How I Gained 400+ Instagram Followers In A Week

Instagram is one of my favourites if not my favourite social media site. It's slightly addicting liking other people's photos and posting your own. At the end of 2015 I kind of grew apart from my account due to being so busy with work and then when I got home it was dark, so obviously there was lighting issues and just nothing would go right with it. However since 2016 started I have been back to my Instagram addicted-self. I also must be doing something right as my followers have been growing and growing which is so crazy. So I decided to share some "tips" on what I've been doing that seems to be working. Of course these are in no way the 100% correct way to gain followers etc, everybody is different and these are just what seem to be working for me. I've also been getting so many direct messages on my account asking so I decided to just do a whole post for you all. So hopefully it'll help some of you looking to grow your page :)

Choose a theme

You will have a love/hate relationship with your Instagram theme, trust me! Every weekend I go through my Instagram to make sure everything is still matching up how I like it, if certain photos are no longer making the cut for me I end up deleting them and pretending like they never even happened. Having a theme is legit the most stressful thing so I will suggest taking photos in bulk for your Instagram as it just works out so much easier. Anyway having a theme seems to really attract people to your account. As everything matches and is colour co-ordinated it really catches peoples eye and may even make them scroll through your feed and result in them following you. Of course you do not have to have a theme as everyone has their own tastes! I have noticed though since the theme I started at the start of 2016 has caused the likes on my photos to be higher than they were last year, of course it's also attracting more people to follow my account. I will admit I do love seeing a theme on peoples Instagram accounts, it just always looks so pretty and put together.

Explore the explore page

I basically live on the explore page once I'm finished liking what the people I follow uploaded. Your explore page is normally based on things you like meaning my explore page is filled with pictures of Disney, Guinea Pigs, Bunnies and Makeup. Clearly doesn't get better than that to be honest! Looking through the explore page allows you to find pictures you like and even accounts that you end up following. This is the same towards your account, as when other people are exploring their explore page your photos are coming up allowing them to see and like them and even ending in them following you sometimes. I realise this isn't really a tip on gaining followers but it's just to let you know that your photos do also appear on the explore page, just because you don't see them doesn't mean other people aren't.

Have original photos for Instagram

Okay so I didn't know how to word this but what I mean is have photos exclusively for your Instagram, meaning your followers won't see them on any of your social media sites but that one. Of course you can still use photos from your blog posts to promote but I find if you're uploading the same main photo from every blog post and that's all, chances are you may not get people hitting that follow button as quickly. Where as if you have photos you've taken just for your Instagram account you're keeping your feed fresh of new photos that nobody has seen before etc. Taking photos for my Instagram is actually one of my favourite things as it's just a much more laid back feeling than my blog photos. 

Post at least 2 times a day and tag brands

Keeping your account active is of course something to keep in mind. Posting at least two photos a day keeps your Instagram feed active and your notifications busy. Depending on the day and how I'm feeling I usually tend to post every 4 hours, just as it seems to be something that works for me. I never tend to go over four posts a day unless I'm doing something really exciting which is rare. 

If you upload photos including certain products tag the brands in your photo! This allows the brand to see them and if they like them it allows the people following that said brand will see your photo and may end up liking it too. Sometimes brands will even repost your photo which normally leads your account to getting a lot of exposure and followers so it's works in your favour! You may even get brands reaching out to you on Instagram asking if you'd be interested in working with them.

Promote your account

Pretty self explanatory but promote your Instagram account on your social medias such as your blog and Twitter account. On twitter I usually take a screenshot of my feed and post it with the link to my Instagram, because you're allowing people to see a quick glimpse of your account they are more likely to click on your link than they are when you don't include a photo. You can also promote it on your blog by doing life updates through your Instagram posts etc. I adore doing these posts every now and then and of course because again people are getting a glimpse of what you post, they'll more than likely click your link if they like what they see. Just because you have your social media buttons on the side of your blog don't presume that people will just automatically click them.

Of course I will say again these are just the things that seem to be working for me right now. Everyone is different and has their ways so what works for me may not work for someone else. I just decided to do this post as I was getting so many direct messages from followers asking. Also my account is a mix of photos taken on my iPhone 6 plus and my Canon 400d for those who may have asked and I didn't get back to you, I wasn't being rude I just have so many messages to go through lately it's crazy, so just incase I may have missed one!

Have you any tips on growing your Instagram?

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