5 Ways to Organically Grow on Instagram
Instagram. Some people love it, some people avoid it, and a lot of people are just downright confused by it. While this ever-changing and increasingly popular app can be intimidating, we believe that if used in the right way, it can actually help to grow your business exponentially. So, fear not! We are here to help you tackle this beast of an app and #doitforthegram.
Let’s start with some facts. Instagram has quickly become one of the number one platforms that businesses are using to reach and connect with their audiences. With over 800 million active users, the potential to grow and connect with your target market is seemingly endless.
Okay, so we understand why Instagram is important, now how do you actually go about growing on this popular app? Good question. Below, we have outlined our top 5 tips for growing your brand on Instagram in an organic way. Let the learning commence!
1. Consistency is Key
Consistency in both the continuity of your posting as well as the actual imagery is so important when it comes to growing your following on the good ‘ol gram. Fun fact, the Instagram algorithm will boost your content if you are posting consistently and on a regular basis.
When it comes to images, try your best to maintain a consistent style and high-quality imagery. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a professional photographer in order to produce high-quality imagery! In this day and age, the Smartphone in your pocket will do the job just fine! With the right lighting and right filters, pretty soon national geographic will be calling your name! So don’t be afraid to be that person leaning over their latte to get the angle justttt right.
Here’s a pro tip: when it comes to editing your photos, make sure that you are using the same presets or filters to keep your IG grid looking cohesive.
And finally, be consistent with your tone and voice. Know your brand voice and make sure that that is the voice in which you are always speaking when communicating with your followers. No need to be overly professional, as long as you’re in line with your brand voice, allow that personality to shine!
2. Be Authentic
You know the quote, “Be yourself because everyone else is already taken“? So cheesy, we know. But guess what? It’s pretty darn true, even as it applies to business. There is a face and personality behind your brand and you need to share it with the world (or in this specific case, Instagram).
People have become increasingly aware of when they are being sold to and will immediately tune you out if they aren’t able to connect with you. In a sea of people shouting, “Hey, look at this!” or “Here’s why you should buy XYZ!” you need to be the voice calmly saying, “Hey there, this is who we are and how we want to serve you.” Before someone makes a purchase, they need to know, like, and trust you. In order for them to arrive at the know, like and trust level, they need to connect with your brand. You can achieve this connection through being authentic. People don’t want to see perfect, they want to see real. Find out what makes your brand unique and what gives it a personality and share that. Share the quirks, the faces behind the operations and big ideas, take them behind the scenes, and consistently show the heartbeat behind why you do what you do. As the great city of Austin, Texas, so beautifully coined it, #stayweird.
3. Engage with Your Audience
This one may sound obvious, but it is so often forgotten. It isn’t enough to just post a photo and then hop off the app for the rest of the day. In order to grow your following, you need to make sure that you are engaging with your online community. If someone comments on your post, comment back. And then, maybe go comment on or like a couple of their posts. If you notice that there is someone who always likes your posts and engages with your stories, hop on over to their account and share the love! Instagram is an awesome tool for getting to have conversations with your audience and to engage regularly with them. Maintaining consistent engagement with your followers will also help you to arrive at the know, like and trust level. So get out there and make some friends! You got this!
4. The Proof is in the Pudding, or in this Case, the Captions
Here is a super simple tip. Want people to engage with your posts? Give them the opportunity to! Ask questions they can comment answers to. Create community by saying things like “double-tap if you’re as excited about this cooler weather as we are” or “Comment your favorite Christmas movie below.” Those are little ways to get people to resonate with what you’re saying and for people to engage with your post. Don’t be afraid to experiment a little to see what works for you and what doesn’t. If you try something out that doesn’t work too well, shake it off and try again!
5. Meet Your New Best Friend: Instagram Stories
If you aren’t currently utilizing Instagram stories you are missing out on a major way to connect with your audience. 500 of the 800 million Instagram users currently use the story feature daily! That is an insane amount of people. Not only will using Instagram stories give you yet another way to share content, they also give you the opportunity to reach more people, and who doesn’t want that? Our favorite aspect of Instagram stories is that they allow us to share more of our personality and to expound on things that we only touch on in our feed posts. Stories give you the opportunity to be more casual and to give your followers a behind the scenes experience into your brand! They also have lots of cool features you can utilize to further boost engagement. Some of our personal favorites include the polls feature, the question box, GIFs, and the countdown feature.
Alright, folks, that’s a wrap on our top tips for organic Instagram growth! While Instagram can seem intimidating or overwhelming, implementing these simple tips, as well as creating a solid Instagram strategy, will help to create fluidity and continuity in your social presence. There are hundreds of millions of people out there in the Instagram world just waiting to meet you! So get out there and do your thing!
We hope that these tips are beneficial to you and they serve your business well. We believe in you!
