--- title: "10 Free Ways to Increase Your Business’s Instagram Followers" description: "You don’t need ads to grow your business’s follower count on Instagram! Learn to grow your brand with 10 free methods such as profile optimization, reels, hashtag use and collaborations." url: https://www.faprika.com/en/blog/10-free-ways-to-increase-your-business-s-instagram-followers language: en site: Faprika --- # 10 Free Ways to Increase Your Business’s Instagram Followers > You don’t need ads to grow your business’s follower count on Instagram! Learn to grow your brand with 10 free methods such as profile optimization, reels, hashtag use and collaborations. With two billion active users, Instagram can work wonders for your business. Growing your business page’s follower count is one of the first steps. Many business owners are eager to invest in Instagram ads and influencers. But did you know there are free ways to gain more followers on your Instagram page? Start with these simple steps to maximize your success on Instagram and attract more followers. These steps will help you sell on Instagram more easily, faster and more affordably. Key Takeaway You can get effective results on Instagram without spending an ad budget to grow your business’s follower count; with strategies such as profile optimization, reels, hashtags and collaborations, you can reach more people for free. ## First, Optimize Your Instagram Profile Before you start growing your follower count, make sure your page is ready for people to follow. This means making sure it is set up correctly and appeals to your target audience. Here are some ways to make your potential customers feel welcome on your profile. **Choose an Informative Username** When people search on Instagram, they usually search by a topic they are interested in. The first step is to create an informative username that appeals to your target audience. Include two or three keywords related to the product you sell. Think about the language your customers will use to get the best visibility results. **Write an Eye-Catching Bio** A 150-character Instagram bio is short but effective. The main purpose of the bio is to attract new followers and potential customers. You should optimize the limited character count in your profile header to your advantage. Explain who you are, what you offer and why people should follow you. We did the research for you and learned how to write a great Instagram bio. Here are our findings: - **Keep your bio short and concise.** It can also be fun and unconventional; you can use any voice you think represents your brand. - **Make sure you clearly state what you sell and** how people can benefit by following you. - **Add your contact details** so your customers can reach you in the most convenient way. - **Use emojis** to make the best of the small space. - **Use hashtags sparingly** and only in a way that reflects your brand. - **Link to your website** to let people know where they can buy your products. **Use Highlights to Show More About Your Business** Your bio may be ready to attract potential followers, but don’t stop there! Use Instagram Highlights to introduce your business to new people more effectively. Instagram Highlights are collections of stories that stay permanently on your profile. They give visitors an idea of what’s going on in your business. Here are some tips on how to use Highlights for a business: - **Talk about your brand**; explain what it stands for, its values and how it differs from competitors. - **Describe your products and explain their value.** If you sell many products, start with your achievements and your best sellers. - Showcase **customer reviews and testimonials**. - Share **useful tips and advice** about your products or services. - Answer the **most frequently asked questions about your business**, such as product composition and care, shipping details, return policy and so on. **Pin Some Promotional Posts** Bios and highlights help introduce your business to new followers, and it can also be very useful to place a few informative posts at the top of your feed. These might include a post introducing you as the business owner, a post featuring your branded hashtags to make it easier to browse your page content, and/or slideshows of your most popular products. If it appeals to your target audience, you can add a fun video at the top of your page to encourage them to follow you. Whatever you decide to put at the top of your Instagram page, make sure it serves the ultimate goal of inspiring your target audience to follow your page. Tip Think of Your Profile as a Storefront Your bio, highlights and pinned posts create the first impression. Fill this space with information that is clear, engaging and reflects your brand. ## Create Consistent Reels to Get Discovered Even though photos haven’t disappeared yet, we can’t ignore the growing popularity of Reels. Reels allow businesses to showcase their products and services in a more engaging way. Videos also tend to have a more organic appeal than photos. Reels are a great tool for brand discovery! Reels can appear in the Explore tab and be discovered beyond your existing followers. This is a great way to increase your visibility on the platform. Here are some ideas on how businesses can grow their follower count with Reels: - **Create educational content that debunks common misconceptions about your product or industry**. For example, “The 3 Most Common Myths About Sunscreen”. - **Weave humor your target audience can relate to into your Reels**. Follow the current audio trends and use them when appropriate. - Share a video about **the fun side of running a business**. For example, “Running a Clothing Business: Expectations vs. Reality.” - **Showcase your expertise** in your role. For example, “Foods I avoid as a licensed dietitian.” ## Use Geotags to Increase Visibility Sometimes people search for photos by location, so add a geotag to your posts whenever possible. For example, if you have a physical store in a shopping mall, make sure to geotag your product photos. Or if you are photographing a new clothing collection out on the street, tag that specific place in the city. People can find your profile through a geotag and then follow your Instagram account, so use geotags as much as possible. ## Use Hashtags Strategically Hashtags are simple and free. They are also very useful if you want to make money on Instagram. Here is how they work: - Gain more followers by using hashtags. - You stay informed about what your competitors are doing. You can add up to 30 hashtags to an Instagram post. However, Instagram recommends using three to five hashtags per post. Remember, tags should always be relevant. Instagram bans those who frequently use hashtags inappropriately. You should use the hashtags that have the most followers. First, think of hashtags that might interest your target audience and follow them. Once you have identified the most popular and effective hashtags, you can start using them in your own content. Hashtags can also help you keep up with current events. Local flea markets or fairs you would like to take part in may have their own hashtags, so you need to do some research. By following these hashtags, you can keep track of what is happening in your community and decide whether you can take part. ## Try to Get onto the Explore Page The Explore page on Instagram is a way to get your content seen by new users who don’t follow you. It is an algorithm-driven section of the app and shows what Instagram thinks its users may be interested in. It is compiled from posts and accounts the user has liked, commented on or interacted with in the past. If you want to appear more often on people’s Explore pages, make sure your content is relevant to your target audience. What do your potential customers want to know? What do they find funny? What problems do they want to solve? Fun and engaging videos are especially good for increasing brand discovery. Don’t forget captions. Since videos are likely to be discovered by people who don’t follow you, write captions that will resonate with people. Using relevant niche hashtags, adding geotagging to your content and engaging with similar pages also help the algorithm understand what your content is about. As a result, it is more likely to be recommended to other users. Tip Harness the Power of Reels and Hashtags Reels that are fun, educational and backed by trending sounds make it easier to reach the Explore page. The right, relevant hashtags help your content reach wider audiences. ## Collaborate with Other Creators By collaborating with influencers and other creators, businesses can tap into their existing audiences to gain more visibility and expand their reach. This can be especially helpful if you are just starting out and don’t yet have a large following. We recommend working with nano-influencers or small business owners in your field. That way, you can collaborate for free or in exchange for your product or service. For example, if you sell pet products, look for other businesses that serve the same audience and offer services or products that complement yours. If you sell pet toys, you could team up with a dog trainer and create a promotional video about the best types of products for house-training puppies. The key here is to partner with creators whose audience your business may be interested in. For example, skincare brands can partner with influencers who review different skincare products, or with a beauty specialist. ## Post in Communities Find and follow Instagram accounts with a theme similar to yours. Search for relevant keywords to find these profiles. Browse posts and look for community accounts. Communities often have their own hashtags. Accounts can use their hashtags to re-share the best photos and then credit the owner. To get noticed, you can tag communities in your Instagram posts. Success depends on whether your followers like your post and want to follow you. Remember that your post must appeal to a specific audience and match its topic. You should also connect with useful community accounts, comment on relevant posts and share engaging posts with your target audience. All of these techniques draw the desired attention to your business. ## Create Content That Drives Engagement You may have heard a thing or two about the Instagram algorithm. This algorithm determines which posts appear in users’ feeds and affects how visible your content will be to your existing and potential followers. The Instagram algorithm is designed to prioritize posts that generate more engagement, such as Reels views or post comments. That is why the content you create must be engaging enough to get people to interact. Engaging content encourages people to comment on, share and like your posts, Reels and stories. By sharing content that your followers will engage with, you increase the likelihood that the algorithm will recommend your profile to a new audience interested in your content. Tip Value Engagement and Collaboration Be visible in community accounts, comment on your competitors' content and encourage your followers to tag you. By collaborating with small-scale influencers, you can grow your target audience organically. ## Encourage Your Followers to Tag You in Their Content As we mentioned above, aligning with the Instagram algorithm is essential for recommending your profile to people who don’t follow you but may be interested in your content. However, the Instagram algorithm is not the only thing that recommends your content to your target audience; recommendations from your own followers can work just as well! Ask your customers to share a photo or video taken while using your product and tag you in it on your profile. This is also social proof that your product is worth buying! Remember to save this content so you can reuse it on your page later. Another way to get mentioned more on your profile is to share a challenge or a trend. For example, if you sell mental health journals, create a post asking your followers for self-care tips. In the caption, ask them to tag you on their profile so that you can re-share all the tips. Alternatively, you can run a giveaway and ask participants to share your content in their stories and tag you. ## Comment on Relevant Instagram Accounts Join the conversations on other Instagram pages related to your business. These can be other creators, brands or communities. Search for thematic keywords to find relevant profiles. The accounts that appear first in search are the leaders. Share expert opinions, offer advice, reply to comments and communicate naturally. Remember that kindness and sincerity influence people more than sales language. Don’t post calls to action like “Buy the best watches here.” These look like spam and are considered disrespectful in the Instagram world. Phrases like this can even get your profile banned. ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) **How Can I Increase My Business Account’s Instagram Followers for Free?** You can increase your Instagram follower count for free by optimizing your Instagram profile, choosing an informative Username, writing an eye-catching Bio, using Highlights, pinning Posts, creating consistent Reels, using Geotags and strategic Hashtags, trying to reach the Explore Page, collaborating with other Content Creators, posting in Communities, creating engaging Content and commenting on relevant accounts. **What Should I Pay Attention to When Optimizing My Instagram Profile?** Profile optimization includes choosing an informative Username (it should contain keywords related to your product), writing an eye-catching 150-character Bio that clearly explains who you are and what you offer, using Highlights to showcase your products or services, and pinning informative Posts to the top of your page. **How Can I Effectively Introduce Myself in My Instagram Bio?** Keep your bio short, concise and in your brand’s voice. State clearly what you sell and how you benefit your followers. Add your contact details, use Emojis to make the best of the limited space, and include a link to your Website. Use Hashtags sparingly and in a way that reflects your brand. **What Is the Role of Reels Videos in an Instagram Follower Growth Strategy?** Reels videos let you showcase products and services in a more engaging way and stand out for their organic appeal. By appearing in the Explore Tab, they help you get discovered beyond your existing followers. You can boost your visibility by creating educational content, humorous elements and videos about your business experience. **How Should I Use Hashtags and Geotags on Instagram Correctly?** Use Hashtags strategically, 3-5 per post; they should always be relevant to your content. Research the most popular Hashtags that may appeal to your target audience. Use Geotags as much as possible too; if you have a physical location or shoot outdoors, tagging where you are can help you attract new Followers. **What Steps Should I Follow to Reach the Explore Page?** To reach the Explore Page, make sure your content suits your target audience and create fun, engaging videos. Don’t forget captions. Using relevant niche Hashtags, adding Geotags to your content and engaging with similar pages also help the algorithm understand your content and recommend it to other users. **How Does Collaborating with Other Content Creators Affect My Instagram Follower Growth?** Collaborating lets you gain more visibility and expand your reach by tapping into their existing audiences. Especially if you are just starting out, by collaborating with nano-influencers or small business owners in exchange for products or services, you can reach your target audience and gain credibility. **What Are the Benefits of Posting in Communities on Instagram?** You can take part in Communities by finding and following Instagram Accounts with a theme similar to yours and commenting on relevant posts. By using the Communities’ own Hashtags, you can get your posts reshared, reaching more people and gaining new Followers. However, make sure your posts fit the community’s interests and make a useful contribution. **What Is the Effect of the Instagram Algorithm on My Content Strategy, and How Should I Drive Engagement?** The Instagram Algorithm determines which posts appear in users’ feeds and prioritizes posts that generate engagement (comments, likes, shares). That is why you should create engaging Content that encourages your Followers to comment, share and like. This increases the likelihood that your profile will be recommended to new audiences by the algorithm. **How Can I Encourage My Followers to Tag Me in Their Content?** You can ask your customers to share Photos or Videos taken while using your product and to Tag your profile. This creates social proof of your product’s value. You can also drive engagement by starting a Challenge or Trend and asking your Followers to Tag you in their content, or by running a Giveaway and asking participants to tag you in their Stories. Faprika e-Commerce The way to succeed in the world of e-commerce is a strong and effective infrastructure. Faprika gives you all the tools you need to stay one step ahead in the industry. If you want to take a closer look at the advantages Faprika offers to make a difference in e-commerce, expand your customer base and increase your sales, start your free trial now. Start free with Faprika now. Try for Free ### You May Also Like - [**E-Commerce: What Is It? 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