4 Tips for Growing Your Instagram Account

Instagram is fast becoming the most used social media platform in the world, reaching over 1 billion users in 2018. What started as a platform for users to instantly share images, has closely followed Facebook in becoming a powerful tool for businesses and personal accounts. If you’re one of the billions of active users on Instagram, there are ways to organically grow your account and find followers who’ll appreciate what you do.

Be authentically you

You know the term ‘be yourself, everyone else is already taken'? It could not be more true for growing your Instagram account. On average, people spend 72 minutes on Instagram, most likely interacting with many accounts, so make sure yours stands out. Think about what it is you want your account to achieve. Want to share snippets of your life? Have a side hustle you want to promote? Make sure you know the ‘why’ behind your account and everything else will fall into place. Show facets of your business that you believe a customer will find valuable and do it in your own way. Don’t always feel like you need to copy what everyone else is doing - use it as a guideline but never copy anything!

Use the features to your advantage

Instagram’s founders created the platform and likened it to an ‘instant telegram’. It has come a long way since it was created and it now enables its users to share stories, and create polls and it even has a ‘shop now’ function. Have a play around with the app and use these features to your advantage! One important feature that most people forget to utilise to its full advantage is their ‘profile’. This is a place where you can tell people who you are, what your page is about, where you’re located and the best way to contact you. As a business, it is so important to utilise these features so that potential customers can find you easily.

Be consistent

Consistency is key with Instagram! Your profile should be a reflection of who you are and what you’re about. Own a hairdressing business but find yourself wondering whether to post a photo of your breakfast. Your followers won’t be expecting this kind of content from you and you have to question whether or not it’s relevant to your business. If you’re inclined to share something out of the norm, maybe upload it as a story on Instagram and tell people why you wanted to share it with them. Your feed acts as a ‘shop window’ which is aimed to entice customers to stop and enter your store, so make sure it’s well presented. Have a consistent editing style and share photos that are relevant to your business and people will be inclined to find out more and even share your account!

Find your tribe and support them

This is a big one! There is nothing better than small businesses supporting each other and the best way to show this on Instagram is to like, comment and share each other’s content. Take part in ‘share for share’ days and interact with fellow accounts by commenting on their posts and they’ll most likely do the same for you! If someone leaves a nice comment on your post, thank them! Have a coffee shop that you frequent or a supplier you’ve just worked with? Share their page and give them a shoutout and you’re not only supporting a business but are showing that you care about your community. It’s a win-win!

Growing your following on Instagram shouldn’t be a daunting task. Whilst it certainly does feel nice to see your account grow, it’s not always about how many followers you have. Engagement and interaction are always important and being active on this platform will help you grow your account organically.

If you’re having trouble growing your Instagram account, you may find value in connecting with our expert team. To find out more about our Social Media Management services. please click here or chat with our team directly by contacting hello@themarketinghouse.com.au