If you have been on Instagram for some time, and keen on popular and trending feeds, you will notice they have one thing in common – they have similar aesthetics. Striving to provide your target audiences with the same can see you attract more high-quality followers.
Proper planning is however required to make it happen. To do this, you’ll need to:
1. Identify What Thrills You.
You need to figure out the things you like on Instagram, and which users you follow to have an idea of what aesthetics to use on your profile. Take some time to scroll through individuals you follow, as well as your timeline to see what stands out best. Are you more attracted to muted tones or enjoy vibrant colors. This should help you identify what might be missing on your feeds.
2. Plan Ahead.
The secret behind every perfectly-styled Instagram is planning. Planning well for your Instagram can help you maintain consistency even when time isn’t on your side. For instance, many of the successful Instagrammers take dozens of photos in one or two shootouts, then use these through the week. This makes it easier to prepare the images perfectly, as well as plan when to post them. This increases consistency even when you have a busy week.
3. Ensure Your Images Have A Consistent Look.
Be sure to maintain a consistent look and feel on all pictures. Pick one look, or a filter, then stick to that. Using too many filters won’t do your brand any good. It would also be advisable to stick to the same editing tools for your images. VSCO, Afterlight, and ColorStory are good examples of tools you can use.
4. Only Upload Meaningful Content on Instagram.
Your feeds don’t just need to be pretty; they need to have some substance on them as well. Do not try to sell only the lovely part of yourself either. Post the real you in pictures and especially what everybody is accustomed to. Include relevant descriptions, and if possible, get creative with the same. Using the same Rumi Quotes everyone has been using on Instagram makes it too generic.
It would also be advisable to mention your blog posts, products, and services regularly in the descriptions. This helps your audience know what/who you are or represent. The main idea behind using Instagram is to woo more audience to follow you, and most importantly, bring them to your email list. Simply posting pretty photos won’t help them either. Loosening out a bit enables potential customers to reach out and even come to your workshops. Most of these will turn to be loyal customers in the long run.
5. Consistency.
Consistency is paramount if you wish to grow your Instagram followers. To be safe, consider posting at least 2 pictures every day. Consider posting one in the morning and another one in the evening to avoid spamming. Instagram is yet to introduce a scheduling option to enable users to post content at set times. For this reason, you are stuck with using your device to post the pictures. Alternatively, you could use a third-party app to do this for you.
Identify the best and convenient time to post on Instagram. Experts recommend posting when more followers are likely to be online.
6. Use Hashtags – But Wisely.
Hashtags make it easy to find your content and inspire other users. Posting all your photos with a hashtag means users can search the content on search engines, find it, and even contribute to the collection. The other good thing with the hashtag feature is that it keeps a compilation of all pictures, videos, and text linked to the hashtag. It therefore helps create a link between you and your target audience.
To make maximum use of your hashtags, consider:
- Using a hashtag relevant to your audience
- Consider using a unique hashtag for better results
- Only use one hashtag for each original post. You can then add several others in a comment immediately after the post
- Invent your own story and get creative with the hashtags
7. Connect and Engage with the Audience.
Engaging with the audience on Instagram and connecting with them increases your chances of attracting even more followers. To do this, you’ll need to follower other users with a similar goal, comment on other user’s posts, like their ideas, and build a community.
Following other people and commenting on their posts and images makes it easier to notice your presence. While it may take some time for them to ‘show the love’ back, they’ll certainly follow you back. As long your feed is rich with insightful and beautiful content, more people will want to connect with you.
These are seven simple ways you can grow your following on Instagram. As a rule of thumb, social media is all about giving to receive. Following and engaging with other users will bring you closer to your goal.
