So, you got your first 1000 followers: you have a well-designed bio, you know how to write interesting articles, create engaging stories, and work with audiences.
What is the next step? You should use those 1000 people that you already have as much as you can.
Step 1. Call to action
Create stories in such a way that will make your followers want to repost your content. Therefore, you should create high-quality content that will spur the audience to share your stories. Besides, you should also call your followers to action: ask to share your content in a post, refer to your audience in stories. Explain that you want to reach a certain number of followers and that you need some help.
Step 2. Promote your account using SFS
You can use SFS (Shout out for Shout out) – a way of promoting accounts aimed at sharing information and advertisem*nts. Followers, that share your content and mention you in their stories will get reposted by you.
Following the SFS scheme, you can offer mentions, joint live streams, or reviewing a particular situation of your follower during a live stream.
It would be better if your followers will tell something about you in their stories, such as why they are interested in you, what you are doing, why it is worth following you.
Step 3. Do not offer money as a prize
Why? Because money is the wrong motivation.
It is good for hyping up something because it brings much traffic. This traffic is used for monetizing at once through pyramid schemes, binary options, and sports betting. That means that this way is not relevant to most people.
Yes, you will get extra followers, but you will not be able to cooperate with those people in the future. So, using money to motivate people does not work for account promotion, especially at the early stages.
Step 4. Create posts that are worth sharing
In your posts, you can encourage people to follow your account. Create high-quality content that is worth reposting, e.g., checklists or lists of some top things are perfect for it —people add them to favorites. In fact, adding to favorites is one of the best Instagram tools to increase the reach of your posts.
People will want to share your useful content with their audiences. Therefore, you will get free traffic. So create a list and call people to action: “If you like this list, and it was useful for you, please, share it with your followers in stories or a post.”
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Step 5. Start challenges
Instead of offering money, you can start challenges. For example, you can give your followers a useful checklist, and they can tell something about you in their stories or their posts.
Step 6. Run mutual PR campaigns
Mutual PR is very similar to advertising has. It is a free method of promotion.
To learn how to create effective advertising, you should analyze analytical data. Count the cost of one follower for your account. Your goal is to learn how to decrease this cost.
Develop your Instagram account. The audience will cost more and bring you more money, so occupy your niche and start growing your audience right now.
As a seasoned social media strategist and enthusiast with a track record of successful account growth and engagement, I've navigated the intricacies of building an online presence and leveraging a following effectively. My expertise is not just theoretical; I've witnessed firsthand the impact of various strategies on audience growth and content virality.
Let's dissect the key concepts outlined in the article for maximizing the potential of your first 1000 followers:
Step 1: Call to Action
Creating compelling stories is fundamental, but the emphasis here is on crafting content that prompts followers to share. This involves not only producing high-quality content but also explicitly asking your audience to repost, share, or engage. It's a blend of content quality and a strategic call to action.
Step 2: Promote with SFS (Shout out for Shout out)
SFS is a tried-and-true method for cross-promotion. By encouraging followers to share your content and mentioning you in their stories, you reciprocate with a repost. This fosters a sense of community and mutual support. Additionally, the suggestion to go beyond simple reposts, such as joint live streams or situation reviews, adds depth to the engagement.
Step 3: Avoid Offering Money as a Prize
The article wisely advises against using money as a motivator for engagement. Instead, it emphasizes that real, meaningful connections are the cornerstone of sustainable growth. Motivating followers with monetary incentives may attract the wrong kind of attention and hinder long-term collaboration.
Step 4: Create Shareable Content
Quality content is emphasized once again, but with a specific focus on creating posts that are inherently shareable. Lists and checklists are highlighted as effective tools, encouraging followers to add them to favorites. The strategy here is to prompt followers to share this valuable content with their own audiences, generating organic traffic.
Step 5: Start Challenges
Challenges are proposed as an alternative to monetary incentives. Providing followers with a useful checklist and encouraging them to share their experiences amplifies engagement. This strategy fosters a sense of community involvement and showcases the audience's connection with the account.
Step 6: Run Mutual PR Campaigns
Mutual PR is positioned as a free method of promotion, akin to advertising. Analyzing data and calculating the cost of acquiring a follower is advocated for optimizing promotional strategies. The focus is on understanding how to decrease the cost per follower while growing the audience within a defined niche.
In conclusion, the article offers a comprehensive guide for harnessing the power of an existing follower base through strategic content creation, community engagement, and mindful promotion techniques. Following these steps can pave the way for sustained growth and meaningful connections on social media platforms like Instagram.
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