10 Instagram Hacks That Will Actually Help You Skyrocket Growth

After a ton of requests, I’ve finally put together my top 10 Instagram hacks to help you grow your brand on social media!! Yay. I’m extremely knowledgeable on the topic because I’ve constantly educated myself ever since Instagram was created.

Before being self-employed as a content creator/blogger and brand owner, I was director of marketing and social media at a global public beauty company. Before that I was a social media manager at a start up skincare brand, and before that a social media manager where I managed 7 brands per month. I helped each brand grow not only their following and sales, but helped define their identity, voice, & branding as well. (Which is crucial, especially on the internet.) I’m not saying this to toot my own horn (ok maybe a little, toot toot) but because it shows you that I’m not just another person claiming to know what they’re talking about. I’m an expert who’s been on both sides – working for a brand, and as a brand. You can trust me. 🙂

Keep scrolling to see my top 10 Instagram hacks to help you grow your brand and

follow me on Instagram for daily updates @amy_marietta & my brand @a.m.club

10 Instagram Hacks That Will Skyrocket Growth - @amy_marietta

Sidenote: The Instagram algorithm is constantly changing. This article was written in 2019 and I will try to update it as much as possible when changes are made.

10 Instagram Hacks

1. Get users to spend more time on your posts

The longer people spend on your post, the more users Instagram will show it to, and the more likely you are to be featured on the Explore page which will get new eyes on your profile. And of course, this leads to new followers/potential customers. There are a few ways to do this which I will go over next…

2. Create engaging captions

Instagram isn’t just about pretty photos anymore, it’s evolved into so much more. I think of Instagram as a mini blog where I share lots of useful tips and insights while also creating conversations. Ask your followers questions, share unique info, run giveaways where your followers can win something by tagging their friends on your profile.

For example, I partnered with The Mulia Bali to give away a 3 night stay at their all inclusive resort, shown below. It was my most commented post this year by far with almost 4,000 comments of people tagging other people. A giveaway like this is a win-win-win situation because I’m promoting the hotel and getting them followers, growing my account, and giving something great to my followers.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

~CONTEST CLOSED~ BALI GIVEAWAY!!! ✈️⁣ ⁣ Remember when I asked you guys if I should run a giveaway for a FREE stay at the @themuliabali? IT’S HAPPENING. Keep reading below for details. 👇🏼⁣ ⁣ PRIZE ✨ ⁣ A 3 NIGHT STAY at the Grandeur – Mulia Resort (room & breakfast for 2 persons). Voucher is valid for 1 year period. Flights not included. ⁣ ⁣ HOW TO ENTER:⁣ ⁣ 1. Follow @themuliabali & @amy_marietta⁣ ⁣ 2. Tag someone below. You get extra entries for each comment. ⁣ ⁣ WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED MAY 10, 2019 at 12 PM PST. The winner will be determined by Mulia Bali in it’s sole discretion⁣ and revealed on both accounts stories. ⁣ Good luck!⁣ ⁣ #EscapeToMulia #MuliaBali #baligiveaway #giveawaybali

A post shared by Amy Nicole Marietta (@amy_marietta) on

Giveaways are fun, but make sure they are legit. So in summary, create captions that your followers will want to respond to or save for reference later. You want to create a community right? The best way to create a community is to get other people involved in the conversation.

3. Always reply to comments the first 15 minutes after posting

Instagram rewards those who stay active on the app after posting. I know, what a pain in the ass. But I also get it because if you post something, asking others to contribute to the discussion, then you need to stay there to answer and respond to those who do. So make sure to reply to all comments the first 15 minutes if you want your post to be pushed to more people.

4. Post Instagram Stories consistently and use all of the features

IG stories are a whole other beast but I’ll keep this concise. The more consistently you post IG stories, the higher Instagram will bump you up on people’s feeds. Don’t just post anything though, post engaging content, preferably video, and use all the IG Story features available such as the location tag, GIFS, polls, Ask Me Anything feature, etc.

5. Post consistently, every day

Okay every day might be a bit much for everyone, but if you want to grow, you need to post consistently. Instagram favors accounts that post everyday so your post will reach more people if you’re contributing more to the app. It sucks for sure, but that’s just the way it is. For example, I took a week off of posting when I went to Japan and it took about a week to build my impressions back up. For instances like this, when you want to take time off without taking time off, a scheduling app might be best.

10 Instagram Hacks That Will Skyrocket Growth - Amy Marietta

6. Post during peak hours for YOU

If you have an Instagram business account, then you can look at your Instagram Analytics which are going to be more accurate than any other app claiming to be the best. I tried the WhenToPost app, but nothing beats Instagram’s analytics because they tell you the peak times when your followers are online.

7. Use the right amounts of hashtags

Instagram can recognize spammy hashtags so it’s best to only use 3 in your post, and 11 in your comments section. Don’t use the same hashtags over and over again, mix it up on each unique post. You don’t want IG to flag your post as spam and shadowban you, so make sure to choose your hashtags carefully.

8. Break up your captions to be more aesthetically pleasing by using Apps4Life

which I discovered a few months ago. It makes your long captions easier to read and just looks So. Much. Better.

10 Instagram Hacks That Will Skyrocket Growth - Amy Marietta

9. Respond to DMs and IG story replies

Again, another time consuming feat, but it’s important to acknowledge your community and engage with them. This doesn’t mean you have to respond to EVERY creepy guy who asks for your number, but if you ask your followers a question, it’s important to follow up.

10. Use the location feature on your Instagram posts.

Geotagging where you are, or where the photo was taken will help you get new users on your page. Do you ever look up the geotag of a place to see what people are posting about it? I do! Especially to check hotel reviews and scope out the weather situation.

10 Instagram Hacks That Will Skyrocket Growth - Amy Marietta

But wait, I have some important concluding thoughts real quick before you go… Please make sure that you stay positive on social media. Use it as an inspiration tool and a way to connect with people.

I’ve finally found a balance and learned what works for me, but social media used to make me feel not so good all the time. I used to spend too much time on it and had the wrong mentality about it. You can read my thoughts about it in a recent interview I did with LA Magazine here. And/or read my blog post How To Make A Positive Impact Through Fashion & Social Media.

Phew! That was a lot. I hope it was helpful. I’d LOVE for you to share any Instagram hacks you have in the comments section below! And don’t forget to follow me on Instagram for daily updates where I share more Instagram hacks @amy_marietta

Spread love! Be happy!

10 Instagram Hacks That Will Actually Help You Skyrocket Growth

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10 Instagram Hacks That Will Skyrocket Growth - @amy_marietta10 Instagram Hacks That Will Skyrocket Growth - @amy_marietta