Maybe you are a wannabe influencer or perhaps just an individual who is keen to see their Instagram posts or stories shared far and wide; there are many reasons for seeking out the pursuit of that magical elixir that is known in the social media world as ‘virality,’ and equally, there are many ways to assist you in your goal of reaching this particular Holy Grail.
A longing to see your posts viewed by millions and shared far and wide is a common one, and it is relevant to individuals who are just keen to get exposure to their personal posts, just as it may be for a company that is using their social media channels to boost their exposure.
The pursuit is the same, and in many ways, the roads to achieve this goal are likewise similar, and the tips below should be uppermost in your mind.
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Grow Your Audience
Getting a post to go viral can occur when you have a small audience, but it’s very unlikely, and the way to get the level of reach in order to secure that virality, you’ll need to have a decent-sized following of your own. This is not as easy as you may think.
The key is to grow your audience, and that takes time. Anyone who says they can secure an extensive reach on Instagram, or another social media network, in a short period of time is ill-informed.
You need to be speaking to a decent-sized audience of your own making before you can expect a post to truly pop. In order to get that following, you have to have a page that has some level of genuine value, and that means knowing your audience and the overall theme and subject matter you are covering.
Post Regularly
When you start to get noticed, and the number of followers you have is now more than just a drop in the ocean, you need to keep them interested, and that means posting regularly. The issue which many people face, and this is the same for individuals, groups, and companies, is that it can take time to find the right thing to post about.
We’d strongly suggest you build up a schedule and then line up posts well in advance and consistently brainstorm what you might want to cover in the short to medium term. Sure, sometimes your posts may be little more than just an amusing gif or a silly post which is just a light-hearted distraction, and on top of this, you’ll need weightier additions to really drive up your value in the eyes of your audience.
Think Outside the Box
Often when we post on social media channels, especially if we constantly strive for virality, we can lose some originality. There is obviously scope for jumping on trends and re-posting great content, but somewhere along the line, you need to let your personality shine.
With this in mind, why not shoot your own content, or put together an interesting or amusing short-form video, perhaps with the aid of some stock video to help keep costs down, especially if you are unable to secure precisely the footage you need?
For example, perhaps you are a keen travel vlogger, but you don’t have the budget to travel to an idyllic location; then you can still be creative and put together some handy tips or information just by putting a video together with the help of footage you have along with your newly acquired video editing skills.
Develop Partnerships and Connections
A great way to grow your channel and increase the chance of a post going viral is to engage with like-minded accounts. This might mean blindly reaching out to another Instagram account or might start with a post of yours complimenting their work, and the benefits of these relationships can prove very tangible indeed.
The connections you make can be good for the long term, and in the short term, they are a great way to encourage interconnection and reach.
Avoid setting up any paid connections of this type, as this can prove counterproductive, and an organic relationship is far more effective in the long term.
This could start with you reposting content from another account while clearly tagging them, and then see what happens. The relevant account may reach out to thank you, and then they may be happy to reciprocate.
Make Use of the Data
Instagram, as with all other major social media networks, will offer you great analytical tools so that you can measure the effectiveness of your posts, as well as the general makeup of your audience.
This will help you to ascertain what works well and what doesn’t. Similarly, you can use information about trends that will give you a broader idea of what works on the Instagram platform as a whole.
Social media networks produce and relay incredibly useful data, much of it in real time, and you’d be a fool not to use this in your favor.
Be Patient
As well as managing expectations, preparing your posts, and generally trying to be as creative and unique as possible while conversely staying on top of what is generally working on the platform, you always need to remain patient.
Any successful Instagram page hasn’t gotten to that state by accident. Sure, there are some pages that may get lucky with a post or two, but the overwhelming majority of pages that enjoy substantial ongoing success in terms of retaining a large following and seeing their work viewed by millions have done so by working hard at it.
Success must be earned, which is an essential factor to remember as you get underway on your social media journey.