Here are five simple steps to improve your Instagram game and get some Instagram followers in the process.
Post often
You don’t want to overpost, but you also want to keep your audience engaged. I try to post every day or every other day. It also depends on how large your audience is – a larger audience may mean you can post more often. But I think aiming for a post a day or every other is a good place to start. If you’re worried you won’t have enough content, here is one easy way to always have social media content.
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Use hashtags
I use 30 hashtags every time I post which is the maximum amount you can add to a post. First, I create the hashtags in my notes app on my phone and then I paste it into a comment under the photo. I don’t want to put hashtags into my caption because I don’t want it to look spammy and I want my caption to have a clean look.
I write out the hashtags using 5 dots at the top to keep the hashtags less prominently featured in the comment (see below). I prep this before I post the photo because as soon as I post the photo I want to be the first to comment on my photo so I can use all 30 hashtags before someone else puts a hashtag on it. The rules may change once this post is written, so you can always look up how many hashtags to use in advance.
I use some specific hashtags I created to build my brand, but I also use popular hashtags. You can look on Instagram to find popular ones to include. Some people think using popular ones puts you into a more competitive pool, but I think it’s OK to include some hashtags that are popular too. Here is an example:
Post to your Instagram Story
Posting to your Instagram Story is a good way to keep your audience engaged. You can also share your posts to your story to alert people of your new post since they may not see it in their news feed.
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Use tags
You can tag locations and/or people when you post a photo. And you can also tag locations and people in your Instagram Stories. You will want to tag people who are in the same field as you or who relate to your content.
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Network
Follow others in the same field and engage with them and their audiences by liking posts and leaving comments on posts. Try to reply to the messages you receive too. And one tip that’s not online-based: network in person! If you’re at an event and you meet someone in a similar field, follow them on Instagram and stay connected. Good luck getting those Instagram followers!
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