How to grow your Instagram audience

We've all seen them. We all follow them. The beautifully curated, cohesively-themed and filtered Instagram accounts. They're just regular people (read: not famous), but they've somehow managed to score over 25,000 followers. How do they do it?! Don't worry guys, Obviously is here to give you some tips on how to grow your social audience and start your influencer journey.

1. USE HASHTAGS

First things first: use hashtags. But don't just stick with the obvious ones (#love, #instagood, etc.). Do your research! From fashion bloggers to foodies to fitness gurus, there are popular hashtags for every genre. This is a really simple way to target a wider and more specific audience, as well as getting a boost on likes. 

Try using a mix of both popular hashtags in your genre (#fashion, #food, #fitness, #blogger) along with more focused, niche hashtags (#knits, #wholegrains, #cardiotraining). Using a mix helps you reach your most broad, general audience, as well as a more concentrated group of people that will appreciate your attention to detail.

Geo-tagging can be beneficial as well. Tag the restaurant where you ate that amazing cheeseburger or the store where you bought that incredible trench coat, especially if those places have a high social following themselves.

2. RESEARCH BEST TIMES TO POST

Research shows that there are certain times of the day that people are more likely to be scrolling the 'gram. Posting during during any of these times ensures that you'll have the highest available audience viewing your content.

Think about what part of the day you tend to glance over at your phone. Most likely it's on your morning commute, once you've been at work for an hour or 2, lunchtime

3. POST ONCE A DAY, BUT DON'T OVER DO IT

As a brand or blogger, you should have a constant presence on Instagram. Post at least once a day during a high-traffic time, but don't over do it. If you're going to post more than once, leave a few hours in between each one so as to not spam your followers' feeds, which could result in unfollows. 

4. SUPPORT OTHER INFLUENCERS

If there are blogs you love, prove it! Following other bloggers and liking their posts sets a good precedent and could lead to reposts or features, or even a future collaboration. If you notice other blogs or influencers following you, follow them back! Never underestimate the power of a good #regram.

5. BETTER QUALITY, BETTER ENGAGEMENT

Consider your followers when you post. Think about what they like to see and the standard of quality to which they hold your brand or blog. Staying true to yourself is the best way to maintain a loyal following. If you're not proud of it, don't post it.