It’s very easy to create content for your Instagram account. Upload a picture and toss in a few hashtags. Boom. Done. Sit back and let the likes trickle in. But if one of your goals is to increase your Instagram followers, you may want to put in a little more effort to ensure your content defines who you are.
Growing your Instagram followers doesn’t have to be hard work.
I’ve managed many different Instagram accounts during my stint in the digital world. Between the retail industry, service-related products, and large global companies, I’ve seen it all.
Over the years, I’ve learned that branding yourself helps immensely with growth and that consistency is key. Increasing your Instagram followers requires content that’s fresh and exciting, but still on-brand to keep your followers thirsty for more.
Being consistent doesn’t mean sharing the same old posts over and over, but rather finding a trademark, a style, or a signature that’s uniquely yours. This could be a filter or a clever angle. Something different that sets you apart.
If you’re a fashion brand and you start posting travel pictures, understandably your followers are going to be confused. You may get the double-taps on those sweet, dream vacation pictures, but take a step back and look at what you’re serving. Is it relevant? Does it appeal to your specific audience?
Post the content you’d want to see in your feed.
In a world full of flash-photography TV dinners, be the warm, naturally-lit Sunday luncheon.
If you’re scrolling through your feed, and your thumb stops over a great piece of content, there’s a reason for that. It’s because the creator has thought about this process. If you’ve paused, even for that extra milli-second, admired the image and given it a like, you’re giving them affirmation that they’ve done a good job.
That piece of content might inspire you to recreate something similar, it might spark fresh ideas that bloom into bigger and better concepts.
This is where the type of content you share becomes important. There are two types, flow content and stock content.
Flow content is the stuff that just happens and is time-sensitive or shows that your feed can possess a real-life element, rather than be artificially structured. Stock content is the stuff you put lots of time and effort into. This might require countless takes, professional equipment or even props – whatever it takes to get the shot. You’ll find out a lot more on the types of content from our courses here.
Posting content that has no context, is not well-thought-out or is being posted just for the sake of it, is not worth your time. That piece of content lives and dies right there. Increasing your Instagram followers requires some strategy, but once you’ve nailed that, it’s a piece of Instagram-worthy cake. And who doesn’t love cake?
Your Instagram followers are real people. Treat them as such.
Personally, I’ve built a brand around my own Instagram. It doesn’t have to be as strict as a client’s page, but there are basic rules I set in place for myself. I consider my options and find a time that I feel my audience are most active. I’ll consider holding onto a piece of content if I feel it may interfere with the layout of my feed, and post something else I’ve banked. I take note of how my audience engages with my content and what works best. It’s a constant learning curve, and it’s always exciting.
Some things that I consider before posting:
- Posting three selfies in a row – that’s social suicide. Learn what works and what doesn’t.
- Blurry #TBT posts – not on my feed. Always ensure you’re posting high-quality content.
- Watermarked images – hell to the no. Original content is the best content.
- Posts without captions – why even bother. Your caption is just as important. Think smart.
You get my point.
At one time, I would even put my pictures through a series of apps to achieve a flawless end result. Thankfully, I’ve learned that a quick filter, perspective fix, and a clever caption is all I really need to keep my Instagram followers happy.
Growing your Instagram for a brand can work the same way:
- Keep it simple
- Post good, relevant content
- Follow accounts you feel are in line with your aesthetic and
- Set aside a budget for ad spend to increase your reach.
Voila, you have an Instagram success in the making. Still not convinced? Check out our Instagram feed. It’s pure perfection: http://bit.ly/2vACRxo
