How To Grow Your Instagram Following In 2023

Knowing how to grow your Instagram following has never been a simple task. With its ever-changing formats, constant algorithm developments and fast moving trends, Instagram has been notoriously difficult to get a handle on. 

Just when we had finally figured out the most effective ways to grow your Instagram, Reels popped up. With the increasing popularity of video-based content on Instagram, the best way to grow your following has shifted substantially. 

In this new age of video-based content on Instagram, how does one not only grow their following but ensure that this growth is meaningful? 

Well, the average Instagram business account grows 1.25% per month, so someone must have figured it out. 

Let’s have a look at how to grow your Instagram account, so as to achieve maximum engagement and thus success. 

HOW TO GROW YOUR INSTAGRAM FOLLOWING

Engage with Instagram Reels 

Our top suggestion for understanding how to grow your Instagram is to engage with Reels.  

Reels is by far the platform’s fastest-growing format, with the average Instagram user spending 20% of their time on the platform watching Reels. 

The Reels audience is ready to engage, so shift some of your focus over to the channel and make use of its popularity. 

Play Around With All Formats 

Whilst Reels are an integral piece in the ‘how to grow your Instagram’ puzzle, it’s never a good idea to put all your eggs in one basket. 

Ensure that you are sharing content across all the formats that Instagram has to offer, such as Stories, Instagram Video and Carousels. By sprinkling your content across Instagram, you are expanding your reach and increasing your chance of gaining new followers. 

That being said, put an emphasis on video no matter what format you are engaging with. 

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Post Regularly 

A key tip when considering how to grow your Instagram, is to make sure to both bring in new users and retain them as well. 

The most effective way to ensure follower retention is to have a constant flow of high quality content on your accounts. Make use of your Instagram analytics and determine what content your followers like most. Do they like constant uploads all day? Or, do they prefer more curated content once or twice a day? Find out and cater to your audience. 

Engage with High Value Accounts 

Next up in our ‘how to grow your Instagram page’ guide, is to get your name associated with high value accounts. 

By engaging with authoritative accounts in your niche, the Instagram algorithm associates you with their community and content. This encourages the algorithm to suggest your account to their followers. 

On top of this, becoming linked with high value accounts boosts your trustworthiness and authority in users eyes as they begin to associate you with the value of said accounts.  

Audience Engagement 

When asked how to grow your Instagram, the platform itself declared that “the easiest way to turn casual followers into fans is by liking, replying and resharing their responses.”

Users are far more likely to engage with your content if they know you will reply. By responding to comments or hosting question and answer sessions over Stories, you are communicating to your followers that you value their thoughts and want to hear from them. 

This encourages users to engage with your content and stick around for longer. 

Hashtags 

Ask anyone how to grow your Instagram and they will mention hashtags. 

Utilising hashtags is a sure fire way to expand your audience. Choosing the right hashtags is similar to your SEO strategy. Imagine your hashtags are your SEO keywords; you select relevant ones, include them as much as possible and then users are able to easily find you when they are searching for your specific niche.

Much like an SEO strategy, make sure to see what your competitors are up to when it comes to hashtags. This will help you stay on top and relevant. 

Good Captions 

A great Instagram caption has the potential to lead new followers to your account and convince your current ones to stick around. To achieve this, your Instagram caption must use keywords and hashtags to communicate to the algorithm that your content is relevant, and engage with your current audience. 

Typically, the best way to achieve these goals is to write a short caption that includes hashtags, keywords and emojis. However, if a longer caption suits your content best, then don’t let us hold you back! 

Be Easy to Find 

Making certain you are easy to find is important for understanding how to grow your Instagram.

Ensuring your Instagram profile name and handle are not only clear but also relevant allows people to find you easily. 

It is good practice to include keywords in your bio and even fit them into your handle and profile name if you can do so naturally. 

On top of this, including your location in your profile is another great way to make it easy for new users to find you. This may not be necessary for your brand, however, so make sure to evaluate if this is the best course of action for you. 

Collaboration 

Look at any how to grow your Instagram guide out there and you will be sure to find a section on collaboration. Collaborating with Instagram creators in your community is a fantastic way to get your name out there and in front of a ready audience.

Make sure to choose creators who fit your brand values and aesthetic, so as to not dent your brand personality or image. 

When working with Instagram creators you may feel inclined to choose the account with the largest following. However, you actually want to aim for creators with high engagement. Their audiences are far more likely to zip on over to your profile and follow you. 

Post at the Perfect Time 

A key piece of any how to grow your Instagram guide are posting schedules. 

Engagement will occur faster and earlier if you make sure to post when your audience is online. To determine when it is the best time to post your content, observe your target audience’s demographic. Different demographics engage with content at different times, so make sure you have a good understanding of when your audience is most likely to engage. 

Be Yourself 

As with most things, when it comes to understanding how to grow your Instagram, uniqueness is always best. 

Your Instagram should be an extension of your brand’s personality, so be yourself and post original content. Instagram has recently adjusted its algorithm to favour original content. This means the algorithm will push original posts and ideas to the top of user’s feeds and search pages.

Instagram Ads

Finally, if you want to know how to grow your Instagram, you’ll need to get to grips with Instagram ads. 

The rest of this list has covered how to grow your Instagram organically, but we would be remiss not to mention paid growth on Instagram.

The simplest way to engage with Instagram ads for follower growth is to pay to boost your content via the “More Profile Visits” option. Simply click on the post you wish to boost and select “Boost Post” either at the bottom or by tapping on the 3 dots in the top right corner. 

Like all ads, make sure you understand your audience before you start putting money down. There’s no point in paying for content that your audience won’t respond to! 

FAQs

How do I make my Instagram grow faster? 

The best way to grow your Instagram is to post Reels and other video based content on the platform. Making sure to encourage engagement from your audience is also crucial. 

How do I grow my Instagram in 2023?

Video based content is the most effective way to grow your Instagram in 2023. Produce video based content, engage with your audience and hop on trends to grow your audience as much as possible. 

Why is my Instagram not growing? 

Your Instagram may not be growing as you aren’t targeting your audience correctly. Make sure you are engaging with video based content and that you are catering to your demographic. 

How do I grow my Instagram organically?

Grow your Instagram organically by posting unique, video based content that you trust your audience will enjoy.

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