Getting 10k followers on Instagram. This is a common social media milestone that companies strive for when branding. For some, reaching this level shows that you have the potential to become a major online influencer in your industry.
However, with the advent of influencer marketing, Instagram users sometimes buy lists of potential followers in the hope that at least some of those people will pay attention to their accounts. But especially in a B2B business, shopping lists can drive low-quality traffic to your website, along with unintended consequences like higher bounce rates, less time spent on pages, and mismatched leads.
is a much safer (and more rewarding) way to grow your social media following organically. Engagement with your brand will be much higher, members of your target audience will share your content, and you will have more opportunities to convert or nurture qualified leads who are genuinely interested in what you sell.
Below are 9 simple tips for getting to 10k Instagram followers
1. Experiment to find your voice
If you’ve been posting on Instagram for a while and not getting the social followers you want, change it! Change the type of content you post and set a different pitch for your subtitles. Next, examine your analytics and see what content people are connecting to. You can also look at the brands you want to emulate on social media and come up with new ideas. Once you’ve identified the content and voice that resonates best with your viewers, post more of it. Through this, you also get more views on Instagram.
2. Promote your Instagram on your other channels
If you already have a decent following on another social platform, make sure those followers get to know about your Instagram account too! You should also drive people to your Instagram by promoting your channel on your website! Some ways to cross-promote include:
- Integrate Instagram images from your page in your newsletter
- Embed Instagram photos from your website in blog posts
- Add a link to your Instagram to your email signature
- Add your Instagram account to other social media bios
- Connect your Instagram to Twitter and Facebook to post to all three sites
There’s surprisingly little fanfare when you reach 10,000 followers, but if you follow these tips and keep them in mind, you’ll be well on your way to real Instagram growth.
3. Be active
Are you active on Instagram? Do you like, comment on, and use their content regularly? It’s a great way to get noticed, especially if those posts are closely followed by people in your target audience. However, being too active can actually make you look like a spam bot to the Instagram algorithms and they may dump you. There are really a lot of bad people out there who automate random comments to appear on influencer channels with their website URLs etc. We even see this on PMG’s blog and immediately remove them. The main problem, therefore, is maintaining a level of frequent but socially acceptable interaction.
4. Be real and honest
Things on Instagram can look wrong. Is this person’s life really that perfect? Who has such a clean kitchen? Don’t be afraid to be authentic and create content that people can relate to. Highlighting your company’s quirks can draw people in. While this is always organized to some degree, posting user-generated content, third-party content, and even employee quotes will also shed some light on what your brand values and prioritizes. Using Instagram Stories is also a great way to showcase your company’s culture or unique personality.
5. Stay on Brand
It is true that too much experimentation can hinder the growth of your followers. Personally, I am guilty of “running from the spot” from time to time. As an illustrator, I sometimes get bored creatively, so I do something different with my style for a short while… and I start to lose followers. Building a strong brand is all about consistency. After people follow you long enough, they start expecting something specific from you, something they like! While it’s important to introduce new types of content (because that’s where you can find a nugget), once you’ve found your niche without a well-thought-out strategy, don’t stray too far from it.
6. Publish updated content
Stay up to date with current events, industry news, and pop culture to increase engagement with your account. Stay on top of what’s coming up or trending and how to use it on your website. Is there a new meme that is grabbing attention? Find out how to adapt it to your brand or specialty. Has something happened in the media that has affected your industry? Write a blog post in your own style and promote it on your social media (including Instagram!). Leveraging current events and online trends can help you get more exposure for your content, especially if you use the right hashtags.
7. Take a bird’s eye view of your Instagram
Step back and look at the entire Instagram (you know, the side where all the squares are). What is missing, does it sound good? Make sure all your photos look great and fit your brand, have Instagram Highlights set up, all bio information is up-to-date with hashtags, and have an up-to-date link to your website or relevant content.
8. Identify and engage with influencers
Find and follow the best influencers in your field. Keep an eye on what they post and what people say in their captions. Then join the conversation. The people you follow and interact with are most likely your target audience too, and responding to something they say might just get you a new follower!
9. Don’t brag too much
So you won the prize. It’s great and you should definitely write about it. Just avoid citing awards, certifications, and reviews as the only type of content you post. Also, don’t spend too much time talking about your product or service and why they are great. In fact, spend very little time on it. People don’t just follow your Instagram account for promotional purposes. They want to see the side of you or your organization that makes you seem human. They want to be creatively inspired and laugh!
