With social media absolutely taking off in recent years, there has been a shift in the way we market products and ourselves to the world. No app has seen growth and user interaction quite like Instagram which has only seen an increase in following over the past few years. Instagram has seen an average of 500 million active users every day with around 4 billion likes per day.

Numbers like these are unlike any other social media platform and are waiting to be used by the most invested users. Instagram can be used for businesses, art, or any form of media that you choose to post. The flexibility of Instagram makes it the perfect tool for almost anyone to grow their reach and internet presence. If you use Instagram effectively, you can see your following and outreach grow like never before.

If you are looking to increase your Instagram following, then you have come to the right place. We take a look at 11 ways that you can use Instagram to increase your following and get your user engagement numbers higher than ever before. If you use these tips effectively and learn to understand your audience, you could see your account grow into something excellent in no time.

1. Take it offline

While the internet has the power to spread messages faster than almost anything else, it is not your only tool. Think back to some effective marketing campaigns of the past that relied on tasteful signs and messages that got people talking. Taking your brand and message off of Instagram and into the real world will help reach more people.

Look to get your brand name and messages across with a healthy combination of internet marketing and real-world campaigns. Make people curious as to what's behind the hashtag in the digital and physical world. When using hashtags in your photos, you might want to consider buying Instagram likes. This will improve your chances of the photo hitting the Explore page.

2. Utilize the hashtags effectively

On the topic of hashtags, they are what made Instagram so famous in the first place. If you look at any company that effectively uses Instagram for marketing, they will always use clever hashtags in their posts. Combining a mix of both common and uncommon hashtags can be all it takes to get your posts gaining interest.

Some hashtags like #lol and #funny are great if you want to get lost in a sea of millions of other posts but using specific ones that reach your intended audience is much more effective.

3. Get involved in bigger audiences

There is a certain art to using hashtags to get to the right audiences. When you want to get your brand or profile seen by the masses, you need to be doing things that create interest. Posting with hashtags that relate to a specific niche and also the greater Instagram population will be your key to success.

Depending on what kind of audience you are trying to reach, use posts and hashtags that will directly reach that audience. As well as this, sprinkle in some trending and popular hashtags for general awareness.

4. Update your bio

One of the first things any user will look at when browsing Instagram is your bio. This is your area to give a little bit of insight as to who you are and what your profile will offer. If your bio is outdated and doesn't offer any information, nobody will want to follow you. Keep your bio updated and relevant to new projects so people want to learn more.

You can also utilize this space to insert links to your websites or other accounts. Keep these links updated like the rest of your bio to keep returning and new members wanting to come back.

You could also use platforms such as Buzzoid to buy Instagram followers. If you are looking to increase your Instagram followers, then you have come to the right place. We take a look at 11 ways that you can use Instagram to increase your following and get your user engagement numbers higher than ever before. This will enhance your bio and make you seem like somewhat of a celebrity/popular figure.

5. Write engaging captions

Captions are an area of your account that can either make or break your image. Used correctly, a caption can create emotions and tell a deeper story that gives your posts and pictures real meaning. However, captions that are long and necessarily drawn out will cause users to lose interest and move on.

Look at the popular accounts in your industry and see how they created their own message and voice for captions. Finding captions that add and don't take away form the image is the goal.

6. Reach out to influencers

The Instagram influencer is a new breed of celebrity who can amass millions of followers in a matter of weeks. Every industry has influencers that gain lots of attention from athletes to dancers who all get millions of views a day. If you want to tap into their area of the online marketplace, study their accounts and posts to learn from them. Often all it takes to thrive in an industry is to take messages and inspiration form relevant influencers.

7. Get rid of bad tags

As you grow your brand and image, you will start to realize there are some posts that don't really fit with your updated image. When you find posts that have you tagged that you don't feel fit your brand image, Instagram gives you options to help you hide those posts from your feed. While you can't always remove the posts with your tags, you can hide them from your profile so they aren't seen by your viewers.

8. Choose how you are seen

When you are creating your image on Instagram, you want to make sure you are keeping your best foot forward. To do this effectively, make sure that you are taking the time to look over any content you are being tagged in. You even have the option to manually choose which photos are and aren't shown on your profile.

 It is also important to set your profile to public so that more people can easily see your content. Controlling your image will help you look your best online.

9. Create a signature image

If you look at some of the most successful Instagram pages, you will instantly notice a common look that they have achieved. Whether it is using certain colors or filters to represent their image, it makes them stand out and creates an idea of uniformity. You want to create an image that is recognizable as yours and immediately catches the attention of others when they see it.

10. Explore your area

Just because you are looking to expand your online presence doesn't mean that you should neglect the real world. Exploring popular spots in your area that gather lots of traction and pictures can help you spread your message. Use the places tab on Instagram to look around you and see what areas are being tagged frequently.

Using these tags to take your pictures will expose you to other locals and help you to spread your brand to more people in your area than ever before.

11. Get people motivated to share

If you are just posting images with no engagement, people will quickly find your account rather boring. If you want to get people interested in what you have to say, you need to get them involved. Think of successful marketing campaigns that got people doing challenges or tasks to spread a message and increase brand awareness.

Getting people motivated to share your content could be just what you need to start a new trend or go viral overnight. Even asking simple questions in your comments can be enough to get people talking and increasing engagement with your account. Also look into free tools like Likezoid which will help you to get free Instagram likes.

Final Thoughts

With so many ways to make your Instagram account better, take the time to really understand these tips and integrate them into your profile. From changing some account settings around to finding your signature style, creating an effective Instagram account is easier than ever before. Sometimes that only thing that separates you from the most popular influencers is a few tweaks that can make your account shine.