If you are well-versed in marketing, you already know the equation. Social media marketing is 100% your biggest return on investment. There is no way around it, followers, subscribers, and viewers are the biggest ticket to success. You also already know that it is simply a numbers game; the higher the number of followers, the more power and success your business is bathing in.
It is surprising to note how many businesses are struggling with low numbers on applications like Instagram. If the numbers are the key to success, obviously the brand with the highest numbers wins. The problem is, it can be very difficult to build a loyal following, and harder still to grow that base into a substantial network. The good news is, it is not a luck-of-the-draw, there are proven steps you can take to grow your account, tips that the top dogs put into practice on a daily basis to keep their brand growing. Here are a few of those tips to gain more followers:
Work with others
Each of the methods we have spoken of until now have the potential to grow your brand, but this one can blow your numbers out of the water. As a social media platform, you can get some of the best return on your time by investing it in social activities! Post on other feeds, reach out to people that embody your brand, loyal fans, and leaders in your industry. There are many powerful ways of using these connections and marketing services to your advantage to get followers for Instagram. Shoutouts to any of the aforementioned profiles can gain you shoutouts in return. Reach out to influencers in your industry, win them over by explaining how a partnership with you would be beneficial to both parties.
Finding the right influencer or marketing service is where the real money is, as popular influencers have hundreds of thousands of followers, most of whom are anxiously awaiting their next review or shoutout, which will help you to gain even more followers. Use this to your advantage, and you can piggyback on another user’s fan base. The possibilities here are endless.
Today’s leading-edge businesses know that the biggest weapon they have in their arsonal is social media. With over one billion users, Instagram is essential, there is no doubt about it. Just as we no longer ride in horse-drawn carriages, make sure your business doesn’t show up to the party in a cumberbund. Make your IG account your priority, and make sure to give it the attention it deserves.
Have an optimized account.
Optimizing your Instagram is not rocket science, but it does take a fair amount of forethought and creativity. There are over one billion IG accounts today, and over 80% of those accounts are following a business. So how do you make sure you stand the best chance of being that business? Take the time to set up the foundation. Start by switching your IG account to a business account, this will instantly give you access to useful tools you were not able to access before. In your Instagram settings, simply tap ‘Switch to Business Account’. Once you have connected your account to Facebook and added some demographic information, you will instantly see that you have new features in your account. These include IG Ads, IG Shopping, and my favorite, IG Insights. Insights allow you to view how each post is affecting your audience. It also can report on the demographics of your audience, what your optimal posting time would be based on your audience, and much more. This feature is as free as it is valuable. Once you have a business account, it is time to optimize it! Make sure to create a profile picture that adheres to IG specifications. Try to create one that says as much about your brand as a 180x180pixel picture can. Another key to optimization is to create an easily searchable and identifiable username. Hopefully this can just be @yourbusinessname, but unfortunately this may not always be possible, so get it as close as possible.
Have a posting schedule
Once your account feels optimized, it is important to post. Often. Viewers want to see fresh, new material often, we just are that generation. Posting daily or even more often can often be time consuming and difficult. One of IG’s greatest features is the ability to create a posting schedule. This allows you to create multiple posts ahead of time, and schedule their release automatically. This allows you to dedicate time on your schedule to this process, without you having to stop and start other daily activities to accommodate. It is important to stay current, so don’t create your full schedule too far in advance, as you may miss opportunities to be one of the leaders in the game. This is absolutely a useful tool, but one that you should not rely solely on.
Post good content
Just as posting frequently is very important, so is posting quality content. You want to find material that is relevant to your brand. That does not mean that every post needs to be an advertisement. Some of the best feeds also feature posts about its followers, influencers or other leaders in the industry. A good sense of humor also goes a long way. Whether poking gentle fun at a competitor or making a joke out of a company error, a well-placed, humorous hashtag can help remind your audience that your brand is human, and relatable. Remember to post enough to stay relevant, but not so much that your viewers tire of seeing irrelevant information on their feed.