While we often tell our clients to not focus too much on the number of followers and likes, and instead refer to your insights such as reach, impressions and engagement, we’re not naive in understanding that these figures also matter to you.
So what do you do to increase that count?
Short of spending some money on advertising to make your business known (which, let’s face it, is recommended due to so much noise that appears on our feeds now), here’s 6 tips you can take away and implement straight away.
1. Know your audience
If you’re a long-time follower of ours, this won’t be the first time you’ve heard (or read) us say this.
Figure out who you’re talking to.
Who’s buying your product or service? Millennials? Local parents? Dog lovers? Knowing your audience means you can post what they actually want to see.
2. Consistency is key
Social media isn’t a ‘post and ghost’ game.
Post regularly – whether that’s 3 times a week or daily. Pick a schedule you can stick to and keep showing up. This will also help the algorithm continue to show your content in the feeds of your followers.
3. Be authentic and personable
People don’t just want to buy stuff; they want to connect.
They want to see it all – behind-the-scenes snaps, funny stories, or industry tips. Make your audience feel like they know you.
4. Hashtags and tags = your besties
Use hashtags that your audience actually follows (no, not #follow4follow) but specific and unique to your product or service.
Similarly, tag other businesses or people where relevant across your posts and stories – it boosts visibility and might even spark a collab.
5. Don’t be scared of engagement
Post questions, reply to comments, and engage with other accounts (yes, other accounts, not just your followers commenting on your posts).
Think of it as a two-way street – the more you interact, the more people will want to follow along.
HIVE TIP: Pick 5-10 relevant accounts and commit to engaging and interacting with them.
6. Don’t forget videos
Reels, stories, and short-form content is going to be king this year.
Video content gets more love from the algorithm and keeps people glued to your page. With so many video editing tools available now, it’s never been easy to create your own. Oh! And don’t forget to include captions.
And we’ll let you in on a secret. But beware – it’s a little controversial…
We have found that when investing in a very small budget (no more than $50) on Instagram, with the objective of profile views (it MUST be this objective), we often see a nice increase in followers, too!
Remember, the key is patience, personality, and plenty of fun.