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10,000 followers on Instagram. This is a common milestone on social media that businesses strive to achieve when building a brand.
For some, reaching this threshold demonstrates that you have the potential to become a serious online influencer in your niche.
However, with the rise of influencer marketing, Instagram users sometimes buy thousands of followers in the hope of becoming an influencer or selling their products.
But such practices can lead to low-quality traffic to your account and have irreversible consequences for your account’s visibility. Click here if you want to buy followers.
It’s much safer (and more rewarding) to grow your social network organically. Engagement with your brand will be much higher, your target audience members will share your content, and you’ll have a better chance of selling your products.
It’s indisputable that gaining followers naturally is more effective. But how can you gain 10,000 Instagram followers for free? We’ve answered this question by providing our top 10 simple tips for reaching 10,000 followers on Instagram without having to pay for it
1. Experiment to find your voice.
If you’ve been posting on Instagram for a while and aren’t getting the social traction you’re looking for, it’s time for a change!
Switch up the type of content you’re posting and adopt a different tone in your captions. Then, check your analytics and see which content is getting the most engagement.
This is the crucial first step to gaining more Instagram followers. You need to create content that resonates with your audience.
You can also take a look at the brands you admire on social media and incorporate some fresh ideas.
Once you’ve identified the content and voice that resonate most with your audience, start posting more of that type of content!
2. Stay true to yourself.
It’s true that too much experimentation can disrupt the growth of your account and steer you away from reaching 10k followers.
It’s natural for anyone to get into a routine of creating the same type of content and getting bored. However, you shouldn’t succumb to the temptation of creating something entirely new. By doing so, you run the risk of displeasing your community and losing followers.
Building a strong brand image is all about consistency. After following you for a while, people come to expect something specific from you, something they appreciate!
While it’s important to introduce new types of content (as you might discover a hidden gem), once you’ve found your niche, don’t stray too far from it without a well-thought-out strategy.
3. Be active.
Are you active on Instagram? Do you like and comment on other people’s photos and regularly engage with their content? If not, you should change that.
It’s an excellent way to start getting noticed, especially if these posts are closely followed by people in your target market.
That said, if you’re too active, you might appear as a spammy bot in the eyes of Instagram’s algorithms, which could lead to a ban. So make sure to stay within Instagram’s limits.
If you’re active enough, you can quickly gain hundreds of followers per week.
We recommend being active for about 1 to 2 hours a day.
And if you don’t have enough time for that, you can [mention the specific method you’re referring to]. This will help you attract the attention of thousands of potentially interested people and engage in conversations with them.
This is definitely the best way to quickly reach 10,000 followers.
4. Be real and honest to attract followers.
Things can sometimes appear artificial on Instagram. Is this person’s life really so perfect? Who has such a clean kitchen?
Don’t be afraid to be authentic and create content that people can relate to. Highlighting the quirks of your business can appeal to people.
Even though it will always be somewhat curated content, posting user-generated content, third-party content, or even employee quotes can showcase what your brand values and prioritizes.
You can use Instagram stories to share the behind-the-scenes of your account.
Also, keep in mind that the more you engage your audience, the more likely they are to like and share your profile and posts for free with other accounts.
TIP: Your Instagram Story should make sense with or without user audio enabled. A HubSpot survey reveals that only 29% of people who watch Instagram Stories say they “always” watch them with sound on. Using captions/subtitles is a way to ensure you are conveying your message for either scenario!
5. Don’t brag too much.
You’ve won an award. That’s fantastic, and you absolutely should let people know. However, avoid making these accolades, certifications, and reviews the only type of content you post.
Similarly, don’t spend too much time talking about your product or service and explaining why it’s extraordinary.
In fact, spend very little time doing so. People don’t follow your Instagram account for promotional content. They want to see a side of you or your organization that makes you appear human. They want to be creatively inspired, and they want to laugh!
6. Post timely content.
Staying up to date with current events, industry news, and pop culture will help boost interactions on your account.
Keep an eye on what’s new or trending and how you can leverage it on your page.
Is a new meme going viral? See how you can customize it to fit your brand or niche.
Have the media covered an event that impacts your industry? Write a blog post with your own perspective and promote it on your social media (including Instagram!).
Capitalizing on current affairs and online trends can help get more eyes on your content, especially if you use relevant hashtags.
7. Identify influencers and interact with them.
Identify the top influencers in your respective field of expertise and follow them. Keep an eye on what they post and what people are saying in the captions. Then, join the conversation.
The people who follow them and interact with them are likely part of your target audience, and by responding to something they say, you might just gain new followers!
8. Optimize your profile.
You should always take the time to optimize your Instagram profile. Without this, your visitors won’t subscribe to your account. Attracting new visitors is a good start, but it’s not enough; you must also convince this community to subscribe.
To do this, your Instagram feed must be optimized, your bio well-written with a clear call to action (CTA), and your content of high quality.
In short, polish your profile to make it appealing to your community and encourage them to interact with your account. This is an essential step if you want to get closer to 10k followers for free.
9. Cross-promote your Instagram on your other networks.
If you’re already well-followed on another social media platform, make sure those people hear about your Instagram account!
You should also drive people to your Instagram by promoting it through a YouTube channel or website! Here are some ways to cross-promote:
- Embed Instagram images from your page in your newsletter.
- Include Instagram images from your page in your blog articles.
- Add a link to your Instagram in your email signature.
- Include your Instagram handle in the bio of your other social media profiles.
- Link your Instagram to your Twitter and Facebook to post on all three platforms.
Surprisingly, there are few changes when you reach the 10,000 followers mark, but by following these tips and keeping them in mind, you’ll be on the path to authentic Instagram growth.
Bonus tips to get more subscribers:
- Publish at the right times.
- Post multiple stories per day.
- Publish multiple times per week.
- Use Instagram Reels to boost your visibility.
- Use hashtags in every post.
- Utilize photo editing and montage apps to save time.
- Prioritize video content over photos.
- Monitor your Instagram growth.
- Clearly define your niche and target audience.
- Engage with popular posts under hashtag feeds.
- Chat with each follower to keep them active and boost your likes.
- Refer to this article to find the best hashtags by category of audience: 200+ Top Instagram Hashtags 2024 for More Likes
