How to increase your Instagram followers for business?

Did that beautiful post you spent hours working on only get 15 likes? Hasn’t your follower count been budging for weeks, as if it were stuck to a wall? I swear, I understand this situation so well... As a business owner, trying to keep up with everything and also dealing with this weird algorithm of Instagram can drive you crazy. But wait, don’t give up right away. In fact, the secret to this business is not in such secret formulas. In this article, I will tell you, not as an agency, but as a friend who has been through this, about how to increase your Instagram followers for business, that is, how to make that follower count skyrocket naturally. Fasten your seat belts, because it’s already time to revive that silent profile.

If You Forget Who You’re Talking To, You’re Talking To A Wall

Look, this is the most basic rule. It's so basic that most people skip it saying "oh I already know this" and make the biggest mistake here. You have to know WHO you're talking to. A customer of ours who has a ceramics studio came to us recently. She makes great products, her photos are legendary. But she only has a handful of followers. We opened her profile, it was like a gallery catalog... Soulless, distant. "So," we said, "who would buy your ceramics? A working woman in her 30s who wants to add warmth to her home, who loves the story of handmade products, right?" "Yes," she said. "Then why don't you talk to her like a friend?" we asked. That's when the action took off. The language of the profile changed immediately. "What came out of the oven today" posts were replaced by sincere questions like "Are there anyone here who dreams of a Sunday coffee to be had with this cup?" The result? You can guess...

Get a pen and paper right now and answer these questions honestly. Don’t say cliché, just do it:

• What is the first thing my customer looks at when they wake up in the morning?
• What makes them laugh, what makes them think?
• What would be missing in their life without my product? (Hint: You’re not just selling a product, you’re selling a FEEL.)
• What words and emojis do they use?

The answers to these questions will be your content map. You’ll stop shooting blindly and start hitting the bullseye. People want to follow accounts that understand them, speak their language, and really add value to them (sometimes that value is just a smile). It’s that simple, actually.

Start the Conversation, Feed the Algorithm

Think of Instagram as a greedy monster. Do you know what this monster's favorite food is? Interaction. That is, comments, likes, saves, and shares. The more you give it these foods, the more it loves you and shows your posts to more people as a reward. So how do we feed this monster? By getting your followers to talk! You need to make them a part of the conversation instead of being timid viewers. Even adding a simple question like "Don't you think so?" under a post you share is a start. Polls in stories, "ask me a question" boxes, etc. are literally a feast.

And please, don't leave the comments you receive unanswered. Those comments are worth their weight in gold. Did someone just send you a flame emoji? Reply with a heart. Did someone ask a question? Help them right away. This is the easiest way to say, “Hey, I saw you and you’re important to me.” Remember, social media is not a monologue, it’s a platform for dialogue. If you talk alone, after a while your voice will echo in the void and get lost. You should be the one to start and continue that conversation. The people you establish this rapport with will one day become your most loyal customers and fiercest advocates.

Reels: That Secret Door to the Discovery Page

Here’s the most important part. If you’re still saying, “Oh, I can’t shoot videos, I can’t be bothered,” then excuse me, but in the digital age, you’re keeping the shutters of your shop closed. Reels is the FIRST way to reach new people on Instagram right now. Period. It doesn’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to have a tripod or lights. Just grab your phone and start. Whatever music is popular at the moment, whatever trend is happening, adapt it to your business right away. If you’re a clothing boutique, create 3 different combinations with one T-shirt. If you’re a baker, capture that hypnotic moment when you’re squeezing the icing on that cake. People are tired of shiny, polished ads. They want to see something real, immediate, and fun.

Reels are like a magnet that brings new followers. Stories are the glue that keeps them coming. Stories are your backstage. You can hang out there more comfortably, more intimately, and more “us”. Share a moment from your day, conduct a poll, and make your followers laugh with a funny filter. When you use these two, Reels and Stories together, your profile becomes a living, breathing place. You introduce new people with one, and you become besties with the other. That’s the gist of it. Now, close this post and start thinking of an idea for your first Reels video. Trust me, the hardest part is just getting started.