How to Expand Reach and Grow Followers on Instagram

#1. Visually & strategically plan out your posts & stories

Planning the content you post is crucial when trying to expand your reach and deepen your impact on Instagram.

Storyboarding and post planning allows you to curate your content before posting to ensure it’s of high quality and is in line with the aesthetics of your brand. Also, scheduling your posts for optimal days and times ensures that you will consistently create content and maximize your reach.

For more details on post planning and storyboarding, check out Storyboarding for Instagram Stories and How to Plan Your Posts & Why You Should.

#2. TAG LOCATIONS & USE HYPER-RELEVANT HASHTAGS TO INCREASE DISCOVERABILITY

Tagging locations and hashtags not only boosts discoverability, but it also drives more users to your account, which can lead to more followers. Anyone who searches Instagram for the tagged location or hashtag will be able to see and engage with your associated content as well as other media being shared with the same tags.

#3. USE INSTAGRAM STORIES STICKERS TO SPARK CONVERSATIONS

Instagram Stories stickers are a great way to engage with your audience in a fun, interactive, and playful way. To learn more about the stickers Instagram has to offer, refer to our Ultimate Guide to Instagram Stories Stickers!

#4. SHARE USER-GENERATED CONTENT

Sharing user-generated content is not only a great way to promote authenticity and credibility of your brand but also puts your account in a position to be reposted and/or featured by the user(s) whose content you share and tag.

For more info on user-generated content, its benefits, and how to utilize it, check out our post on User-Generated Content 101.

#5. UNDERSTAND YOUR AUDIENCE (& IDEAL AUDIENCE)

Understanding your audience is key when producing content and expanding reach. Knowing the type of user that engages with your account the most can not only help you improve the kind of content you choose to feature but can also help you identify opportunities to expand and grow your audience.

Refer to UNUM’s analytics features to help you better understand which of your posts get the most traffic, when your optimal posting times are, and the types of content (photo, video, carousel, etc.) that tend to perform the best.

#6. COLLABORATE WITH OTHERS WHO SHARE SIMILAR GOALS & VISIONS

Collaborating with other accounts and users with similar goals and visions can be incredibly beneficial when trying to grow your Instagram following. Not only does it increase your discoverability, but it places your content in front of other audiences that are interested in the same things that you offer.

Collaboration is also mutually beneficial. Whoever you choose to partner with will likely receive similar outcomes given that their account and content are being shared with other audiences via your main channels. The opportunity for growth is exponential through collaboration, so be sure to take advantage whenever you can.

Quick Collab Ideas: Collaborate with product giveaways, by reposting & sharing, or with custom artwork!

#7. ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH YOUR FOLLOWERS/AUDIENCE

Engaging with your audience can be done by replying to comments on posts, responding to direct messages, utilizing Stories stickers to spark conversations, and sharing user-generated content. Your response time plays an important role in driving awareness to your recent post, so be sure to comment back quick!

Building a community online is hugely effective in not only engaging your existing audience, but enticing other users to join in on the fun. By presenting a sense of authenticity and realness to your audience, you are showing them that there is a real person behind the screen and NOT just a bot that occasionally shares content.