2023 was a year of flatlines and frustrations for my Instagram growth. Despite consistently posting and following traditional advice, my follower count barely moved. As a matter of fact, I lost over 5k followers (from 125k to 120k)
Determined to turn things around, I dove deep into the ever-evolving content landscape of Instagram. I experimented with new formats and even launched a second account at the beginning of this year to test different strategies. After a challenging year of tweaks and trials, I finally started seeing those much-awaited green numbers again.
What type of content should you create to get more Instagram followers?
The Instagram content ecosystem is massive, not only do you have multiple placements like Reels, Carousels, and Lives, but even within Reels, there are more than then types or styles of Reels, each serving a unique role in your overall strategy.
The real secret lies in understanding which formats truly resonate in today’s Instagram environment and with your unique audience. If you're wondering how to reach non-followers on Instagram, in this post, I’ll share four types of content that have significantly contributed to my Instagram growth in 2024.
1. Memes Reels (Remixed)
Memes have been popular quite for a while, but 2024 brought a fresh twist: remixing. By taking an existing viral meme and adding your own perspective, you can create highly relatable and sharable content.
Here’s how to do it:
Find a viral meme: Choose one that resonates with your audience. You can easily find memes on your Explore page or by scrolling down the Reels tab.
Remix: Tap on the three dots and select 'remix'.
Add your POV: Make it unique to your audience’s interests.
Craft a killer caption: This is where you add additional value and call to action.
Using Instagram's built-in features like the remix option not only taps into the power of existing popular content but also boosts your visibility thanks to the platform’s preference for feature utilization.
2. Head-talking Reels with the Face-time Effect
Direct-to-camera Reels, which remind us of FaceTime conversations, have surged in popularity. This format’s raw and authentic feel appears to be a response to the overly edited videos that dominated our feeds in 2023.
Imagine sharing advice or a story directly with a friend - from your kitchen, bedroom, or even your car - that’s the vibe these Reels emulate. While they might garner fewer views, they tend to have a high follower conversion, meaning more non-followers reached from that post are more likely to follow you.
These also helpto nurture your current audience by providing a genuine glimpse into your personality and authenticity, which is priceless for building a loyal following.
3. Attention-Grabbing Aesthetic Reels
Short, visually captivating Reels with strong hooks, which have been trending throughout all of 2023, are perfect for stopping the scroll.
Pairing aesthetic visuals with a compelling hook ensures high watch rates, and following up with a valuable, structured caption can dramatically increase engagement and sharing potential.
These types of Reels usually come with a double hook- within the video and the first line of the caption.
As a result of having a high retention rate based on the way they're structured, they often result in going viral, pushing your growth even further.
4. Single Posts (Infographics & Quotes)
Surprisingly, 2024 has seen a resurgence in the effectiveness of static posts, such as infographics and quotes.
These posts make for easy consumption and high shareability, serving quick, actionable insights or inspirational messages that users love to save and share.
It’s a powerful reminder that sometimes, simplicity reigns supreme on platforms driven by constant innovation.
Wrapping up
These four content types have been instrumental in my Instagram growth in 2024. The key takeaway? Constant experimentation.
If you’re just starting out or feeling stuck, try different formats and focus on what works best for your audience. Once you find your groove, double down to maximize your growth.
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Struggling to keep up with content creation? Check out my AI Guide Instagram which will help you increase your Instagram engagement while cutting your content creation time by half.
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