Hello friends!

There’s a whole slew of information out there on how to grow your Instagram account and gain followers. We’ve taken the liberty of simplifying it down to the Top 7 Tips on how to increase your brand presence. From hashtags to influencer collaborations, here are our recommendations on how to get your content out there… while remaining true to yourself!

1. Hashtags

• Create your own brand hashtags; use your creativity and brainstorm a few that are relevant and catchy
• Promote your dedicated hashtags on your other social profiles (websites, emails, Facebook, etc.)
• Don’t use banned hashtags–they could be negatively affecting your engagement (you can find this out by looking up the hashtag in Instagram to see if any content comes up under it. If it’s banned- you will get a message from Instagram)
• Join in on topically relevant conversations and trending hashtags
• Use less popular hashtags for a chance to make it into the “top” section -> and to reach more people in your demographic! For example – #newyorkyoga vs #yoga
• Use community-oriented, specific hashtags that will drive more engagement and help you build a brand -> there still is, power in numbers! Find a balance between both more popular, and smaller tags.

2. Bio

• You have 160 characters to charm potential new followers; again, use this element to express your creativity and summarize your brand!
• Play around with your bio copy to find what clicks with your audience -> emojis are generally a big seller
• LinkTree – Say goodbye to having to choose just ONE link to put in your bio – this free app makes it easy, and fun to promote your most popular URL’s

3. Location

• Visit the Places tab to see and interact with what’s happening locally in your neighborhood or city
• Always use a location sticker when you create stories to gain local exposure
• Use location tags and hashtags in stories
  • INSIDER TIP -> Want to use multiple tags but don’t want them to dull your aesthetic? Add them to your story and then using the pinch of your fingers, minimize them until they can’t be seen – hide them in a corner, and voila! All the benefit with the visual appeal still intact

4. Tags

• Tag other brands and communities for a chance to get featured on collective accounts
• Interact with top influencers in your space through tags
• Edit your own Tags to hide images from your profile that are incongruent with your brand

5. Posts

• Write descriptive captions–storytelling helps to generate engagement and sharing
• Be HONEST and AUTHENTIC – people want connection and authenticity
• Try videos, live videos, and stories to up engagement
• Post consistently (at least once a day) – try sticking to the same time as well
• Develop your own creative aesthetic and stick with it

6. Communities

• Consider joining or creating a pod. Instagram pods help to beat the algorithm and increase engagement with genuine comments through community-building
• Use a call-to-action to enroll others in your cause
• Collaborate with others in your space

7. Giveaways

• Get new followers, increase community engagement, raise brand awareness, and connect with local businesses with giveaways; giving away free stuff has never let anyone down!

Which tips caught your eye? Do you have any favorite practices that you’ve found effective? We’d love to hear about them! Share below!