Has it ever occurred to you that some users are new on Instagram yet manage to rake in millions of followers? On the other hand, others have been posting quality content for years and barely have a few thousand.

Let us tell you why this happens. There are 2 main reasons why some brands may thrive on Insta while others fail to make their mark:

  • They have researched and used proven methods to gain followers (organic growth)
  • The followers are brought via advertisements and collaborations (paid growth)

Both of these methods can increase followers, but the crux is maintaining the following. Your following shouldn’t be just an inflated number that declines with time. For a holistic marketing approach, ideally, you need keen and loyal followers. This article will highlight 5 ways to manage your followers quickly and keep them running towards you!

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Benefits of Instagram Following

Before we impart our top 5 tips, let us first discuss why followers are so significant. The number of followers isn’t just numbers. It plays a vital role in your marketing strategy. The more followers you have, the more significant impact your campaign will create. Here is why:

1. Loyal followers can help you increase brand awareness through re-sharing and word of mouth

2. Allows you to build connections and relationships with both current followers and potential followers

3. Helps create standing in a market and goodwill, which leads to more customers

4. The snowball effect means your current followers can make your content go viral within minutes if they find it entertaining.

Now you know why followers are crucial for your business. So without further ado, let’s discuss how you can raise and maintain a good following!

5 ways to gain and manage Instagram followers

1. First impression: The bio and handle

If you want to impress IG users and convert them to followers, the first glance of your profile should be worthwhile. And two things can make or break your profile. Many people judge a book by it’s cover so too will they judge your profile by your bio, handle, and profile pic.

  • Bio: It is how you introduce yourself, and that too in just 150 characters. So the more crafty you get here, the more chances of users clicking the ‘follow’ button. Instead of just putting old boring credentials, try spicing up your bio by providing potential followers a solution to their problems. Let your creative juice flow when coming up with a bio. Don’t forget that a link in the bio can easily lead traffic to your website as a powerful call to action. If you don’t like the results from your bio, you can always edit your bio later if you get better ideas.
  • Handle: This plays the role of your profile name and should be close to your business name or idea. It pops up immediately on your profile, so it should be recognizable and make sense. Moreover, users also use handles to search a profile. Thus ensure that the spelling is short and memorable.

2. Shift to a Professional Instagram Account

Many users don’t know the difference between personal and professional accounts. If you wish to succeed at Instagram, the first step is transitioning from a private account to a business profile. This is because a professional Insta account can access more tools and generate more followers. Here is why:

  • It gives you access to insights. For example, business accounts can use Instagram analytics to grow their following. The professional dashboard can enlighten you about your followers, their demographics, the time they are active, the content they appreciate, etc. this can help you gauge them better and improve your marketing efforts.
  • The ability to boost posts is also available for professional accounts. You can quickly gain more followers if you promote an engaging post. However, this paid way to increase reach is not open for personal accounts.
  • Adding contact buttons and quick replies is a handy feature that only professional accounts can use. This provides potential followers with ease of communication and enhances your following.
  • Activating a shop tab is also available for business users. So if you are a retailer, you can leverage it as a storefront. You can transform Instagram into an e-commerce platform and gain more followers plus customers.
  • Scheduling continent is another business account feature that can help you gain more followers. Instead of taking out time to publish content daily, you can use auto-publish features to schedule posts in advance. This means that even when unavailable, your account automatically posts on your behalf and keeps the followers happy.

3. Content quality

As you all know, Instagram has over one billion users, so getting followers shouldn’t be a problem. However, getting quality followers is what matters. Nobody wants disengaged onlookers and fickle followers who leave no impact and quickly unfollow.

So if you want active followers to breathe life into your account and genuinely comment, share and appreciate your content, then focus on quality. Instead of buying followers and running paid ads, try to create content that converts on its own.

Give your posts and stories a sense of purpose, aim for quality content, consistent posts, with an aim to story tell. If your content is high quality your followers share them proudly and help you gain even more followers. Don’t treat your viewers like mindless consumers. They will recognise when they are valued and content is aimed for them. Instead, curate your posts to a higher standard than competitors and present your followers with content that exudes real value while cultivating loyalty.

Here are some ways to make your content buzz-worthy:

  • Use all formats: When Instagram presents you with many content publishing options, why not use them optimally. Instead of continuously relying on a single source, try to fuse different formats to catch more followers. Make your strategy comprehensive and innovative by taking advantage of feed posts, reels, live rooms, and stories all at once
  • Upload regularly: Consistency is paramount for social media platforms. If you wish to keep your followers content, you must give them daily doses. The more you upload, the more chances of users developing an affinity for your brand.
  • Creativity comes first: The consistency part is often over-emphasized, and creativity often gets overlooked. Posting daily doesn’t mean you have to compromise on quality. You might win a follower by posting a lot but lose too many if the content fails to make its mark. So ensure that whatever you post is helpful, thoughtful, and relevant. Try a minimum of 3 times a week and a maximum of 3 times a day. This posting schedule is proven to work best with the current Instagram algorithm giving more of a chance for your posts to be seen.
  • Interacting matters:
    It’s one thing to make your content creation and another to make it engaging. Remember, Instagram is not just about information, facts, and aesthetics. If you want to gain followers, you have to interact with them as well. So make use of polls, contests, and shareable content that meets your audience’s needs and speaks to them in a fun and entertaining manner.
  • Reels are the real deal:
    Reels are prime real estate to gain followers currently. These fully immersive fun videos have potential as they contain effects and many creative options. As they are relatively new, you can achieve the first mover’s advantage if you apply them successfully. They have a better chance of going viral than traditional feed posts.

4. Instagram SEO

SEO might be a concept introduced for search engines like Google, but it is equally helpful on social media. This is because media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter act like search engines too.

So if you want more followers to find you, you need to apply SEO strategies on Instagram. Here are some ways to top the IG search bar:

  • Insert targeted keywords subtly in your captions
  • Make your bio like a meta description. Short, concise, and engaging
  • Try using location tags in your stories and post as much as possible
  • Insert alt text when adding images
  • Find memorable and high-volume hashtags.

When applied correctly, these SEO tricks can tip the follower needle in your favour.

5. Cross-promotions

Another way to promote Instagram profile is via cross-promotion. This means you post similar content on other social platforms and link it to your Instagram. Be it Twitter, website, or Facebook, you can bring in new followers from different channels.
For example, you can use reels as YouTube shorts as they translate really well. Or you can convert Instagram stories into Pinterest posts. Moreover, if a post is performing well on your Facebook page, you can always repost it on Insta and watch it reach more audience. The list can go on and on.
Using such tactics not only increases your followers but also helps save time and resources. By actively using cross-promotions, you can ensure consistency between multiple platforms and steer away from paid marketing.

Words of wisdom

We hope all the steps above will help you optimize your profile and gain fruitful followers. Remember, there isn’t one formula for success on Instagram. You must keep experimenting and coming up with new ways to gain traction.
As IG keeps developing new features, it is essential to evolve with them to manage your followers. Nothing on social media is constant, so to prevent your following from falling behind your competitors, try to constantly update your Instagram marketing. With the aim to remain up-to-date on new trends and features that your audience love.
May the Insta odds be in your favour, and show Instagram followers growth!