7 Useful Tips for Growing Your Instagram Followers

 

First off, I want to thank all of you for your kind comments & messages regarding my post on How I Tripled My Facebook Followers in Two Months. I expected at least a little bit of negativity, but all I received were sweet messages. So from the bottom of my heart, Thank You!

 

But not only did I receive positive feedback, I heard from over 100 hundred of you. I couldn’t believe it! I have never received so many comments & messages, & especially not all about one post! And because I am the worst responder ever – not a great weakness for a blogger, I know – I have only gotten back to a little over half of you. But I have read every single one & I promise by the end of the week I will have responded to every last one of you, because your messages mean so much to me!

 

I did however realize, after hearing from so many of you about how you enjoyed reading about practical ideas, that I could have shared more. Not really any more big things, but just little things that I have done to help my page be more… attractive? enticing? likable? (sorry every word I try to use sounds a bit cocky, which is ridiculous because I know I am just a very little blogger). But since I promised you a post on Instagram today, I will stick to that promise! 

 

Although I am no longer actively working on growing my Instagram account, these 7 Useful Tips for Growing Your Instagram Followers are practices that I have personally applied to my own Instagram & that I hope will help you too!

 

#One: Share Quality Pictures

This one is pretty simple. Share good original pictures. People will like what they see, they will like your pictures, & then they will like your Instagram page as well.

Instagram seems to be always updating their editing tools, so make sure to keep your app up to date. Looking for apps? My newest photo editing app (like I got it within the last week) is VSCOcam, I also have Pixlr, & I use whitagram for my horizontal & vertical photos.

 

#Two: Post Regularly

I was once told by a non blogger that bloggers can post more often because people are interested in what they are doing. Now I’m not going to claim anyone is interested in little me’s life. I mean outside of being a funny girl I’m pretty much normal in every other way. (ps. The Disney song Belle is stuck in my head right now.)

I just try to share likable pictures, with relatable captions, on a regular basis. 

Of course the pendulum can swing both directions & you can easily get get caught up in posting too many pictures on Instagram.

The temptation is real. 

Believe me, I know how tempting it is. When we spent 5 days in Disney over spring break I wanted to take pictures of everything! And I did, but I only shared certain ones with my Instagram followers, & even less of those went on Facebook. Yep, I just went back & counted. The most I posted in one day was 4 pictures. But I took hundreds of pictures while we were there. 

ps. As you start posting regularly you will notice what time of day your pictures get the most reaction from your followers, which you can then use a guide for when to post in the future.

 

#Three: Use Hashtags

So I’ll be honest. I have gone through several stages with hashtags. At first I wasn’t using them, than I used them a ton (too much! way too much!) & then I added them in the comments (again WAY TOO MUCH), & now I have lessened my use of hashtags drastically. Like 5 or less – usually less. After a while hashtags got annoying, not only to my followers, but I myself became annoyed. Both with them & myself! So now I just use a few key hashtags that relate to the photo.

 

#Four: Share Your Blog Posts.

One of the things I started doing way back is sharing my main photo from each new blog post on Instagram. I share it in the morning when the post goes live (Instagram example), then I share it on Facebook with a link back to Instagram so my Facebook followers can see where the picture came from (Facebook example). Plus it gives them the opportunity to follow on Instagram if they want! 

 

#Five: Connect Your Blog with Social Media

Same as the Facebook tip, simply remind your readers that they can follow you on Instagram at the bottom of each new blog post.

I also have a plugin that shows my Instagram feed on my right side bar. You can also find my social media icons on the top side of my blog & at the very bottom.

 

#Six: Create a Community Not Just Followers

Just like with Facebook I don’t do S4S or L4L. And although I am not following a ton of accounts (although 300+ does seem like a lot!) I didn’t want to just grow my following. I wanted to create a community where there is interaction & involvement! 

If you check out my description on my Instagram page you will notice that I invite my followers to share their Domestically Blissful inspired pictures with me using the hashtag #DomesticallyBlissful. And then when I see one that has good quality I like to share it on my page (linking back to them of course). 

A few months ago I also started making a similar comment at the bottom of all of my recipes & DIY/craft projects so that my readers would know that if they make something inspired by my blog, & share it on Instagram, there is a chance that I will share their pictures on my account. 

Fun right?

 

#Seven: Engage & Interact

This might be #Seven, but this is the #ONE way that I grew my Instagram account.

I simply started engaging on Instagram!

I found a few hashtags that I liked, that related to my target audience, & I started getting involved! For example, I looked for hashtags related to being a wife & I tried to only like or comment on pictures that were posted by women – my target audience.

Not everyone will “investigate” who liked their picture. But if they do, & they like what they see (which is why #One, #Two, & #Four are important), they will start following you. Exciting right?

Plus you can find some really awesome Instagram accounts & make many new friends this way! 

 

With love, G

 

Want to stay connected & up to date with Domestically Blissful? Don’t forget to follow on Facebook, Instagram, & Pinterest!

 

 

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