10 Tips to Grow Your Instagram Following

learn how to grow your Instagram following with these ten helpful tips!

Want to grow your Instagram following? The Design Twins reveal how with these 10 easy-to-follow tips for your own Instagram success.

How Can I Grow My Instagram Following?

This is a huge question. One with an equally huge answer. Growing an Instagram following is not a mystery, but it does take time and commitment. If you are willing to take the time and make the commitment, then you want your actions to be the right actions. You want all your hard work and effort to culminate in success. We understand and agree. That’s why we love sharing what we’ve learned about Instagram. Here is our best advice to grow your Instagram account.

1. Create Your Account Name

Name your account something that reflects you and your goal. Your name is your calling card, so it’s pretty important. It should help people understand, for example, that you are public, want to be followed, and are part of a specific community. A personal name or something completely random might not attract as many followers. 

Remember, if your account name reflects your niche, your ideal audience is more likely to find your account when they search. Putting clear keywords into your account name will help ideal followers identify you and find you in search. This greatly increases your Instagram SEO, search engine optimization.

When I started off my account was just personal, so it was my name. As I started growing I worried that changing my name would confuse people or I might lose followers, so I waited a long time before changing it. My advice is don’t wait. You can alert people and use #youroldname until everyone is on board. You’ll be surprised how easy it actually is. Don’t wait and don’t worry unnecessarily about the transition.

2. Write an Enticing Bio

Your bio should tell people what they can expect if they follow you. What are you going to do for your follower? The answer should be in your bio. Yes, your bio is about you, but ultimately it is what you are offering your followers that will entice them to follow. Dig deep and make sure this reflects who you are and what you are passionate about. I read a bio the other day that said “Married.” Hmmmm. Ok. Why would I follow exactly? I really wasn’t sure, so I didn’t.

3. Define Your Content/Style/Identity

This is soul searching time. Now that you have your name, photo and bio you should have a pretty good idea as to your chosen niche. It’s time to take this to the next level and identify how you will express these goals. Many of us have found our identity and style as we have traveled our IG paths. The sooner you have it clear in your mind, make it clear on your feed, and present a consistent identity the faster your success. People really want to know what to expect when they follow. If you surprise them along the way be prepared to possibly lose followers.

4. Reach Out & Interact to Grow Your Instagram Following

You can’t post and run. Well, you can, but don’t expect a lot of growth. There are always days that we are too busy. But time commitment is essential. You should try to answer every comment. I did say try. Besides spending time on your own feed you should invest time in others.

I dedicate time every day and hours every week supporting other accounts and finding new accounts to explore and follow. You should follow plenty of people, respond regularly to their posts in heartfelt ways, try to not be generic. Sometimes if I find myself leaving generic messages I realize I’m just too tired. I stop and make time when I’m really ready to give.

5. Create Your Own Hashtags to Grow Your Instagram Following

When you grow an Instagram account you are creating a brand. You need a strong brand identity and you need to build brand awareness. One way to grow brand awareness to is create and use a brand hashtag. Usually this is simply #youraccountname. So, for Jodie and I our brand hashtag is #thedesigntwins. This is the name of our blog and our brand name. Encourage your followers to follow your hashtag. This gives your followers twice the opportunity for Instagram to show them your posts.

You can also create buzz around your brand by creating and encouraging people to use your community hashtags. These are hashtags the last for a season or a period of time. Examples of this for us are #thedesigntwinslove, #thedesigntwinslovechristmas etc. Encourage followers to use and follow your community hashtags. You may choose to feature your favorite posts in your stories or even on your feed as a way to thank your followers and involve them. This all creates a feeling of community.

6. Focus on Quality over Quantity

Every post has the power to hurt or help your feed. Never compromise the quality of your post because you feel you have to post. If you have nothing new to post some strategies are the following:

• Repost a seasonally appropriate post from your feed last year
• Feature someone who you love, respect, and are inspired by. Be sure to do a wonderful job giving them credit and tagging them. Don’t alter their photo in any way. You might want to ask their permission prior to featuring them via DM.

7. Improve Your Skills to Grow Your Instagram Following

Not many of us start our journeys as professional photographers. So honing your craft is absolutely necessary. If you are in the home decor community, as Jodie and I are, you can look at magazines and catalogs to see how the pros photograph vignettes and rooms. Practice, practice, practice.

Jodie and  I have written several helpful blog posts on this topic. One is Pros and Cons of Using a Camera vs. Your Phone and  How to Edit Camera Phone Pics on Instagram.

Skills also include writing. Words matter. Your voice is an integral part of what you offer. Don’t ignore this aspect. Success is judged not just on numbers but on engagement. Your personality and how you share it has the power to increase or decrease your following and definitely your engagement.

8. Follow People to Grow Your Instagram Following

Follow people in your community, those who are successful and doing what you are aiming to do. Learn from what they do. Reach out to them. Ask questions, offer praise and kindness.

Never follow and unfollow. This is the ultimate in terrible etiquette. Additionally, Instagram sees this as spam-like activity. This activity also lowers your engagement and authenticity scores seen by Instagram as well as brands.

9. Be Authentic to Grow Your Instagram Following

While I suggest you follow inspiring people you need to develop and showcase your own unique style. Your posts will be most successful if they come from your heart and are uniquely you. No one does you better.

For more inspiration and helpful tips for how to grow your Instagram following authentically, read this blog post from Mia Mia Mine.

10. Enjoy the Journey

We know you want to grow your Instagram following, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. But here is my final and most important piece of advice. Enjoy the process. If it feels like work, it will show.

Instagram should be all about the journey, not about any destination. It is about personal growth, the people you meet, and friendships you create. If you focus on the journey and enjoy every post, every conversation, every interaction your JOY will attract people. Be yourself, have fun, spread joy. If you do that you already are successful!

With blessings,