Between algorithm changes, buying engagement, and the growing number of fake and spammy accounts, gaining real followers on Instagram can feel like an obstacle course! If your goal is to grow an active, engaged following, you’re in the right place. This week’s Social Media Monday will let you in on 5 simple ways to gain Instagram followers to deliver real business results!

1. Post Consistently

Back in 2017, Tailwind completed a study of over 100,000 Instagram posts over 3 months to discover just how often you should be posting to the platform. Most of us assume that posting once or twice a week is enough to keep our followers coming back for more, but that isn’t the case at all!

Their study revealed that profiles that posted high-quality, relevant, and engaging content at least once a day scored more likes + followers faster than those that posted only once or twice per week. Plus – with Instagram’s algorithmic timeline – consistency is a key element to getting your posts seen which boosts your chances of engagement. Once that engagement builds up, Instagram’s algorithm is likely to place your posts higher on your followers’ feeds!

2. Do Your Hashtag Research

Love them or hate them, hashtags are king when it comes to getting your content seen by the right communities. You can even follow a hashtag now!  The right hashtags (and location tag) can expose your image to a larger audience and connect your content to people + communities that are most likely to engage. Of course, before you start plastering your captions with keywords, make sure you know the dos & don’ts!

DOs:

• Research which hashtags your competitors and industry influencers are using
• Create your own creative, unique hashtag to brand your channel
• Take advantage of Instagram’s Explore tab by typing in a keyword and choosing related hashtags
• Use hashtags in your bio + IG stories

DON’Ts:

• Use irrelevant, spammy hashtags (#likeforlike, #tagfortag, etc.)
• Cram 30 hashtags into each post for likes
• Cover your IG stories with hashtags
• Highjack a hashtag (read: don’t use a hashtag that has absolutely nothing to do with your topic)

3. Tag Your Location

If you’re operating from a physical location, tag your photos with that location! This allows users to click on that post’s location tab and see all photos posted from your business which helps expose your brand + account to more people.

Not operating from a physical location? That’s fine! You can still tag the local coffee shops, cafes, or offices you’re working out of to connect with local influencers and leaders in your industry. Any time there’s a clear location marker in your photo, a location tag can serve as one more easy way for people to find your page.

4. Engage With Communities

Social media is just that: social! You wouldn’t go to a networking event and stand in the corner by yourself then expect to go home with valuable contacts, would you?

To make the most of your profile and establish yourself as a reputable page, it’s important to engage with the existing communities surrounding your industry. The hardest part? Finding them. Social listening – this is the process of monitoring social media channels for mentions of your brand, product, and any trends that are relevant to your business – is a great way to find conversations to become a part of! From there, discover influencers and industry leaders and get involved by liking, commenting, and sharing relevant posts. This, in turn, helps boost your own engagement!

5. Use Your Analytics

One of the best updates to Instagram for business owners was the addition of the Insights tab! This is such an important feature that allows access to valuable factors such as:

• How each post is performing
• Follower demographics and location
• What time of day your followers are online
• How your hashtags are helping you reach new communities

…and so much more! This information makes it much easier to see which types of content your followers are engaging with + measure the impact of any changes you make so you can stop guessing and take control over your Instagram presence.

To access Instagram Insights, you need a business account. Once you convert from a personal account to a business account, you’ll see the Insights for all of the content you post from that point forward. To access Insights from your account page, tap the 3 lines in the upper-right corner of the screen then the bar graph icon.

What tips do you have to gain Instagram followers?
Tell us in the comments below!