Legal Hacks To Grow Your Instagram Follower Count

Instagram follower count is a major measure of success. Many top Instagram accounts use social media marketing strategies to boost their numbers. While some methods are straightforward, others exist in a grey area. These techniques can be effective but come with risks. Let’s explore twenty grey area methods to growth hack your Instagram.

Here Are 20 Methods to Growth Hack Your Instagram

1. Using Clickbait Tactics in Content

Clickbait can attract attention quickly. It involves sensational or misleading headlines to get people to click on your content. For Instagram, this means using eye-catching captions and thumbnails. Examples include dramatic statements or promises that pique curiosity. However, while clickbait can increase engagement, it can frustrate your audience if the content doesn’t deliver. Overuse of clickbait can lead to loss of followers and damage your credibility. To use this tactic effectively, ensure your content delivers on its promises.

2. Use of Ghostwriting for Comments and Captions

Ghostwriting means hiring someone to write comments and captions for you. This can make your account look more active and engaging. A ghostwriter can craft witty, engaging comments and captions that resonate with your audience. This method can enhance your brand voice and save time. But remember, authenticity matters in social media marketing. Relying too much on ghostwriters can make your account feel less personal. Maintaining your voice and interacting with your followers directly is important to build genuine relationships.

3. Cross-Promotion Tactics Under Fictitious Collaborations

Fictitious collaborations involve pretending to work with other influencers or brands. This social media marketing tactic can create a buzz and attract followers who are fans of the other party. To do this, you might tag the other account in your posts or create content that suggests a partnership. It can generate interest, but it can damage your credibility if discovered. It’s a risky social media marketing strategy that requires careful execution. Ensure that any fictitious collaboration appears as authentic as possible to avoid backlash.

4. Geo-Tag Manipulation for Wider Reach

Geo-tags can help your posts reach a broader audience. By tagging popular or trending locations, you can appear in the feeds of users who follow those tags. For instance, tagging a post with a famous city can increase visibility even if you’re not there. However, this can mislead your followers and may be against Instagram’s policies. Use this technique sparingly and strategically. Using geo-tags relevant to your content is best to maintain authenticity and avoid misleading your audience.

5. Buying Verification Badges

Verification badges add credibility and attract more followers. Some services offer to sell these badges, promising a quick boost in legitimacy. Having a verification badge can make your account appear more trustworthy and prestigious. However, buying verification is against Instagram’s rules and can lead to account suspension. It’s a high-risk tactic with potentially severe consequences. Instead of buying badges, build a strong, authentic presence that naturally earns verification.

It is worth mentioning that Meta introduced a Meta-verified badge in 2023 that offers similar benefits.

6. Engagement Pods and Automated Commenting

Engagement pods are users who agree to like and comment on each other’s posts. Automated commenting uses bots to post comments on various accounts. These methods can quickly increase your engagement rates. Engagement pods create a community feel, and automated comments keep your account active. However, these interactions are not genuine and can be detected by Instagram, leading to penalties. Relying on these methods too heavily can make your engagement appear inauthentic.

7. Exploiting Instagram Algorithm Loopholes

Every algorithm has its loopholes. Some users exploit these to gain more visibility. This could involve timing posts when engagement is highest or using specific types of content that the algorithm favors. While effective in the short term, Instagram regularly updates its algorithm to close these loopholes. Relying on them can lead to unstable growth patterns. Instead of exploiting loopholes, focus on understanding and adapting to the algorithm’s preferences to ensure consistent growth.

8. Leverage the Power of Influencers

If you want to quickly grow your Instagram following, one of the best things you can do is leverage the power of influencers.

What I mean by this is teaming up with an influencer & having them promote your account to their followers.

This is a great way to get your name & profile in front of a whole new audience. And if you choose the right influencer, there’s a good chance some of their followers will become your own.

9. Find the Best Tools to Boost Engagement

Dominate the Instagram algorithm by giving yourself more control over engagement with instagram growth tools like Skweezer. We are the best way to grow your following automatically and organically by giving your the power to steer the engagement on your account.

This way, you can focus on creating great content while Skweezer takes care of growing your account for you.

10. Use User-Generated Content

User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to connect with your audience & grow your following.

For those who don’t know, UGC is any form of content that’s created by someone other than you or your brand.

This could be anything from a photo or video that someone took of your product, to a review they left on your website.

The key is to find & share UGC that’s relevant to your brand. This will not only show your audience that you’re listening, but it will also help you attract new followers who are interested in the same things.

11. Supercharge with Instagram Shopping

If you have an eCommerce store, you can use Instagram Shopping to sell your products directly on Instagram.

This is a great way to get more eyes on your products & drive sales from your Instagram account.

To use Instagram Shopping, you’ll need to set up a business profile & connect it to your eCommerce store. Then, you’ll be able to tag products in your posts & stories, which people can then click on to buy.

12. Create an Instagram Landing Page

An Instagram landing page is a great way to funnel traffic from your Instagram account to your website or other online properties.

A landing page is basically a standalone web page that’s designed to convert visitors into leads or customers.

And when it comes to Instagram, there are a few different ways you can use landing pages to grow your following & drive traffic to your website.

For example, you can use a landing page to promote a contest or giveaway that you’re running on Instagram. Or, you can use a landing page to drive people to sign up for your email list.

The key is to be creative & come up with a way to use landing pages that will work best for your business.

13. Don’t Be Afraid to Spend Money on Ads

If you’re serious about growing your Instagram following, you shouldn’t be afraid to spend some money on ads.

Instagram ads are a great way to reach a wider audience & get more people to follow your account.

And the best part is, you can target your ads so that they’re only seen by people who are likely to be interested in what you have to say.

For example, if you sell products for dog owners, you can target your ads to people who have recently engaged with dog-related content on Instagram.

Or, if you’re a travel blogger, you can target your ads to people who have shown an interest in travel in the past.

The key is to experiment with different targeting options & find what works best for your business.

14. Made Your Feed Aesthetically Pleasing

Make sure your feed is pleasing to the eye. No one wants to follow an account that has a bunch of random, unorganized photos.

Take some time to plan out your feed & make sure each photo fits in with the overall aesthetic.

And if you need some help getting started, there are plenty of resources & tutorials out there that can teach you how to make a beautiful Instagram feed.

15. Develop an Automatic Engagement Strategy

Sometimes, you need a little help getting the conversation started. Your post should contain a call-to-action (CTA) that encourages people to leave a comment.

For example, you could ask people to share their favorite travel memory in the comments section. They will automatically have a memory pop into their head and will be more likely to share the memory.

Or, you could ask people to tag a friend who they think would love your product and why. Just be sure to ask a question that can’t be answered with a simple yes, no, or by @ing someone.

The key is to come up with a CTA that’s relevant to your brand & will encourage people to actually leave a comment. To trigger an innate desire to want to engage.

16. Develop a Caption Strategy

A successful caption should be more than just a few words tacked onto the end of your photo. It should be engaging, informative, and highlight the value of your content.

Crafting the perfect caption takes time & practice, but there are a few things that you can do to make the process a little easier.

Start by brainstorming a list of potential captions before you even start writing. This will give you a foundation to work from and help you stay on track.

Then, take some time to analyze the captions of other accounts in your niche. What kind of language do they use? What tone do their captions take? What topics do they tend to write about? Use this research to inform your own caption strategy.

Finally, don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of captions. Try writing longer captions, using emojis, or asking questions. See what works for your account & stick with it.

17. Get Involved in Relevant Conversations

One of the best organic Instagram growth strategy is to get your content seen by more people is to get involved in relevant conversations.

This could mean commenting on popular posts, participating in hashtags, or joining Instagram pods.

No matter what method you choose, getting involved in relevant conversations is a great way to get your content in front of new eyes & potentially attract some new followers.

18. Use Location Tags

In addition to hashtags, location tags are another great Instagram organic growth way to get your content seen by more people.

When you tag a location in your post, it will show up on the location’s page & be visible to anyone who searches for that location.

This is a great way to get your content in front of people who might not be following you & attract some new followers in the process.

19. Post High-Quality Content

This one should go without saying, but it’s still worth mentioning in the list of Instagram organic growth strategies. If you want to grow your Instagram account, you need to be posting high-quality content.

This means photos & videos that are well-lit, in focus, and aesthetically pleasing. It also means captions that are well-written, engaging, and informative.

If you’re not sure whether or not your content is up to par, take a look at the accounts of other people in your niche. See what they’re doing right & try to replicate it with your own content.

20. Use A/B Testing

If you’re not sure what type of content is performing the best on your account, it’s a good idea to use A/B testing.

A/B testing is a method of experimentation where you compare two or more versions of something (in this case, your content) to see which one performs better.

For example, you could post two different photos & see which one gets more likes & comments. Or you could try posting at different times of the day & see when you get the most engagement.

Once you’ve done some A/B testing, you’ll have a better understanding of what type of content works best for your account. And you can use that knowledge to inform your future content strategy.

Conclusion

Grey area techniques can provide quick results but come with significant risks. It’s crucial to balance these methods with genuine engagement strategies. Authenticity and long-term growth go hand in hand. Using too many grey area tactics can harm your credibility and lead to Instagram penalties. Focus on building a real connection with your audience. Use these techniques sparingly and wisely to support your growth, but always prioritize ethical practices for sustainable success.

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