Growing Your Instagram Account

One of the most common topics I get asked about is Instagram. More specifically how to gain followers & grow your account. I'm sure you've heard this before but 9 times out of 10 you are not going to gain hundreds of followers overnight. It takes time & dedication to grow your Instagram account. It took me a year to gain 1,000 followers & 7 months to gain my first 331 followers.

I understand that it can get frustrating. I know I got frustrated at first because I was spending so much time taking & editing photos yet I wasn't getting a lot of interaction. When it comes to growing your account you need to know that it takes a lot of patience & willingness to put forth your best effort. Eventually, all your hard work will pay off & you'll be oh so happy.

|post original content|

I can't tell you how many times I've seen the same photo posted over and over and over again. While it's okay the first few times I see it, after that it just gets annoying because I've already seen it before! Posting your own content lets Instagram users see a new photo that they haven't seen before. But please, if you do share someone else's photo, please, please, please give them credit. There is nothing more frustrating than seeing that someone has shared your photo but hasn't given you credit. While it is flattering that you liked my photo enough to share it, it even more frustrating that you didn't give me the credit for my own photo. Even if you found the photo on Pinterest, please don't claim it as your own.

|post clear photos|
I've found that when I post clear & bright images I receive so many more likes & gain a good amount of followers too! Try to refrain from posting fuzzy or pixelated images because odds are if people can't tell what your trying to share, they'll just scroll right on by.

|interact with your followers|
If someone leaves a comment, respond to them! I've found that when I engage with my followers (commenting & liking their photos) they tend to do the same. If you take the time to interact with them, they're more likely to continue to follow you.

|use hashtags|
Hashtags are a great way to share your photo beyond the set number of followers you have. However, don't go overboard with the hashtags! When I use hashtags I'll typically put 1-3 relevant ones in with my caption and then if I have anymore to add that aren't exactly relevant but still apply I'll add them in the comments.

|post consistently|
I post everyday. You certainly don't have to post everyday but do try to post several times a week. By posting consistently your username is going to show up on people's feeds more consistently. 9 times out of 10 when people don't post for a few weeks they're going to lose some followers. I know that when I see that someone hasn't posted in 4 weeks I sometimes unfollow them because well, what's the point if they're not even posting.

|stick to a set "theme"|
Instagram themes are extremely "in" right now & while I do not have one currently as I am in the process of developing a new one, themes are a great way to have a nice, put-together feed.

What keeps me from following accounts?
When users ask for a "shoutout for a shoutout" "follow for a follow" and the endless other things like that. I don't really know why but whenever people ask me for those things it just pushes my buttons. While I do think you can gain followers by receiving a shoutout, I believe that you should put in the time & effort to gain followers. It might be frustrating at first if you go a few days without gaining followers but once you do it's so rewarding to know that all you dedication has paid off.

What are your tips for growing your Instagram?

xoxo,