Instagram boasts hundreds of millions of daily active users, making it a top-tier free resource for connecting with your desired customer base. However, don’t expect miracles from simply churning out posts haphazardly. While regular posting is crucial, it should be a component of a broader strategy for promoting your Instagram account. Increased user familiarity with your brand on this platform translates into heightened trust and amplified effectiveness for your remaining marketing endeavors.
The good news is that numerous free methods exist to promote your Instagram account. This post will guide you through 22 such strategies.
I’ve even included a few [not as free] bonus strategies if you have the financial leeway. Regardless of your chosen approach, the consistent theme throughout this post is targeting the right audience when promoting your Instagram account. After all, what’s the benefit of attracting followers who aren’t a good fit for your business?
Table of contents
- Why promote your business on Instagram?
- What to do before you start promoting your Instagram account?
- How to cross-promote your Instagram account
- How to use relationship-building to promote your Instagram account
- How to use content to promote your Instagram account
- How to use Instagram’s features to promote your account
- More free ways to promote your Instagram account
- A not-so-free way to promote your Instagram account
Why Instagram for business promotion?
Promoting your business in general is a no-brainer, but let’s delve into why promoting your Instagram business profile is particularly worthwhile. Here’s what promoting your IG can achieve:
- Visibility: Instagram reigns as one of the world’s most popular social media apps.
- Reach: Instagram holds the third-place spot among social media platforms globally, boasting 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users (Source: Instagram).
- Audience connection: Instagram is the most gender-balanced social media platform, with 50.9% female and 49.1% male users. This means your promotions effectively connect with both segments of your target demographic (Source: Statista).
Customer acquisition: With such a vast user base, it’s safe to assume that you’re reaching a substantial portion of your target market on Instagram. Communicating value, fostering trust, and cultivating relationships on this widely used app are instrumental in attracting and retaining customers.
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Prepping your Instagram account for promotion
Before attracting more people to your Instagram, ensure it’s configured as a business profile. If you’re using a personal account for business purposes, switching to a business account is a breeze. In the bottom right corner of your home screen, select the person icon, then the wheel at the top right. This leads you to “Options,” where you can select “Switch to Business Profile.”
2. Profile Completion
On a visually-driven platform like Instagram, incomplete profiles are exceptionally off-putting—to the extent that having fewer people discover a complete profile is preferable to more people encountering an incomplete one. To make your business profile shine, include pertinent business details, use a high-resolution profile picture, and craft an Instagram bio that reflects your brand voice. Don’t forget to include a link to your website or a dedicated landing page in your bio.
3. Maximize Visibility
You can’t promote your Instagram account and gain followers if they can’t find you! Double-check that your profile is public. Otherwise, only existing followers will see your posts.
With these fundamentals addressed, let’s explore effective, free strategies to promote your Instagram account.
Cross-Promoting Your Instagram Account
Digital marketing isn’t confined to a single channel. A successful strategy leverages multiple channels simultaneously, creating a cohesive and synergistic system through content consistency for optimal results. Here’s how to utilize your other marketing channels to promote your Instagram account without spending a dime:
4. Email Integration
Consider including social media icons for your most-used platforms in your marketing email footers or even regular email signatures. While this doesn’t directly promote your Instagram, it provides your audience with another access point. Moreover, certain segments of your email list are likely loyal customers or highly qualified leads, increasing the chances of them discovering your Instagram through an email.
You can also send marketing emails specifically promoting your Instagram. For contests, giveaways, or events, direct readers to your Instagram for participation.
5. Website Integration
Consumers now anticipate social media icons on business websites, usually in the footer. Ensure these icons and links to your handles are present. If your business relies heavily on visuals (before-and-after photos, stunning landscapes, interior designs, etc.) or if you’re a photographer, planner, or have an Instagram product feed, consider a page embedding your feed. Three free ways to connect your website to your Instagram feed:
- Instagram’s own free embed feature for the tech-savvy.
- Free plugins for WordPress users, such as Smash Balloon.
- Free tools like EmbedSocial’s Forever-Free Instagram Widget for Websites
6. Leveraging Other Social Networks
Utilize platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn with large followings or high engagement as cross-promotional tools for your Instagram. Employ direct CTAs, promote your bio link, or share recent Instagram photos and videos. Since many users are active on multiple networks, you can entice some to follow you on Instagram as well.
Ready to enhance your Facebook ads? Try 16 effective strategies for Facebook ads now!
Relationship-Building for Instagram Promotion
The following strategies are mutually beneficial: they promote your Instagram account while fostering a build a sense of community around your brand and empowering your followers.
7. Start with Your Inner Circle
This tip is especially valuable for small or local businesses, or those new to Instagram marketing. Connecting with family and friends generates initial engagement, and they’ll likely be happy to promote your account within their networks. Even without direct promotion, their interactions with your profile appear in their feeds, exposing you to their followers.
8. Prioritize Engagement
Genuine engagement is arguably the most effective way to promote your Instagram. Consumers appreciate feeling heard, so actively responding to comments encourages further engagement and exposure. Don’t just be reactive; proactively like and comment on supporters’ posts, and follow them back. Each interaction organically promotes your account while nurturing relationships and building trust with your audience.
9. User-Generated Content: A Win-Win
User-generated content (UGC) simultaneously boosts your Instagram engagement and promotes your business. Real customer testimonials are invaluable, and when you share their content, they’re likely to repost it, further amplifying your reach.
Much UGC occurs organically, but you can also directly solicit it through challenges, contests, or engaging activities. Encourage customers to share photos using their favorite product or supporting a shared cause. Contests, in particular, can incentivize followers to tag non-followers, potentially expanding your reach. Just ensure your efforts attract followers genuinely interested in your business.
Focus on attracting followers who are genuinely interested in your business.
10. Engage with Influencers
While influencer collaborations can significantly boost exposure, simply engaging with them can support their brand and grant you added visibility. Go beyond liking posts; repost to your Feed or Story and leave thoughtful comments that contribute value. Thoroughly familiarize yourself with the influencer’s brand, audience, and content across platforms to ensure alignment.
An added perk? Regular influencer interaction keeps you abreast of industry insights and trends within your niche.
Content as an Instagram Promotion Tool
High-quality, informative, and authentic content that informs, engages, and meets your customers’ needs lies at the heart of any successful digital marketing strategy. Here’s how to integrate content marketing into your Instagram promotion:
11. Publish Valuable Content
This is a tried-and-true method to promote your business organically through Instagram. Engaging, informative, and visually appealing content provides a compelling reason for users to follow you. Content ideas:
- Blog Post Teasers: Instagram posts featuring your blog post title or a concise summary, followed by the link.
- Long-Form Content Snippets: Extract key bullet points from your best-performing blog posts and incorporate them into an Instagram post with relevant visuals.
- Content Curation: Share industry statistics through visually appealing charts, graphs, or other formats, always crediting the original source.
Remember, not every post needs to link back to your website. While driving website traffic is beneficial, a simple, digestible post can be refreshing for followers overwhelmed by link-heavy feeds.
A digestible, standalone post provides a welcome respite for followers navigating their busy feeds. While this method might not yield immediate engagement or follower spikes, it’s crucial. Consistently providing valuable content in your unique brand voice over time will establish a strong Instagram presence and attract a relevant following.
12. Captivating, High-Quality Visuals
This might seem obvious, but you don’t need professional photography skills or expensive equipment to create visually appealing content for Instagram. Numerous free photo and video editing tools are available within Instagram and other apps, such as Canva or Layout., to help you create eye-catching, high-quality visuals.
Kristin Damstetter’s vibrant Instagram feed demonstrates that good-quality visuals are achievable._ Pro tip: Consider reserving your main feed for polished images, gallery items, and evergreen content, while using Instagram Stories for raw, timely, and spontaneous content (more on that soon).
13. Strategic Posting Times
Regular and consistent posting is essential, but timing is key for maximizing reach and promoting your account effectively. The “right time” depends on factors like your target audience, business type, and more.
For instance, if you’re targeting executives, posting around 5 pm (close of business) or during morning commutes might be ideal. However, if your audience is primarily mothers of young children, late morning after school drop-offs might be more opportune. Experiment and analyze your data to identify the most effective posting times for your account.
14. Spark Conversations with Questions
Asking relevant questions through captions or polls is a fantastic way to increase engagement, gain exposure, and fuel Instagram growth. Choose questions your audience will find engaging and relevant, avoiding overly personal or controversial topics that could lead to negative interactions.
You can also pose questions through Instagram Story Highlights (more on those later).
15. Craft Creative Captions
Don’t settle for generic caption ideas from the internet. Here are some authentic caption ideas to get you started:
- [78 [NOT Overused] Holiday & Christmas Instagram Captions (with Templates!)]
- [131 [Not Overused] New Year’s Instagram Captions]
- 33 Hilarious Instagram Captions to Break Your Like-o-Meter
- 80+ Instagram Caption Ideas & Examples for Any Business
- 46 Wonderful Winter Instagram Captions (+Canva Templates!)
- [76 [Actually] Creative Valentine’s Day Instagram Captions]
- 54 St. Patrick’s Day Instagram Captions (The Cliche-Free List)
- 40+ Mother’s Day Instagram Captions for Everyone in Your Audience
- 42 Respectful Memorial Day Instagram Captions (& Ready Made Posts)
16. Embrace Hashtags
Hashtags are indispensable for promoting your Instagram account. Use relevant hashtags in your posts and Stories to enhance discoverability. By relevant, we mean: Location-based hashtags: Build local brand awareness and attract nearby customers (e.g., #bostonbrunch). (Speaking of local discovery, are you maximizing your Google Maps ranking?)
Industry-specific hashtags: Enhance your account’s visibility among those interested in your niche, helping you build authority and connect with influencers. Popular hashtags: Incorporate general interest hashtags like #nofilter or those related to specific days of the week alongside more targeted ones. These allow you to showcase your brand’s personality and humanize your business.
While you can use up to 30 hashtags per post, prioritize those that resonate with your target audience. Excessive hashtags can appear overwhelming and even desperate. Consider including a few in your caption and adding the rest in a comment to maintain a clean and less aggressive aesthetic.
While 30 hashtags are allowed, focus on those that will attract the right audience.
Leveraging Instagram’s Built-in Features for Promotion
From Stories and Story Highlights to IGTV, Instagram offers a plethora of built-in features to enhance and promote your profile. Here are some free strategies:
17. Regularly Update Your Instagram Story
Instagram Stories are ephemeral content collections (images, videos, stickers, polls, etc.) that disappear after 24 hours, making them perfect for showcasing authentic, behind-the-scenes content that humanizes your brand. Users love Stories, so leverage this feature for self-promotion. Explore our Instagram Story hacks for tips and 73 cool Instagram Story ideas for inspiration.
Looking for free Instagram Story templates? Look no further:
18. Utilize Instagram Highlights
Story Highlights are curated collections of past Story content, organized into categories or “albums.” Unlike regular Stories, Highlights remain permanently on your profile, located below your bio and above your main feed.
Story Highlights are a versatile tool for promoting your Instagram, allowing you to:
- Showcase products
- Promote events
- Share recent work or product updates
- Run interactive polls
- Answer follower questions
- Feature product tutorials
- Announce sales and discounts
- Start a content series
- Highlight positive customer testimonials … all of which contribute to creating valuable and engaging content, reinforcing strategy #9.
Example of using IG Story Highlights to showcase testimonials.
19. Explore IGTV
IGTV (Instagram TV) functions similarly to YouTube and traditional TV, allowing users to browse channels from their favorite accounts or topics. With video content’s effectiveness, this is a great way to engage your video-loving followers.
The setup is minimal; your first IGTV video upload automatically creates your brand’s channel. Repurpose or repost existing Facebook and YouTube videos to reach new segments within your Instagram following.
20. Embrace Instagram Live
Hosting tutorials, workshops, or Q&A sessions through Instagram Live is another excellent way to promote your account. Announce these sessions beforehand to encourage followers to spread the word and maximize viewership. Seeing you or a team member live builds trust and personalizes your brand.
Additional Free Instagram Promotion Strategies
Our final strategies involve keeping your audience informed, participating in trending conversations, and (if you’re open to it) advertising.
21. Announce Updates and Sales Promotions
Use your Instagram feed or Stories to announce sales, new product launches, restocked items, or other relevant updates. When your audience knows you consistently use this channel for important information, they’ll be more likely to check your feed regularly and share your account with others.
Avoid overwhelming your audience with excessive promotional content.
Too many promotional posts can lead to follower fatigue.
22. Capitalize on Trends
Trends, whether they involve new Instagram features, viral challenges, or supporting social causes, are powerful tools for promoting your account.
Creating tasteful, high-quality content around trending topics encourages followers to repost, expanding your reach and reinforcing your brand values. Don’t forget to utilize relevant hashtags!
A Not-So-Free Promotion Method: Instagram Advertising
While not free, Instagram advertising deserves a mention. Properly executed campaigns can expose your account to a vast yet targeted audience who might not discover you otherwise, while also generating leads and revenue. Additional benefits:
- Visual ads allow for tasteful brand promotion and awareness building.
- Instagram ads often resemble regular posts, creating a more seamless (though potentially deceptive) user experience.
- Explore Instagram Story Ads or Instagram Shopping if you have the budget for paid promotions.
How to Promote Your Instagram: Key Takeaways
Armed with these strategies, it’s time to create a plan. Select one or several approaches, set a timeframe and measurable goals, and track your progress.
Promoting your Instagram account cultivates a community of engaged followers who not only benefit from your offerings but also provide valuable feedback and expand your reach. Consistent effort and high-quality content will foster trust, attract customers, and establish a robust social media presence for sustained growth.
- Use a Business Account
- Complete Your Profile
- Maximize Visibility
- Integrate with Email
- Integrate with Your Website
- Leverage Other Social Networks
- Start with Your Inner Circle
- Prioritize Engagement
- Embrace User-Generated Content
- Engage with Influencers
- Publish Valuable Content
- Post High-Quality Visuals
- Optimize Posting Times
- Ask Engaging Questions
- Craft Creative Captions
- Use Relevant Hashtags
- Regularly Update Your Story
- Utilize Story Highlights
- Explore IGTV
- Embrace Instagram Live
- Announce Updates and Promotions
- Capitalize on Trends