Easy Tricks For Gaining *Real* Followers on Instagram

Have you ever wondered why those pudgy cats get so many followers on Instagram (Hint: It’s not just because they’re adorable.) In fact, there is actual strategy involved in getting people to engage with your Instagram. Whether it be for a business or a personal account, here are some tips guaranteed to help you rake in the likes.

Use Hashtags (and lots of them). There is a strong correlation between the number of hashtags you use and the amount of engagement and followers a post can capture. Even though you might think it’s taboo to add more than two hashtags to a post, studies show that adding a large number of relevant hashtags will significantly increase visibility (and therefore followers.) Research hashtags that have a lot of followers, think of relevant terms to your particular handle or post, and don’t be shy to go cray with the #tags. So #justdoit.

Utilize #NoFilter. As hard as it may be, stay away from the Lo-fi filter when editing your photos. Instead, one study found that consumers are much more likely to engage (comment or like) on photos that aren’t filtered or use softer filters like Mayfair.

Be strategic about when you post. Ever wonder why your 8 a.m. post isn’t getting the amount of likes or followers you’d hoped for? That’s because 8 a.m. is the time that has the lowest engagement rate on Instagram as people to rushing to work and not scrolling the gram. Instead, try posting around 5 p.m. or for those night owls, 2 a.m. also has shown to be a successful time. According to the Huffington Post, Wednesday is the best day for Instagram engagement while Monday is the worst. So while you’re at work trying to make it through hump day, you really should be planning what Instagram photo you’re going to post on the way home.

Go ahead, take that selfie. Kim Kardashian might actually be onto something with the whole “selfie” craze. While the Instagram of your avocado toast does look pretty tasty, studies show that on average, photos with one or more faces get a lot more likes on average (35% more to be exact). This can be helpful to businesses who are debating on whether to post a picture of their cute shoes or a photo of a model in those cute shoes.

Think of the *perfect* Caption. The feeling of posting an Instagram photo only to think of the perfect caption the second after you post it is all too real. So what’s the trick to nailing that original caption and garnering more likes? Firstly, don’t rush it. Like any good piece of writing – multiple drafts lead to perfection. Secondly, front-load the important information. Not many people are interested enough to click on that “…” to figure out what you’re trying to say. Lastly, include a call-to-action. You might find this one a little cheesy, but if you want someone to like your photo, ask them to do so in the caption. An example might be, “double-tap if you like puppies as much as I do”. Who doesn’t like puppies?? People also see more engagement on their photos by asking questions. “Would you rather eat pizza or tacos for the rest of your life?” One of your opinionated friends is bound to answer.

Alright friends, now let’s see those insta followers skyrocket. #yourewelcome