9 Instagram Growth Strategies to Grow Your Following

How to grow your Instagram audience? This question always remains one of the most vital for many. Well, you have questions — we at HypeFactory always have answers to them. So, let's go and discuss the key nine Instagram growth strategies and how to increase following on Instagram.

Back to basics: you can think it's trite, however, this strategy is still one of the most important. Do not neglect different types of content — for example, Instagram allows you to post not only photos and stories, but also short videos called Reels. Use it! Diverse content will attract and grasp the attention of the target audience, as well as bring you new followers.

The ER (Engagement Rate) should become your best friend. Straight to the point: always ask a question. Talk to subscribers, build a dialogue with them: your audience should not be silent. Interactive stories with questions and requests to type the answer in a special text box or various tests work perfectly. Ask to share opinions in the comments, initiate discussions.

Use Instagram Insights as well as various apps to figure out when it's best to post to have the greatest reach. The time factor matters — Instagram algorithms take it into account when ranking the user's feed, so you need to make sure that your content appears in the feed ahead of the entire planet.

Situation: you are the owner of a coffee shop with the most delicious cherry pies in the city. The guy at the next table, enthusiastically photographing his portion of cherry miracle and a cup of cappuccino with banana milk, will most likely post a photo to his Instagram and mark the coffee shop account, or perhaps just make a check in, using the geo-tag. You've just witnessed Leverage User Generated Content or just LUGC — the content customers make on your behalf. Don't underestimate the power of customer-created content: every time your followers make such posts, you have a unique chance to reach their audience. Repost, publish these posts, inspire them to create customer-created content and reach more and more potential followers!

79% engagement — this is how much more posts with geolocation gain. Don't forget to add it to your publications: a user can see your post by simply searching for certain locations and finding that you are nearby.

Even using 150 characters that Instagram gives to create a bio, you can be creative and stand out. However, don't get too far: it should be clear from your bio who you are and what you do.

The limit of 2,200 characters certainly doesn't allow you to write much, but maybe it's better this way — Instagram is still a visual social network, so users pay most attention to content. Nevertheless, do not forget about captions — try to make it bright and memorable, involving and engaging the audience in a dialogue.

Not only do various brands work with influencers: sometimes several influencers can collaborate for a win-win situation: to reach each other's audience, attract new followers to their accounts, and kill two birds with one stone. If you run a brand account, cooperating with influencers is a must-have for today's advertising. Imagine that a person you trust and consider an authority in certain fields advises you to try a new brand or service — most likely, you will listen to them. So, the influencer not only natively advertises your product or service to their audience, which they have an influence on, but also helps you to increase reach and grow social media following.