How to Grow 20,000 Followers On Instagram In Just 6 Months

Have you been wanting to grow followers on Instagram but has been stuck with no growth or engagements? If yes, then you have come to the right post! Instagram launched back in 2010 which this year makes the application is 11 years old. Despite being 11 years old, the fame of the app did not really hit until 2013 – 2014, and the blogging – influencing – marketing did not really hit until 2017 – 2018. Now, in 2021, Instagram has become more important than ever. Especially for the influencing – marketing industry.

Now, more than ever, more and more people wants to become an Instagram influencer. Despite this, not many people make it as they often get stuck with the followers number that just doesn’t grow. Honestly, followers is not everything, I have heard so many people able to get a brand deal even with only 5,000 followers. So it is not everything, but it is still something worth working on it. After all, if you have more followers it would make brands wants to work with you even more.

So, here is my story, my very first Instagram account was created in 2012. I was still in school, and I think I was about 15. I have always been into social media, whenever there was any new social media platform, I would jump into it straight way and create an account. Back then it was so easy to grow followers, likes, and engagements. But don’t worry, this Instagram account I have now, that has over 20,000 followers was not the one I created back in 2012, this was the one I created in 2014. I didn’t really grow followers until 2017, when I decided I want to take Instagram seriously.

In 2017, my followers grew to over 20,000 followers. I started to have brand deals with several famous brands such as NA-KD, Ideal of Sweden, Soufeel Jewerly, Happy Socks, and so much more! And above all, I didn’t reach out to any of this brands, they reach out to me! If this is what you’re looking for – to get brands reach out to you for partnership – here is what you need to do! In other words, here is how I do it!

#1 Take Good Quality of Photos

The first and the most important thing is to take good quality of photos. Instagram is a visual platform after all. The most important thing you need to do is to create a good quality of photos. How do you do this? You can find article on how to do this here. But in short, first of all you need good lighting. Lighting is key, you need to make sure that your photos is bright and clear so people can see what is in the pictures. The best lighting in the world is the sun. I repeat, it is the SUN. So you don’t need to buy a lighting, just find where the sun is. Another important thing is to have good quality of camera, you don’t need to buy a DSLR camera, you can just use your phone, but make sure it has good mega pixels. Other thing is to know where is your best ankle. You need to get to know yourself in front of camera, to see which pose works best for you.

#2 Don’t Use Instagram Filter, Use VSCO Cam Instead

Don’t use Instagram filter, they are not exactly the best to create good quality of photos. I would recommend using VSCO Cam. Even with VSCO Cam don’t use too much filter, just use one to set up a theme on your Instagram, and stick to it for all your photos. With VSCO Cam, the most important thing is to set the brightness, contrast, sharpen, clarity, and saturation right. Adjust them accordingly, to make it look clear and professionals.

#3 Hashtags Hashtags Hashtags

Once you sorted out the pictures, now it’s time to work on the marketing side. On this, the first thing you need to note is to include relevant – and most searched hashtags on your post. There are so many sources to find most searched hashtags, you just need to search for it. In term of relevant hashtags, you just need to use hashtags relevant to your post. For instance, if your post is in LA, then place #LosAngeles or #LAInfluencers.

#4 Reach Out to Fellow Instagram Users

The other marketing side is to reach out to fellow Instagram users, mainly those who are in the same industry as you. For example, if you are a blogger, reach out to fellow bloggers by following them or liking their pictures or even messages them directly. Remember, networking is still relevant even on social media context, you just do it digitally instead of face to face.

#5 Create or Join Influencers Group

Another thing is to create or join influencers group. There are so many influencers group nowadays, you can just request to be added to some of the group. How do you do this? There are two ways. First, to reach out to fellow influencers, and ask if they have any influencers group that still have capacity for new member. If yes, ask them to add you on the group. Don’t be afraid to ask this, because most – if not all – influencers group are very open to new members. We, influencers, understand the importance of networking to as many fellow influencers as possible, even with the newbie. The second is that you can create the group yourself and add the influencers that you have previously reached out before (action from the previous point).

#6 Create a Blog or Have Your Own Website

Last but not least is to create your own blog or to have your own website. There is no doubt that influencing is related to blogging. However, not every influencers are bloggers or vice versa – and that’s okay. If you don’t like to blog then you don’t have to create a blog, you can just create a website. Creating a website – with self-hosted website – would make you look more presentable, and brands would definitely be more confident in working with you. I started to have brands reaching out to me, after I created my self-hosted website. So I would definitely recommend you to create a website. Creating a website is not difficult nowadays with Word-press. If you don’t know how to, you can hire freelancer to work on it with a very reasonable price!