You’ve heard about Instagram follow campaigns, right? Basically, they’re all about getting more followers on your account. But today, I’m gonna chat specifically about using Instagram ads for this.
Now, using ads means spending some cash, which can make some folks a bit hesitant. But here’s the deal: with Instagram ads, you can target your audience super precisely.
So, in this blog post, I’m gonna dig into whether these Instagram follow campaigns with ads really work. Plus, I’ll give you some tips on how to set up your own. Ready? Let’s jump in!
Do Instagram Ads Work?
They do and I have proof!
In our blog titled Are Instagram ads worth it, we talked about Instagram ads’ efficiency. Let’s have a quick review:
Instagram has around 2 billion monthly active users, with 96.6% reached by ads every month.
Based on WebFX, the average conversion rate for Instagram ads is %1.08, compared to X (%0.77) and Pinterest (%0.54).
But numbers aren’t the only thing that speak; stories do too. Here, you can check out two out of many case studies that show how Instagram ads helped them succeed.
Story 1:
Deichmann UK did a study to see how different types of ads on Instagram could make their campaigns better.
They found that using ads for awareness, engagement, and sales increased below metrics:
- 2.9-point lift in purchase intent
- 1-point lift in top-of-mind awareness
- 8-point lift in standard ad recall
Story 2:
Lamudi_id is an Indonesian online property platform (with around 99k IG followers) that “saw a “53% lower cost per lead when it added ads that click to WhatsApp to its usual lead generation strategy on Instagram and Facebook”.
Lamudi often used Instagram and Facebook ads with lead forms that automatically filled in people’s contact info when they clicked. However, the team wanted to try new ways to get more leads.
Reminder: The efficiency of Instagram Ads depends on How you utilize them.
Can Instagram follow campaigns increase your followers?
Well, not directly.
In fact, Meta doesn’t care as much about “Followers growth” as you might do. The direct objectives mentioned within Meta Ad’s feature include:
Awareness, Traffic, Engagement, Leads, App Promotion, and Sales.
However, driving more traffic (Meta Ads Manager) and profile visits (Instagram boost posts) can be the best ad objectives for Instagram followers.
Remember: Paying for Instagram ads solely to get more followers might not be the smartest strategy.
Instead of ONLY focusing on follower count, track metrics like engagement, website clicks, and conversions to ensure your ads are achieving your desired outcomes.
Pros & cons of Instagram follow campaigns
Before you decide to use Instagram ads to gain followers, it’s important to know the good and bad sides of it.
Advantages
- Precise targeting:
Instagram’s ad targeting capabilities are arguably the best in the business. You can reach users based on super granular demographics, locations, interests, and behaviors.
This ensures your ads reach people more likely to become followers.
- Creative campaign formats:
Meta ads let you go beyond static images with engaging formats like Stories, Reels, and Carousels.
So, you can leverage trending filters, music, and interactive elements to capture attention and encourage follows.
- Retargeting
Within Instagram ads, you can reach users who previously interacted with your brand, reminding them of your existence and increasing the chances of them following.
How is it possible?
When someone interacts with your brand on Instagram, a small piece of code called a “pixel” is placed on their browser.
This pixel collects anonymous data about their activity on other websites and apps that also use the same advertising platform (e.g., Facebook Ads).
Based on this data, you can create target audiences for your ads that include users who have previously interacted with your brand on Instagram.
- Data-driven insights
The most important thing about Instagram ads is that you can track campaign performance closely and gain valuable insights into your target audience.
With this data, you can refine your targeting and messaging for future campaigns, maximizing follower acquisition efficiency.
Disadvantages
- Cost
Running Instagram ads can be expensive, especially if you’re targeting a broad audience or competing in a highly competitive market, and success isn’t guaranteed.
You need to carefully manage your budget and optimize campaigns for efficiency.
- Complexity
Setting up and optimizing effective ad campaigns can be more complex than organic methods, requiring an understanding of targeting, creatives, and analytics.
Read: How to grow Instagram followers organically?
- Time investment
Moreover, successful Instagram ad campaigns require continuous monitoring, optimization, and iteration.
This can be time-consuming and may require expertise in digital advertising to achieve optimal results.
Different methods to run Instagram follow campaigns
Thankfully, Meta offers various methods to run ads, each with its own benefits and limitations. Let’s go through the most common ones, requirements, pros & cons.
#1. Instagram follow campaign through Ads Manager
This is the most powerful way to run Instagram ads with lots of features like detailed targeting options, campaign optimization tools, and comprehensive analytics.
Requirements: To use Ads Manager, you need a Facebook business page, an active Instagram account connected to your Facebook page, and your payment methods set up.
Remember: There’s no minimum follower requirement to utilize this platform.
There are different formats of Instagram ads including Story ads, Reel ads, Carousel ads, and Explore ads.
How to utilize Meta Ads Manager to gain followers
Now that you set the requirements, let’s create your first campaign together:
Open Ads Manager (App or desktop version), select Campaigns, and tap on Create.
Select “Traffic” as your goal.
Under this section, you can also name your campaign. Then, tap Continue.
Here, you can choose to go on with preset settings or the manual ones (Customized). Let’s continue with preset settings.
Select your Instagram profile as the place you want to drive traffic to.
Set your daily or lifetime budget, and your campaign’s start and end date.
Setting the target audience is the most important step in this process. Identify gender, age, and exact location.
Once done, tap Next.
Pro tips:
- Begin with a wider targeting based on key demographics and interests, then gradually refine as you analyze campaign performance and identify high-performing audience segments.
- Make sure to exclude irrelevant audiences.
- Target people who participate in activities relevant to your brand.
- Target users based on the devices they use to access Instagram (mobiles, desktops, etc.).
Choose your format, upload your creative, and write compelling ad copy. Include a clear call to action and then, click Publish.
IG Follower campaigns on Ads Manager: Best practices
To maximize your followers growth through Ads Manager, you’d better keep these strategies in mind:
- Generic audiences won’t help you. You need to dive deep and target micro-communities within your niche who share your brand’s values and speak directly to them with personalized visuals and messaging.
- When creating an ad post, use authentic, user-generated content (UGC) or generate visuals showcasing real people interacting with your brand.
- Don’t be subtle! Use strong CTAs like “Follow Now” or “Visit Profile” to guide users toward the desired action.
- One great idea is to collaborate with smaller influencers whose audience aligns with your target niche. Their endorsement and content featuring your brand can attract valuable followers.
- Don’t forget to monitor key metrics like engagement rate, reach, and follower growth to understand what resonates and optimize your campaigns accordingly.
- A/B Testing is a must-have in your campaign. So, experiment with different creatives (formats), targeting options, and CTAs to see what drives the best results.
Suggested post: Mastering Instagram targeted ads
#2. Instagram follower campaign through boost posts
In this method, you promote an existing post you’ve already created on your Instagram profile.
Compared to running ads on ads manager, it’s simpler and quicker to set up, and more budget-friendly.
However, it doesn’t seem ideal for complex campaigns. Plus, you have less control over audience targeting, ad placement, and optimization.
Requirements: An active business or creator Instagram account, Reels without licensed music, and less than 90 sec, adherence to Instagram advertising policies.
We’ve previously created a post on how to do an Instagram boost post, let’s check it out again:
How to boost a post on Instagram to get followers?
Follow these steps (on the App or desktop):
Step 1:
Choose a high-performing post (extremely catchy with the most likes or comments) that also represents your brand. How about a user-generated post? Now, tap “Boost Post”.
Step 2:
Set your goal as Visit Your Profile which is the best for brand awareness and follows.
Step 3:
Now, it’s time to define your target audience. You’ve got two options:
- Suggested audience: people similar to your followers
- Create your own audience based on location, interests, age, and gender (this one is preferred).
Step 4:
Here, you can decide how much you’re willing to spend and how long you want the ad to run. Done? Push the button!
Pro Tips:
- Try starting small and scaling based on results.
- Since you’re sending users to your profile, only an optimized profile will entice the users to push that follow button. [This is about Instagram SEO]
- Run A/B tests with different creatives and targeting options.
#3. IG follow campaign through product tags
Shoppable posts with product tags allow you to promote specific products from your online store directly within Instagram.
This method is great for driving direct sales but requires an online store and that’s a limitation.
Requirements: An online store connected to your Facebook Business Manager, a product catalog with clear images, descriptions, and prices.
Note: You can run shopping ads using Meta Ad Manager. The steps are mostly the same as I mentioned before. The only difference is that you have to add product tags while editing your media.
Get real Instagram followers with organic methods such as creating catchy content, engaging with audiences. Hashtags, and managing your DMs-all with AiGrow.
Instagram follow campaign ideas
If you’re new to Instagram ads and want to get more followers, you’re in the right place! These ideas can help spark your creativity for your first ad campaign.
Influencer collaborations (paid partnerships)
This is the most common and effective ad type to increase your Instagram followers.
Simply, partner with influencers who align with your brand values and target audience. The influencer promotes your Instagram account to their followers and helps you reach a wider audience and gain more followers.
Engaging carousel ads
Carousels are great to tell your story. Create carousel ads featuring a series of images or videos that showcase different aspects of your brand, products, or services.
Don’t miss to use compelling visuals and captions to grab users’ attention and encourage them to follow your account for more content.
Interactive polls & quizzes
Create Instagram Story ads with interactive polls or quizzes to engage users and encourage them to interact with your content.
Use these interactive features to spark curiosity and drive users to follow your account for more interactive content.
User-generated content
Do not hesitate to run ads featuring user-generated content, such as photos or videos shared by your followers using your products or services.
UGC ads can build trust and authenticity, enticing more users to follow your account to be part of the community.
Exclusive offers & discounts
Instagram ads are the best opportunities to promote exclusive offers or discounts available only to your Instagram followers.
But use compelling visuals and persuasive copy to entice users to follow your account to access these exclusive perks.
Hashtag challenges
Another popular idea is to create a unique branded hashtag and challenge users to post content using it.
You can also incentivize participation with a chance to get featured or win a prize, requiring a follow for consideration.
Contest & giveaways
Few people can resist giveaways! So, Run Instagram ads promoting contests or giveaways where users can participate by following your account and engaging with your content.
Contests and giveaways can generate excitement and incentivize users to follow your account for a chance to win prizes.
Learn how to do a giveaway on Instagram to gain followers
FAQs
How can I do a follow campaign on Instagram?
There are different ways to run an Instagram follow campaign like creating images, stories, Reels, or Explore ads on Meta Ad Manager, shoppable posts with product tags on Meta Ad Manager, or boosting best-performing posts on Instagram.
How to get 1000 followers on Instagram fast and free?
To get free Instagram followers, opt for a well-optimized profile, generate high-quality regular content, experiment with different types of posts (stories, Reels, Carousels, Live, and more), and engage with your followers and your competitors’ followers.
