If you're already an Instagram user, you might be excited to discover what more you can learn about it. On the flip side, if you're not, you might be feeling some pressure to take the plunge and give Instagram a whirl given all the hype since its launch in 2010.
The difference between Instagram and other popular platforms, such as Pinterest, is that users and marketers create original content to post. Pinterest pins are mostly images and content already shared online.
Instagram draws upon both personal users and marketers to develop a relationship with their community, but the lingering question remains: How do we get more followers?
Like any social setting, it's important to engage in the online community in order for you to get noticed.
Here are some top tips (in no particular order) to help you get noticed and gain followers:
- Find friends to follow. By far the easiest way to gain followers with practically no effort! Under settings, click "Find People to Follow." You can easily find people you know by connecting your profile to Facebook and your contacts, and they'll likely follow you back.
- Sync your account to your other networks. If you have multiple social accounts, you can broaden your reach by linking them together so that every time you post a photo on Instagram, it feeds to your other accounts.
- Like as many photos as possible. You can easily find them on your home feed, on the "explore" page, and by searching photos using hashtags that are relevant to your business and target followers. Here's the kicker: You need to be totally dedicated to liking as many photos as possible - we're talking hundreds every day - in order see your follower count rise.
- Comment on photos. In addition to liking photos, commenting others' photos is a major plus. Comments add a personal touch, and hey, everyone loves 'em, so people will be more inclined to check out your page and follow you back. Obviously, comments take more time than liking, so keep them short and sweet, like "great pic!" or "this is awesome". Do note that Instagram will prevent you from copying and pasting the same comment over and over again in a row, so be sure to switch it up.
- Add captions to your photos. A picture might be worth 1000 words, but the power of actual words shouldn't be ignored. Questions, comments and calls to actions add personality and are an excellent way to engage new and existing followers. Keep in mind that no one wants to read a blog on Instagram, so keep it simple and limit it to a sentence or two. Don't forget to use hashtags!
- Post consistently - but don't overdo it! People won't follow you if you don't post anything. Instagram requires active participation; so try to post between one and ten pics throughout day (rather than at one time). Vary the content of your pics too. Posting ten pics of the same outfit in different poses won't do you any favors.
- Post great photos. Whether your account has a theme or not, the best thing you can do is post pics people can relate to, are visually appealing (using filters or photo apps), and not overdone (like your morning coffee).
- Geotagging. Destinations are a popular search tool. If you're in a famous city or landmark, make sure to geotag your photo so that your photo will pop in those feeds. If you enable GPS, Instagram will automatically do this for you.
- Use hashtags. Depending on your photo, find a few popular hashtags that are relevant to your post and have a solid following so that your photo will pop up in that tag feed. How many tags you use is up to you - the number of tags you use has been long disputed, so go with whatever works for you. You'll be cut off at a certain point anyway.
- Use the TagsForLikes app. This popular app allows you to copy and paste up to 30 trending tags. Once you've copied them, paste them tags under your photo in the comments section. This is a great way to get instant like and follows. Note that applying tags to older photos won't boost them in search results, so don't waste your time.
Still hungry for more? Check out my last post: How to Get Found On Instagram
What tips do you have for gaining more followers on Instagram?