Social networks change rapidly, so what we did in the beginning is not always what always works. For this reason we must maintain the disposition to change and evolve at the same speed as the world around us. When we prefer to stay in our comfort zone instead of adapting to different situations it will be more difficult to achieve success, especially if we work with social networks. More Instagram followers, more will be the reach of your posts.

Specifically, Instagram is a platform that has had many changes since its appearance in 2011. Since then, its growth has been vertiginous and is currently the second most used social network in the United States, since 32% of the population uses it. , while users around the world reach more than 800 million people , of which more than half use the platform every day. 

Now, if you have already decided that you want to use Instagram, you should know that there were recent changes. This platform, like Facebook and the other social networks are governed by different algorithms. At the beginning of this year, the main algorithm of Instagram (EdgeRank) and in charge of the publications shown in our timeline had changes, so now the management of the platform can not be done in the same way that we were used to that moment.

Therefore, today we have brought a series of updated tips that will help you to achieve quality followers without violating the new Instagram policies. These are:

- Fill your profile carefully

You must fill out your profile completely, without leaving blank spaces. Make sure you have a quality profile picture that fully represents the brand because that's the first thing that Instagram users will see. This profile must be corporate so that you have access to all the features that the platform has to offer to this type of accounts.

Create a biography that is interesting and invites (without saying it directly) people to follow you to see all the interesting things you have to offer. A good idea is to place a hashtag in the biography. This is one of the most recent functions of Instagram to which you have to make the most of them.

- Create quality content

You can read all the information available to learn how to attract followers and follow each of the tricks that exist for that purpose, but something you can not skip if you want to have a successful account, is to produce quality content for the audience you are targeting. .

This must be innovative, interesting, relevant and visually appealing. Instagram has many tools to help you in this regard: traditional publications, albums, stories (with many features you can add), conventional videos and live videos. If you use each of the publishing options with balance, you will succeed in getting new followers and even better, building loyalty to the ones you already have.

- Select the best hashtags for each publication

Hashtags can make you discover potential followers so you have to use them wisely. If you use more than the Instagram account, you will be penalized by decreasing your exposure, so choose your hashtags well. There are applications that will be very useful for this area, since you can get the most used hashtags in the area of ​​your brand and in your geographical area to add them to your description.

Try to place these organically in the text instead of just putting them all together at the end of the publication as some usually do. You know that you are using the correct hashtags when after sharing a new publication they start following you new users with whom you do not have people in common.

- Pay attention to publication schedules

This is not only to know the hours in which you will publish, but to know the hours in which you will publish each type of different content. The stories, the conventional images, among others.

If you publish quality content in the moments in which your target audience is active, using the correct hashtags, you will be able to attract many new followers in a short time since you will get very good visibility.Your goal should be the engagement of the publications because the higher this is, the more exposure your account will have and the more people will follow you.

- Prioritizes the interaction

All the above points are equally important, but the cherry on the cake is this, since the new Instagram algorithm gives more visibility to those who take the time to interact with their audience .

Instagram is not a showcase, it is a bidirectional platform so you can not expect to receive likes and comments without giving anything in return. To get followers through interaction you must:

  • Follow accounts , both your followers and others that interest you or have to do with your industry. It is not mandatory to do follow back, but it is a good strategy.
  • Reply comments within the first hour after they have been made.
  • Follow hashtags that are from your area.
  • Comment and give likes to the publications of the accounts that you follow.
Author's Bio: 

Angelina is The Independent contributor.