Grow your Instagram followers: here’s what you need to focus on

Depending on how you approach it, Instagram can offer life-affirming connections with like-minded people who love what you do… Or it can feel like an anxiety-inducing popularity contest. And on some days, it can feel like both of these things within the space of a few minutes. Ultimately though, if we flip the question of ‘How do I gain more followers?’ to ‘How can I really help the followers I have?’ we can also up-level our approach. Thinking of it like this makes it less about increasing the figures and more about really reaching out to the people making up the numbers you already have.

Make real connections on Instagram and grow your followers fast

Consider Instagram as a community — the stronger the individual bonds you build, the more scope you have for growing your base of dedicated followers based on real trust. Those followers who feel a connection with you and your work will be your advocates. Instagram is the perfect platform for offering a glimpse into your world and who you are, if you look at it and think about it through that lens, it takes the emphasis off numbers of likes or focusing too much on the celebrated milestone of hitting 10K followers. This is more likely to increase your following more quickly anyway.

Instagram SEO: how to grow your Instagram account organically

Getting the basics right when using Instagram will help you get into the rhythm of using it in a way that suits you, but which also has it functioning as the wonderful business tool it can be. Read on to see if you’re ticking all the boxes in your usage of the ‘gram to gain followers.

How to write a clear Instagram bio

Your Instagram bio might not seem like something that needs much attention, but it’s often the first thing on your profile that a potential follower will see. Make it count by using:

• A clear profile photo or brand logo
• A call-to-action (think which hashtag to share, add a link in your bio ad include contact information)
• Natural language that is on brand
• The blue tick badge that shows you’re verified on IG
• Emojis (which can help break up bio text, just be sure not to overdo it for those in your audience using screen readers)

In short, don’t let your bio go to waste — it can do some real heavy-lifting for your brand.

The best time to post on Instagram and knowing what to post

When it comes to knowing what and when to post on Instagram, remember the following tips…

How to use hashtags effectively

Hashtags help people discover your posts, but you don’t want overused hashtags and conversely, you don’t want something too niche. Search in Instagram to see how many people have posted under a hashtag and if it’s in the millions be more specific. Choose words or phrases with a few thousand tags that people will be interested in, but which still let you stand out. You can also look at competitors or people you admire who have a similar audience for hashtag inspiration.

Try out new Instagram features

The way that the Instagram algorithms work, means that people who use new features usually get their content prioritised. Being an early adopter can help you be discovered.

How to know what to post on Instagram (and when to post)

When thinking about what to post, it’s good to have a vague plan. You don’t want it to be so rigid that there’s no spontaneity or fun, but you also don’t want a scattered approach with little coherence, just for the sake of posting. According to Sprout Social, the best days to post are Tuesdays from 9am to 1pm and Wednesdays from 10am to 1pm¹ but test and learn what works for you.

Here are our top points to remember on this too…

More top tips on how to grow your Insta audience

On social media, you need to think what will ‘stop the scroll’ as people are whizzing through.

• Be authentic
• Write from the heart. You’ll probably find that your tone of voice is a bit more relaxed and informal than say, on your website.
• It’s good for posts to feel like they’re written by a human being. Not just by a brand wanting to get ‘likes’.
• Think about how the content of each post fits into the bigger picture of your story. Is it about raw materials, your workspace, how you get inspiration?
• Create a certain style of your imagery. You don’t want to overthink things and become overly concerned with what your grid looks like as a whole but have in mind a trademark aesthetic that is recognisably yours.

Write Instagram captions that improve engagement

People follow accounts because they want to engage in some way, shape or form. That means you need to inject some creativity into your Instagram caption. For example, consider these caption formats to encourage responses from followers rather than simply likes:

• Question-based posts
• Recommendation requests
• Personal stories
• Tag-a-friend posts
• Photo-sharing posts

From questions to humour, using captions effectively is a great way to encourage interaction with your posts.

Consistency is key to your success on Instagram

Make sure you post regularly. Our founder Holly Tucker MBE does this which means the Holly & Co community knows to look out for them. The Instagram algorithm also looks for regularity. Publishing a few posts in quick succession, for example, may mean fewer people will see them, as the algorithm thinks it’s spam-like and will limit reach. Going back in and editing text will also affect reach, so be sure you’re happy with everything before hitting ‘Share’. If you’ve made an error, sometimes it’s best to delete the original and repost with your corrections. And if you're worried about hacking, read our article on how to stop your Instagram from being hacked.

Carve out your niche on Instagram

You don’t need to please everybody with your posts, and often when trying to do that, we stretch ourselves thin and end up attracting nobody. Your voice is unique, your products are unique and your interests are unique. There may be someone else doing something similar, but they’re not you — your followers will come because your content is not available anywhere else.

Initiate Instagram conversations and respond to comments

Instagram is really about dialogue, you can’t just post and expect to gain traction instantly. So schedule time to reply to comments and DMs – and of course, enjoy it! This is an invaluable direct link to your customers, their wants and needs, and their feelings about your brand. Follow people who you think will be interested in what you do, whether as customers or creative allies, and engage with their posts.

How to retain your existing followers

It’s perfectly normal to lose followers and unfortunately, there are a lot of fake and spam accounts which Instagram routinely deletes (even more reason why we want to focus on quality not quantity). You’ve probably also noticed that some accounts follow you with sole intention of getting you to follow back, before unceremoniously dropping you. These are things we don’t have control over, but you can help keep your numbers up by posting good quality content every day at the same time and then genuinely engaging with your followers. Try our article on how small businesses can use social media more mindfully if you feel you need time out too.

Promote your Instagram everywhere

• Remind your mailing list that you’re on Instagram. Could you link via your emails?
• Don’t forget to tell people in your shop about your Instagram. Perhaps they can see new stock there first?
• You could even make a social media business card. Customers could take these or you could drop them into orders.
• Include your handle on your packaging (with a rubber stamp maybe?).
• Encourage people to share images of their new product on their Instagram (tagging you of course). Speaking of which, if you enjoyed this article or learnt something new, why not share it via Instagram? Tag @hollytucker to share the love.

How to get more Instagram followers: key takeaways…

Boost your Instagram following and attract real followers by building connections, creating engaging content, optimising your account, and fostering a sense of community.

1. Focus on building strong connections with your existing followers:

Create engaging content to attract more genuine followers who are interested in your brand.

2. Optimise your Instagram account:

Write a clear bio, using relevant hashtags and try out new features to increase visibility and discoverability.

3. Create a sense of community:

Carve out your niche, initiate conversations and respond to comments, and make your followers feel like they are part of something bigger.