Influencers love Instagram, especially those with small to modest audience sizes. Research shows 48% of influencers on Instagram have between 5,000-20,000 followers. Another 26% have between 20,000-100,000 followers. Every influencer wants to grow their reach, but many aren’t sure which tactics are effective.
How do you grow your Instagram audience as an influencer? Besides posting consistent, relatable content, there are a few strategic steps you can take to increase your number of followers. Here are seven tips to do just that:
Optimize your bio
Make your first impression count by putting your best foot forward. Use this pivotal section of your IG profile to your advantage by providing the most important information. Here’s how:
- Write a clear, cohesive description of who you are and what you’re all about. There’s no need to be overly ambiguous or vague — get to the point.
- Add a call to action. What do you want your visitors to do? Are you inviting them to shop, read more, subscribe, or follow?
- Add a link. This clickable link in your bio is prime real estate. Many influencers use LinkTree, which creates a landing page with multiple links. Another way to do this is to create a page on your blog that features all your important links. Use that link in your bio instead.
- Share a branded hashtag. If you have a branded hashtag, share it in your bio.
Stay on top of hashtags
Hashtags are an important piece of the Instagram influencer puzzle. Essentially, they make your posts searchable. Here’s what to do:
- Make a spreadsheet of the hashtags you already use.
- Using Instagram’s “explore” option, compile a list of new or trending hashtags to start integrating into your posts.
- Once you’ve built up a sizable following, you can start creating and using your own original hashtags.
- You can also use apps that offer hashtags suggestions.
Engage with similar influencers
Find similar influencers and get social. By doing so, you can gain traction with followers who are interested in your niche. Here’s what you should do:
- Like, comment on, and follow accounts of influencers who feature the same type of content as you.
- Post authentic comments to attract like-minded followers to check out your account.
- Be sure to monitor your notifications so you can respond to comments in a timely manner.
Ask for a share for a share
Enlist other influencers in a “share for a share” partnership. Offer to share their content in exchange for sharing yours. This is a free, easy way to build a mutually beneficial relationship while simultaneously gaining more followers. Here’s how:
- Search for and identify three to five influencers who share your niche and have similar audience sizes.
- Send an email to the influencer or reach out with a DM that explains what you’re looking for.
- Don’t be offended if you don’t hear back or get turned down. Stick with it.
Try different kinds of content
Never let your posts become repetitive or dull. Keeping it fresh draws more visitors to your account and keeps your current followers hungry for more.
- If you lean on still images, try adding videos to the mix once a week.
- Try to utilize different tools within each platform. On Instagram, for example, try Reels and Stories, along with regular posts. Many algorithms reward users for utilizing more tools.
- Research other influencers in your niche and see how they vary their content.
Run a contest
Everyone loves free stuff. A tried-and-true tactic for attracting more followers is to host a contest or giveaway. Here are some tips for success:
- Consider using a content tool like SweepWidget or ShortStack to track the campaign with ease.
- Implement rules that require users to tag your account, share content, or tag a certain number of friends, for maximum exposure.
- Give away something that’s related to your niche as opposed to a generic Amazon gift card.
Promote your Instagram account
No matter how fabulous your content may be, it doesn’t matter if no one knows about it. To reach a wider audience, you need to self-promote. Here’s how:
- Cross-promote on different channels. Invite Twitter followers to subscribe to your YouTube channel, for example.
- Make sure your social accounts are easy to find on your website’s homepage.
- Create and send a regular newsletter that promotes your social accounts.
- Add your social accounts to your email signature.
- Try running lead capture ads on Instagram. You’ll get new leads and new followers.
With these seven tips, you can grow your audience. As with any marketing effort, it will take time. Consider setting aside 30 minutes each day to focus on expanding your audience. Remember, influencers with larger audiences are often paid more, so audience expansion is worth your time.