How can I Increase Instagram views?
With the right content marketing strategy, you can start growing your personal brand or business on Instagram right now.
And the best part? It’s ridiculously easy!
This guide will show you how to get more views on Instagram in 10 steps including:
- how to take good photos for Instagram
- how to engage on Instagram
- engage with recent posts on Instagram
- how to post to Instagram stories
- how to tag a location on Instagram
- how to tag a brand on Instagram
- how to use hashtags on Instagram
- how to cross-promote on Instagram
- how to collaborate on Instagram
- good times to post on Instagram
Using this combination of Instagram hacks will take just seconds of time and effort.
These methods are used by real Instagram influencers and are proven to increase engagement.
Ready to learn how to get more views on Instagram? Let’s beat the algorithm together and get your profile and story views growing!
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you use them. This comes at no additional cost to you and all recommendations are based on my experience. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
1. How to take good photos for Instagram
It goes without saying that Instagram is a visual platform!
But a unique and high-quality photo or video will take you a long way.
The harsh reality is if your Instagram profile doesn’t stand out, it’s going to be hard to grow a following!
Creating a cohesive feed is a simple and effective way start growing a following.
Think colours: I personally like to stick to white, grey, black, and pink – think about common themes in you images and work with these.
How to take better photos for Instagram
Level up your Instagram photography game with these four tips.
(1) Take photos around the same time of day with natural light
Use foam boards like these ones that you can get for next to nothing on Amazon and ensure maximum brightness to your styled photos of flatlays.
I’m often snapping shots with my camera in one hand while holding a foam board in the other – it creates a beautiful bright photo.
If shooting in natural light isn’t always an option for you though, invest in a set of cheap studio lights these ones – they’re a lifesaver when you have a deadline!
(2) Invest in a great camera
I can’t stress this enough.
I love my iPhone, but my mirrorless makes all the difference!
I use a Sony a6500 Camera for everything I post to Instagram.
The images taken with my mirrorless are amazing quality and editing them is such a breeze afterwards.
Whether you choose the traditional DSLR or a more compact mirrorless camera, like I did, this a long term investment that’s well worth it just for the memories you’ll have in the future.
(3) Edit your photos using a great app
I personally use Lightroom mobile and do most photo editing on my phone!
To see exactly how I get my images bright and clean and my whites looking extra white, check out this step by step tutorial.
Have a read and see exactly how I went from average Instagram user to sponsored content creator!
(4) Learn more about Instagram content creation strategies
I have an entire blog post devoted to how to create amazing content for Instagram.
2. How to engage on Instagram – Target top performing accounts
Social media has been dubbed this for a reason!
And Instagram is as much of a visual game as it is a social one.
Leave thoughtful and provoking comments on highly viewed photos and videos posted by top influencers in your niche.
Not only will they see your engagement but their followers will too – and curiosity a powerful marketing tool!
Engage, engage, engage! You’ll see other successful influencers say it again, again, and AGAIN!
3. Engage with recent posts on Instagram
This is something that really helped me grow on Instagram during my earliest days.
It’s part of the method I used to grow a brand new account to 1,000 followers in 28 days!
Search hashtags that are relevant to you and your brand and engage with the latest content that appears in your results.
Engaging with lesser known accounts gets them curious about who you are and will have the same impact on their followers.
Have you ever browsed through the comments section of an Instagram post? I know I have!
If you’ve searched the right hashtags, engaging with the latest posts could also mean that your vision for your brand aligns with these fellow Instagram users.
For more on how to formulate an amazing Instagram hashtag strategy, check out this post to start hashtagging like a pro!
You’ll also find the best 200 niche specific and effective hashtags to help you start increasing your number of followers, comments, and likes to your Instagram profile.
Pro Tip: Remember, different hashtags work for different types of engagement and different audiences! Utilizing a mixture of them all is the best hashtag strategy to grow your audience and reach organically.
4. How to post to Instagram stories
Instagram Stories were something I neglected during their debut!
But in all honesty, they’re something I can’t live without now.
Knowing what to post on Instagram Stories and when to post it is the perfect way to get more views to your Instagram Profile!
There are also several easy tricks to increase Instagram Story views and build your audience.
Instagram Stories are the perfect place to post content that doesn’t quite fit into or isn’t high quality enough for your Feed!
Pro Tips: consider styling your stories using Canva or PhotoShop.
Create templates based around your business or brand to show your audience what your all about – Canva even offers free Instagram story templates to get news businesses started!
5. How to tag a location on Instagram
Increasing your potential reach and exposure is a must is you want to get more views on Instagram.
And always tagging a location is a super easy way to do so!
The strategy I like to use for location tags is to always tag the major city closest to the location I shot my content in.
Unless, the exact spot you created your content in is a well-known destination, you’re only limiting your profile’s reach.
If you shot the photo at home, again, tag the biggest metropolis closest to you!
This is such a simple add on but it really is that effective!
6. How to tag a brand on Instagram
Have a favourite spot where you buy your entire wardrobe or housewares? Tag them in every single post! You only have exposure to gain and there is absolutely no downside.
Know of an account that features Instagram users just like you? Tag them!
You’ll show up on their feed within their tagged category. A super easy but effective way to get more exposure to your account right now!
Working with a brand on an upcoming collaboration? Other influencers just like you might be too and they’ll browse through the brands tagged section on their profile for inspiration.
I know I’ve done this and often times, have been curious about who put out the amazing content I just saw!
Consider your own Instagram browsing habits. Chances are other Instagram users have similar ones.
Here’ a sponsored post I did for Mr.Clean.
7. How to use hashtags on Instagram
There is a right way and a wrong way to use Instagram hashtags.
Building a strong Instagram Hashtag Strategy includes:
(1) Using a combination of highly competitive hashtags and lesser known hashtags
Think 1,000,000 other posts versus 50,000!
You stand more of a chance to be featured in the Most Popular section of a less competitive hashtag as a developing Instagram user but using competitive hashtags will get you more likes!
Think about the behaviour I described before: chances are, other users are utilizing the same methods to gain exposure to their accounts. Create your habits with this psychology in mind for optimum results!
(2) Posting hashtags in your comments
Talk to 5 different Instagram users on this and you’ll get 5 different opinions.
Personally, I’ve had a great experience with it and, as I’ve seen other Instagram users do, I now sometimes post two separate comments containing hashtags – keep it at 10 and 10, for instance or, group relevant tags together.
This brings me to my next point!
(3) Use relevant hashtags
Continuing where we left off above:
By archiving, for example, a set of 10 motherhood related hashtags, 10 lifestyle related hashtags, and 10 business related hashtags in the notes section of your phone, you can then post two of these “hashtag groups” together based on their relevancy to your latest post.
Use more or less, according to what you experience works for you.
Normally, I like to stick to around 23 or less. For whatever reason, its just worked.
Stay on topic and only use tags that relate to who you are as an Instagram user or what your latest image represents.
Pro Tip: Research hashtags to see how they fit with your brand!
For example, although I love the term hustle, the content that shows up when you search this tag is a bit mixed for my liking. You’ll find everything from cross-fit athletes to get rich e-book writers. Totally not reflective of my brand!
Get to know your hashtags and you’ll see exactly whether or not they’ll fit into your creative plan.
Related: Top 100 Days of the Week Hashtags
8. How to cross-promote on Instagram
You know those little buttons you can tap to share your post to your Facebook page or Twitter account? Always choose to do so!
This really is as simple as the click of a button but the payout can be massive.
And bonus, if you have an Instagram Fan Page AND a Personal Facebook Page, share your Instagram Stories to both!
I cannot tell you what an explosion this led to in my Instagram Profile Views!
While I never considered my family, friends, and former work colleagues as a potential audience for my Instagram account, it turns out that a lot of people were actually curious about what I’m doing now.
And, as a result, I gained more followers and more people who view and interact with my content.
The moral of the story?
Promote everywhere! Because sometimes, you never know just how diverse your audience really is.
Here’s an image I created for a sponsored Catelli’s post and reposted to Pinterest as a food flat lay inspiration picture.
9. How to collaborate on Instagram
Interested in doing an account take over?
Write a professional business proposal to your favourite brands or feature accounts and get something cooking!
As my mom always says, there is a 50% chance they will say YES!
You know how the most successful businesses, brands, and individuals get ahead?
They take chances!
No one ever grew their vision by doing the exact same thing as someone else.
There is only ONE you but over 7.5 billion others on this planet.
What makes you YOU-nique?
Use these qualities when you write your proposal to wow potential business partners with your incredible authenticity. Because that’s what social media is all about!
Whenever I’ve collaborated with a brand or done a paid sponsored post, this is the first thing a partner will always note in their requirements is that you create content in your own unique style.
Make it organic and cater to your personal brand because people can see the inauthentic from a mile away.
To boost exposure and start getting paid to post or to post in exchange for product, join influencer marketing networks for access to opportunities.
If your content is strong enough, your new business partner may also feature you on their page this way and some of these brands have a massive following on Instagram.
Talk about double the benefits!
10. Good times to post on Instagram
Have you made the switch to an Instagram Business account yet? Do it!
No matter what anyone says about you not being favoured by the algorithm, ignore it. If your content is as unique and incredible as you are, they will come.
Plus, switching to a Business Account gives you access to powerful Analytics!
You’ll see exactly what time your followers are active on Instagram and on what days of the week. Talk about an advantage!
Your followers are the ones who engage with your content and knowing exactly when a large percentage of them are online will give you more access to more eyes and potential customers for your latest post or product launch.
To see what times you should be posting at, click on your profile photo icon in the Instagram app on your phone.
Now, click the menu bar in the top right corner.
Select Insights from your Instagram business profile menu.
Choose Audience.
Scroll to the bottom of this screen and observe the Followers section – toggle through Hours on specific days an as well as what Days of the week your followers are most active on.
Are you ready to make moves and start getting more views to your Instagram Profile?
Implement these 10 ideas into your Instagram business marketing plan and share your experience in the comments below!
Well, I have been doing many steps and ways to boost views on my Instagram post but nothing helped me and at last I tried your above given tips like mentioning relevant hashtages. Quietly it helped me to increase views.