How To Build an Instagram Following
If you want to generate leads and customers from your social presence, just having a Facebook or Instagram account is not enough. You need to be active on these social sites and you need to provide content that can engage customers. Is there a proven way to build up a large Instagram following, though? Here you have a few methods that can be used in order to improve your current Instagram marketing efforts!
Use only high-quality images
No matter if you plan on using stock images, if you take the images on your own or if you create them, it’s always a very good idea to opt for high-quality images. Remember that the things you post on Instagram represent your brand so you do want to use only HQ images. These will show that you are serious about your social presence and they will also lead to more followers for your brand.
Include a call to action in the description
The Instagram image description should be short and to the point. Talk about what can be seen in the image but also include a call to action and even a link that will lead towards your products. At the end of the day, you do this because you want to generate sales!
Use hashtags
You should use Google Trends or any other similar tools that showcase currently trending hashtags. Using the right hashtags is essential if you want to increase your audience. Of course, use only hashtags that are relevant to your audience and brand. Keep it within the industry for maximum exposure and results.
Try to do S4Ss
The S4S term means Shout-Out for Shout-Out. Basically, you will promote other accounts and in the end, you might be promoted by them on their account as well. It’s a mutually beneficial experience for both companies. Of course, do this only with companies and accounts relevant to your industry.
Try to vary the caption length
Using the same length for captions is not a good idea all the time. Show your audience that you do care about each photo and share relevant information that pertains to it. Most of the time you should try to keep a minimal caption length but if the topic requires it, you can go up to 2000 characters if needed as this is the Instagram limit.
Promote your account on social media and be very active
Being active is crucial on social media, otherwise, you won’t be able to reach the results you want. Post often and keep the content relevant. Engage the audience, answer to comments and try to inter-promote your accounts. For example, you can promote your Instagram account on Twitter or Facebook or you can promote your Facebook account on Instagram. This will help you get a larger audience as well.
Some other helpful tips:
- Send your Instagram link to your customers via the email newsletter
- Write compelling, professional content that’s worth sharing with others
- Vary the image types, don’t use the same type of images all over again
- Work hard to keep the text engaging
- Experiment with multiple posting times and don’t post too many times per day
- Create a community and interact with it via comments
- Create giveaways or contests to grow your audience,
All these tips are great if you want to build a loyal following on Instagram. It might take a little bit of time until you see results but don’t worry. As long as you invest time and passion into your accounts you will definitely be more than impressed with the outcome!
Author
Christian DeVaul is the founder of Volt Digital. He has past experience as a freelancer with digital marketing for companies that vary from the automotive industry to online brands. He enjoys performing digital services such as video editing, web design, app wireframe mock-ups, analytic reporting, and all social media management for businesses.
