You ended up here because you are getting on Instagram for the first time or setting up a new account. Whatever the reason is, I’m glad you’re here to learn how to grow a new Instagram page!
There are 500 million active users on Instagram so it’s time to have your new page join the party!
There are a lot of ideas and strategies that address how to grow a new Instagram page. Having too much information is worse than not having enough. This can overwhelm the best of us. To simplify things for you the 7 new Instagram page growth hacks are:
- Be Descriptive
- Utilize your ‘link in bio’ on your new instagram page
- Add some curious symbols
- Tag your photos/videos
- Geolocate … on purpose
- Sharing is caring
- Zoom zoom zoom!
In some ways, Instagram is an easier platform. It doesn’t seem to have the complexities of other social media networks.
You post a photo or video, caption it, and go on your merry way. Instagram is younger than other platforms, so it learned from their mistakes.
For example, it emphasizes the visual over the textual and doesn’t make it as easy to hop off the platform once you land. #NoBounce. This does mean you have to put in more effort to use it as a brand.
A new Instagram page needs eyeballs to grow. We are going to dive into each of the 7 new Instagram page growth hacks. This way you can deploy them to grow your Instagram page today……
Table of Contents
Be descriptive
On most social media platforms, you have an actual name and a username. They can be the same, but they don’t have to be.
If your account is a personal one, you might display your full name (Dan Shea). Your username might be a nickname or something that displays your character. @DannyBoy or @Booklover would be examples.
On Instagram, opt for a keyword-based descriptor instead of an ordinary name. @DannyBoy can keep his username, but change his name to Social Media Evangelist. This helps search engines find his IG account. So if anyone visits his profile, they’ll see
- Social Media Evangelist
- @DannyBoy
- Web address
Utilize your ‘link in bio’ on your new Instagram page
On other platforms, you can put a clickable link on every post. On IG, you can only put it in your bio, so be smart with your link.
You can add them to images, videos, or even captions. They won’t be clickable, and fans are unlikely to type them out or copy-paste them to another tab. #LostOpportunity.
Update your bio link frequently, pointing users to a landing page rather than a generic URL or home page. Every time you put up a promotional post, you can finish it with ‘link in bio’. This will lead customers exactly where you want them.
Instead of having to worry about changing out your link. Linktree is a great option to direct your followers. They go to a page that has many different links for them to choose from. You can add different link options and change link options at any time. The link in your bio remains the same which makes things simple and easy.
Here’s a great video that walks you through Linktree:
Add some curious symbols
It’s a tiny thing, but it can really make your account stand out. Just think of celebrities like Ty Dolla $ign or Timmy T Dat.
Yes, the spelling offends some sensibilities. It’s certainly more memorable than their given names, Tyrone and Timothy.
To add a symbol to your username, type it out on Word, using Advanced Symbols of Character Map to find what you need. Then copy-paste to IG.
Tag your photos/videos
Actually, they’re hashtags, and they’re called stories. Many users often neglect captions in their visuals. By adding hashtags to your stories, you get access to more eyeballs.
As you edit, options will appear at the top of your screen. Options include emoji, location, temperature, mood, or stickers. You can make them smaller if you’re worried about crowding your screen. Each post can hold up to 10 hashtags. Use them wisely…
Here’s a great video that covers some important points on using hashtags:
Geolocate … on purpose
We’ve all heard horror stories of people who accidentally left their phone location on. This resulted in … unpleasantry.
For example, tagging your room number could lead to ‘lost luggage’. Tagging your holiday destination tells people your house is empty … and open to unwanted visitation.
When you add location tags to your IG story, it’s added to that location’s feed. This can lead you to new prospects via the Explore tab. So use your #Location, but make sure it’s deliberate … and safe.
If you don’t know how to add your location to your Instagram story here’s a quick video to help:
Sharing is caring
Facebook has the ‘share’ button and Twitter has the ‘retweet’. We have an Instagram equivalent … ‘Add post to your story.’
While you can’t re-post somebody’s content like you can on other platforms, you can attach their post to yours.
The arrow button lets you pick someone else’s story, add captions, emojis, or comments, then post it on your feed. It gives them more reach and tells them you’ve noticed them. They might return the favor and swing some traffic your way.
Reposting also gives you an opportunity to space out your content. You can fill up some of your content calendars with reposts. This gives you the opportunity to take effective content leverage this for your page.
Here’s an example:
While you are at is follow @inspirationallivin to get a daily dose of motivation and inspiration!
Pro Tip: There is actually an app that makes reposting a breeze. You just need to download an app to do that. There are a lot of different apps that do this.
Here’s a great video that highlights the best apps out there:
Zoom zoom zoom!
If your Instagram story is a video, you can zoom in or out while you record.
Remember your finger must stay on the screen. If you lift off the screen even for a second, the recording stops.
Place your finger on the record button. Now while still holding the button, slide your finger upwards to zoom in or downwards to zoom out.
It’s easier than it sounds – try it! It does take some practice. Your first few tries will only produce zig-zagging rollercoaster shots, but keep going.
Here’s a quick video that will show you how it’s done:
Visuals do better than text.. Video gets more click-throughs than static images. The resulting traffic spike is worth it.
Unlocking the secret key
Now you know how to grow a new Instagram page. Take it one step at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. Before you go there is a critical piece you need to consider for growing an Instagram page (especially a new one).
All anyone thinks about is growing the number of followers, but that’s the easy part. What you need to grow is engagement. Having a large following with low engagement is not good. As a result, Instagram will not push your content out to other users. The reason is the low engagement indicates that it’s bad content.
Driving engagement requires a lot of time, energy, and focus. Don’t worry if you don’t have the time. You aren’t alone.
This is why we developed the Social Demand Engine. It guarantees your content will hit the right engagement levels. Instagram will start to push out your content.
It won’t cost you an arm and a leg. You can get started for as little as $11. If you want to learn email dan@socialcabbage.biz
After you hit me up via email check out our post on 4 Easy Ways to create better Instagram Content
