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Did you know that approximately 80% of Instagram’s one billion monthly active users follow at least one business account on the platform? Additionally, Instagram hosts over 25 million brand accounts on its network while a 2014 study by Forrester shows that engagement with these brands is 58 times higher than Facebook.
And with time, the social media network continues to grow and develop innovative features such as Stories and direct purchases from the app – which lures more and more businesses to join the bandwagon and establish their authority on the popular platform.
However, for a newly launched business or an average person – hitting a huge amount of following is not so easy on Instagram. This is because not many Instragrammers know you and your brand.
Of course, the protocol is not impossible as well!
You just have to put in some time, dedication, and effort to prove to the audience that you and your brand are trustable and attention-worthy.
In this post, we have shared some of our tips on how you can get many…even 1k followers in the shortest timeframe possible. Try them out and let us know your experience.
- Create an appealing profile
We all know that the first impression is the last. In the case of Instagram, your account’s profile is the first opportunity you have to attract and entice the users to click the ‘follow’ button.
How do you make sure the profile interesting?
By coming up with a great username, adding a descriptive bio, and including a profile photo! You should also make sure the photos and posts on your newsfeed are well curated and compatible with previous posts.
- Be creative with hashtags
Marketers are aware that creative hashtags are the key to instant engagement. Just on Instagram, posts with at least one hashtag increase engagement by 12.6%. It is also estimated that 7 out of 10 or 70% of the hashtags used on Instagram are branded-hashtags.
However, it is important that the hashtags are integrated in a smart manner. For example, you are using the hashtag #urbancafe for your food outlet. Besides using it on your Instagram post, the same hashtag should be cross-promoted on other marketing materials – both offline and online. This includes website, other social media pages, menu, receipts, and even food containers.
You can also ask the consumer to post their pictures with your products using the hashtag. Start a giveaway to include more Instagrammers in the game and benefit from the free advertising.
- Create Instagram ads
Instagram ads are another effective way to reach the target audience. In fact, 73% of the teenagers find the social media platform as the best way to find about new products and services. Additionally, 30% of Instagram users admit to have purchased a product or a service after discovering them on the platform.
Simply put, Instagram is not just a great way to build fan following but also increase revenue.
Running an ad campaign on Instagram is not a difficult task. This is because Instagram does all the hard work on your behalf. You simply have to select a few options from a predefined criterion and get your ads rolling within minutes.
- Follow a consistent schedule
Approximately 200 million Instagram users visit at least one business profile every day, while each user spends an average of 28 minutes on the platform. It is also estimated that around 42% of the users log in to the platform multiple times a day. This means that brands should post several times a day to remain noticeable.
- Keep the conversation going
Interestingly, social media beats live chat, email, and even in-store assistance when it comes to support. Nowadays most internet users turn to the accounts of their favorite social media platform to get answers for their queries. As a trustworthy brand, make sure to answer all their questions and comments in a proactive manner. The more conversation you have with the audience, the more followers and even customers you are likely to gain.
- Partner up
Team up with other brands and influencers who can introduce your brand to a newer audience. However, make sure that the collaboration resonates with both the companies. For example, Starbucks and Bando – an ecommerce store teamed up to create a line of coffee cups. The partnership went well for both the brands that were able to boost their following significantly.
- Share your profile
Last but not the least; make sure to incorporate your Instagram profile to all your digital and non-digital marketing materials. Even if you are a brick-and-mortar brand, put up a printed sign that you are also on Instagram to get more people to follow you!
Try these tips and see how much your Instagram account can grow!
