We’ve all heard or experienced the struggles of growing (and retaining) a successful Instagram following. There’s no doubt that Instagram, and its parent company Facebook, have made it more difficult for small businesses to grow organically. Despite the algorithm frustrations, there are simple ways to grow your Instagram account organically and gain new followers at a quicker pace. Just make sure you’re following these tips.

Stand Out in the Crowd

The most important factor in growing a successful Instagram account is to have a good, unique product or message that connects with the Instagram audience. Some brands may not find success on Instagram simply because their product/message doesn’t resonate with the typical platform user. Naturally, some products will perform better; food, travel and lifestyle tend to perform best. If your brand struggles to differentiate itself among the competition, it’s imperative to develop a brand voice and message that stands out paired with strategic, out-of-the-box creative. This is an exercise our social media strategy specializes in identifying and perfecting for each of our clients.

Consistent, Quality Content

Posting consistently is essential to making our other tips work in your favor. Always remember the golden rule of social media: quality over quantity. Once you have established your content strategy, create a consistent posting schedule to remain top-of-mind and top-of-feed. The more you are posting high quality content, the more eyes will see your profile. Our social media strategies define and outline the type of content you should be using to highlight your product in the best possible way along with recommended posting schedules to keep your brand in the spotlight.

Use Relevant Hashtags

Hashtags are one of the easiest ways to see and be seen so to speak. While hashtags can be used to discover new partners, it can also be used for customers to find you. Our database of hashtag research ensures that our clients’ work is being seen by their target audience while also expanding the following and interest from users unfamiliar with their brands.

Utilize UGC Content

User-generated content is a simple a way to increase your asset library while also connecting with users who are (or may be) interested in your brand. Though sharing is most often taken as a compliment, there are certain rules you must follow before reposting another’s work; always ask for permission!

Make Your Page Look Good

When users visit your profile for the first time, they’ll see your last 6-ish images laid out together. Ensuring that these posts have cohesive artistic composition and truly represent your company and the type of content you post regularly will encourage users to follow your account. Clementine Creative Agency accomplishes this for our clients by developing a custom image filter for editing photos and hiring one photographer to keep assets consistent.

In order to grow your page organically, this is only the beginning. With an ever-changing algorithm, it’s difficult to keep up with best practices. If you need a little boost or extra hands, contact us to get started on your social media efforts.

Header Photo by Janelle Hewines on Unsplash