What Type of Content Should I Post to Increase My Followers on Instagram?

With more than 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is one of the best social media for building an audience and customer base. But having an account is not enough, strategically engaging content is essential for increasing your followers.

In this article, we will explore all kinds of content to publish that attract loyal, targeted followers on Instagram. Applying these best practices for captivating visual storytelling and interactive engagement will organically expand your reach. Let’s examine how to formulate effective content for Instagram success.

Know Your Audience

The foundation of growing your followers is understanding Instagram’s demographics and psychographics to identify your target market.

As a highly visual social media platform dominated by millennials and Gen Z users, Instagram naturally skews towards younger generations. However, broader age segments are adopting the app on daily basis. Get to know your follower’s interests, values, habits, and aesthetic tastes through user research.

Crafting content that resonates with your audience’s expectations and preferences is crucial for follower growth. For example, an e-commerce retailer selling home goods would tailor content differently than a lifestyle influencer.

Consistent Brand Identity

A cohesive visual brand identity is vital on Instagram. Followers desire content that feels recognizable and aligned.

Elements like logo, color scheme, filters, captions, and tone of voice should remain on-brand. However, avoid becoming repetitive. Keep a balance between consistency and freshness.

A media kit or content style guide is useful for mapping out your ideal aesthetic and messaging. Referencing it while creating new posts ensures you reinforce your brand identity.

Post at Optimal Times

Paying attention to when your audience is most active on Instagram is key for engagement. Peak times vary by demographic.

For a largely US-based following, weekday mornings or evenings after work are ideal posting times to get noticed in busy feeds. The weekends can work too but avoid Monday mornings.

Leverage Instagram’s Insights analytics to determine when is the best times for posting. Consistently feed your audience content when they are most likely to interact.

Leverage Instagram Features

Crafting content tailored for Instagram’s unique features is now essential. Let’s look at how to take advantage of the latest additions to the app.

Stories
Posting fun Stories on a daily basis is proven to boost followers. Use stickers, Polls, Question boxes and location tagging for interactive engagement.

Live Video
Streaming Live is an authentic way to connect with your audience in real-time. Save your Lives to IGTV afterward.

IGTV
This is Instagram’s long-form video channel. Post educational tutorials, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews.

Reels
Instagram’s short-form video content competes with TikTok. Produce creative Reels following viral trends and challenges.

Interact with Followers and Influencers

The social in social media means directly engaging others. Respond to comments, ask questions in captions, and follow back potential collaborators.

Connecting with influencers in your niche also expands your reach via Instagram’s collaborative ecosystem. Develop partnerships that drive cross-promotion.

Run Contests and Giveaways

Follower giveaways are proven to attract and retain an audience. Require tagging friends or following your account to enter.

Creative contests like user-generated content campaigns encourage audience participation and sharing of your brand.

Use Relevant Hashtags

Hashtags help content get discovered beyond just your existing followers. Identify and incorporate trending and niche hashtags related to your industry or content type.

A balance of popular and long-tail hashtags maximizes discoverability. Just avoid overusing irrelevant generic tags like #instagood.

Optimize Your Profile

A compelling, informative Instagram profile invites new visitors to follow you.

Spotlight your products/services in the bio and use links or buttons to drive traffic to your website or online shop.

A quality profile photo and bright, cohesive aesthetic also keep new followers engaged once they land on your page.

Drive Traffic from Other Channels

Leveraging your email lists, websites, blogs, and other social channels expands your Instagram reach.

Promote your Instagram content across platforms. Embed Instagram feeds on your website to automatically showcase your visual brand.

Measure and Test Content Performance

Analyzing Instagram Insights reveals which types of posts resonate most with your audience. Notice engagement levels, growth rates and traffic referral sources.

A/B test post categories, captions, filters, hashtags, and optimal frequency to guide your content plan. Experimentation is key.

Leverage Influencer Marketing

Partnering with influencers in your niche provides access to their engaged follower base.

Negotiate sponsored posts, product reviews, giveaways, and cross-promotion collaborations. Micro-influencers often offer the best ROI.

Advertise on Instagram

Instagram Ads supplement your organic content strategy. Promote posts, drive website traffic, or boost follower growth through paid targeting options.

Retargeting past customers or lookalike audiences are proven lead-generation strategy. Measure conversion metrics to maximize your ad budget.

Conclusion

Growing an active Instagram following requires daily publishing of captivating content tailored specifically for the platform. Assess your audience insights and craft authentic stories showcasing your brand identity. Interact constantly with your community while leveraging Instagram’s latest features. Collaborate with influencers, run contests, and advertise strategically. Consistency, quality and optimization are key, along with continually testing new content types and engagement tactics. Let data guide your approach. By providing value through visual storytelling, you will cultivate a loyal Instagram following.