24 May 2022

How to get 1000 followers on Instagram without ads

Instagram has over one billion active users worldwide so for business owners, having an active presence on the platform is a no brainer as there is no doubt that your potential customers are hanging out on there. However, growing a big following on Instagram doesn’t happen overnight. Growth can often be slow, frustrating and hard work. But the good news is, it is still absolutely possible and can be done organically WITHOUT using paid ads. If you are just starting out on Instagram or still to reach your first 1k followers, then follow our step-by-step guide to help you reach your goal:

  1. Define your niche

First, you have to be crystal clear about your business offering and exactly who your target market are. By being really clear about who your ideal customers are, your content and messaging will speak directly to them and solve their problems.

  1. Create a strong brand identity

Having a strong brand identity will make your posts stand out and be instantly recognisable to users on Instagram. Choose a palette of complimentary colours, fonts (max. 3) and imagery that fits with your brand’s personality and use them consistently throughout your content.

  1. Write a killer bio

Your bio is one of, if not the first thing someone will see and read when they visit your profile so make sure you are very clear about what your business does, how you help your target market and of course have a call to action (follow for more tips, tap here for free download, book here, DM for more info etc.). Avoid using jargon people won’t understand and sprinkle some emojis in to break it up and add some fun.

  1. Define 3-5 content pillars

Content pillars are essentially themes or topics around which you create your content. Create 3-5 for your business which relate to your niche and are topics your audience will find interesting & valuable.

  1.  Create valuable content

This leads us to our next step – create VALUABLE content for your audience! This means creating posts and content that your audience will find interesting & enjoy consuming. The types of valuable content your business creates will look different depending on your niche and what’s important to your ideal client but can include industry tips, hacks, facts, information and news your audience will be able to put to use.

  1. Bring your personality

There is only ONE you so the best way to stand out on Instagram is to be you! Show off your unique personality in your content by reflecting it in your branding, showing your face in your reels & videos and talking to your audience on stories.

  1. Write impactful captions

Graphics stop the scroll but an impactful Instagram caption encourages engagement, tells the story behind the post and entices users to take action. Captions should not be overlooked and are the main driver in boosting your engagement rate and reach. Ensure your captions include a strong hook, value and a clear call to action. Tools like Rapide.ly can help by providing impactful caption templates that you can customise for your business.

  1. Use hashtags

Hashtags are still relevant on Instagram in 2022 and can help you to be discovered by new people on the platform. They act as a little boost for your posts so should not be overlooked! You can add up to 30 per post and they should be added to your CAPTION (not the comments) to be picked up by Instagram’s search engine. Make sure they are relevant to your industry and post and keep track of your insights for groups of #’s that are working for you.

  1. Use stories to engage with your followers

Stories are THE best way to connect with your current followers on Instagram so use them as a way to build relationships, show off your personality & behind the scenes of your business and position yourself as an expert in your niche. Use story stickers regularly to encourage engagement and get your stories to the front of the queue!

  1. Post at the right times

Use the information in your insights to see when your audience are most online and schedule your content on these days/times to increase the chances of more people seeing your content. Online planners & schedulers like Later & Planoly will also tell you the best times to post based on your follower activity.

  1. Engage with similar accounts to you

Engagement on Instagram is important to build relationships, nurture your audience and be noticed to grow your account. It is called social media after all so be social! Leave meaningful and authentic comments and follow accounts in your niche to be noticed by your target market.

  1. Create reels 

Reels are currently the BEST way to be discovered by NEW people on Instagram so if you’re not creating them yet for your business, now is the time to start. Creating reels your target market finds valuable, entertaining or relatable will attract new visitors & followers to your account so make reels an important part of your Instagram strategy.

  1. Create carousel posts 

Users love carousel posts as does the Instagram algorithm! Did you know they have the highest engagement rate of any format on Instagram? Creating value-packed carousel posts that encourage likes and saves will act as a boost giving your posts more reach and increasing your engagement rate. Struggling for ideas? Rapide.ly has a ton of carousel ideas & templates for you to personalise for your business.

  1. Showcase your business using highlights

Instagram highlights provide the opportunity to keep your stories on your profile rather than letting them expire after 24hrs. Use your highlights to showcase your business and structure them to include any key information & messages to help your audience learn more about you e.g. “About”, “Services”, “Products”, “Behind the Scenes”, “Reviews” etc.

  1. Collaborate 

Collaborating with like-minded businesses and accounts that share a similar audience to you will expose your content to their audience getting more eyes on your profile AND help build relationships within your community. Win-win!

  1. Be consistent

Being consistent with your content and posting regularly is the key to how to grow on Instagram. It not only builds a strong presence on the platform but also increases your engagement rate AND builds a consistent experience for your audience letting what to expect from you.

And there you have it! Time to get to work and start building a strong and engaged audience on Instagram and reach that follower goal. Be patient though, it takes time and you must be prepared to learn as you go but slow & steady wins the race.

If you are looking for a helping hand with maintaining a consistent posting schedule, content ideas and writing impactful captions, take a look at rapide.ly. We provide monthly ideas, caption templates and a like-minded community of business owners to connect with (we have a FREE trial available), click here to find out more. See you there!

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