Instagram is one of the most popular social networking sites on the planet, with over 200 million active monthly members sharing 60 million images and 1.6 billion likes per day. If you have a brand or blog that you want to promote, you probably already on Instagram. You need followers on Instagram to be taken seriously. I am going to share with you 5 ways to grow organic Instagram followers without using AI or social autobots.
Like 300 Photographs A Day
This is the easiest step, it will only take you 5-10 minutes each time.
Everyone likes to be liked. Do you remember how you felt when you posted your first Instagram picture, how you waited to see how many like you got?
Here is what I want you to do:
- choose a general hashtag: if this is your brand Instagram account and yours is a fashion brand, go with #fashion. Don’t choose a super-niche hashtag because there is not enough fresh content to like. A super- niche hashtag like #sexycustumefashion may only have a few new photographs in a day so you will run out of new photographs to like.
- like 100 photographs at one go: the reason I choose 100 is because it is not too time-consuming. It is also safer. If you like too many photographs at one go, Instagram might think you are a auto-bot and suspend or even terminate your account.
- like 100 photographs in morning, noon and evening: I do it three times a day because it is easier to remember. I like 100 photographs on my way to work in the morning, during lunch break and on my way home. Of course, you can always do more if you have the time, but do try to leave at least 1 hour in between.
- like photographs with less than 20 likes: if the photographs from a hashtag starts having more than 20 likes, use another hashtag. No one really cares who you are after 20 likes.
The conversion rate is around 3-5 followers for every 100 photographs liked. It doesn’t sound like a lot now, but can be quite a substantial number over time. Say we be conservative and just get 3 followers for every 100 photographs liked. 3 x 3 (3 times a day) x 30 days = 270 followers in a month. That is 3240 followers in a year! Imagine if you do this consistently for a few years, you will have thousands of Instagram followers.
Some of you might say “you are just doing it for the followers”. Yes and no. I genuinely feel that each and every photograph deserves a like from me because they are all great. I am not forcing anyone to follow me. By liking their photograph, I am giving them encouragement. In return, they can follow me if they find my photographs engaging. It is a win-win situation.
Post A New Photograph Every Day
This might prove to be a little difficult for some because most of us are part-time bloggers. We don’t have the time to write up a new posts every day. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a post to promote. You can post pictures of your everyday life, quotes, backstage scenes.
For my travel blog Travel Kudos Instagram account, I post photographs from my trips, the ones that wasn’t written into a post. This makes the ones that I use to promote my blog posts look more natural.
Comment on 10 Photographs A Day
I write 10 because I comment only when I have something to say that is of value. After you have been on Instagram for a while, you can differentiate the comments made by auto-bots from real humans. You know it is a auto-bot comment when you see “I love the colours!” on a black and white photograph. Many auto-bots have evolved into comments with just emoji icons. I hate auto-bot comments so I would advise against it. It is just so fake.
Follow Others … Only If You Really Want To
Following other Instagram accounts can give you ideas for your next Instagram post, but many people follow for the wrong reason.
There are many AI programs out there that can help you to auto-like Instagram accounts based on given hashtags. Although I agree it is a fast way to grow followers, it does have its risk. Following and unfollowing large number of accounts will make Instagram suspect you are using auto-bots (which you are). Instagram can suspend your account or even terminate your account. You can’t get your photographs if your account is terminated. All that effort and time, all gone down the drain. Just for a few more followers. Trust me, it’s not worth it.
Use the @ Sign
Many people (including me) often forget that Instagram not only has the #hashtag, there is also the @tag sign. Try to tag a place, country, company, person whenever possible. This gives your Instagram more prominence.
Use Videos Whenever Possible
Videos are becoming increasingly more popular than static photographs. Videos are moving pictures and things that move draws our attention. We want to know what happens next.
These are the 6 techniques that I am currently using to grow my Instagram followers organically. I agree that these techniques are time-consuming, but you have to give some to get some. Of course, I can help you manage your Instagram account for a fee.
Let me know what you think about my 5 ways or if you want to add in to the list, please leave a comment.
