7 Hacks To Increase Instagram Reach

There’s always something you can do to increase your Instagram followers. With over a billion active users, the sky’s definitely the limit.

But how do you increase your Instagram reach, especially when there seem to always be a hot new profile everyone’s talking about?

Well, here are a few Instagram marketing hacks you could try:

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Hack # 1: Post less.

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One of those days where I struggle to find the balance between endless emails, calls with attorneys, meetings, all while trying to do my job as an influencer and looking somewhat presentable. Oh and launching a new swim collection too! 👊🏻😪

A post shared by Danielle Bernstein (@weworewhat) on May 1, 2019 at 12:09pm PDT

You read it right.

You can actually increase your reach by cutting down the posts you publish. When you post less, it means you’re creating better content. You can spend the rest of the time making sure your posts are suited to your brand, and something your audiences actually enjoy and respond to.

When you focus on quality over quantity, the audiences you want to attract will surely come in droves.

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Hack # 2: Capitalize on user-generated content.

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#Repost @lauracroft with @get_repost ・・・ A literal stairway to heaven. This was our private stairway that led to the beach! @marincanto_romantichotel does it right 👌🏽 . . . . . . . #positano #positanoitaly #amalficoast #italy #italytravel #dreamvacation #discoverpositano #beautifulhotels #girlsdreamtravel #nomadgirls #traveltagged #wandertheworld #traveldreamseekers #wanderlusttribe #travelandleisure #driftersguide #beautifuldestinations #sheisnotlost #roamingwomen #femmetravel #womenwhowander #travellikeagirl #womenwhotravel #travelblogger #hotelmarincanto #hotelmarincantopositano

A post shared by SIMPLY AMALFI COAST MAGAZINE (@simplyamalficoast) on May 2, 2019 at 8:18am PDT

In terms of numbers, user-generated content are 50% more trustworthy than non-user-generated content. This means that reposting something your followers have made for and about your brand is a highly valuable tactic to improve brand reputation. This works really well for blog or website content too; featuring user-generated content or generating user content through contests not only drives engagement, it also has the ability to turn customers into brand advocates.

When it comes to growing your reach, when you post content created by followers, they will likely repost it. Your engagement will skyrocket and you’ll see yourself featured on feeds that follow your followers.

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Hack # 3: Time your posts well.

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I’ve been matching my outfits with my new @huaweimobilenl P30 pro ever since I got it 😛 I love testing all cool features of the camera and the overall quality of it is amazing!! #HuaweiP30PRO #RewriteTheRules

A post shared by Sophie | fashion | travel (@s0phieramaekers) on Apr 25, 2019 at 1:08am PDT

The right time to post differs from brand to brand. If you have an Instagram Business profile, you’ll be able to pinpoint when most of your followers are active on the app.

Why is it important? When you post when there’s high activity, your post will likely get more engagement. The higher the engagement, the higher you’ll find your post with Instagram’s algorithm-based feed.

The better your post looks in terms of engagement, the likeliker you’ll find it on the coveted Explore tab!

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Hack # 4: Cross-post Instagram content.

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🔴опишите меня в двух словах😈 Интересно 🤣😇 . . За самый прикольный комментарий , отмечу тебя в сторис 🔝 . . #просмотры #видеоlikes #reposts #thank #you #views #блог #взаимныелайки #взаимныеподписки #желаю #успехов #лайки #просмотр #результат #репосты #спасибо #статистика #статистика #блога #счастлив#просмотрывидео #любовь #пары #счастье #лето#мода#одежда#очки

A post shared by YULIA💃 (@vertuntsova_yulia) on May 1, 2019 at 7:13am PDT

In order to reach more viewers, you’ll have to think beyond the app.

You can encourage followers on one social media platform to also follow you on different social media platforms. Take care with picking which posts to repost on other socials, though! You don’t want your accounts to look too identical.

Cross-posting your best feed posts will work on Pinterest, while cross-posting videos and IG stories may be better on Facebook. For longer content, use IGTV and crosspost it on YouTube.

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Hack # 5: Host giveaways.

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So I bought too much #TulaPink #zumafabric and I want to give these six #fabric #fatquarters away to you! ✨ 1️⃣ Bribery? Maybe, but you gotta follow @molli_sparkles to be in it to win it. 2️⃣ Tag you’re it! Tag as many friends on separate comments for as many entries as you like. 3️⃣ Winner selected at random by Mr. Sparkles on Thursday, 09 May. ✨ #tulatroops #giveaway #mollisparkles #mollisparklesapproved #greenwithenvy #fabricgiveaway #tulapinkzuma #tulapinkfabric #tulapinkdestash

A post shared by Molli Sparkles (@molli_sparkles) on May 1, 2019 at 10:58pm PDT

Want a boost in numbers? You can’t go wrong with a giveaway.

It’s a great way to boost engagement, give back to your followers, and generate user content you can curate and repost for even wider reach. It’s a win-win!

Make sure you follow Instagram’s official guidelines when hosting giveaways and contests on your account.

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Hack # 6: Use your top-performing posts as ads.

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This hunk has his mama's heart! My coffee dates with Van make my life 🙌🏻! #ad And this @freshlypicked Classic Carryall in Butterscotch not only has me prepared for the day, but goes with ANYTHING!! Van is rocking his new #freshlypicked white high tops and loving them, just look at his face!😍 http://liketk.it/2ByoT #liketkit @liketoknow.it #LTKspring #LTKitbag #LTKfamily #LTKkids #LTKsalealert #LTKshoecrush #LTKstyletip #LTKtravel #LTKunder50 #LTKworkwear #LTKunder100

A post shared by Jenn Jackson (@xposedbeauty) on May 2, 2019 at 8:50am PDT

You already know you’ve got a great post because it has very high engagement. There are thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, and it’s a great example of what others can expect from your account.

Why not use these posts and boost them as paid ads, ensuring more people find them on their feed? Instagram won’t just show these ads to anyone. They’ll be seen by people who are already likely to follow an account like yours. Targeted ads mean instant followers!

If you want to take this to the next level, there are also tools out there like Ampjar that lets you incorporate your Instagram content/ads into the emails of other like minded brands.

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Hack # 7: Communicate more and better.

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Jaipur, you are such a magical pink OASIS. 🌸💕🕌 Yesterday morning we had breakfast at the most adorable cafe with the @clinique crew in town and learned more about the moisture surge eye hydrator. I am in LOVE with how vibrant and pink this city is and so cute how the products match perfectly 😊 So much fascinating history and culture in India and having some of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life! #pinkoasis #moisturesurge #cliniquepartner

A post shared by Lyss Boss (@lyss) on Apr 25, 2019 at 9:18am PDT

Engagement is a two-way street on Instagram. If you want more people to engage with your content, you have to engage with them, too. Thank them for liking and commenting, answer questions, maybe check out some of their accounts and give them likes and follows back.

When you double down on the ‘social’ aspect of this social media platform, you’ll quickly attract more followers looking for accounts with great content and friendly brand personas they can relate to and interact with.

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You don’t have to veer away from your brand identity or completely rebrand just to increase your Instagram reach. The great thing about the hacks on this article is that you can apply them to your strategy immediately!