How to grow on Instagram in 2020

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog!

Today I am going to write about how to grow on Instagram in 2020…

As you may know, I have an Instagram account @bethlucyblogs which you can go follow if you don’t already! Here are some of my top tips on how to grow on Instagram in 2020! If you like this blog then please make sure to check out my other Instagram-related content as I post quite a few blogs about Instagram!

1) BE ORIGINAL

It is easier said than done, but honestly, if you have an original or authentic post then you will 100% get new followers, especially when others see this post. Rather than jumping on the bandwagon of posting a certain picture, make sure you are the trend-setter! People WILL follow your Instagram to see your posts and what else you share. Additionally, being original could literally just include posting an honest photo e.g of an experience. Everyone posts the highlights of their lives on Instagram – the good bits, so if you are keeping it real by sharing your real moments , then it is bound to receive love and support! You may also help someone with this type of post, and being able to help someone with something that was challenging in life and you overcame is more rewarding than getting followers…

2) BE HONEST AND REAL

As I stated above, if you are not relatable or real with your followers then people will most likely not stick around long… Ever shared an Instagram story and then seen your follower number drop drastically? Don’t worry, me too. Sometimes we can be too automated and remote – our followers won’t even feel like they know us. So, you can share funny stories to your Instagram and take to your Instagram stories every day for a few times a day, and post a video of yourself talking as everyone will love to get to know you more!

3) ENGAGE, ENGAGE AND ENGAGE…

People will only stay following you if they actually get something out of your page. If you are not providing them with value in your captions, then the least you can do is like a few of their pictures and comment on their pictures too! Building genuine relationships with followers is about the best thing you can do! Having loyal followers means they will be with you through thick and thin and will stick by you even when your content perhaps isn’t its best. Having these kinds of followers is amazing as they don’t come easily – so encourage them to like your posts by liking theirs back as if you don’t give them much in return for their loyalty, you may find they are soon quick to unfollow.

4) GIVE VALUE

This leads onto the last point, but if you don’t give your followers value, why should they follow you? If you give people value through your stories and captions, then you will find that more people are attracted to your page. Share a quick fact or a quote which is interesting because it keeps your followers engaged!

5) BE CONSISTENT

This seems obvious, but if you do not post for a while then people will begin to forget about you! Even if you have over 10,000 followers! You need to keep posting often so people see your posts and soon become familiar with when you post and your content! If you post often, you are also going to get more engagement as it will eventually increase and you may even get new followers if your posts show up in the explore page or on hashtags!

6) USE HASHTAGS

This follows on from the last point, but really use hashtags to your advantage! Instagram allows you to use 30 hashtags and the optimum number to get reach and exposure is just below 20, but if you want, make sure you use all of them! I think that hashtags can mean that your post can be seen by so so many people and you will gain followers from this if the people who see your content like it! I usually get at least 4 follows from every new post I post with hashtags (where I get on the hashtags) so this is encouraging! Something is definitely amiss if you realise that when you post pictures you are actually losing followers – make sure you post what your followers want and that your content is specific to your niche. Additionally, I am going to do a whole blog about hashtags soon but I personally think that you should use a mixture of small hashtags and big ones. My most seen photo through hashtags has up to 9,000 views from hashtags ( this might not be a lot for some people) but I was amazed. Trust me when I tell you that getting onto the top page for hashtags of under 200k posts, you would not be able to get many views. If you want to get seen through hashtags and actually gain followers from using hashtags, then you need to take the risk of using some big hashtags – you may find it pays off!

7) JOIN SUPPORT GROUPS

Engagement groups definitely help me grow! You get so many new followers from joining these groups and they are usually from your niche so it is perfect! I explained in my blog about the ‘algorithm’ on why I don’t think this is the best way to grow, but for now, Instagram is not really banning or blocking people from using these groups so I think it is still a safe way to grow. I have also heard that having a YouTube channel can really help and a lot of people have asked for me to make one! I am actually considering it now!

8) GO VIRAL

Now this is definitely the HARDEST way to grow, but the most rewarding. If you go viral, well the rest is history… I follow a lovely blogger who went viral for sharing story templates on Instagram, but really you could go viral for anything. Make a challenge that people resonate with and do and then share to their stories and you could find you have so many followers in no time! Getting shouted out by a big account could also get you lots of followers! Being authentic and original (see tip 1) could also really benefit you and pay off if all your followers share it! Be creative and see what you come up with, but really this could help you grow… I know so many people who have shared authentic ideas and challenges and have gained thousands of followers as a result. This is mind-blowing and just goes to prove that one good idea goes a long way…

Thank you so much for reading! I hope this has been helpful! Make sure to check out my Instagram @bethlucyblogs if you liked this post! Please follow or subscribe to my blog and like and share if you liked the tips – there will be more to come! Comment your thoughts below as I love responding to them! I also have more Instagram content – read my related Instagram strategy and growth blogs here.

Beth Lucy