Top 5 Tips To Help Grow Your Instagram Following:
Over the past few years, Instagram has become a major source of brand growth. Both the Bonji Bowls and Bonji Foods accounts have grown dramatically since implementing a few key elements, as well as being willing to put in the time and effort. There are a ton of blogs discussing similar topics, but here we are talking from real experience and real progress. You won’t be gaining a hundred followers overnight, you may only see a handful a week, but the overall growth is what is important.
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1. ENGAGE ENGAGE ENGAGE
There is truly nothing more powerful than engaging with your community. It is also important to note that your community extends much further than just your followers. However, this doesn’t mean simply commenting “Yum!” on every page that you follow. Be real, showcase your personality, it will truly carry so much weight with those you engage with. The more you engage in this manner, the more likable you become, and followers will appreciate someone real being on the other side of the screen.
Instagram provides you with so many tools to help grow your following, starting with hashtags. Although using hashtags is incredibly beneficial on your own posts, dive into the hashtags you use and search for similar accounts. This may be the easiest way to connect with brands, people, or communities that you relate to. Like, follow, comment on as many posts as you can, but make sure you are staying true to who you are! At Bonji, we set out to find at least 25 new accounts a day to begin engaging with. Soon enough, the pages that you are engaging with will engage back, not to mention their followers will too!
To Summarize:
Comment on at least 20 new profiles a day
Be real, showcase your personality in comments & posts
Explore new pages through relatable hashtags and interact
This takes time, but your community will grow
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2. Reels Are a Powerhouse
Something we quickly realized is the power of Instagram Reels. At first, we would post videos on our page and see slightly higher, but around the same numbers as a regular photo. Yet, when we started posting our video content as Reels, that’s when we saw numbers start shooting up. The Instagram algorithm takes Reels and pushes them like nothing else. Our first Reel reached over 3000 accounts, a number that seemed mind-boggling originally.
To Summarize:
Instagram's algorithm pushes these bad boys like nothing else
Our first reel reached 3000 accounts, which was originally mind-boggling
All video content can be formatted as reels but must be under 1 minute
Accounts do not have to follow you to view your reel, making it perfect to reach new pages
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3. Offer Value/Insight
Offering value should be involved in nearly everything you do on a daily basis, both on and off Instagram. Would you show up to a job interview with no idea about what you are bringing to the table for this company??? The same applies to your Instagram page. You want to offer something, whether it’s information, advice, a product, anything that other people will want to have in their own lives. This is even our goal with these newsletters and blogs. You don’t have to work with us directly, we are simply here to provide insight into the plant-based industry.
To Summarize:
You want to bring something to the table for your followers and those engaging.
Offer anything you have: Information, advice, motivation, a product
The more valuable you are, the more attention will be brought to your page
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4. Be Consistent
Consistency may be talked about, but it doesn’t seem to be highlighted as much as it should. This is super important for the algorithm of Instagram. Although Instagram’s algorithm may not be as dependent on consistency compared to YouTube or TikTok, it is still incredibly important. Not only will your content be pushed more frequently, followers are attracted to accounts that are constantly active. We decided that five or more Instagram stories a day with at least one solid post is an attractive way to remain consistent without coming off as too much. Yes, there is such a thing as too much posting. When an account has fifty stories going at once, it is super likely that the viewer will be skipping through a majority, if not all of them. We want our followers engaged, seeing everything we do, not just skipping through to get to the next story.
To Summarize:
Although nothing compared to TikTok or Youtube, IG's algorithm still favors the accounts that are active… and so do followers!
Don't simply spam your story or page, remember each post should hold value on its own (We suggest 5-10 stories, with 1-2 posts a day)
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5. Repost your peers
Reposting is another amazing way to connect with other accounts. We have countless direct messages with pages that appreciated the fact that we repost them. Why go and waste your energy hating the fact that someone else's account is doing well? Repost them and show some support, they will gladly reciprocate at some point. And if they don't? Oh well, at least you were able to provide your followers with more content or information! In addition, we have made a ton of great connections with people all over the world through reposting. Although we are based in the United States, we now have friends across the pond! It is truly an exciting experience when you connect with people in any situation.
To Summarize:
Whether this is a repost to your story or a full collaboration on your page, this is a great way to expand you reach!
We couldn't tell you how many real friends we have made through reposting their pages
Collaboration will lead to both of your followers coming together in a larger community