Instagram: 10 Tips and Tricks for Gaining Followers. 

A lot of people go through so much to get followers. But how far do your efforts actually take you? I know I have spent way too much time caring about my follower count.

Here are my issues/methods: 

1. Unfollowers. 

We try to get people to notice us by using hashtags and sometimes it works. We have people follow us for a little while but then they unfollow you unless you follow them back. But let's be honest, who wants to follow people back unless you generally like their account, it's a bit anti-productive. 

2. Daily Posting

It is important to have content everyday, but if you're busy or not in a picture mood then what do we do? There is always the option of having old pictures ready to post, but even having that can be difficult. In my own case I have a lot of personal stress that stops me from posting. 

3. Active Followers

Don't buy followers. I know it's tempting but buying followers only leaves you with inactive accounts following you so you have thousands of followers with only 100 likes on each of your posts. This also comes back to posting everyday, you be active in return for active followers, otherwise they're likely to forget about your page and become inactive. Interacting with your followers is also key to keeping them engaged. If you're replying to their comments they know you acknowledge them and appreciate them as more than just a number or words on your screen. 

4. Following and Liking

You can always try the method of liking and following people back but this may lead to the people you "followed back" unfollowing you. I suggest you get one of those apps that keeps track of the people who follow you back and unfollow you, they can be very helpful. If somebody spam likes your pictures, you can like back and they will appreciate it which can lead to them following you, then expecting a follow back. 

5. #Hashtags

I know it can be weird puting hashtags on your pictures. You can feel like you are labeling yourself or stereotyping. I think of it as spreading your image into multiple areas. Without hashtags your picture will sit on your page with no exposure unless you bring people to your page. Feel free to hashtag what you see in your picture or Google the top hashtags. This way when people scroll through the hashtags that you put your image will shoe and they could visit your profile or just like the picture.

6. Shoutouts

Getting your page shouted out can be really good promotion because if people actually visit your page from the shoutout then you know that they are active on Instagram, therefore you receive active followers. It can be hard to get shoutouts. There are sites you can buy shoutouts from real people, if you want to buy followers, this is the only thing I suggest. Otherwise you can go around asking some pages if they would be nice enough to give you a shout out. I suggest going to pages with the same or only slightly more followers than yourself and offering a shoutout for shoutout. I suggest this because big pages will ask you to pay them, but you can try ask anyway, you might get lucky. Pages with similiar follow count to your own will understand your struggles and you guys will both have a small follow count that could gain you 5 or 10 followers. Maybe less. Maybe more. But if you do this with mulitple accounts then the numbers will add up. Maybe dont do it every hour or something though, it might irritate your followers. Also rather than a picture shout out, maybe shout them out on your Instagram story.

7. Theme

Having an Instagram theme can make your account more interesting or aesthetic. Maybe all of your pictures are black and white, maybe they are pastel or maybe you have theme dividers or spacers to make it look nice. Having your pictures relatively matched is helpful. This also stands for the picture quality, try keep you images all equally good quality. I personally post three pictures at a time so they match and I have a sort of pink pastel and black colour theme.

8. Bio/Descriptions

I believe that you have to have a bio on your page to give people a slight idea of what you enjoy, post, maybe where you're from and hobbies that you may post about. Mine says my age (Level 17), where I am from (New Zealand) and my two favorite hobbies (Gaming and Cosplay). I find writing bios very hard which is weird but you should try anyway, give people an insight on you. Also your images that you post should have some description. Posting without saying anything is kinda lame, especially if you just have hashtags (which I forgot to mention that you can post the picture and put the hashtags as a comment so they don't disturb your pictures description). Even if you just post a quote you like, Google for quotes or talk about your day even if it has nothing to do with the picture you post and maybe you could just do a "QOTD" a.k.a "Question of the day". 

9. Tags

When posting pictures with objects or clothes from a certain brand you should tag them. Also when posting pictures with your friends. If you tag them it can grab their attention and maybe they will like your picture enough to post it on their page and tag you, like a shoutout. Also tagging shoutout pages and anyone else you want to see your picture can help it and your page get exsposed. 

10. Have Fun

Don't stress about it. You should enjoy posting on your page. Pick a theme and subject that you enjoy editing and taking pictures of. If you aren't enjoying your instagram then what is the point.

Good luck on your follower quest. ❤