The best ways to grow on Instagram have changed a lot over the past year as the platform pivoted heavily towards video, especially Reels.
In this post, we will look at how to create an Instagram growth strategy that will attract new followers and keep them for a long time.
Keep in mind that real, meaningful growth on Instagram doesn’t happen overnight. Average monthly follower growth for business Instagram accounts is +1.25%. Let’s see if you can beat that and expand your account effectively by following these tips.
11 Strategies for Organic Growth on Instagram
1. Use Instagram Reels
Instagram itself says: “Reels is the best place to grow creatively, expand your community and advance your career.”
Currently, Instagram users spend about 20% of their time watching in-app videos, and this is still the fastest growing format. If you only have time to make one change to your social strategy to prioritize growing your Instagram account, then this is it.
To learn everything you need to know about creating quality Instagram reels, check out our blog post on using Instagram reels for business.
2. But not just Instagram videos… yet
Instagram also says, “Sharing different formats (like Reels, Stories, Instagram Video, etc.) can help you find new followers and expand your reach.”
Interestingly, they don’t actually mention photo posts in the main feed here at all – probably because photo posts are the least likely to see your content in front of new eyes as they are limited to your followers without a built-in repost capability.
But the distinction between feed videos and reels seems to be constantly changing. Instagram is currently running a test where all Instagram videos become videos for some users.
This is further evidence that Reels will become an increasingly important way to drive Instagram growth in the future. But for now, keep using a mix of video-focused formats.
3. Post regularly
Attracting new followers is only half of the Instagram growth equation. The other half is retaining existing subscribers so that the total number of subscribers continues to grow. This requires a constant stream of valuable content that keeps users engaged without overwhelming their feeds.
The latest information we got about this from inside Instagram was at Creativity Week in June 2021, when Mosseri said a “healthy feed”is “a couple of posts a week, a couple of stories a day.”
Hootsuite’s April 2022 Global State of Digital update reports that, on average, an Instagram business account posts 1.64 posts to the main feed per day, broken down into:
- 58.6% of photo posts
- 21.5% video posts
- 19.9% carousel posts
Finding the right rhythm for your brand will require some experimentation. With all growth strategies, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on Instagram analytics to see what’s producing the best results.
4. Focus on high-value accounts in your niche
Instagram feed recommendations (also known as the Instagram algorithm) are based on a number of signals.
The simple one to focus on is “other people they follow “. Following and interacting with accounts in your niche will signal to the algorithm that you are part of that niche.
Focus on high-quality interaction with valuable accounts in your field. If you can get their attention so that they follow you back, it will be an even bigger signal to the algorithm that the people following them might be interested in you.
5. Engage with your audience
Videos can attract new viewers to you, but your task is to turn them into regular subscribers. Once again, Instagram weighs in: “The easiest way to turn random followers into fans is by liking, replying, and sharing their replies.”
Interacting with your fans by responding to comments increases the chances of you getting even more comments. People are more likely to interact with you if they see that you have taken the time to reply to people who have previously left comments.
Get creative in how you engage your audience. Story question stickers are a great way to start a conversation, as well as build a foundation for new content.
And on Reels, you can even reply to comments with video replies.
All this Instagram interaction sends sweet signals to the algorithm, so your content is more likely to appear in your followers’ feeds, keeping them interested in you so they won’t be tempted to unfollow.
Tip: Resist the temptation to buy Instagram followers. In this post, we’ll detail why you shouldn’t (and what to do instead). TL; DR, Instagram’s algorithm knows if bots, not real people, are interacting with your content – and it doesn’t like it.
Hashtags are an easy way to expand your reach, which is a key component of Instagram follower growth.
Using the right hashtags can bring new followers to your account in three ways:
- Your post may appear on the relevant page with the hashtag. This means that anyone who clicks on the hashtag will be able to see your post, even if they don’t follow you.
- Hashtags can help your post appear in Instagram search results.
- Because people can follow hashtags that interest them, your post may appear in the main feed of people who are particularly interested in your niche. These are targeted potential subscribers who themselves have chosen to view content similar to yours, but have not yet subscribed to you.
Tips for the best number of hashtags to grow on Instagram are constantly changing.
Instagram allows up to 30 hashtags per post and up to 10 per story. But you probably don’t want to use your hashtags too much.
Instagram says, “For feed posts, use 3 or more hashtags that describe your business, product, or service to reach people who may be interested in your business but haven’t discovered it yet.”
But they also said “keep the number of hashtags between 3 and 5”.
The best hashtags for Instagram growth aren’t necessarily the biggest or most popular.
Instead, narrowly targeted niche hashtags with far fewer Instagram posts and less competition can send more accurate signals to the algorithm, making it clear what your content is about. Plus, as we said, they show your content to the exact people who need it, not to a wider audience.
Social listening using a social media management tool like Hootsuite is a powerful way to discover valuable hashtags in your niche. What are your competitors using? your followers? Accounts you want to emulate?
Please note that for hashtags to improve SEO performance on Instagram, they must appear in the caption, not in the comments.
Since hashtags are an important part of your Instagram growth strategy, we have an entire guide on how to use Instagram hashtags effectively.
7. Create great captions
In order to increase the number of followers, Instagram captions should serve two purposes:
- Send signals to the algorithm that your content is interesting and relevant to new potential subscribers (through keywords and hashtags).
- Engage the followers you already have so they engage with your content and stay a follower for a long time.
Instagram captions can be up to 2200 characters long, but you probably won’t need that much time in most cases. If you have a really interesting story, tell it. But a short, bright caption that uses emojis, keywords, and hashtags effectively can work just as well.
The only way to find out what really works best for your audience – and potential new audiences – is to experiment and track your results.
Not enough inspiration? We’ve got a list of over 260 Instagram captions you can use or change, as well as tips on how to write a great caption from scratch.
8. Create a complete and effective bio
The Instagram growth strategies we’ve covered so far are all about your content. But your Instagram bio is also an important factor in your follower growth.
The most important thing is to make sure your Instagram username and profile name is up to date and clear so that people who specifically search for you on Instagram can find you and follow you. If you can fit a relevant keyword into your descriptor or name, that’s even better.
Keywords are also important in your bio. Use the 150 characters provided for your bio to tell visitors about you and your brand. This will help encourage new visitors to follow you, as well as send important ranking signals to the algorithm to introduce you to more potential fans.
Finally, add a location if it’s relevant to your business. This can help build local followings and make it easier for other local brands to find and connect with you, which will benefit all businesses in your community.
9. Collaborate with creators
Working with Instagram creators can be an effective way to spread the word about your brand. It’s a way to make yourself known to a targeted, interested audience, as well as discover new ideas and content opportunities.
Look for writers who align with your brand’s values and aesthetic. Again, social listening is a great tool.
Another new option to help you find the right creators to work with your brand is the Instagram Creator Marketplace, which is currently in its testing phase. This will allow creators to identify the brands and topics that are most relevant to them, and facilitate contact and communication between brands and creators.
When looking for creators to collaborate with, keep in mind that their audience size isn’t necessarily the most important factor in helping you grow on Instagram. Instead, look for a creator with a good level of engagement who is already creating content that is very relevant to your brand’s niche.
Branded content created for you by the creators should not be taken as advertising (although it should be labeled accordingly). It’s always more efficient to work with creators who are passionate about your brand and can sincerely share your message with their followers.
10. Post When Your Audience Is Online
Earlier we talked about the importance of interaction. Early engagement is more likely to happen if you post when your audience is online. And because the algorithm uses timing as a signal, posting at the right time is also critical to ensuring your audience sees your post in the first place.
You can get some information about when your audience is online from Instagram statistics. Or you can use Hootsuite’s “Best to Post”feature to get personalized recommendations on the best post times for your audience.
11. Be original and stay true to your brand.
Above all, be true to your brand. It is important to keep track of platform updates. But it is impossible to rethink your entire social strategy every time there is an update or algorithm change.
Instead, focus on creating great content that appeals to your audience and aligns with your brand values. It might not sound very sexy, but it’s a surefire way to win over a loyal following over time.
Instagram has updated the algorithm to “prioritize sharing original content in recommendations. “Original Content means content created by you or not previously posted on the Platform. This means that reposting user-generated content is great for social proof, but it’s unlikely to get your content up in recommendations.
The exception is when you add your own variation using built-in features such as Remix or Collabs. This is considered original content and may be recommended by the algorithm.
Plus One Paid Method to Grow Instagram Followers
12. Try Instagram Ads
While the rest of this post focuses on Instagram organic growth, we just can’t help but mention Instagram ads.
The easiest way to use Instagram ads to grow Instagram is to promote a post or story and use the “More profile visits”ad objective. You can run a seven day campaign for as little as $35.
To make the best use of your ad budget for Instagram growth, it’s important to target the right audience. Use Google Analytics to find out everything you can about your existing subscribers and use them as the basis for building a target audience for your ads.
For more control over your Instagram ads, you can create them in the Meta Ads Manager. In this case, select either Brand Awareness or Reach ad objectives. Also, you need to connect your Instagram account to Meta Business Manager.