Free Instagram Growth Hacks

Do you want to know how to grow your followers and engagement on Instagram without spending a penny?

Of course, you do, because who wouldn’t want to be let into those secrets!

The Instagram algorithm works in terms of rewarding people with high engagement rates. If your account is followed by a vast majority of ghost followers and you are not interacting with accounts yourself, then your posts are going to be put at the bottom of people’s feeds. 

So before you start spending the cash to get your profile seen, we have some effective free Instagram growth hacks for you to trial and test so you can beat that algorithm.

1. Optimize your hashtag strategy

Conduct research through the Instagram Explore page or by using a hashtag generator tool to get to know the hashtags most relevant to your industry and target audience. 

You can also get to know the hashtag volume by using Instagram’s tag search tool. We’d suggest not using hashtags that have been used on millions of posts, as your post will be like finding a needle in a haystack.

You also don’t want to use hashtags where only a few hundred people have used them, as this means they're probably not being searched very often. Find some middle ground and use hashtags with anything between 5k and 500k posts.

We’d suggest using between 10 and 20 hashtags, and if you’re wondering the all-important question of whether to post them in the comments or the caption, Instagram has confirmed that hashtags are effective for both!

2. Reels

It’s no secret that Instagram reels do well. They receive on average a 22% higher engagement rate than normal videos, so why not make use of them?

We’d recommend using on-screen text and following the trends when creating reels, e.g., using a trending song. Make sure you are consistent with posting your reels; it will be worth it!

3. Engage, engage, and engage some more!

As we highlighted at the start, the Instagram algorithm works in terms of rewarding high engagement rates, and to get engagement, you have to give engagement. 

The more active you are with other people’s content, the higher you will be placed on people’s feeds. We would advise setting aside 30 to 60 minutes a day to focus on engaging with other accounts through their posts and stories and replying to DM’s and comments on your own posts. 

Be authentic and genuine, and try not to leave too many mindless comments such as “great post” and "wow,” as these aren’t the types of comments that will allow you to start building relationships through the platform.

4. Make good use of stories

Sometimes the simplest things can actually be the best for your growth! Posting daily story content with different variations can really help to improve your engagement. Use polls, quizzes, and links to create fun and interesting story content.

5. Partner with micro-influencers

Micro-influencers are accounts with less than 50k followers. They tend to have higher engagement rates than influencers, with millions of followers and better-trusted audiences.

You can collaborate with influencers in a lot of ways, rather than just paying them. Offer them your product or service at a discounted rate or for free in exchange for them to promote and post about what you’re offering.

The Key Component

These 5 hacks will help you grow your followers and engagement while boosting you to the top of the Instagram algorithm. However, none of them will work without good-quality content that shows off your brand’s value and personality. 

So put these Instagram growth hacks together with your quality content, and you will be sure to see positive results. 

Which Instagram growth hack will you be trying out first?