Do you want more Instagram followers?
Are you looking for organic Instagram growth tactics?
With more than 300 million active monthly users, Instagram still offers businesses the opportunity to reach new users WITHOUT buying ads.

In this Coaching Blog, I will share 10 organic tactics that you can use to gain more Instagram followers.

Post Consistently

While the average Instagram account posts once per day, more successful accounts tend to post more frequently. Choose a frequency that you can hold to.

As you begin to receive comments and questions on your posts, be sure to respond to everyone who engages!
You’ll also want to find and engage with others who post content related to your business, industry, or brand. You can find these users by checking hashtags that are relevant to your interests and brand, or by viewing the followers of your favorite accounts.

As you engage with others, don’t simply like the photos or leave generic comments. Comments like “Nice pic!” won’t leave a lasting impression or inspire someone to check out your account. If you want to gain a new follower, leave thoughtful comments that have some heart and show effort!

Cross-promote to Gain Followers

If you have a blog or are on Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat etc. you’ll want to broadcast and amplify the fact that you’re also on Instagram and share your Instagram username on these other social channels.

For example, take a screenshot of your Instagram account and share it on Facebook along with a link to your Instagram page. Or simply share your Instagram username in the post and ask your followers to follow you on Instagram.

Add Emoji’s to Boost Discoverability

Emoji’s are the universal language on Instagram. In fact, Instagram reports that nearly 50% of all captions and comments on Instagram now have an emoji or two.

Because emoji’s are searchable on Instagram as both a hashtag or in your user name, people can find you based on which emoji you use.

Use emoji’s in your Bio!
For example, if you’re a photographer and include the camera emoji in your bio, a stranger who’s looking for a photographer by running a search for the camera emoji just might find you.

Users might find a photographer’s Instagram account by searching for the camera emoji.

Create a Photo Theme to Reinforce Familiarity

Instagram is akin to a digital magazine, so curate content that shares a similar theme or vibe. For example, crop all of your images the same way, post pictures of the same subject matter, or use the same filter on all of your photos.

Add Hashtags to Gain Traction

The right hashtags can expose your images to a large targeted audience. You can add up to 30 hashtags, and interactions are highest on Instagram posts with 11+ hashtags.

Need Hashtag ideas? You can search Instagram for one of your hashtags and look at the Top Posts results to see which hashtags others are using in their own posts. If you go this route, don’t copy and paste the string of hashtags from a post. Stay relevant to your audience and use only the hashtags that make sense.

Use Audience Preferences to Inform Your Content Strategy

It’s important to go back through your photos periodically to see which posts got the most likes and comments. This helps you serve up more of what your followers are interested in and weed out the types of posts that don’t perform well.

Offer “Share for Shares” to Boost Exposure

This is a tactic you can use every day or potentially several times a day to form connections with similar businesses on Instagram and reach their followers. You offer to share an account or a product post that’s relevant to your own brand and your partner agrees to do the same for you.

Partner with other businesses on Instagram to mutually share Instagram posts.

Run Giveaways to Attract New Followers

To bring in new followers and give your current followers something to look forward to, set up frequent giveaways. At the close of your giveaway, encourage recipients to tag you in an Instagram post that shows what they won. Every winner’s post will expose your brand and account to even more potential followers.

Craft a Bio to Clarify Your Purpose

It’s simple but important to create an Instagram bio that describes you and tells people why they should follow you and what they can expect to see.

Stay true to the promise in your bio and once you’ve gained new followers, you’ll rarely lose them.

Create Quote Graphics to Reach New Users through Shares

Sharing quotes in images on Instagram isn’t an unheard-of tactic, but it’s important to post only high-quality pictures and take time to select quotes that are relevant and meaningful to your target audience. And don’t forget to give attribution if you take the quote from someone else!

Share quotes that will be meaningful to your Instagram audience.

As you match images to quotes, choose a visual that elicits an emotion central to the theme of the quote. When your quote resonates, the shares will grow and you’ll reach new users.

Conclusion

While gaining followers on many social platforms can feel like an uphill battle, Instagram is a surprisingly easy place to create a quality following no matter what type of account you manage.

The way you engage with people on Instagram, and how you answer and motivate them, can help your Instagram account grow. When you help other people, they’ll tell their friends to follow you.

To spark meaningful engagement that turns passive users into loyal followers, take the time to create posts designed to open someone’s mind. As people ask questions, give each person a thoughtful response that moves him or her forward in some way.

Start by adding one or two of these tactics into your own Instagram marketing and see what works for you.
Congrats, you have just taken the first step to becoming Insta-Famous!