How to grow your Instagram

Every time someone asks me how they can grow their Instagram following, my answer is the same.

1. Forget about growing your followers

Focus on serving the ones you have. Offer them value. Tell relatable stories. Respect people’s time, do not go talking about pointless things in what is supposed to be an educational content. Your followers have a reason for following you.Stick to it

2. Engage

Create real connections with real people. Reply your comments. Reply ya DMs, superstar. Also, engage consistently with content by others in your niche, or folks that you just like. Reply their stories. Send DMs. There’s no forming in the matter.

3. Foster Community

Online communities build around impact. Impact is based on connections. People who find your content valuable will share it with other people in their circle and your community will grow. That’s the kind of growth you want. Organic.

4. There are no shortcuts

Accept that there’s no fast way, so avoid desperate measures. Easy with the “follow to win giveaway.” Run giveaways as a gift to your community rather than a growth strategy. (remember #1) Or you’ll attract conditional supporters. No please, you want stans.

Be wary of follow-for-follow. Run! It’s the MMM of instagram. Don’t listen to anyone that tries to sell you followers or sell you an account with followers. The algorithm will punish you. No dey rush to do sponsored ads. It has it’s place, but sometimes it’s like tryna buy love.

5. Listening

To be heard, you have to listen. Look for pain points. Have conversations. Ask questions. What are people mad about? What are they struggling with? What issues have you had that you couldn’t find solutions for? Create that for others.

It’s not hard to figure out what people want/need. People go on Instagram for content that is either aesthetically pleasing to them, informs them, inspires them, educates them or entertains them. Empathize hard! Put yourself in your people’s shoes. Use relatable themes.

We rock with @Justiiin_Ug cause everything he puts out is relatable to the last drop! Same as @lasisielenu. Their content has you thinking about yourself and your experiences, not them. You see yourself in the story. It’s not a coincidence, it’s strategic.

Finally, NOTE: Growth =/= more followers. Follower count is not the most important metric. Times have changed.

There’s people who don’t have a buttload of followers but make more money working with brands than folks with 10k to 50k. This is because their following is niche and they have real engagement with real people whose decisions they can actually influence.

Finally #2: Building/growing your Instagram is not a vain thing. If you take it seriously and show up with your best, you can actually build something lasting that can & will transition into a community that will thrive offline even if Mark close shop. Ask @EveryThingNaArt

Finally #3: It’s okay if you suck initially. You have the right, you hear? Own it. Baby steps, ko? Okay I’m done.

Ehen, if you’re like “it’s never that deep” or “abeg it’s just Instagram,” or “fam I just want to post and go,” please feel no pressure at all. This thread is not for you. Continue along your merry way.

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