Instagram is one of the best free tools for reaching your target market, with hundreds of millions of daily active users. But you can’t just throw yourself into a posting frenzy and expect to see results. Yes, posting on a regular basis is vital, but it should be part of a bigger Instagram promotion campaign. The more users are familiar with your brand on this platform, the more trust you will gain and the more effective your other marketing efforts will be.

sprouts farmers market account is a free approach to promote your Instagram account.
What’s even better is that there are a slew of free options to advertise your Instagram account. So, in this piece, I’ll walk you through 22 of these tactics. I’ll talk about:

How to cross-promote your profile on other platforms
How to use relationship-building to promote your account naturally
Instagram’s built-in capabilities that can help you promote your profile

Methods based on content to increase the number of people who see your account
If you have the funds, I even put in a few [not-so-free] extra strategies. Regardless of your technique, the overriding topic of this essay is to promote your Instagram account to the appropriate demographic. After all, what good is it if individuals who aren’t a good fit for your company are following you and connecting with you?

Reasons to use Instagram to advertise your business
Boosting your brand is a no-brainer in general, but for the purposes of this article, let’s focus on why promoting your Instagram business profile in particular is worthwhile. Here’s what you can do by advertising your Instagram account:

Instagram is one of the most widely used social media platforms on the planet.
With 1 billion monthly active users and 500 million daily active users, Instagram is the world’s third most popular social media site (Source: Instagram).

Must Read: Buy Twitter Followers UK

Make an emotional connection with your audience: With 50.9 percent females and 49.1 percent males, Instagram is the most gender-neutral of the social media platforms, implying that your advertisements will appeal to both groups of your target audience (Source: Statista).
user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user gender distribution chart user
Customers: With such a massive user base, you can be very certain that Instagram is reaching a significant portion of your target market. And using such a widely utilised tool to express value, earn trust, and build connections can help you attract and retain more customers.

Before you start promoting your Instagram account, make sure you have everything in place to get the most out of it. This entails creating a company profile, making it public, and filling up your bio.

1. Make sure you have a business account on Instagram.
   Make sure your Instagram account is set up as a business profile before you start attracting additional individuals to it. If you’re running a business and have a personal Instagram account, transitioning to a business account is simple. Select the person icon in the bottom right corner of your home screen, then the wheel in the top right corner. You’ll be sent to the “Options” screen, where you can choose “Switch to Business Profile.”

How to advertise your Instagram account for free Change to business mode

2. Fill out your profile completely.

Because Instagram is such a visual medium, incomplete profiles are particularly unappealing; in fact, it would be preferable to have fewer people discover a complete profile than to have more people arrive at an incomplete one. Include helpful facts about your business, a high-quality profile image, and an Instagram bio written in your brand voice to round up your business page. In your bio, include a link to your website or a specific landing page.

How to advertise your Instagram account for free full profile chewy

3. Make your presence known
   If others can’t find you, you won’t be able to market your Instagram account and gain more followers. So just double-check that your profile is visible to the public. Otherwise, only people who have previously subscribed to your feed will be able to see your updates.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to talk about how to market your Instagram account efficiently without paying any money.

Promote your Instagram account on other social media platforms.
Digital marketing does not refer to a single channel. An effective strategy uses numerous channels at the same time and produces a coherent system that works together to deliver the greatest outcomes. Here’s how to advertise your Instagram account for free using your existing marketing channels:

4. Make use of email
   In the footer of your marketing emails—or even in your signature for ordinary emails—include the social media symbols of your most-used platforms. Of course, this does not directly promote your Instagram account, but it does provide your followers with another way to view your profile. Plus, I’m guessing that some of your email subscribers are either loyal customers or highly qualified leads, therefore the chances of them visiting your Instagram account via one of your emails are higher.

You can also send marketing emails that promote your Instagram account specifically. You might want to link readers to your Instagram page if you’re organising a contest, giveaway, or event.

5. Include a link to your website
   Consumers now expect social network symbols to be present on a company’s website, generally in the footer, so make sure to include such icons and links to your handles. Furthermore, if your business relies heavily on visuals (for example, before-and-after photos, beautiful landscapes, interior designs, etc. ); if you’re a photographer or even a planner with a gallery; or if you have an Instagram product feed, you may want to have a page with your Instagram feed embedded. Here are three ways to link your website page to your Instagram feed for free:

If you’re tech-savvy, you can use Instagram’s own free embed function.
Smash Balloon, for example, is a free WordPress plugin.
EmbedSocial’s Forever-Free Instagram Widget for Websites is an example of a free tool.
embed feed on website.

6. Free strategies to advertise your Instagram account via additional social media platforms

Use other social media networks like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn as cross-promotional tools for your Instagram account if you have a huge following or high interaction rate. Use direct CTAs, promote the link to your Instagram profile, or share your most recent Instagram photographs and videos on those sites to do this. Because many people use more than one social media platform, you can probably persuade some of them to follow you on Instagram as well.

To promote your Instagram account, use relationship-building techniques.
The strategies listed below are win-win because they not only help to promote your Instagram account, but they also help to create a sense of community around your brand and to give your followers a voice.

7. Begin with your immediate relatives and friends.
   This tip is especially useful for small or local businesses, as well as those who are just getting started with Instagram marketing. Connecting with family and friends will help you to garner some initial engagement, and they will (hopefully) be more than happy to promote your account on their own networks. Even if they don’t directly promote your account, their engagements with your profile will show up in their feed and their followers can discover you that way.
8. Prioritize engagement
   Perhaps the best way to promote your Instagram account is through genuine engagement. Consumers like to feel heard, so the more you engage back with their comments, the more comments and exposure you will get. But don’t just be reactive with your engagement; proactively like and comment on the posts of your supporters, and follow them back. Each of these engagements organically promotes your Instagram account while at the same time establishing your relationship with your audience and building trust.
9. Request and share user-generated content \sUser-generated content can enhance your Instagram engagement while also advertising your brand. There is no greater type of promotional content than that created by actual customers. Plus, if you share their work, they’re likely to repost it for their followers to see, extending your reach even further.

user created content is a free way to advertise your Instagram account.
A lot of user-generated material will happen naturally, but you may also ask for it directly—through a challenge, a contest, or any other simple and enjoyable engagement activity. For instance, ask your customers to post images of themselves using your product or supporting a cause that you care about. This method, especially when it comes to contests, may encourage (or even demand) your fans to tag others who aren’t presently following your Instagram account. Simply ensure that your efforts result in the acquisition of followers who are interested in your company.

Simply ensure that your efforts result in the acquisition of followers who are interested in your company.

10. Engage with Instagram influencers by following and engaging with them.
    An influencer collaboration can significantly increase your Instagram visibility, but you can also simply engage with them in a way that benefits their business while simultaneously providing you with additional exposure. Repost their posts to your Instagram Feed or Story, and thoughtfully comment on them in a way that adds value to the post or conversation. Take some time to become fully acquainted with an influencer’s brand, audience, and content throughout the web to verify that you are on the same page.

Influencers who can help you market your Instagram account for free
Regularly communicating with influencers may help you keep up-to-date with industry information and popular trends in your sector, which is an added benefit of this method.

Promote your Instagram account with content.
Material—informative, real, high-quality content that informs, engages, and satisfies your customers’ needs—is at the centre of any smart digital marketing plan. Here’s how you use content marketing to boost your Instagram promotion.

11. Make useful posts.
    This is one of the tried-and-true ways to advertise your Instagram account—or, more accurately, your entire business—for free. Users are more likely to follow you if your material is appealing, interesting, and valuable. Here are some content ideas and suggestions:

The traditional blog post (not a typo): This is an Instagram post that includes the title or a brief summary of a blog article, followed by a link to that post.
Posts with long-form excerpts: Take the most important bullet points from your best-performing blog pieces and put them in an Instagram post with an image to match.
Other sources of information: Share industry data in the form of charts, graphs, and other appealing visualisations, tagging the original source.
Using valuable material to boost your Instagram account for free
Remember that you don’t have to include a link to your website in every Instagram post. This is a great way to drive traffic to your website, but when you consider how many posts in your followers’ feeds contain links, a simple, digestible tidbit post is like a breath of fresh air for them—something they can take in and feel a sense of completion as they scroll through their endless feed.

For your followers, a digestible snippet post is like a breath of fresh air—something they can take in and feel satisfied with as they browse through their unending feed.

This strategy may not result in a quick increase in interaction or followers, but it is an absolute must. Your Instagram account will build a strong reputation and a relevant following if you continuously give education and high-quality content over time and in your distinctive brand voice.

12. Use eye-catching, high-resolution photos.
    This isn’t an earth-shattering revelation, I know. However, contrary to common assumption, you don’t need to be a professional photographer or own expensive equipment to create appealing and interesting Instagram photographs. Canva and Layout are two free photo and video editing apps available through Instagram and other apps to help you create eye-catching, high-quality images.

Using high-quality photographs to advertise your Instagram account for free
Kristin Damstetter’s vivid Instagram account demonstrates that taking high-quality photos is simpler than you would believe.

Pro tip: For some businesses, it may be beneficial to save your raw, timely, and spontaneous content for your Instagram Story, which we will cover soon, and to save your permanent feed for your quality photographs, gallery items, and more evergreen posts.

13. Make your post at the appropriate moment.
    It’s vital to post on Instagram on a regular basis, but if you’re not publishing at the correct times, you won’t be doing much to promote your account. The “appropriate timing” varies depending on your target demographic, business kind, and other factors, so think about it.

If your target market is primarily made up of executives, for example, the optimal time to publish might be at 5 p.m. or during their morning commute. If your target audience is mostly mothers with young children, the best time to reach out to them is generally in the late morning, after they’ve dropped off their children at school. Experiment and analyse your data to determine when publishing is most beneficial for marketing your Instagram account.

14. In your posts, pose questions.
    Using captions or polls to pose a question related to your niche is a terrific approach to promote interaction, exposure, and Instagram growth. Consider questions that will be enjoyable to answer or issues that are relevant to your target audience; however, avoid anything too personal or controversial, since the following conversation may turn unpleasant.

ask questions for free strategies to promote your Instagram account
You may also use Instagram Story Highlights to ask questions (more on that later).

15. Use your imagination when writing captions.
    That is, don’t Google caption ideas and choose from the generic lists that plague the internet. Here are some original caption ideas to get you started:

[Not Overused!] 78 Instagram Captions for the Holidays and Christmas 131 [This phrase should not be overused!] Instagram Captions for the New Year
[Actually] 76 Instagram captions for Valentine’s Day
33 Like-O-Meter-Breaking Instagram Captions

16. Make use of #hashtags at all times.
    Hashtags are crucial when it comes to promoting your Instagram account. To help your account stand out, include relevant hashtags in your posts and Stories. And when I say relevant, I’m referring to:

Hashtags that are specific to a specific location. These can assist you raise brand awareness in your local neighbourhood and attract new customers (think #bostonbrunch). ((Speaking of being noticed by neighbouring clients, do you have a good Google Maps ranking?))

How to use hashtags to promote your Instagram account for free
Hashtags for specific industries. These hashtags can make your Instagram account stand out to people from all around the world who are interested in your company’s content. This will assist you in establishing authority in your field and connecting with influencers.

Popular hashtags: In addition to your more focused hashtags, utilise interesting hashtags like #nofilter and unique hashtags dedicated to days of the week. These types of postings allow you to showcase your distinct brand voice while also promoting the more human side of your company.

You have the option of using up to 30 hashtags in your postings, but this does not imply that you should. Focus on the ones that will get your account in front of the correct people. Furthermore, a post with a million hashtags can be overwhelming and appear desperate. You may always use just two or three hashtags in your post and then comment on it with the rest of the hashtags you wish to use—this will give you the same visibility while keeping your postings classy (and less aggressive).

You have the option of using up to 30 hashtags in your postings, but this does not imply that you should. Focus on the ones that will get your account in front of the correct people.

Make the most of Instagram’s tools to promote your account.
Instagram provides many of options within its own platform to help you create and market your profile, including Stories, Story Highlights, IGTV, and more. Here are a few free ideas to get you started:

17. Post to your Instagram Story on a regular basis.
    Instagram Stories are mini-albums for your business that can include photos, videos, stickers, polls, and other content. Because the content is refreshed every 24 hours, it’s a terrific area to present more raw and honest content that helps to make your company relatable. Instagram Stories is a popular feature among users, therefore using it on a daily basis is a great method to promote your account. Instagram Stories can be used in a variety of ways. Check out our Instagram Story hacks for more ideas. These 73 interesting Instagram Story ideas will provide you with plenty of inspiration.

18. Use Instagram Highlights to your advantage.
Instagram Story Highlights are collections of content you’ve previously shared on your Instagram Story. They’re commonly referred to as “albums,” and they’re divided into several categories. What’s nice about Instagram Story Highlights is that, unlike Stories, they stay on your profile indefinitely, right beneath your bio area and above your usual feed.

Instagram Story Highlights can be used in a variety of ways to promote your Instagram account, including:

Showcase your goods
Events should be promoted.
Send us a link to your most recent work or product updates.

18. Create polls that are interactive.
Respond to questions from the audience.
Tutorials on certain products are highlighted.
Announce deals and special offers.
Begin a series
Your top customer testimonials should be highlighted…
All of this adds up to high-quality, valuable information, guaranteeing that strategy #9 is followed.

How to advertise your Instagram account for free highlights from Instagram stories
Using Instagram Story Highlights to highlight customer testimonials.

19. Make use of IGTV
    Users can swipe between channels of their favourite accounts or subjects on IGTV (Instagram TV), which works similarly to YouTube and normal TV. Because video content is such an effective method to reach your audience, this is a terrific approach to get more of your video-inclined people to follow you on Instagram.

This also requires very little effort. When you upload your first IGTV video, your brand’s own channel is created instantly. You can also repurpose or even republish Facebook and YouTube videos you’ve already made, potentially reaching a whole new part of your Instagram audience.

How to advertise your Instagram account for free ig tv

20. igtv is a television channel that broadcasts in the United States. Use Instagram Live to your advantage.
Another fantastic strategy to promote your account is to use Instagram Live to host lessons, workshops, and Q&A sessions. Make sure to inform your followers ahead of time that you’ll be hosting a live session so that they can help spread the word and increase your audience. Seeing you or a representative from your organisation speak or demonstrate something is a powerful method to establish trust and put a face to your brand.

instagram live instagram live instagram live instagram live instagram live instagram live instagram live instagram live
More options for promoting your Instagram account for free
Last but not least, keep your audience up to date by participating in popular conversations on Instagram and elsewhere, as well as advertising (if you’re into it). Let’s have a look at what we’ve got.

21. Make announcements about new products and sales specials.
    Post them to your Instagram feed or Story if you’re having a discount, debuting a new product or service, or announcing that a popular item is back in stock. Customers and fans will be more likely to check your feed and share your account with people they know who want to be in the know after they learn that you use this channel consistently for must-know information.

Just keep in mind that having too many promotional posts on your feed will exhaust your readers.

22. Capitalize on a trend
    When it comes to trends, these might be effective marketing strategies for your Instagram account. A trend can be as simple as trying out a new Instagram feature, as entertaining as participating in the latest viral challenge, or as charitable as supporting societal changes.

Put out tasteful and high-quality posts regarding hot issues, and your followers will likely share them with their networks, increasing your reach even further and helping to establish your brand’s core values. Don’t forget to use the hashtags that go with it!

A not-so-free method of promoting your Instagram profile
Let’s take a look at Instagram marketing. No, this isn’t a free strategy, but I’m mentioning it because if you set up your campaigns correctly, you can get your account in front of a large but highly focused audience of people who would otherwise be unaware of your existence— all while generating leads and cash. Here are a few more advantages of executing effective Instagram ads:

Because these are visual ads, you may promote your business to your target demographic in a stylish manner while also increasing brand awareness.

Instagram advertising frequently resemble ordinary posts. This isn’t necessarily a good thing, because consumers may feel duped into clicking on an ad, but it does make for a more smooth feed-scrolling experience from a user experience aspect.
If you have the budget for paid promotion techniques, you may also employ Instagram Story Ads or Instagram Shopping.
free instagram account promotion instagram shopping

[recap] How to Promote Your Instagram Account

Why not make a plan now that you have some ideas for how to advertise your account? Choose one or more of these tactics, give them a time range, set some measurable targets, and observe the results.

Promoting your Instagram account will assist you in attracting a high-quality audience of followers who will not only benefit from your products and services but will also provide valuable feedback and help spread the word about your company. Through your Instagram marketing plan, this form of engagement will ultimately help you gain trust and more customers. The key is to be patient and consistent with your efforts and content, and you’ll be rewarded with a strong social media presence and long-term growth in no time.

Make sure you have a business account on Instagram.
Fill out your profile completely.
Use email to make oneself known.
Via other social media networks on your website
Begin with your immediate family and friends.
Make interaction a top priority.
Follow and engage with Instagram influencers by requesting and sharing user-generated content.
Publish informative articles.
Post eye-catching, high-resolution photos.
Post at the appropriate time
Make your captions more original by asking questions in your postings.
Use #hashtags whenever possible.
Post to your Instagram Story on a regular basis.
Make the most of Instagram Highlights
Make use of IGTV.
Use Instagram Live to your advantage.
Updates and sales promos should be announced.
Profit from a current trend.