14 New Ways to Get More Followers on Instagram

14 New Ways to Get More Followers on Instagram

14 new ways to get more followers on Instagram

With more than 1 billion monthly users, an ultra-intelligent algorithm, and a wealth of smart and creative accounts, Instagram is a competitive place if you want to grow your account and boost your following.

Fortunately, we know exactly how to showcase your business, promote your brand, and get more followers on Instagram — so you can work smarter, not harder.

We’re sharing 14 new ways to reach your target audience and get more followers on Instagram in 2021:

How to Get More Followers on Instagram in 2021

Growing an Instagram account may not be as easy as it once was. However, there are several strategic tips and tricks you can try.

In short, here’s how to get more followers on Instagram:

1. Use Instagram Reels
2. Optimize your profile for search
3. Create an IGTV series
4. Be more inclusive and diverse
5. Collaborate with micro-influencers
6. Create authentic shared content
7. Promote Instagram content on other social platforms
8. Write longer captions
9. Experiment with Instagram Lives
10. Create a viral Instagram challenge or game
11. Introduce a branded hashtag
12. Share memes that resonate with your audience
13. Create your own Instagram Stories filter
14. Collab with amazing brands
    
    Ready to dive into the details? Get the full rundown by watching this video — or continue reading the full blog post below.
    

1: Use Instagram Reels

If you’re not sharing on Instagram Reels in 2021, you could be missing out on a huge opportunity for your brand or business!

What is Instagram Reels?
Since Instagram has chosen to put Instagram Reels at the forefront of Instagram, there is significant encouragement for users to browse and share Reels more frequently in 2021.

Reels can be found on their own dedicated tab within individual Instagram profiles

Reels can be found on their own dedicated tab within individual Instagram profiles (and also on the Instagram Explore page!).

Much like TikTok videos, Instagram Reels have a chance to go seriously viral. Instead of users only seeing Reels from accounts they follow, users will see Reels from all accounts. This is a major game changer.

Sharing your Reel both on your feed and on the Explore page is an incredible way to extend your reach far beyond your followers — and potentially go viral!

There are so many creative ways you can use Instagram Reels for your business! If you need some inspiration, check out 15 ideas here.

And since Reels is a new feature, it’s a good idea to jump on the bandwagon while competition is still low, especially since Instagram is giving Reels additional prominence in users’ main feeds and on the Explore page.

2: Optimize Your Profile for Search

Optimizing your profile for search is a largely underutilized Instagram hack for growing your following — and one you should definitely try in 2021!

Thanks to a recent announcement from Instagram, English-speaking users in 6 countries will be able to search Instagram using keywords. This is a huge game-changer within the app!

Previously, if users searched for home workouts, a hashtag or accounts with the words “home workout” in their username would populate. Now, posts with captions, names, or bios that include home workouts should appear in search, even if that hashtag isn’t in the post.

According to an Instagram spokesperson via The Verge, “the team considers a ‘range of factors,’ including ‘the type of content, captions, when it was posted,’ and others, to show relevant results. It also uses machine learning to ‘find the highest quality content that’s relevant to you.’ For now, only grid posts will appear.”

If you want to stay organized and optimize your Instagram captions for search, you can schedule your Instagram posts in advance using Later!

With Later’s calendar view and Saved Captions feature, you can create and edit all your captions at once:

You can also use Later’s Saved Captions feature as a way to save and organize keywords!

Instagram notes that keyword search is limited to topics of general interest and keywords that are in line with Instagram’s community guidelines.

With this change, it’s more important than ever to optimize your username and bio for search.

Instagram expert Elise Darma has taught thousands of creators, freelancers, and entrepreneurs how to grow their business on Instagram. Her favorite way to be found on Instagram is by optimizing the username and name fields!

And the best part? The words you enter in your Name field and Instagram bio are actually searchable on Instagram — making it prime keyword real estate in your bio!

“Most people nail their username, but the name field trips them up. For your Name field, think about what your niche is, what industry you’re in, who you’re targeting, what solution you offer, etc. When in doubt, put that term into the search bar on Instagram and see what comes up,” says Elise.

Make the most of your bio by changing the Name field to something related to your brand or business. It’s a great way to improve your chances of appearing in top results when someone searches for your target keywords.

“If a lot of other profiles are using that term, that’s a great sign — you don’t want to use a search term that no one else is using,” adds Elise.

Ready to grow your following? We’ve teamed up with Instagram expert Elise Darma to create a free Instagram workshop on how to get your first 1,000 Instagram followers:

How to Get Your First 1,000 Instagram Followers

3: Create an IGTV Series

One of our top predictions for 2020 was that IGTV would become an important part of Instagram — and it doesn’t look like it’s slowing down anytime soon!

With the COVID-19 lockdown, more and more social media users are turning to Instagram for entertainment. And with the IGTV tab on profiles, it’s easy to align your Instagram audience with your IGTV content.

Creating an IGTV series is a creative way to connect with your community while also casting a wider net and reaching new audiences.

If you haven’t yet created an IGTV channel, 2021 is a great time to get in the game. Think about what kind of longer-form video would engage your audience, and start creating content around it!

Additionally, video content tends to gain more traction on your feed – greater engagement and views on your videos could result in more followers.

4: Be More Inclusive and Diverse

Having an accessible, inclusive, and diverse Instagram account is not only the right thing to do, but it is also a way to boost your engagement, follower count, and strengthen your community.

There are so many ways you can create a more accessible and inclusive Instagram account. You just have to get started!

The first and easiest step you can take is to start adding captions to your Instagram video content.

85% of videos on Facebook are watched without sound, so making sure your content is digestible without audio is a no-brainer.

Captions are not only great for people who watch without sound, but they are also essential for those who have hearing impairments.

ICYMI: Instagram introduced automatic captions for IGTV in 16 languages.

In 2020, there was also a major shift where brands and influencers took responsibility for the lack of diversity in their marketing. And in 2021, the importance of diversity is through the roof.

By choosing not to collaborate with more diverse content creators or show support for social causes, brands could seriously miss out on reaching a broader audience that could potentially support their brand and products.

In fact, 74% of consumers expect brands they like to take a stand on important issues. In doing so, it helps humanize your brand, increase brand loyalty, and thereby grow your following!

5: Work with Micro-Influencers

If you’re looking to reach new audiences in 2021, one of the best ways to go is by collaborating with micro-influencers.

While blue verification badges and high follower counts may be tempting, these influencers may not be the best choice for your brand or business.

According to a recent study by Makerly, micro-influencers — between 10K–100K followers — offer the best combination of engagement and reach.

We asked Later’s PR and Influencer Manager Chrissy Abram about the benefits of working with micro-influencers in 2021:

“Partnering with micro-influencers has the potential to tap into a truly engaged audience without having to fight for their attention.”

Since micro-influencers operate on a smaller scale, they tend to have fewer sponsored posts and are known for a specific interest or niche.

“Think of micro-influencers as the locally known names in your local community,” says Chrissy.

6: Create Authentic Shareable Content

The power of Instagram authenticity for growing your followers is enormous — and we predict it will grow even more in 2021.

One of the best ways to reach a larger group of people is by creating authentic shareable content. On Instagram, shareable content is one of the best ways to spread your message. Users can share posts to their Instagram Stories or via direct messages.

Whether it’s about struggling with your own business, or your step-by-step skincare routine, when you are open with your audience, your followers will feel it.

When you make your followers feel like friends, they may feel a natural pull to share your content with their own community of followers.

The Instagram algorithm tends to prioritize posts that generate a lot of engagement, so when your posts are shared, they will appear in people’s feeds. And if a post gets enough engagement, it could even end up on the Explore page. Hello, new followers!

A simple share can go a long way for your brand or business — so it’s worth putting in the effort to create (authentic) shareable content.

TIP: Set a time limit for being active on Instagram! In addition to responding to comments and DMs, don’t forget to interact with accounts you follow and those that have a similar audience to yours. There’s a good chance their followers will check you out!

When you see a post you really like, comment on it! Plus, your comment may be pinned and easily seen by hundreds of potential new followers.

Interacting with other accounts also lets the Instagram algorithm know that you have a “relationship” with them. This will help your account appear in related and suggested account suggestions.

ICYMI: Instagram released Instagram Guides – a new way for users to share and use helpful recommendations and tips in an easy-to-digest format.

Instagram Guides are a great way to create shared educational (and fun!) content with your followers in 2021.

The creative opportunities are endless. You can share guides compiled from products, places, or posts. You can share guides, gift guides, travel guides, inspiration, tell stories, provide advice or tips, and much more.

You can also find more Instagram promotion tools here

7: Promote Your Instagram Content on Other Platforms

If you’re looking for new ways to grow your Instagram, cross-promoting your Instagram on other platforms may be the solution.

As of 2021, we predict that TikTok and Pinterest will be two of the best ways to grow your Instagram even beyond Instagram itself.

Thanks to TikTok’s unique algorithm and Pinterest’s growing referral traffic, many creators and brands have noticed growth in their Instagram following since connecting with TikTok and Pinterest.

On TikTok, one of the first things you can do to drive Instagram traffic is to link your Instagram account to TikTok.

Other ways you can gain followers? Create a TikTok showcasing what you offer on Instagram, tease your Instagram content, and take advantage of your TikTok bio. Learn more ways you can convert your TikTok audience into Instagram followers.

Similarly, claiming your Instagram account on Pinterest comes with a range of loaded benefits. By promoting your account and pinning your Instagram posts, you can boost your traffic and engagement on your Instagram content over a longer period of time!

If TikTok and Pinterest are not part of your marketing strategy, you can redirect people to your Instagram through your website, email newsletter, podcast, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube!

8: Write Longer Captions

Long captions were huge in 2020, and in 2021 they’re so long they have no end — especially thanks to Instagram’s new keyword search feature.

Instagram used to be all about visuals — a cohesive aesthetic, high-quality photography, and on-brand images were a must. Now, however, audiences are trying to learn more about you, your brand, and your mission.

According to an influencer survey by Fohr, the average caption length has actually more than doubled since 2016.

And in 2021, our feeds will be filled with an average caption length of 405 characters — which averages out to 65–70 words!

Influencers were the first to jump on this trend — sharing lengthy captions on their posts to provide a better insight into their world or share their perspective on current events.

However, brands are also starting to take advantage of this trend — especially when it comes to raising awareness for causes they care about.

When you share more with your audience through your Instagram posts, you build a stronger and larger community.

And since Instagram allows users to search for specific keywords, such as “healthy recipes” and “gold jewelry,” including keywords in longer captions can help you gain more organic reach for your content.

9: Go Live on Instagram

Video is the future of Instagram — and Instagram Live may be one of the best ways to use video to gain engagement and followers in 2021.

Instagram Live is a completely unedited video stream that your followers can tune into and engage with — meaning your audience can send comments and questions in real time.

Plenty of brands jumped on the Instagram Live bandwagon, especially with the shift to working from home in 2020.

The content possibilities for Instagram Lives are endless. You can host weekly shows, games and tournaments, online webinars, tutorials, and much more. And now you can even showcase your products to help boost your sales.

ICYMI: Instagram released Instagram Live Shopping – a new way for brands and creators to sell products during Instagram Live broadcasts. This means that accounts with access to Instagram Checkout can tag products from their Facebook Shop or catalog and let their audience shop on the spot.

10: Create a Viral Challenge or Game for Instagram

From #FliptheSwitch to #BathtubChallenge, 2020 was the year of social media challenges and games.

Influencers and brands have recognized the power of viral Instagram challenges and games, especially when it comes to building brand awareness and growing your audience.

Take Bailey Stanworth, founder of PLAY Digital, for example. Inspired by @hunterrae, Bailey launched the #BathtubChallenge, where she challenged her followers to get dressed up, take a selfie in the bathtub, and tag 3 friends.

Suddenly her followers were posting and tagging friends, and the hashtag grew to over 2,000 posts!

Another way to grow your following? Get creative and create your own Instagram game!

Bailey created a second highly interactive Instagram moment with her PLAY Pong tournament – an online version of a beer pong tournament. The weekly event, held on Instagram Live, was in support of the COVID-19 humanitarian fund.

“At first I thought it would just be a fun little way to give back while we were quarantined in our homes, but it quickly went viral and attracted up to 100,000 viewers.”

Consider turning your Instagram game into a branded series that you commit to monthly, twice a week, or even weekly.

And you can spend more time interacting with your audience by scheduling your Instagram challenges and games in advance.

11: Create a Branded Hashtag

Instagram branded hashtags are a great way to help spread the word about your business, find user-generated content (UGC), build community, and attract new followers.

A branded hashtag is a hashtag that is unique to your business. It can be as simple as your company name, slogan, or the name of one of your products, events, or campaigns.

According to a report from Visual Objects, one of the best ways to see engagement on your branded hashtag is to incentivize your customer base.

For example, bridesmaid dress company Birdy Gray encourages their audience to use the hashtag #birdyinthewild for a chance to be featured on their Instagram and website.

You can also challenge users to use your branded hashtag on their own posts for a chance to win a prize, as Later did with the LaterCon hashtag.

Additionally, all posts using your branded hashtag double as user-generated content (UGC). And UGC can seriously help skyrocket your sales and build genuine brand loyalty.

Ready to start implementing UGC into your Instagram strategy?

Find UGC from your Instagram hashtags

Search by hashtag to find valuable user-generated content in seconds, then add your favorites to your media library

12: Create Memes That Resonate With Your Audience

Brands have recognized the power of clever Instagram memes, especially when it comes to building brand identity, increasing product interest, and gaining more followers.

In fact, memes have become one of the primary methods of online communication, with 55% of people aged 13-35 sending them every week.

See how @smartsweets creates branded pop culture memes to fill their Instagram feed:

While most of us instantly recognize a meme when we see one, it is surprisingly difficult to define.

In the broadest possible sense, a meme is any kind of media that passes from person to person on the internet. They usually have some cultural significance, are often funny or clever, and typically contain a combination of text and images (this can be a photo, GIF, or even a video).

Some brands like @girlboss and @hellosunshine have gained millions of followers thanks to their witty and playful use of memes in their Instagram strategy.

When it comes to creating memes, there can still be challenges, such as integrating memes into your profile without compromising your aesthetic. But there are ways to do it. Apps like Canva and Over have a range of templates that make creating memes easier.

13: Create Your Own IG Stories Filter

“Augmented Reality,” or AR for short, may sound like space-age jargon, but on Instagram it’s starting to take off in a BIG way.

What started as cute puppy ears or heart filters in Instagram Stories has now evolved into an entire library of thousands of filters that enhance your Stories content.

In addition to content creators and AR on Instagram using Facebook’s Spark AR Studio to create camera effects, color grading, and fun face-altering filters, we’ve noticed plenty of brands and influencers jumping on this trend as well.

Christine Colling, Later’s Social Media Manager, explains how Later used AR filters to promote and increase brand awareness for Later:

“For LaterCon, we created 2 AR filters and promoted them by asking our audience to use them for a chance to win some prizes.” On the day of LaterCon, our AR filter received over 230,000 impressions and over 5,600 captures — exposing our brand to many potential new followers.”

We’ve also seen other brands jump on this trend. A simple cloud background created a fun, highly usable, and branded filter for @summerfridays’ followers. It’s even named after their best-selling face mask, Jet Lag.

The advantage of creating an Instagram Stories filter first is that when someone uses your filter, their viewers will see who created it in the top left corner of the screen.

From there, a viewer can tap on the filter name or creator and try it out for themselves.

It’s a creative and effortless way to get your filter in front of new eyes and increase your Instagram following.

Ready to make the AR leap? Watch as Rik Lomas, CEO and founder of SuperHi, walks you through his very first AR filter!

14: Collaborate with Amazing Brands

The power of collaboration or a co-marketing campaign for your business is huge — it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to grow your following.

Collaborating with like-minded businesses and brands will introduce your profile to a new and engaged audience.

So when an Instagram user discovers your profile through co-marketing, they’re likely to hit that follow button if they have similar interests or match the right demographic for your brand.

Plus, co-marketing campaigns don’t have to be complicated or expensive! What matters even more is who you collaborate with. You want to make sure you have a mutually beneficial partnership that will add value for your audience.

We chatted with Jess Ruhfus, founder of Collabosaurus, a marketing tool that connects brands for smart collaborations and partnerships, about her insights on trends.

“Brand collaborations can be incredibly powerful,” says Jess.

“In our experience, brand partnerships can double your organic reach without any monetary spend. And they’re up to 25 times cheaper than digital advertising!”

Instagram Stories takeovers, giveaways, contests, or content collaborations are fantastic ways for your business to quickly and cost-effectively reach a new audience.

Growing your Instagram account can often feel like a challenge, but if you follow the right techniques and strategies, you can definitely gain more Instagram followers in 2021!

Remember, it’s about a combination of creative content, targeting the right audience, and promoting your business in the right way. Try out some of these tips in 2021 and see just how much your account can grow this year!

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