and generate higher levels of visibility. Cross promoting your content on other platforms by sharing an engaging Instagram post to your Facebook page for example, is effective in showcasing your profile to an existing follower base and is likely to increase your follower count.
6) Start the Conversation
Make sure to engage with your followers by starting conversations. An effective way to do this is to post stories that followers can interact with, such as polls, questions and going ‘live’. Reply to as many comments and messages as possible because customers often favour brands that are responsive. This helps to maintain and build your existing follower base. Posting content that is related to trending topics and asking relevant questions to your audience creates a space for conversation and adds a more personal feel to your brand.
Finally, another excellent way of starting conversations with your audience and attracting new followers is to ensure that you tag brands, followers and locations in your posts whenever possible. This tactic means that your content is more likely to be shared by brands, extending your reach and attracting a wider online following.
If you’re in need of any more top tips, or would like us to help you with your social media management, get in touch today!
