Getting Instagram followers is one of the best ways to build a business from scratch. It really doesn’t matter which industry you’re in, Instagram is one of the fastest growing social media platforms on the planet. Get in now, while it’s still powerful with these tips. The most exclusive full proof way to ensure you growth your Instagram following and brand is with Digital Cartel Social! If you’re looking to grow as a brand, influencer, model, or photographer we have made it simple.
There are plenty of ways to get Instagram followers if you pay, but this article will show you the best free ways to attract clients to your business with Instagram. It’s really not that much different than other social media platforms, but what you’ll notice is that Instagram is almost completely about creating visual content. If you’re not good at that, then check these articles to find out how to improve your visual content chops:
Visual Content: It’s Not a Trend, It’s Human Instinct and What You Need to Know About Video Marketing.
Old Faithful Strategy: Post 5 or More Times Per Day
Find the Best Hashtags
It’s easy to find the best hashtags to get more Instagram followers. Instagram is a solved social network. It just takes time, effort, and the right strategy.
Start by searching (on Instagram) your industry and start looking at the top posters. You do need an account to do this, so set one up right now… Click to get started.
Now that you’re set up. Go the search bar and type in your industry. Look at the top hashtags you have available and identify the ones that are in the range of 50,000 to 250,000 posts. Those are going to be your core posting hashtags. You want to find 30 of those and insert those into every post you have. If you do this 5 times a day, you’ll surely gain followers left and right.
You might be thinking about why I’m telling you to stay away from the biggest hashtags. The reason is if you post to the largest hashtags your post will get buried in matter of minutes. The range I identified is good to give your posts staying power.
1-Up Your Competition
After you’ve identified the best hashtags for your industry, study the top posts (i.e. the ones with the most likes and comments). What are they doing that you’re doing? What are you doing that they aren’t doing?
Once, you have the answers to those questions, you’ll find out very quickly what you can do to get more pictures. Getting Instagram followers is not complicated and you won’t find a magic bullet to get you more people except hard work and being attentive.
Pay attention to what the best Instagram posters are doing and then emulate them. Below are some accounts you should follow. They might not be in your industry and you might not like their content, but their strategy is sound and you can learn from them.
Keep in mind: These people were not famous before Instagram.
Garyvee (4 Million)
Dan Bilzerian (24 Million Followers)
Girlwithnojob (2.9 Million Followers)
Loganpaul (16 Million Followers)
Desiperkins (3.7 Million Followers)
Don’t get mesmerized by the numbers or the beautiful images. Focus on the strategy and the consistency if you can.
Take each one of these and turn on push notifications so you can follow everything they do on Instagram. Notice the size of the hashtags and recognize what they do on a daily basis.
How many days are they taking off? Are the videos, off-the-cuff or are they a mix of professional videos and impromtu? What is the ratio of videos to memes to pictures?
All these things matter and you will only get followers if you’re asking yourself what are these people doing that you’re not doing.
Create Your Posts in Advance
Here are two tools that I love to make amazing posts.
Canva, a free graphic designer. This is a fantastic program to create memes, collages, and keep all your posts consistent with brand integrity.
Buffer, a free social media automation program. That will help you make sure you stay on top of your posts. If you have the means buy their full package and get ahead for months.
Here are some tips for taking better pictures…
Video is Essential
Finding the right frequency of images, videos, stories, and live streams will take some time, but right now I would think about your strategy like this.
- Do 3 Branded Images a Day
- 2 Videos a Day (They’re Only a Minute Long)
- 1-2 Live Streams a Week
- 10 Story Posts Per Day
- Respond to All Comments Daily
- Comment on the Top Ten Posts in the Top 10 Hashtags for Your Industry
You might find out that your audience doesn’t respond very well to the images you post. In that case, do more videos and use the IGTV: Instagram Television.
Boost, If Possible
Yes, this is not free, but a quick note on boosting posts. It’s a really good idea to do it, and you can usually reach a few thousand people for a few dollars.
Your costs can add up quick, but if its getting you more followers, then it should be worth it.
The Trick is to Be Social
Getting Instagram followers can be summarized in 2 steps:
- Create Content
- Talk to Those that Comment
Yes, I know that’s not all it, but if you can’t do those two things, you’re in trouble. Think of each post like a conversation starter at a party. When someone talks to you about what you say, it’s your job to respond and continue the conversation in an interesting way.
People who are a hit at parties usually do well on social media, because they understand that social media is just an extension of the real world. Bottom-line is create content that is interesting and don’t be suprised when people talk about it.
I should warn you that everyone won’t be amazed by your content and many people will sharply oppose it. They might call you names, aggressively retort you, and try to get you retaliate. Do yourself a favor and don’t take this bait.
They simply want you to overreact and hurt your ability to get followers. It’s your job to police your social accounts and remove the ugly comments and permanently block these hecklers.
Links to Cheesy Sales Pages Push People Away
Instagram followers hate being duped into a sales pitch if they aren’t expecting it. Are you shocked by that statement? Of course not, but I bet you’re linking to a sales page on your profile.
You’re most likely not selling time shares, and if you are I’m sorry for offending you, but you have to realize that you have a bad rap. If you’re looking for good strategies to make money online, check out this article for more information.
Anywho…
Think about what your Instagram followers want when they click the link on your profile. I’m not saying don’t do this, but are you properly warming them up before they get the sales pitch? Odds are if you’re new to Instagram you’re not warming them up at all.
If you’ve proved you can money by warming up your Instagram followers, and turning this into loyal customers when they click, then keep it up. However, how many people are you turning away, because you couldn’t wait to sell something.
The thing you need to know about sales is “people don’t want to be sold, but they love to buy.”
Don’t Forget About Instagram Stories
Stories will definitely help you get more Instagram followers, if you do it right. These days, people are addicted to the story function, because its so simple to make micro-content that people love.
There are so many ways to make stories get your more Instagram followers, so if you’re a beginner you should investigate the strategies in the following link. Why Instagram Stories Is What Your Business Needs Most.
Don’t Over Complicate Getting Instagram Followers
Too many people are looking for something magical to get from 100 to 100,000 followers, when the real secret it putting the time into a good strategy. The strategy above is how you grow your Instagram following so make the commitment to start growing.
Use Buffer and make sure you stay ahead of your posts. I like to stay ahead 1-month at least for some of my clients. That way you can easily get 5 posts per day and continuously update your story. The videos should also be done in real time that way they are viewed as authentic.
If you feel that Instagram is too saturated already and what you do right now won’t change anything, then you’re already doomed and should look for the next social media extravaganza to get in early. Unfortunately, this will most likely be the same strategy for that one too. Sorry, but social media might not be for you.
If that’s the case, don’t worry about it. There are plenty of ways to market your business if making Instagram posts is not for you. I really have to impress upon you, that there are other ways to get followers for your account. They are paying services to automatically friend and unfriend users. These kinds of things work to get your numbers high, but they won’t help you make that connection that actually yields money.
For more information on how to monetize Instagram with IGTV, check out this article for more information.
