Proven Ways to Grow Your Instagram & Followers in 2021

Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms and it's becoming more difficult to grow your IG due to its constant allegorical changes. As always, a yeti has your back and this article will teach you how to grow your Instagram following in 2021.

Let's talk aesthetics

Your Instagram aesthetic is the first thing potential customers will notice when they check out your brand’s profile. Make sure you get it right.

• Colour guide: It’s super important to have your brand be recognisable via your images on IG. The best way to achieve this is to establish a colour guide for your brand. Find six or fewer colours that you can commit to using throughout your content.
• Plan your grid before posting: With so many brands on social media, the right Instagram aesthetic can help set your brand apart and stand out from the rest. You can use tools like Later to help you plan your grid in advance.

Never ignore the hashtags

Hashtags are a fantastic way to reach new audiences on Instagram. They require a small effort and no cash investment, but they can lead people who may be interested in your content right to you.

• Search Instagram hashtags before using them: Before you use a hashtag on Instagram, make sure to search it yourself to see who is using it and what kind of content comes up. Just because a popular influencer or brand uses it, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for your content.
• Combine popular IG hashtags with smaller niche hashtags: Popular hashtags put you on the map, but there are a lot of other Instagrammers on the map. Niche or location-based hashtags help you stand out to the audience that is most relevant to you. Use a combination of both in every post.

TOP TIP: We know that building your hashtag strategy can be time-consuming, so here is the best way to build your own hashtag library - thank us later!

Treat your stories differently

Yes, stories sadly won't help you gain that many new followers, but it's vital to keeping your current audience engaged.

• Treat your Instagram stories' viewers like friends and family: stepping out of your comfort zone and in front of the camera is the perfect way to build trust with your audience and boost the reach of your stories and business. Serve up content that builds meaningful, familiar relationships. Be valuable by being visible. Posts with faces in them have always been popular on Instagram.

TOP TIP: Be mindful of the disabled community; increase the accessibility of your content by using subtitles. With just a few words on the screen, giving viewers an idea of what you’re talking about can be invaluable to those watching with the sound off. You can automate subtitles by following this guide by Later.

Add Instagram Stories Elements to Hold Viewers’ Attention: Lead with your strongest image or video clip in the first story frame. Don’t expect people to hang around for the money shot; capture their interest from the get-go. Incorporating the following elements in your stories will also help hold viewers’ interest:

1. Use text prompts to make it clear exactly what you’re posting about and why it’s worth watching.
2. Add music or voiceover to your stories. According to Instagram, 60% of stories are watched with the sound on.
3. Use numbers or letters to suggest you’ll be sharing a sequence of valuable content that’s worth sticking around for.
4. Use interactive stickers to encourage followers to participate in your story by answering questions and chiming in on polls. This input can also provide you with great audience insights.

It's all about Reels, hun!

• For accounts that have focused primarily on posting images in this past, you’re opening up the chance to get in front of a new audience that loves video. All they have to do is watch for 15 seconds, digest it quickly, and then they can either like, share or follow before scrolling on to the next video.
• The more you can show off your product or service, the better. Audiences especially love seeing something be made or implemented if for no reason other than the fact that it’s simply interesting.

TOP TIP: Always shoot and edit your reels via the IG app - for an organic look that resonates with followers more.

If you need any help with setting up your business for success, or you would like to profit from social media, get in touch with a Yeti below – don’t be scared, we don’t bite!