What comes to mind when you talk about Instagram? It immediately conjures images (and short video clips) of perfect selfies, stylish OOTDs, recent travels, and celebrity updates.
However, Instagram isn’t only ideal for personal branding and engagement. This social media channel is also best for business, marketing, and more.
So, right after creating your Instagram account, you’ve got to promote your social media page. But what does it take to skyrocket your following organically next year?
In this article, we’ll share some Instagram hacks and tricks to boost your account and grow your followers in 2024. Read on to learn about IG’s potential benefits for your company and earn expert advice from business leaders.
The Use of Instagram for Business and Marketing
Social media is extremely powerful in today’s business landscape. Not only does it allow you to have personal engagements, but it also enables you to have business interactions.
With over five million users worldwide, social media channels pave the way for a global reach. These channels let you establish business branding, pursue customer engagement, gain lead generation, and achieve sales conversion.
Enter Instagram, one of the most widely used social media channels worldwide. Launched in October 2010, it was acquired by Facebook (now Meta) in 2012.
What started as a simple channel for sharing photos and engaging with others has become a robust platform for personal and business interactions.
Today, Instagram is the fourth most popular social media channel, with two billion active users worldwide. However, this platform shows no signs of stopping or slowing down.
According to Statista, Instagram’s global monthly active users could grow from 1.21 billion in 2021 to 1.44 billion in 2025, comprising over 32% of the global internet users. So, capitalizing on this platform and growing your followers next year make absolute sense for your business.
Discover how Instagram can benefit your business below.
Key benefits of using Instagram and earning followers
Instagram will continue to grow and expand in 2024 and in the next few years. Leveraging this social media channel can benefit your business in many ways.
That said, here’s why you should leverage this platform and grow your followers:
- Increased brand awareness: Taking space in one of the most popular channels is crucial for boosting brand exposure. Why? Nine out of ten users follow a business on the Instagram platform. Likewise, two of three claims this channel lets them interact with various brands.
- Cost-efficient marketing: Instagram is one of the best channels for social media marketing. It allows you to promote your brand, products, and services through photos or videos. And the good news? You can do so for free unless you bid for pay-per-click (PPC) ads.
- Enhanced customer engagement: Instagram is one of the best social media channels for engaging with prospects and customers. In fact, 200 million users visit business pages daily, and about 80% of them research products or services on the platform.
- High lead generation: Instagram is an ideal social media platform for attracting prospects and winning new customers. That’s why it’s best to make a conscious effort to grow your followers. These followers are your leads which can be converted into sales—or prospects turned into customers!
- Boosted conversion rate: The end goal of every business leveraging social media is to convert sales or gain new customers. But did you know? Instagram offers social media marketers the highest ROI at 29%, along with Facebook. So, it’s a good idea to maximize this platform for your income potential.
Earn expert advice from business leaders on growing IG followers in the next section.
How To Organically Grow Your IG Followers (from Business Experts)
Earlier, you learned the potential benefits of Instagram for business and marketing. Now, it’s time to create growth on IG like a pro—grow your followers organically. That way, you can gain more prospects and maintain relationships with regular customers.
That said, here are pieces of advice shared by some business experts:
1. Start with setting SMART goals
Matthew Channell, Owner of TSW Training, emphasizes the importance of goal-setting in business. He advises setting SMART goals before implementing your IG growth initiative.
Channell asks, “Looking to grow your followers on Instagram? Seeking to engage with them strategically? Hoping to acquire more leads or convert sales? Ensure these goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.”
When it comes to growing IG followers, here’s how to set your social media goals:
- Specific: Gain 1,000 new followers among your target market.
- Measurable: Track follower growth and engagement rates using IG Insights.
- Achievable: Post content five times per week with optimized keywords and hashtags.
- Relevant: Align follower growth goals with business objectives (customer engagement, lead generation, and sales conversion).
- Time-bound: Achieve the follower increase within the next 90 days.
2. Build a consistent and authentic brand
Branding essentially applies to your social media, including Instagram. It’s crucial to highlight your brand on your IG page. Remember, an authentic personal brand attracts followers who share your core values, ideals, and philosophies.
Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Brand consistency: Incorporate your branding elements into your IG profile. Include your brand name, logo, and other visuals that identify your business and set you apart from others. Note: Consistency sticks to your target audiences’ minds!
- Brand authenticity: Publish behind-the-scenes footage, educational video clips, and user-generated content (UGC) for increased brand awareness (92%), sales (87%), and consumer trust (25%). Remember, authenticity connects well with people!
David Speedy, General Manager at Workspace Direct, underscores the importance of branding on Instagram. “Your IG is an extension of your brand’s personality. Be consistent with your visuals and messaging, but don’t forget to show the human side—authenticity builds trust and keeps followers coming back. People connect with stories, not just logos.”
3. Create appealing, relevant, and valuable content
Rhami Aboud, CEO at Arch Web Design, recommends producing and publishing high-quality content on Instagram. Take their content posting for the November edition, for instance. It appeals to their target clientele—those needing help with their newsletter publication.
Aboud believes that “Quality is a top priority when creating different types of IG content, whether images or videos. This not only attracts followers but also engages with them.”
Further, Aboud claims that high-quality content has the following key attributes:
- Appeal: Make your IG photos and videos striking and compelling. While the visuals catch your target audience’s attention, your storytelling grabs their emotions.
- Relevance: Ensure your content is relevant to your target audiences. Whether IG stories, reels, or images, they must resonate with your potential followers.
- Value: When creating and posting content, offer business value to your target followers. Will this solve their problems, meet their needs, or keep them entertained?
4. Incorporate the right keywords, hashtags, and captions
Creating and posting appealing, relevant, and valuable content isn’t enough to increase your followers. You must ensure your content appears right before the eyes of your target IG users.
The good news? There are three key elements you can integrate into your content. These elements ensure your pieces of content become visible to your target audience:
- Effective keywords: If you already have a compelling bio for your profile, incorporate relevant keywords. This SEO tactic makes your IG page searchable to your target audiences. However, be strategic since this section is limited to only 150 characters.
- Popular hashtags: Aside from using keywords, add hashtags to both your IG profile and content pieces, whether popular, niche-specific, or location-based hashtags. They make your IG page discoverable to your target audience.
- Engaging captions: Finally, add a caption to every piece of content, such as adding stories, asking questions, and making intriguing statements. Try different messaging styles, appealing emojis, and calls to action to see what works best. Remember, KISS—keep it short and simple!
Maryanne Fiedler, Director of Marketing at Psychic Source, highlights the value of SEO on social media. She suggests incorporating keywords, hashtags, and captions into Instagram profiles and content, like what they do for their brand:
Fiedler shares, “Think of keywords, hashtags, and captions as the bridge between your content and the audience you’re trying to reach. Strategic use of these elements ensures your posts don’t just exist—they get discovered. It’s about making your content searchable, relatable, and irresistible.”
5. Publish interactive content pieces
Peter O’Callaghan, Head of Marketing at ScrapingBee, suggests creating and posting interactive content on Instagram business pages. They have their fair share of publishing this content type, such as the following:
O’Callaghan explains, “Interactive content is a game-changer for Instagram. It’s not just about showcasing your brand—it’s about sparking a two-way conversation. When followers feel involved, they’re far more likely to stick around and engage.”
O’Callaghan recommends producing and publishing the following interactive content pieces:
- Engaging polls and quizzes: Polls and quizzes involve your followers and keep things fun. Use them to ask questions, share trivia, or gather opinions—it’s a simple way to boost engagement and connection.
- Interactive stickers and CTA buttons: Stickers like “Swipe Up” or “Ask Me Anything” make your content more interactive. They’re perfect for sparking quick actions, like sharing thoughts or visiting a link, while keeping things easy and engaging.
- Virtual and augmented reality effects: AR and VR effects, like custom filters or fun backgrounds, add a cool, interactive touch to your posts. They entertain followers and encourage them to share your content, growing your reach effortlessly.
6. Post IG stories, publish reels, and hold live sessions
Aside from producing and publishing interactive content, there are other IG features you can take advantage of. They have the power to connect with your target audiences and increase your followers. Chances are, you use these features regularly.
Below are the three IG features to use for your business page:
- IG stories: They are snippets of your brand stories. However, they are only visible and viewable for 24 hours. So, post them at the right time—between 11 AM and 3 PM, and in the evenings. Take this Instagram story for your fashion brand as a perfect example:
- IG reels: They are short video clips you can post on your Instagram page. While at it, try posting trending music, cool visuals, and interactive content. You can even publish evergreen Instagram reels that can stay on your page for good and resonate with your target audience.
- Live sessions: As with most social media channels, Instagram also enables live streaming. It’s a great opportunity to promote your brand and connect with your prospects. Note: Instagram Live has the highest ROI of any Instagram content format—it is the most effective for gaining followers and shares!
Take it from Murtaza Oklu, Owner of OMO Transfer. He suggests maximizing Instagram features to connect with people and grow your followers. “IG Stories, Reels, and Live sessions are your secret weapons for building real connections. They’re not just features—they’re ways to keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.”
7. Leverage AI-driven insights for content delivery
Rodger Desai, CEO of Prove, recommends harnessing the power of artificial intelligence for content delivery. He suggests leveraging its data insights to make informed content creation and distribution decisions.
Desai explains, “AI takes the guesswork out of Instagram strategy. It helps you understand what works, when to post, and how to connect with your audience for maximum impact.” He cites how this exactly works:
- Content types: AI tools analyze your audience to recommend the best types of content, whether it’s reels, stories, or carousel posts. This ensures your content aligns with what your followers love.
- Right timing: AI-driven insights identify the best times to post so your content reaches the most followers when they’re active. It’s about getting your posts seen by the right people at the right time.
- Engagement tactics: AI can help you manage comments, respond to messages, and track engagement trends. You build stronger relationships and keep your followers growing by staying connected with your audience. That’s why businesses and digital marketers leverage AI for sales and marketing:
8. Measure and monitor your followers
Setting goals, publishing content, and employing engagement aren’t enough to boost your following. You must also set key performance indicators (KPIs), track your IG performance, and optimize your content distribution strategy. Here’s how:
- KPI measurement: Monitor reach, impressions, and follower growth rate to gauge the spread of your content. Track likes, comments, and shares to gauge the engagement of your audience with your posts.
- Performance monitoring: Review your analytics regularly to spot trends and identify what’s driving results. This will help you stay proactive and adapt to your audience’s responses.
- Content optimization: Use insights from your metrics to improve future posts. Adjust your visuals, captions, and posting times based on what performs best to grow your followers consistently.
Learn from Simon Healy, Director at Wardrobe Warehouse. They also measure and monitor their IG performance regarding followers’ growth.
Healy nudges, “Tracking your IG performance is key to knowing what works and what doesn’t. When you measure the right metrics, you can fine-tune your strategy and keep your follower growth on track.”
9. Keep up with IG’s algorithm updates
Matt Wouldes, Founder at Land & Sea NZ, stresses how Instagram uses AI for its algorithms.
He suggests staying up-to-date with its changes so you can align your IG strategies with them.
Wouldes says, “Staying on top of Instagram’s algorithm updates is crucial. With AI playing a bigger role, understanding how it prioritizes engagement and timing can help you get your content in front of the right eyes.”
That said, see how Instagram algorithms can work for you:
- AI-driven content distribution: IG’s algorithm now uses AI to decide which content gets seen. It prioritizes posts based on engagement and relevance to users. Hence, creating high-quality, engaging content is key!
- New SEO ranking factors: IG’s algorithm rewards posts that spark interactions and are relevant to followers at the right moment. Focus on your engagement rate, content quality, and time sensitivity as key factors. They help boost your online presence and get more IG followers!
Maximizing Instagram Potential and Growing IG Followers
It’s time to unleash Instagram’s power for your business. This social media channel allows you to establish effective branding and cost-efficient marketing. Ultimately, it lets you achieve high customer engagement, more lead generation, and increased conversion.
However, consider growing your IG followers as early as next year. Follow the expert advice shared by business leaders above—from setting SMART goals to creating high-quality content to staying abreast of IG’s algorithms.
With all these in mind, you can maximize Instagram’s potential for your business growth and overall success!
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