Ah, Instagram; the platform where we all want to be popular. It’s one of the most popular social media platforms around, and it’s something that marketers just cannot ignore.
If you don’t believe us, take a look at some of the statistics:
- 1.1 billion people use Instagram every single every month, with 500 million of them using it every day. Wow.
- 71% of Instagram users are under the age of 35 – which is essential to brands trying to attract the younger generation. The gender distribution is virtually even.
- Users ‘like’ 4.2 billion posts every single day
So, with these stats firmly in your brain – just how can you not only retain the Instagram followers you have but also gain some more in the process? Here are our top tips.
1. It’s all about the content
Yes, just like with every social media platform – it’s the content that you put out that is the most important.
Make sure that the pictures you post are good quality, relevant and will attract people onto your page.
The term “instagrammable” hasn’t become part of the modern language for no reason. Make sure everything you post fits an aesthetic – no low quality, random pictures. They just won’t attract people.
2. Engagement, engagement, engagement
You can’t expect people to follow you, like your pictures and comment on them if you don’t do the same. The effort is always reciprocated, even on Instagram.
Make sure you’re taking time out of your day to follow people, like their photos and comment on them. This will help you engage with potential new followers and keep the ones that you already have.
Not to mention, if you comment on other people’s photos – their followers will see your comment and might just click onto your page. It’s a win-win.
3. Schedule wisely
You must post your pictures at the right time. It’s crucial to getting noticed. Obviously, every niche is a little bit different – but the point still remains. Your amazing picture will flop if you don’t post it at the right time.
You should aim to post every couple of days, if not every day, and work out the best times for you.
Some businesses have found that posting during commuting times works best for them, others favor dinner time or late at night. It can be a bit of a trial and error – which is why analytics is so important.
Jane Belle, a content marketing specialist at IsAccurate, translation services reviews site, says: “Be wary of posting too much or too less – nobody likes spam or an inactive user. Find that perfect balance.”
4. Make the most out of hashtags
Never shy away from using hashtags. Your audience needs to be targeted, so make the hashtags relevant and useful for them. Hashtags can even be used for self-made campaigns.
It’s essential to make a hashtag strategy that will help you reach new followers. So, carefully select the ones that you want to use.
Also, avoid the generic hashtags – there are millions of hashtags with simple things like cat, dog, beach.
Using hashtags like this will just make your post get lost in the heaps of weeds. It just isn’t worth it, and won’t help you gain or retain any relevant or useful followers – just bots.
5. Use tools
Yes, there are tools to help you watch, manage and maintain your Instagram following. This will help you check when somebody unfollows, follows or becomes inactive on your Instagram
There are also apps and tools that give you in-depth analytics on how many people viewed your post, story, click on your profile or engage with your posts. These are all really important bits of information, especially when you are trying to maintain and grow your Instagram following.
The best tools, in our humble opinion, are:
- Iconosquare
- Crowdfire
- Social Rocket
- Followers for Instagram
Search around for your favorite tools, and see which ones help you out the most.
6. Be creative
As we mentioned before, there are billions of active users on Instagram. Sure, this is great news and provides you with endless opportunities to get new followers, customers, and traffic. However, it also means that you need to stand out like never before.
The best way to do this is to be creative. Don’t make an account that fits a mold and gets lost – make it stand out in every way possible.
Why not make your posts gradually follow a rainbow feed effect? Like this fantastic account from @debbiediscovers.
Also, check out the Humans of New York Instagram account – their feed is so unique and original, which has quickly gained them tonnes of followers and attention.
We’re also big fans of the vintage Instagram fashion accounts. These have used their Instagram feed to make perfect businesses. All from aesthetically pleasing, and well-photographed pictures. This could inspire you to begin something like this yourself.
7. Don’t forget your bio
Your bio is more important than you might think. It ultimately reminds your existing followers who you are, gives your new followers an idea and helps your turn Instagram followers into traffic.
Make sure to include a link (if you have one) in your Instagram bio. As your Instagram following starts to grow, you’ll inevitably get people clicking on the link in your bio. This is especially useful for e-commerce stores, and Instagram posts do not include links.
Make your bio creative, witty and allow your brand to shine through.
8. Influencer marketing
Why not dabble into the world of influencer marketing? This is an easy way to gain new followers and attract like-minded people.
All you need to do is find an influencer on Instagram (somebody with a high following and influence), and ask them to promote your page or product.
By getting them to tag you and mention you in their comment, Instagram users will discover you this way too.
Remember, pick a relevant influencer. Otherwise, it’s all a bit worthless.
Side note: Influencers will more than likely ask for money for this service or some kind of perk.
9. Keep it local
We all want to expand and reach as many people as possible – but try to tone it down and keep it local.
Have a look at what’s going on in your local area and engage with people from there. You have a connection with those users already – so, make yourself known. Don’t worry, you can achieve world domination another time.
To do this, just search your specific city or town and click on the location. From there, tonnes of posts will show up, and you might be able to find some relevant to you. This is especially useful for brick and mortar businesses, and local services.
You can also tag your location on your posts.
10. Always do a call to action
Instagram, just like every other social media platform is about the conversation. Make sure you’re giving people a reason to follow you and engage with your posts.
This is where that link in the bio comes in handy – you’ll often see a lot of posts with a caption ending in “click on the link in our bio for more information.”
Your call to action might be referring to a coupon code or challenge you have just started.
Conclusion
Retaining your Instagram following isn’t hard, especially when you follow these simple tips. It all comes down to creating great content that is hard to forget or unfollow. Make it creative, useful and unique, and you’ll not only keep your followers, but you’ll gain more in the process.
Whether it’s for personal use, or for a business – Instagram is a great platform to get your message and content across. When used correctly, it can be a fabulous marketing tool that opens up doors to many more opportunities.
: About the Guest Author
Dorian Martin loves to write about all things digital. He is a senior writer and editor for Supreme Dissertations were he’s able to apply all his knowledge and experience. Along with this position, Dorian is a frequent blogger, a marketing and article contributor to a number of businesses that offer digital marketing, AI/ML, blockchain, and data science services to their clients, and provides training to other content writers.
