Instagram continues to be a dominant force in the world of social media, and with its ever-evolving features and audience behaviours, staying ahead of the curve is key to gaining growth and visibility. As we move into 2024, the platform is seeing fresh trends, changes in algorithms, and new tools that offer exciting opportunities for businesses, creators, and influencers looking to expand their reach.
Whether you’re a seasoned Instagram user or just starting to develop your strategy, there are several growth tactics that will help you maximise your presence and engagement this year. Here are the best Instagram growth strategies for 2024:
1. Embrace Instagram Reels for Organic Reach
Instagram Reels remain a key feature for organic growth, with the algorithm continuing to prioritise video content. In 2024, Reels are more important than ever, as Instagram pushes for even greater video consumption. Reels have the potential to go viral far beyond your follower base, offering the chance to reach new audiences quickly.
To leverage Reels, consider creating content that is visually engaging, informative, or highly entertaining. Focus on trends, challenges, or specific topics that resonate with your target audience. Also, try experimenting with trending music, captions, and effects to increase your chances of discovery.
The goal is to create content that encourages engagement. The more engagement your Reels receive, the further Instagram will push them across the platform. It’s a highly effective way to drive growth.
2. Focus on Authenticity and Community Building
In 2024, Instagram is shifting towards prioritising authentic content over highly polished, perfection-driven posts. Users are looking for realness, relatability, and community-driven experiences. If you’re a brand, influencer, or content creator, make sure to show your human side.
Engage with your followers by responding to comments, reposting user-generated content (UGC), and showing a behind-the-scenes look at your day-to-day life. Community-building should be at the heart of your strategy. Encourage dialogue through polls, questions, and calls to action in your Stories and captions.
Authentic interactions will make your audience feel valued, which can turn casual followers into loyal supporters. When people feel like they’re part of a community, they are more likely to share your content, recommend your account, and stay connected.
3. Use Instagram Stories and Highlights for Engagement
Instagram Stories remain one of the most popular and versatile ways to engage your audience. In 2024, Stories continue to provide an easy way to showcase real-time content and foster a deeper connection with your followers. With features such as polls, questions, sliders, and countdowns, you can keep your followers actively involved in your content.
Another essential feature is Story Highlights. Using Highlights to categorise and save your best content ensures it remains visible to your audience, even after 24 hours. Story Highlights also offer new visitors a snapshot of what you’re all about. Keep your Highlights organised and aligned with your brand identity to make them visually appealing and informative.
Incorporate these strategies to maintain engagement and stay top-of-mind with your audience. Consistency is key.
4. Collaborate with Influencers and Brands for Cross-Promotion
Collaborations are one of the fastest ways to grow your audience, especially if you team up with influencers or brands that share similar values or cater to the same target demographic. Partnering with influencers who have a dedicated and engaged following can provide you with exposure to a wider, yet relevant, audience.
Consider doing joint Instagram Lives, shoutouts, giveaways, or co-branded campaigns. Not only do these partnerships help you gain new followers, but they also introduce your brand to people who trust the influencer or brand you’re collaborating with, making them more likely to follow you.
Be selective with your partnerships, ensuring they align with your brand’s mission, values, and tone. This will create genuine connections and help you reach more of the right people.
5. Create Consistent, High-Quality Visual Content
As a highly visual platform, Instagram still thrives on high-quality images and videos. In 2024, consistency and quality are more important than ever. Users expect aesthetically pleasing, professional-looking content — but this doesn’t mean it needs to be overly polished. Think about creating a recognisable visual identity that ties your content together, whether that’s through colour schemes, filters, or a consistent style.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content, including carousels, infographics, lifestyle shots, and branded imagery. Each post should feel like a natural extension of your brand’s visual story.
Consistency isn’t just about posting regularly — it’s about maintaining a unified style, voice, and theme that makes your profile immediately recognisable. When followers see your content in their feed, they should instantly know it’s from you.
6. Use Instagram’s Shop Features to Drive Conversions
E-commerce on Instagram is continuing to grow in 2024. Instagram Shopping, product tags, and the ability to shop directly within the app make it easier than ever for users to buy products they see in posts and Stories.
For businesses, integrating Instagram’s shop feature into your account allows you to sell products directly through your posts, Stories, and Reels. In addition, Instagram’s shoppable posts and Checkout feature allow followers to make purchases without leaving the app, creating a seamless shopping experience.
If you’re looking to increase conversions and grow your audience in 2024, adding shoppable features to your account can help boost your business and attract new followers who are interested in your products.
7. Master Instagram SEO for Better Discoverability
In 2024, Instagram is placing a greater emphasis on search and discoverability. As users rely more on the platform’s search functionality, optimising your profile and posts for Instagram’s search engine is essential for growing your audience.
Here are some key SEO practices for Instagram:
- Optimise your profile: Include relevant keywords in your bio, name, and username that people might use to search for your brand or niche.
- Use hashtags strategically: Hashtags help your posts reach new audiences. Do thorough research to find relevant and trending hashtags that align with your brand.
- Add alt text to your images: Instagram allows you to add alt text to your images for accessibility. But it also helps with SEO, as Instagram uses this text to understand what your content is about.
By applying Instagram SEO strategies, you can improve your visibility and reach new followers who may not have come across your profile otherwise.
8. Run Contests, Giveaways, and Promotions
Contests and giveaways are still one of the most effective ways to grow your Instagram following. In 2024, you can take this strategy even further by running giveaways that require participants to follow your account, tag friends, and engage with your content.
The key to successful giveaways is to make the prize relevant to your audience. If you’re a fashion brand, give away a popular item from your collection. If you’re a service-based business, offer a free consultation or a special discount.
Giveaways encourage participants to share your account with others, increasing your reach and introducing your brand to new potential followers.
9. Buying Engagement: Likes, Followers, and Views
In 2024, many people and businesses are opting to purchase engagement in the form of likes, followers, and views to boost their social proof. While this practice can offer an immediate increase in visibility, it is important to approach it with caution.
When you buy Instagram followers, likes, or views, you give the appearance of popularity, which may draw real users to your account who are curious about your high engagement numbers. It can be a good way to give your account a push, especially when starting from scratch or when trying to get noticed in a crowded niche. However, it’s important to ensure the engagement you buy is from real, active users, as fake followers or likes will not lead to genuine engagement and can harm your account’s credibility.
To buy Instagram followers from a reputable provider ensures you’ll get engagement from real, active accounts only.
10. Analyse Performance and Adjust Your Strategy
Finally, no growth strategy is complete without tracking performance. Instagram provides a wealth of insights and analytics for businesses and creators. Use these metrics to assess which posts, Stories, or Reels are performing well, and identify what resonates with your audience.
Review your reach, engagement, and follower demographics to adjust your content and posting strategy. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of content, posting times, or new features to see what works best for your audience.
Constantly adjusting your strategy based on data helps you stay ahead of trends and continue to grow your audience over time.
