A topic I get asked about constantly, and I totally get it. Even the biggest accounts out there are trying to figure out how to do this! Heck, I’m trying to figure it out! Instagram is always evolving with its features and algorithm, which definitely keeps us all on our toes. I kind of think of it as a personal challenge, but at the end of the day what it comes down to is taking the time to educate yourself about the changes/updates of IG and then work really hard at creating the best content that you can.

I wrote more specifically about the algorithm in this post, and I highly recommend giving that a read as well. Today, I want to narrow in on growth. The algorithm is of course a piece of growing, but there are a few other key tips I want to share. I hope they’re helpful for you guys!

Don’t forget to serve your current followers

I’m starting with this tip because I think it’s something we all lose sight of every once in a while – even me. We can get so wrapped up in finding new followers that we forget about our greatest resource – our current followers! If we listen to them and take time to understand what they want to see from us, they’re probably going to share our content or tell a friend about us, which equals growth! And meaningful growth at that! So don’t forget about them, they’re the ones who got you to where you are now.

Collaborate with like-minded people

I love seeing accounts that have a lot in common teaming up to share and collaborate. Like if they have the same personal style or both talk about the same subjects, it feels really authentic to see them sharing about one another. You’ve probably seen people do this. For example, if someone talks about photography tips often, maybe they team up with five other accounts that also share about photography tips. Then one person shares their best tip on Monday on IG stories, tags the other accounts and tells their followers the other accounts will each be sharing their best tip every day for the rest of the week.

I think these are the kinds of collaborations between bloggers/influencers that followers want to see because it can help them organically discover new accounts they might be interested in! Plus, there’s no giveaway included, which brings me to my next tip…

Limit giveaways

In my first IG post about beating the algorithm, I talked about not using bots or buying followers. Well, limiting giveaways is my next tip on this front. I’ve noticed a massive trend on IG in the last year of even HUGE influencers constantly doing giveaways and I’m just not into it. This might sound counter-intuitive, but to be honest, giveaways fall under the instant gratification category for me and don’t necessarily give you real, long term growth.

For example, you might instantly gain a couple thousand followers, but one, how many of them are going to stick around once the giveaway is over, and two, do they actually care about your content? If they’re not going to engage with what you’re sharing or make purchasing decisions based on your recommendations, then they might as well not be there.

With that said, I’m not saying never do any giveaways but make sure they’re meaningful to you. Partner with a brand you love and talk about frequently or a friend that your followers consistently see you mentioning/spending time with.  I like to do a small monthly one just to give back to my community, but use it as a way to showcase small sustainable businesses that need all the support they can get right now! Stay away from large ones. I did a few large loop giveaways in my past and they were more damaging than anything to be honest. As for how many you should do, I say less than five a year. To each their own, as I do more than that, but I keep it small and thoughtful. I think in the long run limiting giveaways will help you, not hurt you!

Be consistent with sharing

Basic but true. This is why being a “content creator” is considered a full-time job. This stuff takes so much time! Which also makes it really hard to get started if you’re also working another full-time job. It’s a struggle we all go through, but consistency really is the key! If you’re not, the algorithm will stop prioritizing your account, which means you won’t be showing up in people’s feeds. Creating a content calendar or batch shooting once a week can help you stay on top of your game.

Use ALL of IG’s features

It seems like every day there’s a new feature on IG and it starts to feel overwhelming quickly. Between IGTV, Reels, Stories, in-feed static posts – there’s A LOT going on. But the more IG sees you utilizing all its features, the more likely you are to show up on the Discover page and in your followers’ feeds! Again, having a content calendar can help you keep track of everything and I definitely suggest making one ASAP.

 Post at Peak Times

Some people don’t realize how important posting at peak times can be! When you initially post, IG will push your post to a few of your followers and see what percentage of those engage with your content. Based on how many people engage within the first 20- 30 minutes, then it will either push it to more people or not. If the algorithm sees a good percentage of engagement wihtin that first hour then you have more chances of your post reaching more people. The first hour of posting is crucial! Ideally you want to make sure that you are posting at times people are more likely to see it. Mornings before work (7-8), lunch breaks (11-1)and evenings (6-8:30) always work for me.

Was that helpful? I hope so! If you have any questions or anything to add, please share in the comments! I love to hear from you guys!

If you want more blogging tips posts check out my “Blogging Tips” Section and feel free to DM me on IG or shoot me an email for requests!

Xx Francesca