In this age of technology, brands need followers to keep up with their competition. Instagram is now the second most popular social network after Facebook, with 90 percent of Instagram’s one billion users choosing to follow businesses. Brands that increase their Instagram follower count will drive up brand loyalty, website traffic, and sales. Here are a few tips for growing Instagram followers.
Create Valuable Content
Instagram users expect interesting visual content, 24/7. Brands should use high-resolution photos and high-quality videos to capture their audience’s attention. Since most Instagram users access the app on a smartphone, it’s recommended to upload pictures that are a maximum of 1080 x 1350px. Keep in mind that Instagram automatically converts all images to JPEGs, regardless of the format uploaded, so some resolution will get lost in the translation from .bmp and .png format types.
Tell a Story with Your Images
Consumers don’t just buy products – they buy the story conveyed by product images. When shopping for a sofa, a person doesn’t just see furniture; they imagine family or friends sitting on the couch watching TV or conversing. Brands that show people using their product in a natural setting fare better on Instagram than brands that offer products only.
Use Trending Hashtags
Using the right hashtags will help brands get noticed by new Instagram users, but there is a fine line. Drowning a post in useless hashtags will have the opposite effect and lose followers. Using websites like ritetag, you can see how well hashtags rank before attaching them to posts, getting the most bank for your buck.
Explore Options
In an effort to always stay current, Instagram is continuously introducing new features like stories, reels, and carousels. Stories, which disappear in 24 hours, are suitable for exclusive news for existing followers. Reels are 15-second videos, useful for reusing Tik-Tok videos or offering sneak peeks of new products. Instagram carousels are good for showcasing a product in various colors or designs. They are also suitable for before and after images for cosmetic brands. While every new feature may not be a good fit for every brand, they should explore each one to find a good fit.
Use Influencers
Brands who find influencers to promote their products do very well on Instagram. The key is to discover authentic influencers who are a good fit. It’s often a good idea to engage micro-influencers at first, and then build up an audience from there. An influencer with a massive following promotes so many products that their followers become blind to sponsored content.