Instagram is an amazing platform to meet your ideal client or your potential course student. Here are some Instagram Growth Hacks: The best way to grow an engaged Instagram audience.
Did you notice an important keyword here? ENGAGED.
I’m not pushing the numbers. I’m not talking about 10K followers in a month or whatever.
I am talking about you growing your Instagram account on your own pace but making sure your audience is ENGAGED.
Because that is what truly matters. How many comments and likes you receive, how many times your content gets shared, how many SALES could you possibly make.
YAS. Instagram is all about engagement and having an audience that actually CARES.
I grew my Instagram account to 1K ENGAGED, INTERESTED followers within ONE MONTH. I followed no strategies. I just got up there and did my best since day 1. This post will be all about HOW.
The best way to grow an engaged Instagram audience
I’ve had my business since 2015 but only in mid-2020, I decided to start working on growing my Instagram audience.
Early August 2020, I created a Facebook group for aspiring online course creators which also inspired me to start my Instagram.
Both platforms provided me an amazing opportunity to gather around people who are truly interested in what I have to offer.
If you are a business owner, ESPECIALLY an online business owner, getting on Instagram can completely change your business.
Instagram Growth Hacks
TIP #1: Truly care
My no.1 tip when it comes to growing engaged Instagram is to REALLY CARE. Like BE IN IT 110%. This doesn’t mean that you have to spend all your day on Instagram. No. But you do need to truly be interested.
Be willing to connect, be interested in having conversations. Watch stories and respond. Let others take part in your decisions. Create a community!
You must like it to succeed!
(If you don’t already, give it a try, you might start liking it!)
TIP #2: Show your face
Don’t be scared to show up as you are. Just out of the shower or all dressed up. In your after-work mode or full of energy. The HOW doesn’t matter. What matters is that you DO IT.
This tip is super crucial. If people won’t see the face behind the brand, there will be no real connections.
Therefore, do your best to show your face and be really present:
Make Instagram stories (yes, even if you feel max awkward!)
If you are getting on Instagram and plan to only post quotes or graphics, don’t waste your time.
TIP #3: Leave mindful comments
Leaving comments and showing any kind of support for other Instagram accounts is CRUCIAL for building your engagement.
Generally, if you leave a comment for somebody, they will also leave a comment for you or, at least, check out your profile and like a picture or two.
However, a comment “great pic!” won’t make the cut anymore. You MUST be mindful in your comments and write more than just a few words.
This means that you should read the caption and share your opinion, ask a relevant question or if giving a compliment truly respond to what’s written.
TIP #4: Follow new, relevant accounts regularly
So how to actually get noticed and find new accounts to connect with?
Research and follow relevant accounts regularly. I try to follow & comment for at least 10 new profiles EVERY DAY (+ leaving comments for those who I already follow).
How to find the best accounts?
Check out profiles that do something similar to you and check their followers. You can also go through Explore options that you get once you follow someone (or on your feed).
It’s important to follow RELEVANT accounts. Either something you are truly interested in OR your perfect client, whoever that might be.
Before following, check out their stories, engage, leave a comment, like a few pictures.
Liking 3 pictures and leaving the account won’t do you any good.
TIP #5: PROVIDE THAT GODDAMN VALUE
Okay, I kept the best for last, obviously.
Instagram – and growing engaged Instagram audience – is all about PROVIDING VALUE.
I mean. I can’t stress this enough.
Unless you actually provide LOADS of value on your account, you will not be able to create an engaged and truly interested audience. I don’t want to tooth my own horn, as they say, but take my account as an example! At least 90% of posts on my feed are just madly valuable, interesting and useful content. The rest 10% are more about “checking in” and pure selling. But mostly it’s just VALUE VALUE VALUE.
The same goes for Instagram stories. Stories can be a combination of educational + fun “day-to-day” content. But even there, it’s crucial to provide value.
You’ll find some beautiful Instagram templates in this post.
Some additional Instagram Growth Hacks
- At first, you’ll need to spend more time on this. While Instagram management shouldn’t take TOO much of your time, you should spend a bit more time on it at the beginning. While “normal” engagement time daily would be around 30 mins, at first you might need to spend at least 2 hrs daily to like, comment & TRULY CONNECT to set your fanbase.
- Keep your following number lower than followers. While this might be harder at first, once you grow your following to a few hundred, try keeping the number you follow lower than the one that follows you. This brings more credibility to your account! (If you follow 2K people but have only 300 followers, it’s not a good rate.)
- Try Reels. Reels is the new life-hack to increasing your engagement and following! It’s a great way to get explored organically. You don’t have to be perfect or know-how right away. Take it on as a fun challenge!
What are your favorite Instagram growth hacks? Do you seem stuck in your follower numbers? Leave your profile in the comments & I’ll be happy to share my thoughts!
Follow @coursecreationlab on Instagram and TikTok for more inspiration.
