According to Instagram, there are over 200 million brands and businesses on its platform. That means the competition is fierce for any new brand trying to make it onto the scene. And because brands are constantly vying for their target audience’s attention, it’s easy for the competitors to knock you out. So if this happens, how can you drive proper IG growth?
Today, we’re sharing 9 of the best, most effective, tried-and-tested strategies for boosting your follower count and growing your page. Keep reading to see them all!
What Is the Average Growth for IG Followers?
Every brand and creator gains followers at their own pace—but what is the average growth for IG followers? According to Hootsuite, a good follower growth rate benchmark sits at around 2.5% to 5% per week. That means if you have 10,000 followers this week, gaining at least 500 followers next week means you’re performing excellently.
You can see your precise follower growth rate on Instagram Insights if you have a professional account. It also shows you your follower growth over time in absolute numbers. It’s a super helpful tool if you want to keep track of your overall growth on the platform.
That said, don’t worry if you don’t meet these benchmarks. As long as your numbers are green and you see steady growth week on week, you’re in a good place. Focus on the consistency of your growth, not just how much you grow. Real growth isn’t always fast—sometimes, the most sustainable growth strategies will boost your Instagram presence slowly but surely.
How To Boost IG Followers: 9 IG Growth Tips To Amplify Your Presence
Are you struggling to increase your Instagram follower base, no matter how much you try? Don’t worry—there are many paid and organic growth methods you can try to attract new audiences to your page. Here’s how to boost IG followers in a steady, sustainable way with ten of our fave IG growth tips.
1. Optimize Your Username and Bio for Easy Searching on the App
One of the best but most underrated growth hacks on Instagram is optimizing your username and bio. It’s important to curate both elements to ensure you show up more easily on the platform’s search feature.
Your username should be simple and straightforward. It has to be easily recognizable and is in no question affiliated with your brand. That way, if people search your brand name, your official Instagram account is at the top of the results. For example, the official McDonald’s handle is straightforward, with no-frills @mcdonalds.
Now, while your username should be simple and easy, your bio should be more comprehensive and detailed. Include keywords and buzz phrases that tell people more about your brand but are key search terms, too. If you run a beauty account, include phrases like “beauty guru,” “skincare lover,” or “makeup inspo” in your bio. So, when people look up these niches, your account has a chance of popping up in the results.
Remember—your bio can only be 150 characters long. Choose the most relevant keywords possible to make the most out of this section’s real estate on your profile.
2. Craft a Content Strategy With Insightful, Valuable Content Buckets
Another thing that should be part of your IG growth guide agenda is a good content strategy. Attract potential followers to your page with high-quality, compelling content they can’t get anywhere else. Don’t just stick to pretty pictures and cliché dance videos. Create valuable, out-of-the-box content related to your niche.
It’s important to entertain your followers, but it’s just as pertinent to add value to their lives. So, create content pillars in your overall creative strategy that allow you to share informational, educational, and insightful content.
For example, if you run a fashion account, create a unique styling Reel series for minimalist or capsule fashion. If you specialize in food, post content centered not just on styled food photography but also on recipes and kitchen tips.
Make your content as noteworthy and as shareable as possible. That way, it can drive more engagement and reach more people, helping you pique the interest of more new followers.
3. Follow a Consistent Content Calendar
Aside from churning out interesting content, it’s important to keep your momentum as you post. Publish content regularly; at least three to five times a week would be ideal. That way, your page doesn’t gather cobwebs, and your engagement momentum doesn’t die out.
One way to keep tabs on your posting schedule to ensure you post regularly is by maintaining a content calendar. This calendar will be your ultimate blueprint for posting. It shows you what you need to post on which date. It’s terrific for keeping things organized since it helps you see your total posting schedule at a glance.
Content calendars also help you plan your content distribution. You can label each post on your calendar with the content pillar or ad objective under which they fall. That way, you can make sure to strike a balance between content designed for reach, engagement, and conversion.
4. Write Engaging Captions With Trending Hashtags at the End
Captivate potential followers by writing compelling captions for your posts. You can go the funny, charismatic route by adding witty one-liners to your content. Alternatively, you can tug at the heartstrings and share personal anecdotes and stories to evoke emotion. If you’re the more practical type, use your caption to relay tips, tricks, and how-to’s about your niche.
The key here is to ensure that your caption is so attention-grabbing that people stay on your post for longer. Hopefully, they like your visual post and words enough to give your content a like or comment. This boost in engagement can push your post more to the feed, allowing more people to discover your page.
Are you having trouble writing stellar captions? Here’s a tip: use a trusted AI caption writing tool to help you find the perfect words for your post. It’s one of the AI growth tools you can use to boost your social media presence.
Another way to get more followers out of your captions is by adding relevant hashtags to them. Lots of Instagram users follow hashtags related to topics they’re interested in. If you use these tags, your content shows up on their main feed, giving you more exposure to potential followers.
5. Post Content During Your Audience’s Most Active Times
It’s important to drive tons of traction and engagement on your posts as soon as you publish them. The higher a post’s engagement, the more the Instagram algorithm will push it out to the feed and Explore page. That means if your post gets instant traction, more potential followers will see it.
That’s why it’s important to post content when your audience is most active. By posting when your current followers are online, you can get lots of likes, comments, and shares on your content. This increases your chances of making it on the Explore page, where people can discover your page and follow you.
You can find your unique best time to post on Instagram on your Insights page. Track down when your followers are typically online. Then, align your posting dates and times with that data. That way, whenever you post something new, you can rest assured that you’ll get lots of engagement on it immediately.
6. Engage With Fans and Potential Followers
Responding to people who engage with your page shows them that you value them as followers. Try your best to reply to messages, like comments on your posts, and reshare user-generated content that fans publish about you.
Engaging with your fans makes them feel more loyal to and connected with your brand. These supportive fans will then be more likely to engage with your future content. Driving this traction gives you more chances to show up on the Explore page, where you can attract new followers.
Plus, it creates a terrific first impression on new followers if you respond back to them. It tells them that you’re a brand that cares about your fanbase, not just your business. And who doesn’t like a little good PR?
7. Cross-Promote Your Instagram Content on Other Social Media Platforms
Lead more people to your Instagram page by promoting it on other social media platforms on which your brand is active. Share Instagram content on your Facebook or TikTok pages. Display your handle on your email signature or blog websites. The goal is to make sure your followers on other social channels know your Instagram exists. That way, they can give it a follow.
8. Collaborate With Popular Brands and Influencers in Your Niche
Another fun and creative way to expose yourself to new audiences is by collaborating with other creators and brands. Working with other popular pages might mean reaching an audience you wouldn’t otherwise have connected with.
Here are some ways to collaborate with other brands on Instagram to reach a wider audience:
- Accept paid sponsorships from brands where you feature their products in your content.
- Hire a brand ambassador to promote your business.
- Post a photo or video with a fellow content creator and turn it into a collaborative post.
9. Invest in a Paid IG Growth Strategy: Run Ads To Reach Your Target Market
If you have a professional account on Instagram, think about running ads to reach a specific audience. Instagram has advanced targeting features that allow you to deliver ads straight to your niche target market. So, if you have a decent marketing budget for promotions, this might be the best IG growth strategy for you.
By reaching the right people through these ads, you can get more followers that fall within your target market. These are the people that will most likely be interested in your brand. Having many of them in your follower base will allow you to market your business to them effectively.
Instagram ads come in many forms. You can do regular photo and video ads on the feed or get more creative with Story or Reel ads. Play around with different visual materials, captions, and CTA buttons to see which ads drive the highest growth for you.
The Real Cost of Fame: How Much To Spend on IG Ads for Growth
There’s no hard-and-fast rule on how much to spend on IG ads for growth. In fact, if you’re a business running ads on the platform, you can choose your budget for every campaign. You can spend as little as $5 a week to a whopping $100,000 if you can afford it. Just set your desired budget, and Instagram’s algorithm will get you the most ad exposure out of that amount.
Meta does recommend, however, to set a budget that is five times your target cost per result. Let’s say you’re running a conversion ad campaign and are willing to pay $2 for each successful lead. That means your ad budget should at least be $10.
A Word of Warning: Don’t Fall Into the Trap of Sketchy IG Growth Tools Online
Feel free to experiment and play around with as many paid and organic growth strategies as you can. However, always be wary of websites posing as IG growth tools that are only out to scam you.
Because the competition on Instagram is wild, some sites take advantage of brands desperately wanting to grow on the platform. They’ll offer paid services that claim to boost your follower count instantly. These can be websites selling fake followers or tools that automate Instagram growth through inauthentic engagement or follow-unfollow schemes. But these “services” almost always do more harm than good.
Instagram is very vocal about how generating inauthentic activity on the platform goes against their community guidelines. Paying for these sketchy third-party tools to grow can flag your account as suspicious. You run the risk of the platform catching you and having your account placed on a shadowban.
Even if you’re super lucky and IG doesn’t notice, there are still some consequences to expect for your page. Fake followers that you can buy online are typically bots and ghost accounts. These types of followers don’t engage with your content at all, plummeting your engagement rate. In the long run, this will end up decreasing your posts’ overall visibility.
Plus, they don’t do anything for your brand anyway. Fake fans won’t genuinely increase your popularity as an influencer in your niche or buy products from your business. It’s smarter to focus on strategies that bring in real followers who will support and engage with your brand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of Instagram page grows fast?
Across the board, it’s Instagram accounts that post high-quality, valuable content and engage with their followers consistently that succeed online. By putting the interests of your follower base first, you can guarantee high engagement and incredible visibility. This allows you to grow your page fast.
How can you increase your IG story reach?
If you want to increase the reach of your Story posts, utilize the many stickers and features available in the format. Use hashtags and location tags to boost your exposure to new audiences. If you want your Stories’ engagement to skyrocket as well, use interactive stickers like polls and emoji sliders.
Do IG growth services really work?
Yes, there are growth services designed to increase your follower count quickly yet sustainably. By promoting your posts and helping you optimize your creative content, these services can put your brand on the map. That said, it’s important to go only for trusted, reputable services with a proven track record in the marketing industry.
