How to Grow An Instagram Account From Scratch in 2024

Imagine starting a fresh page on Instagram and wanting to grow it from the ground up. Growing a successful Instagram business or personal page with an engaged following isn’t a quick and easy journey. (How fast can you grow an Instagram account?)🤔

Moreover, taking shortcuts like buying followers, likes, or views won’t give you lasting results. So, the big question is: How to grow an Instagram account from scratch? How to grow Instagram followers organically?

Is there a magic formula to kick off a new Instagram account? Well, I don’t think so. However, there are effective strategies that can make a real difference.

And right here, I want to highlight them, backed up with real-time examples from Instagram accounts. Stick with me!

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How to Grow an Instagram Account from Scratch?

Short Answer: Create Your Instagram Marketing Strategy!

You’ve heard right! If you want to experience long-term growth on Instagram, you need a precise strategy.

Forget about random advice from different Instagrammers, marketers, or coaches – it won’t help. Once your professional account (creator or business) is set up, just grab a pen and paper and write down these steps:

#1. Define your niche and goals

What field or niche are you an expert in or interested in? Which business are you starting a page for? Instagram marketing? Photography? Or perhaps your own bakery Instagram account? Just focus on that.

Now, it’s time to define your goal or goals. What do you want to achieve? Your Instagram marketing targets could be things like these (or anything else you have in mind):

• Increase brand awareness
• Drive traffic to your website
• Increase your products’ sales
• Grow your followers
• Improve conversion rate
• Showcase your content
• get Insta free blue tick

#2. Identify your target audience

In this step, you need to figure out who you want to connect with on your account. Are they your customers? Maybe young women seeking skincare tips or beginners in content marketing?

Knowing your audience also means understanding things like their age, gender, income, interests, pain points, how they use Instagram, and so on.

How can you define your audience?

finding your target audience is straightforward. Here are two simple ways:

• Check Similar and Top Accounts: Look for accounts similar to yours or top accounts in your niche. Their followers likely share interests with your target audience.

• Follow Relevant Hashtags: Track hashtags related to your niche. This helps you discover users interested in topics similar to yours.

#3. Keep a close eye on your competitors

If you’re starting Instagram from scratch, watching your competitors is an important part of your strategy. 

They can be like the guiding light that helps you define your target audience, the type of content to create, and understand what gaps you can fill for them.

#4. Don’t ignore Instagram algorithm

Well, fortunately, or unfortunately, Instagram’s algorithm plays a role in your success.

If Instagram growth tips and tricks are not designed based on algorithm changes, they are useless.

For example, it was once more important to learn how to get Instagram followers fast to grab the algorithm’s heart. But now, “less is more, and building a real community matters”.

To keep updated with the algorithm, I closely watch Adam Mosseri on Instagram. And sometimes, social media marketers share useful updates. 

#5. Optimize Your Instagram account

That’s right; Instagram SEO. You should take actions to show up on the search results and get more visibility. 

That starts with your profile. If you optimize your profile, you’ll turn your profile visitors into followers. How to do so?

1. It’s about using a keyword in your Username and an optimized Name.
2. An effective, catchy bio shows Who you are, What you do, and Why users should trust you.
3. A clear profile photo.
4. Links in bio.
5. Balanced follower-to-follow ratio (not following too many).

#6. Create your content strategy and calendar

You’ve got your goals, know your audience, and scoped out your competitors. Now, it’s time for the Instagram king: Content. 

But sharing random posts every hour won’t cut it. You need an Instagram content plan and a content calendar to keep things on track. Your content plan should include these items:

Tip: The three Cs for Instagram marketing are Content, Consistency, and Creativity.

Post consistently and at the right time

Don’t go crazy and post every hour or every day—that could lead to burnout. Set a schedule, maybe three days a week, or pick what works but at the right hours.

Here’s the secret: There’s no universal best time to post on Instagram. Check your Insights to see when your audience is most active. Experiment a bit; if it’s 10 a.m., schedule your IG posts for that time. 

Schedule your posts in advance

An Instagram content calendar is like planning your posts ahead of time. It’s a smart move – less time staring at the screen, and no risk of forgetting posts. The cool part? There are plenty of tools to schedule your Instagram posts.

 Don’t be a last-minute poster!

What content should you post on Instagram?

Starting a new Instagram account and feeling a bit lost? Totally okay – you’re not alone! Let me share some simple tips to help you find your way to Instagram content creation. 

#1. Experiment with different types of content

Happily, Instagram gives you a bunch of ways to share your stuff – stories, single images, carousels, Reels, Lives, and notes (and maybe new ones for 2024!)
And the cool thing? Each type of content can help you achieve different goals. Like, Reels are awesome for grabbing new followers.

Stories are perfect for engaging with your current followers. And Carousels? They’re the go-to for storytelling. Doing this experiment is pretty easy with Instagram Insights on your professional dashboard. 

#2. Use Short Reels, Stories, and Carousels

Let me give you the lowdown on some important numbers from 2023:

• Photo posts have an engagement rate of 0.81%, video posts of 0.61%, and carousel posts of 1.08%. (Source: ExpressPigeon).
• 70% of Instagram users watch stories daily. Here’s my tip: Throw in interactive stickers like polls, questions, and quizzes to make your stories more interesting and get people involved.
• And, according to Demandsage, 2.35 billion people interact with reels every month.

What do these numbers say? People love Reels, Carousels, and Stories more. And you should create content that your audience loves. 

The assessment of the Instagram marketing strategies of four main fashion brands (Zara, H&M, Mango, and Forever 21) shows that videos gain 3.88 times more engagement than pictures.
Source: ResearchGate

Don’t worry! We have created captivating Instagram story ideas for you. Get inspired and increase your engagement!

#3. Create your content pillars

Content pillars are like your go-to themes, whether you’re on YouTube or Instagram. They keep you from posting all over the place and help you stay organized. Stick to your main topics, but watch out it doesn’t ruin your creativity. 

When you start your business page from scratch, you need to create your content pillars. They come from different resources including:

• Your target audience and their pain points. 

• What your competitors are talking about. 

You know, there are lots of ideas about content pillars. But, I really like the one from @lucasokeefe.

#4. Use User-generated Content (UGC)

If you’re wondering how to grow an Instagram account from scratch, I tell you to use user-generated content.

Like any regular user, content made by others has a bigger impact on me, and it’s not just me—it’s a general thing.

Image Source

There are many ways to get your fans to create UGC for you, from offering rewards to creating branded hashtags. And there are plenty of cool ideas, like unboxing, product reviews, and showing how to use stuff.

#5. Generate high-quality content

You don’t need fancy tools for top-notch content. Even with basic Instagram marketing tools like Canva, you can whip up eye-catching posts. It’s all about:

• Getting the right angle for pics,
• Using good lighting,
• Grabbing the golden hours for videos,
• Making sure you are using the right IG post size,
• Writing compelling captions. (Why not take a look at over 200 business Instagram captions to get inspired?)

#6. Giveaways and freebies

How to grow followers organically when you have nearly zero followers on Instagram? Run giveaways or offer freebies that help you generate leads. 

Something valuable like an E-book, checklist, coupons, or templates are all great to bring your first 1000 free followers. 

If looking for catchy giveaway ideas, just click the link.

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#7. Use hashtags and tags to boost your visibility

People talked a lot about hashtags being dead last year, but big Instagram marketers, like Neil Patel, say they’re still crucial on social media.

Image Source: LinkedIn

If you’re scratching your head with this question: How to grow an instagram business account from scratch? 

Here’s a clue: Use relevant, and custom hashtags, not just whatever is trending.

We’ve already created a post about how to use hashtags for Instagram growth. It’s super helpful—give it a read!

Not just hashtags, but using product tags gives your products more visibility. And if you’re a local business, geotags are awesome to attract local followers.

Let the experts handle your content. Save time and focus on your business!

#8. Engage, Engage, and Engage

The big deal is your community. So, you should start by building and growing it. How can you make it?

1. You can aim for around 50-100 followers first. Reply to their comments and DMs every day to keep them close.
   

And it’s not just about your posts—leave around 20-30 helpful, and meaningful comments on similar and top accounts to connect. 

Stick to this routine to send positive signals to Instagram algorithms. Look at these comments other similar accounts left on Harry’s post:

2. A smart move to boost your followers, as mentioned, is to connect with about 50-100 accounts similar to yours. Respond to their followers’ comments in a helpful way to engage with them.
3. If you want your followers to get involved, just be real. Be yourself, connect, and let your true personality come through in what you share. This is what @warrenabercrombie does for his followers. 

#9. Collaborate with others like Influencers and brands

Whether you’re looking to know how to start an Instagram page or grow it, you need to collaborate. 

It could be teaming up with similar accounts, or influencers (if you’re a brand). Collabs are perfect for brand awareness and increasing followers. 

• A make-up brand with a beauty influencer 
• A travel agency with a photographer 
• A content creator with another creator

All are sorts of collaborations on IG. And the cool part is that Instagram’s collaboration feature makes it super easy for users to team up with others.

#9. Run Instagram ads

If you’re not short on cash, why not use Instagram ads? Check this Instagram ad statistic out: Instagram ads reach a whopping 96.6% of active users every month (Source: Thesocialshepherd). 

In another blog, Are Instagram Ads Worth It, Kimia discusses how Instagram ads (both stories and feeds) can significantly help you find new potential followers. 

If you have a professional account, you can run an ad through Instagram directly, your Facebook page, or your Meta Business Suite. 

#10. Cross-promote your IG account

If you’re wondering how to start an Instagram account from scratch, here’s the trick: team up with other social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, X, TikTok, or even Threads. It’s what they call cross-promotion. 

For instance, your Email subscribers or YouTube channel subscribers are great channels to promote your content. I first came across Reyes Gasca on his YouTube channel, where he also shared his Instagram content.

#11. Track and adjust

Finally, it’s time to see how well your plan is doing and tweak it if needed. What should you check? Well, whatever goal you set in the first place.

If you hit it, awesome! Set a new one. If not, time to switch things up. Luckily, Instagram has this cool tool for tracking metrics in a certain period like:

• Followers growth
• Engagement rate (likes, comments, saves, shares) and reach- Do you know how to calculate engagement rate?
• Profile visits
• External link taps

How to Grow an Instagram Account from Scratch (A ToolKit)

We’re in a world filled with tools, and that’s a bonus for those looking to build an Instagram page. Here, I have made a list of super-useful tools to help you build and grow your Instagram account. 

• Instagram Management Tool
  

AiGrow is like having a toolbox with everything you need to kickstart and grow your Instagram page from scratch to 100! It’s all manual, using AI to help boost your business account, whether it’s small or large.

With features for Creating content, Scheduling and Posting, Tracking and Analyzing, Managing your followers and following, Finding hashtags, and Sending managed DMs, it’s your Instagram Marketing Assistant!

• Creating Ideas: Answerthepublic, Quora, Reddit, Viralfinder, Past Experience. 
• Content Design: Canva, Photoshop, Upscale.media, Easel.ly, Photopea, PFP Maker, Snappa.
• Stock Photos: Shutterstock, Freepik, Mixkit.com, Cleanpng,com, Coverr.co, Adobe Stock, StockSnap.io. 
• Video Editing: InShot, Chat-animator.com, Capcut, Adobe Premiere, VN, BeeCut.
• Content Creation: Chatgpt, Copy.ai, Klap, Kinemaster, chatsonic, Rytr.me, Content Row, Pen & Paper, CaptionPlus. 
• Infographics and icons: Venngage, Visme, Flaticon, Iconfinder. 

FAQs

Here are the most frequently asked questions about starting Instagram from scratch: 

How do I grow my IG account from scratch?

You can set up your business or creator page with a clear plan. Figure out your goals and who you’re targeting, plan your content, and keep an eye on the results. Adjust things based on how it’s going. 

How to gain followers on Instagram fast for free?

Honestly, the quick way to get free Instagram followers is shortcuts like buying them, but I don’t recommend that at all—it won’t help in the long run.

 For real, lasting followers, stick to Instagram SEO, stay consistent, create awesome content, and toss in some hashtags.

How to get 1k followers on Instagram in 5 minutes?

Getting 1k Instagram followers in 5 minutes is Not a good plan. Quick tricks might cause problems and break Instagram’s rules. So, better to focus on making good content and chatting with your followers for real and lasting growth.