HOW TO INCREASE INSTAGRAM FOLLOWING

I’ve been asked quite a few times on how I grew my social media following, particularly Instagram so I thought I’d share my top five tips and advice that have worked for me personally. Please note that it does take time and it doesn’t happen overnight. I think a lot of people tend to rush the process, but if you work on building a great feed then your Instagram should grow naturally and organically. I’ve had my account since 2012 (when Instagram launched) so it’s been four years in the making!

1. FOCUS ON A THEME: When someone looks at your Instagram page, they should be able to get a feel for what you’re about and what your interests are. If you love fashion, then you should have a fashion based account that focuses on outfits, details, etc. If you love food, then your account should primarily focus on food related pictures. It’s important to have a niche, but I think if you want to be a little more vague, that’s okay too! I focused on fashion when I started to revamp my Instagram gallery, but I am branching off to more lifestyle theme, so my posts now include beauty, travel and health related pictures.
2. HAVE GOOD CONTENT: All of your content should be amazing! Don’t post just to post (and this is something I need to work on as well!) Make sure your pictures are high quality and appealing. This means good lighting and angle and should overall have an aesthetic appeal. I would also recommend getting a nice camera if you really want to take your photos to another level. I mean there’s nothing wrong with an iphone but I think accounts do better with higher quality images.
3. BE CONSISTENT: I would suggest posting at least once a day. Too much may cause your followers to get annoyed and too less may cause your followers to forget about you. You need to not only be consistent in your posting schedule, but also keep your pictures and gallery cohesive. Everything should flow together and a great way that some users create consistency is by using the same border or lighting/ filter. Experiment with your pictures and find what works for you. This is a struggle I still experience as I am trying to find my own style branding image, so don’t worry if you don’t have it all figured out. Truth be told, I think most of the time the pictures end up going together anyways so don’t focus too much on the little details in the beginning. Your Instagram is a gallery and it’s okay to experiment and change things here and there.
4. UTILIZE HASHTAGS AND TAGS: Some people don’t need to use hashtags because they have secured a pretty good and loyal following. However, starting out I would definitely recommend using hashtags because you’ll be surprised how much people actually use them to look for other users. Try and use hashtags that pertain to who you are or what your post is about. For example, if I am posting about an outfit I am wearing, I might use #ootd (outfit of the day) or #lookbook or something as simple as #whatIwore. I also think it helps if you include your location or what your specializing in such as #nycblogger or #fashionblogger. Another similar tip is to tag accounts or brands that are in your photo. If you ate at a specific restaurant, feel free to tag their page and use their location. If you are wearing a certain clothing brand, feel free to tag them. This is a great way to get noticed!
5. COMMENT, FOLLOW AND LIKE: In order to grow your following, you have to follow other users. You should also like and comment their pictures because sharing is caring. You might not receive all the love back, but you’ll get some in return. I’ve met some amazing people through Instagram and it comes down to us supporting one another. You tend to recognize users that constantly comment and like your pictures,so why wouldn’t you want to return the love? I am a huge advocate on social media support me because it’s better to uplift each other rather than bring each other now. Am I right?!

So if you aren’t following me on Instagram yet, please do! My username is @mariann_yip or you can check out my account on the sidebar feed to the right 🙂  I would love to return the love and support and let me know what your tips and advice are on growing your social media!

Outfit details: Jumpsuit (Sammy dress), Shoes (Converse *affiliate link), Choker (Sheinside), Bag (Sammy Dress), Watch (FJORD)