Struggling to get more than a measly 20 followers on Instagram? It can be frustrating (and embarrassing) for a company if they’re sporting a very low amount of fans and have nothing to show for their time and effort. The photo-sharing social media platform can be a tough nut to crack, but it’s not impossible to organically grow an Instagram account. Every business wants a large following, so let’s talk about ways to build it up. Here are a few useful tips to get the ball rolling.

Focus on Quality Content

Don’t just throw up photos on Instagram without really thinking about it first. Sure, Instagram is made for sharing photos, but it helps to have both a theme and a purpose. Think about how each photo adds to the overall look of the company’s Instagram? Does everything fit together? Can followers start to feel the spirit of the brand?

Use interesting and unique photos that specifically fit the company. Take a moment to think about the target audience and focus on what they’d want to see. The target audience should never be “everyone” because not everyone will be interested in the company and what’s being sold.

Build Community

Make friends. Share stories. Participate daily. If Instagramers really want to build community, they need to interact with other Instagramers. Try to stay visible without being annoying! This might be easier said than done, but there are plenty of ways to do it.

Try holding contests or leaving comments. Encourage users to share photos of products that can be featured on your ‘gram. Focus on building a giveaway that will attract new followers and fans. Instagram is a great place to get creative, so don’t be afraid to try something out of the ordinary.

Utilize Tags

It’ll be almost impossible to gain visibility unless the photos are tagged. However, don’t tag randomly in hopes that you’ll attract unexpected followers and likes. Take some time to think about what tags to use and maybe even create a personal tag for the brand.

Another great thing about tagging is that marketers can search through specific tags to find people who might be interested in the company and then give them a follow. This could help increase followers and direct interest to your Instagram.

Promote Yourself

Instagram allows users to share their photos across platforms, so take advantage of that! Share the account’s photos to Twitter and Facebook to let current fans and followers know the company is on Instagram. This is also a great way to promote any contests or giveaways that are going on.

Sometimes the best way to get followers on Instagram is to dip into the followers you already have. This will help build the company’s Instagram account and hopefully bring attention to it organically.

Be Consistent

One of the best ways to organically grow an Instagram account is to stay consistent. Keep a posting schedule (but don’t over post!) and decide what should and shouldn’t be shared on the account. Overall, you should have a vision for the Instagram account before you get started. Take some time to think about it.

Random and unrelated images will not get much attention and will make a company’s Instagram page look extremely unprofessional. Keep it consistent and keep the brand’s target audience in mind.

The key to running a great Instagram page is to really know your audience. Do you have any helpful tips and tricks for Instagram? Share with us!