Proven Strategies to Grow Your Instagram Followers To 10K

Influencers know that boosting their Instagram following to 10K is the holy grail. Those with over ten thousand followers can build significant leverage and start working with brands. Instagram’s algorithms enhance their visibility and unlock the swipe-up feature in stories, allowing direct link sharing with audiences (critical for companies). It’s also useful for shopping functionality.

But how do you get there? That’s the question.

Fortunately, we have the answers. This post explains everything from setting up your profile for success to using hashtags for more effective SEO. We delve into hidden engagement strategies and when to consider using paid advertising.

Set Up Your Profile for Success

First impressions matter when setting up an Instagram account. Therefore, start by setting up your profile for success.

The first step is to craft a compelling bio. When users land on your pages, you want it to be a selling opportunity.

You only have 150 characters to tell people who you are so always be concise. Don’t include any fluffy language.

When describing yourself, use keywords relevant to your niche and audience. For example, mention “fashion” if you are a style influencer.

Finally, consider adding emojis (if appropriate). These can highlight key points and sometimes make you seem friendlier.

Choose A Suitable Profile Picture

When choosing your profile picture, pick an image people will recognize. (Ultimately, you want to sell yourself unless you are in specific niches, like gaming).

Make sure that the image looks good in Instagram’s small format. If the picture is too busy, it will confuse followers and make you less recognizable.

Build A Content Strategy for Growth

Growing on Instagram also requires getting your content strategy just right. If you don’t follow best practices, progress is unlikely.

Begin posting once or twice per day. Then, if you can feel momentum behind you, go to three.

However, don’t post too much. Sometimes, Instagram can lower your visibility if it thinks you are spamming the platform.

Also, focus on the types of content that attract followers. Most budding influencers begin with:

• Posts: High-quality curated content that communicates your brand and personal aesthetics while offering more in-depth information to appeal to your audience.
• Reels: Viral content that taps into existing trends and reaches a wider audience through Instagram’s favored algorithm
• Stories: Provides authentic content, like behind-the-scenes glimpses into your daily life, and can include interactive elements, like polls or questions

Data show the engagement rate for Reels is around 1.23% whereas for stories it can be anywhere from 1-3%.

Use Potent Engagement Strategies

Once you release content, engage with your followers. Always respond to their replies and likes.

If someone is more active in supporting you, send them a direct message (DM). Communicating with them this way helps you generate more impact and builds loyalty.

Also, leverage Instagram features (just like you would on TikTok). These drive engagement higher for some audiences.

For example, polls are excellent for encouraging interaction and gathering feedback. These can also create anticipation if you want to help brands launch products.

Questions are similar. These help build stronger ties with audiences and sometimes give you content ideas (if you aren’t sure what to do next). You can also use them to educate readers and users, informing them about upcoming Q&A sessions.

Lastly, some influencers with under 10K followers use Lives to grow their reach. These are useful because they foster real-time interaction, like on Zoom. You show your audience you are the real deal and can interact with them one-on-one.

Leverage Hashtags and SEO

Another pro tip for those under 10,000 followers is to leverage hashtags and SEO. Getting this right can generate additional traffic, beyond what the algorithm delivers

If you plan on using Instagram hashtags, leverage the following advice:

• Add hashtags to your Stories so they appear in search results
• Change your hashtags from time to time (using the same ones for every post can limit your reach)
• Test different hashtags to see which gain the most engagement
• Use somewhere between 4 and 15 hashtags for each post (you can use more, but it could affect relevance)
• Use less common hashtags (instead of the most common)
• Use hashtags relevant to your content and target audience
• Research the hashtags your audiences will most likely respond to
• Don’t use spammy hashtags that could cause Instagram to shadow-ban you

You should also optimize your posts for the Search and Explore page – Instagram’s internal search engine. Add keywords to your niche and alt text to your images for best results.

Finally, geotags can also help if you want to target a location. These are useful if your content addresses a specific area (like the city where you live).

Engage In Collaborations

You can also collaborate with other influencers to get closer to the magical 10,000-follower number. Partnering with others for cross-promotion lets you get your ideas in front of a broader audience.

For example, many budding influencers run giveaways and contests with their larger counterparts. These generate excitement and create a sense of reciprocity among audiences, making users more likely to follow you.

Use Paid Advertising

Lastly, you could also use paid ads to get more Instagram users. However, be careful: you can wind up spending a lot of money without getting any results.

Some examples of when using Instagram Ads might be appropriate to grow your audience include:

• Building more awareness of who you are and what you sell (if anything)
• Testing to see if you appeal to certain audiences
• When you want to launch something new (like a course or makeup line)
• If you aren’t having any success with conventional organic growth strategies

• When using Instagram ads:
• Ensure you craft compelling content that users want to watch
• Add a clear call-to-action (CTA) telling your audience what to do next (i.e. follow you)
• Set a budget and schedule so you don’t pay too much
• Choose an Ad format that will resonate with your audience