Four Tips to Grow a Targeted List of Instagram Followers

Grab your phone and open up your IG app–it’s time we had a chat. And by chat I mean: It’s time we talked about how to attract your ideal followers and convert them into loyal, *paying* clients–without the sleazy tactics. 

With more than a billion users worldwide, Instagram has become the go-to social platform for business owners to build brand awareness, connect with dream clients, and provide massive value. But since there’s more competition than ever, growing a list of loyal followers (keyword: loyal) has never been harder. 

You’re doing all the things… 

*posting every single day*

*using a hashtag strategy*

*keeping up with the latest trends* 

But still left wondering why your follower count isn’t growing, or even worse–no one’s engaging with your content. Talk about frustrating. 

Luckily for you, I’m sharing four tactics I use to build a targeted list of followers who effortlessly turn into dream clients (If you follow me, I’m looking at you!). 

The best part about these tips is you can implement them immediately…like right after reading this. Multi-tasker? Go ahead and do them as we go. 

Craft a niche-specific bio 

Within seconds of someone’s eyes landing on your Instagram account, they should know exactly what you do and who you serve. In 150 characters or less, you need to craft a killer bio that turns far-away lurkers into lifelong followers. 

But you don’t want just anyone joining your tribe. It’s an exclusive-club reserved for people who want to connect with you, learn from you, and (fingers crossed) buy from you. That means you need a bio that speaks directly to your ideal audience so they can self-identify with your services and pre-qualify for your offers. 

Let’s play a quick game. Imagine you’re a finance coach focused on helping young entrepreneurs. Which bio do you think would inspire your ideal client to click that follow button: 

“I help entrepreneurs manage their finances so they can have a debt-free future.” 

OR 

“I teach 20-something female entrepreneurs how to invest their savings, so they’ll feel confident about their future financial status.” 

While both may spark some interest, the second bio will probably keep them coming back for more, simply because it’s specific, clear, and action-oriented. Yours should be the same. 

Get intentional about story highlights 

Before followers even reach the incredible content you create, they see your Instagram Story Highlights. Since they live front and center on your page, being intentional about the pillars of content you share here is extremely important to capture your ideal client’s attention. 

Think of these Story Highlights as a movie trailer for your business—you want to be strategic about what content you share so you can pique people’s interest, without giving everything away. 

Choose five to 10 topics you want your audience to have quick access to and pop them into your highlights. If you need some inspiration, here are a few categories you can try: 

• Client Testimonials 
• Get to Know Me 
• Quick Hacks or Tips 
• Program Information 
• Free Resources 
• Mini-Trainings 
• Client Results 
• Private Facebook Groups 
• Media Highlights 

PS: Not everything deserves its own highlight! There’s a reason they’re called “highlights,” they’re reserved for your most important info. 

Create content packed with value 

It doesn’t matter how pretty your pictures are or how many Reels you post—if you don’t provide value with each piece of content you share, you’ll never move the needle when it comes to growing your audience, and ultimately, your sales. 

You want people popping on your page to get lost in your content (and not like stranded on a desert island lost). You want them to read your posts, implement your tips, and see instant results. You want them to think of you as an expert in your field. 

And the only way to do that is to show up every day and provide massive value related to your niche. Even when you just want to post a cute photo of your kid, you can still write a caption that inspires them to take action. 

It might seem overwhelming to come up with that much content on the regular, but here’s a quick tip: at the end of each month, take out a notebook and do a brain dump. Jot down 15-20 topics you want to cover that your followers can implement. Leave room for personal posts, inspirational stories, and fun quotes. Map out when you want to share each one and *boom*— you have an entire month’s worth of content that will get your followers fired up. 

A few prompts to get you started: 

• 3 quick ways to ___ 
• 10 tools to improve your ___ 
• How I went from ___ to ___ and you can too 

Build relationships with your ideal clients 

Alright, I know what you *might* be thinking: “Ummm Dani, isn’t this pretty obvious?” And you’re right; it should be. But I see so many online coaches and course creators get caught in the trap of spewing information left and right that they forget to follow and engage with others. 

Imagine you’re at a networking event, and the entire time you’re running from person to person, giving them actionable tips to help their business. That’s great and all, but by the end of the event, you realize you were so focused on talking about your business that you didn’t learn a single thing about anyone else’s. 

Just like a networking event, Instagram is all about building and cultivating relationships. Make sure you’re spending a little bit of time each day following a few people you want to create a connection with, then actually engage with them every week. It’s not called a *social* network for nothing! 

When it comes to growing your audience on Instagram, and nearly any other platform, I believe in quality over quantity. It’s easy to get caught up in the comparison game, especially when you see other coaches growing their follower count within just a few weeks of launching. But chances are, they’re using follow threads, follow/unfollow tactics, or other hacks to quickly increase their account. While they may see a rise in their numbers, they typically aren’t genuine followers looking to connect and build a relationship with you. 

By implementing the tips above, you’ll fill your follower’s list with people who value the content you share and want to work with you in the future! And the best part? You don’t need to spend 25 hours a day doing it to see success (because who’s got time for that?). 

P.S. If you’re looking for more ways you can level up your business, snag my 6-Figure Marketing Strategy Guide where I’ll show you how to create a marketing plan that puts more money in your back pocket.