1 - Never, ever buy likes or folowers from websites or use free apps.
I know a lot of people on here are saying to do it, but trust me it’s not a good method. These followers and likes are almost always junk and are never engaging. It’s better to have an Instagram account that has 100 loyal followers that actually like and comment on your posts, than to have an account with 10,000 followers that never engage with your content. It’s always so sad to see accounts with thousands of followers and only get 50 likes at most. This is a clear sign that you have junk followers and it will be almost impossible to monetize your account.
2 - Post Frequently and on a Schedule
Instagram is constantly changing their algorithm for how they show pictures on news feeds. It is important to understand that the less engaging your posts are the less Instagram will show your photos and videos. So we want to share throughout the day so people see our posts and start engaging with them. If we post a few times a week, chances are people won’t ever see your photos and eventually your account will be forgotten by them.
3 - Be Engaged
Actually take the time to respond back to the people that leave comments on your photos. This shows that you are an involved profile and more people will want to start commenting, liking, and sharing your photos and videos.
4 - Share high quality and large photos
Don’t share low quality photos. Make sure they aren’t blurry or pixelated. Also, start posting larger photos. Instagram now supports more than just their iconic square photos. We want our photos to pop and catch our followers attention. The larger they are the bigger the chances are that are followers will notice them and engage with them.
5 - Stick to Your Niche
Stay consistent with what you post. If you are a weight loss profile don’t post about basketball teams. If you are a travel account don’t post about cute puppies. Post relevant photos and videos. This also applies to hashtags. Do some research. Go to your top competitor’s accounts and see what hashtags they are using. We want to take advantage of Hastags.
5.1 - Hashtags Continued
There is no true science to the amount of hashtags you should use, but they number I see most thrown around is eleven. Put at least 11 well related hashtags on your photos. And make sure to not put the hashtags in the description. This will definitely look spammy. Post the hashtags in a comment. As soon as you share the photo, comment on it by writing out the hashtags you chose. Don’t worry, the picture will still show up in the search results.
6 - Don’t Be Afraid to Collab
Share other account’s photos, ask them to share yours. Instagram is a social network, so be social. A growing Instagram growth method is paying for shout outs. (I know I said not to pay for followers or likes, but this is different. Most of the followers and likes you pay for are from fake accounts used just to like and follow accounts and do nothing else) Buying shout outs is a great way to build your following because you are reaching out to accounts that are showing that they actually have an engaging audience that are interested in what they post. Now, this can be a costly method for growth, but it is definitely something to consider.
