Many factors influence whether your account grows on Instagram or not. Many users dream of steadily rising follower counts and endless likes on Instagram. But only a few users manage to turn this dream into reality without buying Instagram likes…
From Social Rocket editorial team
·Updated on
ⓘThis text was created with AI assistance and reviewed editorially before publication. All sources are linked below.
Many factors influence whether your account grows on Instagram or not. Many users dream of steadily rising follower counts and endless likes on Instagram. But only a few users manage to turn this dream into reality without buying Instagram likes. You may have also asked yourself how often you should ideally post on Instagram. We are happy to give you a helping hand and tips on how to really get started on Instagram.
Instagram's algorithm
You have certainly come across someone complaining about Instagram's algorithm. You may even have gotten annoyed about the algorithm yourself. And it's true: because of the algorithm, growing on Instagram has become harder.
This used to be a little different a few years ago. If your followers don't like or comment on your posts, meaning there is no interaction with your posts, those followers will be shown your posts less often in the future. This makes it harder for people to see your posts. As a result, there is a risk of getting lost in the crowd.
On Instagram it is very important to generate interaction and stay in your followers' minds – especially when your account is still very small. More posts does not automatically mean more interactions, but as long as quality doesn't suffer, every additional post brings the chance to go viral and reach new users. How to get more likes on your posts.
How often should you post on Instagram?
For the algorithm, regularity in terms of posts is extremely important. So make sure to share posts on Instagram regularly.
At least 3 posts per week are recommended, although it also depends on your niche. Still, be careful that in trying to post more, the quality doesn't drop too much, or the whole thing can quickly backfire.
When should I post on Instagram
The best approach here is to check your Instagram Insights. Check when your followers are especially active: these are the best times for you to post. Furthermore, you should always create posts when you can spare a little time. In the long run it pays off to always have a post in reserve, so you can share content when you don't have much time for Instagram.
Small algorithm tips for posting
It's worth being active on Instagram before posting and liking and commenting on other accounts. Even after your post, you should stay active on Instagram for about 30 minutes. Maybe someone visits your profile and interacts with your new post: for Instagram, the first few minutes after posting are the most important for its long-term reach.
You can also create more interactions by responding to comments on your post and replying to them. This motivates your followers to interact and brings you more comments!
Just try it out! Compare a post where you were especially active with a post you shared and then immediately closed Instagram: you will certainly notice a difference. The interaction on the post where you were very active yourself will be significantly higher. But you shouldn't overdo the interactions either, or you'll quickly be confronted with the message Action blocked. What you should then do you can find out here.
Besides regularity, the quality of your posts is also important. If your shared photos are blurry or shaky, this could put followers off.
More tips for your posts
To have your posts shown to people who don't follow you yet, using hashtags is advisable. You may follow celebrities and influencers who hardly or no longer use any hashtags. Still, we think giving up hashtags is not a good idea. If celebrities or influencers forgo hashtags, it has hardly any effect on them. People like that bring so many followers with them anyway that their posts are usually shown very often. If you don't have that many followers, however, hashtags are worth it!
Here you should make sure to use large, medium and small hashtags. After posting, click on the hashtag and interact with the posts shown there. You'll see: many more people will come across your post.
To build a solid community, you should also think about who your target audience is and what content could be explicitly interesting for that audience. We recommend that you settle on one subject area and post within that topic. This way you reach people who are also interested in the topic. A good exchange among you can thus develop. This not only grows your community, you can also network with other people and get more information on your specific topic.
The bottom line: regularity and interaction are the most important things!
To build your reach on Instagram, it is especially important to post regularly and to add suitable hashtags. In the long run it won't pay off for you if you are very active on Instagram for one week and then post nothing for three weeks. Planning your posts in advance can help you post regularly. If you think ahead about who your target audience is and which topics are interesting to them, it will also be easier for you to create engaging posts.
Instead, post interesting content 3 times a week and be active on the platform yourself. Commit to three different days on which your target audience is especially active on Instagram. When more people are online, logically more people can see your posts. This way, several people automatically interact with your posts.
Instagram's algorithm evaluates this positively. Your post will then be shown more often, because the interaction classifies your post as more relevant. Be regularly active on Instagram and you'll see how your account slowly but steadily grows. For this, however, you need to bring some patience. Generating several thousand followers overnight through a viral Instagram post succeeds for very few people. Instead, focus on growing slowly but steadily. This way you increase your reach organically and can inspire more and more people with your Instagram posts.
Write down your progress regularly. You can do this in a notebook or a phone app. This way you keep an overview of whether your account is really growing in the long term. You should also take a close look at especially successful posts. Why is this particular post more successful than others? Is it because of the time it was posted? Is it because of the hashtags you used or the caption? Keep an eye on your content and check which posts your target audience particularly likes. This way you ensure your posts on Instagram land well with your followers and are therefore also good for the algorithm. The most important thing is that you have fun on Instagram and stick with it.
Motivated and ready to really get started?
Then you should start using the various Instagram features too. For example, Reels, here is our guide on them, can unexpectedly give you a lot more reach. This way you quickly reach new users and win new followers for your account. But you shouldn't see these followers as just a number. The aim is to build a relationship and see them for what they are: people. Besides interacting with them, for example by responding to their comments, you can also get a bit more personal and do a livestream. You can find more in our article Ideas for Instagram Live.
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