Instagram has evolved into a highly competitive place with over 1 billion monthly users, an ultra-smart algorithm and tons of clever, creative accounts to build Instagram followers. If you’re willing to make your business stand out, show off your brand and boost your following, it is important to work smarter, not harder.
So if you’re searching for ‘how to get more followers on Instagram for free,’ your search stops right here. Here are fewer tips to help you right away.
#1: Use Instagram Reels
You’re certainly missing out on a huge opportunity for your brand or business if you aren’t sharing Instagram Reels.
This newest Instagram feature is a way to record up to 30-second video clips set to music on Instagram. Similar to TikTok, Instagram Reels have the ability to get you viral. Instead of users only seeing Reels from the accounts they follow, users will be able to see Reels from all accounts with a single tap on the separate Reel icon.
Sharing your Reel to both your feed and the Explore Page is an incredible way to reach out to millions of users, increase your chances to up the numbers of organic followers and possibly go viral doing so!
#2 Optimize your profile for search
One of the majorly under-utilized hacks for growing your organic followers and is a must try-out in 2021. After a recent announcement from Instagram, English-speaking users in 6 countries will be able to search on Instagram using keywords. This is a huge game-changer as once a user searched for ‘writers,’ the hashtag or accounts with the words ‘writers’ in their username would populate. But now, posts with captions, names, or bios that feature ‘writers’ should show up, even if the hashtag doesn’t exist in the post.
With this newest update, it is wise to get organized and optimize your Instagram captions for possible searches.
#3 Get more inclusive and diverse
Having an accessible, inclusive, and diverse Instagram account is the best way to drive your engagement, follower count and help strengthen your community.
The first and the easiest step is to make Instagram Reels or IGTV with subtitles as 85% of videos on Facebook and Instagram are being watched without sound.
Not only is adding subtitles great for people who watch without sound, but it’s also essential for people with hearing disabilities.
2020 also witnessed a major shift with brands and influencers taking one step forward towards the importance of diversity and inclusion. By choosing not to partner with more diverse content creators or show support for social causes, brands could seriously lose out a large section of the audience who look out for emotions and a human approach in a brand.
#4 Promote Instagram content on other platforms
Moving into 2021, Pinterest, TikTok and LinkedIn will be two of the best ways to grow your Instagram following outside of Instagram.
By connecting your Instagram account with Pinterest or TikTok, you can notice an increase in your following.
One of the other ways includes sharing videos on TikTok and informing its audience what else you offer on Instagram, teasing Instagram content, and taking advantage of your TikTok bio.
#5 Write longer captions
With the new Instagram keyword search, long captions have gained quite a momentum in 2020 and they aren’t going anywhere in 2021.
Audiences nowadays are keen to learn more about you, your brand, your mission and your story. And when you share more with your audience through your Instagram posts, you build a stronger, loyal and larger community.
#6 Go LIVE on Instagram
Instagram LIVE is an entirely unedited, one-on-one video stream for your followers to tune in, interact and engage within real-time.
Through Instagram LIVE, you can host weekly podcasts, shows, interviews or simply a causal interaction with your fans and followers.
#7 Create memes that resonate with your audiences’ everyday life
Memes have become one of the major methods of having a conversation. Memes have some kind of cultural references, both funny or clever and they typically feature a combination of text and imagery.
If your memes have enough volume of humour and connectivity, they can be passed from person to person in order to start a conversation.
Growing your Instagram account organically can often feel like a challenge, but with the above techniques, you can definitely gain a huge chunk of organic followers.
Note that it’s a combination of creative content, targeting the right audience and promoting your business or content in the right way.