From Chanel to Nike to Starbucks and Oreo, every brand out there has marked their presence on popular social media platforms because they know that that is where their customers are. But with its ever-changing algorithm, it has now become more difficult to gain followers on Instagram than it was a year or two ago. So, what has Nike done right that their Instagram page has a whopping 91.8 million followers? Here are five tips to grow your Instagram followers to hit the one million mark!
1. Complete your profile: From claiming a catchy handle name to crafting an amusing bio, completing your business’s Instagram profile can be fun. Also, it is a prerequisite to get your business account verified. Don’t forget to add links to your website, your Facebook page and Twitter handle so that new users can follow your brand on more than just one platform.
2. Instagram aesthetics matter: The overall look and feel of your brand’s Instagram page is exactly how your online audience will perceive it. So, pay attention to every post, both individually as well as how it would look as part of the feed. You don’t have to decide right away if you should have a bright and sunny feed or a clean and minimalistic one, put some thought into your posts and make sure that they represent your brand and what it stands for. Over the course of a couple of weeks, you will see a pattern emerge. If you like it, stick with it. If you don’t, make a slow, intentional shift to what you want your Instagram feed to look like. Once you have settled on your Instagram aesthetics, it is important to stay consistent because users who like the vibe of your page are bound to hit the follow button.
3. Use hashtags and locations tags: You can either create a fun hashtag for your own brand which you and your customers can use for every post or you could run with hashtags trending at the time you are creating a post to ensure that your post reaches far and wide. Keep in mind that trending or not, a hashtag must suit your brand and as well as the purpose of your post. Location hashtags or geotags as they are called pins a location to your photograph, allowing other Instagram users who click on the same location tag, to find your business’s post. Geotagging relevant posts is one sure-fire way to gain more visibility, and thereby more followers.
4. Show your face: Not every entrepreneur wishes to be the face of their business. However, we live in a time when people form bonds with brands based on how connected they feel to them. If they get to see the face behind their favorite brand, they are bound to become more loyal customers. In other words, you go from being just a business to a person with a unique personality that you could channel into your posts. Photographs with faces get 38% more likes, so don’t you think you should take advantage of it?
Additionally, you should engage your existing followers in meaningful conversations so that your profile doesn’t come off as different from the brand image you are in the process of creating. You could also run a few contests or give-aways a month to keep your followers entertained. Give these tips a shot and your business’s Instagram page will definitely see an increase in the number of followers.
