How to get more Instagram followers for your business

For more than a decade Relevance has helped high-end brands increase their social media followers by driving engagement through effective social media strategies coupled with in-depth audience insights and tailored content.

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, thanks to its image-focused content, which makes it easy for followers to digest information.

Here are just some of the innovative techniques you can use to get more social media followers on Instagram.

How to increase followers on Instagram for business

Instagram tip 1: get partners and brand advocates to post your content by partnering with like-minded brands and creators

The best way to get customers to follow you is to get in front of them and be present. It’s critical to be present on your own Instagram as well as others. Try sponsoring user-generated content to get your brand in customers’ feeds. You can also hold Instagram contests to get your brand noticed.

The power of a collaboration or a co-marketing campaign for your business is huge, and it’s quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to get Instagram followers. Teaming up with like-minded businesses and brands will introduce your profile to a new and engaged audience. Giveaways, partnerships and co-marketing campaigns can all pay dividends. However, make sure you partner with the right brand to ensure a mutually beneficial partnership that benefits both of your audiences.

Finally, team up with relevant influencers and industry experts and encourage them to republish your content and give reviews.

Instagram tip 2: use your competitors as a guide

See who you competitors are following by tapping on their following count on their profile. Don’t just spam follow everyone – vet each user for relevancy before committing.

Target users that follow your competitors. You can view your competitors’ followers by tapping on their follower count on their profile. These users are already following an account similar to yours, so they may be more likely to follow back.

Finally, support social causes that fit the industry your brand works in, for example, brands in the yachting sector would be wise to follow Oceana, an international organization focused solely on oceans and that is dedicated to achieving measurable change.

Instagram tip 3: use the power of storytelling

Instagram’s carousel model allows multiple photos to be inserted into a single post, ensuring an eye-catching feed filled with interesting content.

Keep your feed interesting by aggregating common content together, and make posts that have continuity or even tell a story. This format, besides avoiding feed flooding, generates value and increases the interaction time between the user and your posts.

Finally, make sure that you write descriptive captions. Storytelling will help generate engagement and sharing, and thus help increase your number of social media followers.

Instagram tip 4: create your own filter

Creating your own filter is a fun way to engage with your audience and increase your followers. If your filter proves popular, even people who do not know your brand will search for your filter, therefore helping to increase your brand awareness. Finally, filters are frequently shared, further helping to grow your social media audience and spread awareness.

Instagram tip 5: don’t be afraid to use hashtags and create your own

Make sure your hashtag is in your profile, but take the game offline and have it printed on your receipts, in print ads, on signage in your store and at relevant events to help enhance awareness and grow your social media following.

If you’re on radio and TV, direct people to use your hashtag. Integrate online and offline campaigns by ensuring your hashtag is listed on your other social profiles, on your website and in your email blasts. Don’t just hope people will find it.

Finally, be creative with your hashtags. Be funny, ironic or outrageous – but never boring.

Instagram tips from our clients

Instagram tip from St Tropez House, a luxury villa rental agency

Our client St Tropez House, a luxury villa rental company based in St Tropez, shares its favorite Instagram tip to gain more followers.

“Show your real face backstage,” says Emilia Jedamska, St Tropez House’s managing director.

“St Tropez House Instagram users love beautiful photos and videos turned into Reels and populating their feed. However, what they really appreciate and how they bond with the brand is looking behind the scenes.”

Jedamaska adds: “Whenever we shoot a villa we use this day as an opportunity to do an ‘open house’ live broadcast. To maximize the power, we usually announce in advance via Instagram Stories that the following day we will be in a given property. Through live comments the users can direct us to different parts of the property, ask to zoom in, post any questions. These live broadcasts do not boast the highest reach but they definitely gather the most targeted audience that is genuinely interested in the property. We usually keep it on IGTV for a couple of days. When the professional video of a property is ready, we post it and send it as a direct follow-up message to the participants of a live broadcast.”

Instagram tip from Sellier, the fastest-growing online luxury resale platform

Sellier recommends using social media as a thought leadership platform in your space.

“We grew Sellier to 80,000 real followers in under two years by sharing our knowledge and passion about luxury with our followers,” says Hanushka Toni, founder of Sellier and former creative director at Relevance. “Although we are primarily an e-commerce business, our platform is about more than selling. We use our account to talk about the latest trends, share luxury news and give honest reviews. It’s what sets us apart as a brand and is an important way for us to connect with our followers.”

Contact Relevance for help growing your social media following.

Ned Quekett, chief executive officer at Relevance.