Updated October 2019
Instagram has become one of the most popular social networks for photo and video sharing. With over 800 million monthly active users at the start of 2018, the mainly mobile photo sharing app had reached 1 billion monthly active users by June 2018.
Thousands of people are being launched into stardom via Instagram. Fashionistas, fitness experts, and mom bloggers are growing massive followings and enjoying the perks of social celebrity (namely free products and compensation for sponsored posts). In addition to people, pet accounts are seeing their own success stories. Suddenly it's not that crazy to see a celebrity dog with 100,000 followers and a book deal!
How did these savvy pet owners grow their Instagram followings? It's not rocket science! Seriously, anyone can do it. I know because I (Steph) did it myself! In late 2015, I launched my dog Django's Instagram account, @djangothegent. Fast forward three years, and Django has 80,000 Instagram followers and friends all over the world. He has been featured by countless media outlets and sponsored by some really great brands.
So here it is... here is everything I've learned about Instagram after rocketing my long-haired wiener dog to social media stardom. Here are 11 tips to grow your Instagram account, boost engagement, and get more followers.
Tip 1: Image and Video Quality
Posting high resolution images and videos are a must. You'd be surprised how many people post out-of-focus, blurry or grainy photos! High quality content with a clear subject matter is more likely to be noticed and liked by your followers as they scroll through their main feed or Instagram's "Explore" tab.
What do we mean by clear subject matter? If you're posting a picture of your pet, make sure your pet stands out in the photo. Does your dog blend in with the photo's busy or colorful background? Is he or she out of focus? Instagram users are most likely to open and double tap photos that stand out - photos that compel them to pause and take a closer look.
Photo layout is also important. Generally speaking, vertical photos do much better than horizontal (or landscape) images. Why? Think about scrolling down your Instagram feed on your phone. When you come across a vertical photo, it takes up your whole screen! Horizontal photos, on the other hand, only take up a fraction of your screen and are easier to overlook and scroll past without double clicking. If possible, make sure your vertical photos have an aspect ratio of 4:5. This is the maximum size photo Instagram will allow. Anything more than 4:5 (i.e. 4:6) will be cropped by Instagram.
One other huge tip? Post puppy photos and videos. Seriously. Instagram users cannot get enough puppy content, and engagement is tremendously higher for adorable puppies. Have you ever noticed how very big Instagram dog accounts will frequently post 'throwback' puppy photos? This is because puppy photos naturally get more likes, comments, and shares. No one can resist clicking on and fawning over a puppy golden retriever or adorable baby dachshund... then sharing it with three friends. If you have high resolution puppy photos and videos, use them to your advantage and post one every 1-2 weeks.
Tip 2: Post More Videos
Video content is extremely powerful on Instagram. High resolution and engaging videos (i.e. they are funny, relevant, adorable, etc) generally get higher engagement than photos. These days, users are more likely to engage with and share a video versus a photo.
Instagram now allows users to post videos up to 60 seconds long, but this doesn't necessarily mean your videos should be this long. Most users get bored after 20-30 seconds, so try to cap your videos at this time stamp.
Tip 3: Leverage Hashtags & Location Stickers
Relevant hashtags and location stickers will introduce your content to a large, targeted audience. Instagram allows a maximum of 30 hashtags per post - why not use these to your advantage? Focus on the 30 most relevant and niche hashtags for each post; avoid unspecific tags. What do we mean? If you're posting a picture of your brindle french bulldog, tag #brindlefrenchie, #brindlefrenchbulldog and #frenchbulldog. Your post is more likely to be featured by Instagram via the hashtag #brindlefrenchie than a generic tag like #dog and #dogsofinstagram.
Tons of people search Instagram by location, so take advantage of this feature. If your post performs well, it is likely to appear as a featured post when someone searches for photos in your location. Again, be specific. If you're posting from Windansea Beach in San Diego, California, use the location sticker "Windansea Beach, San Diego" instead of "California" or even "San Diego".
Tip 4: Instagram Stories
In addition to posting on your main feed, you should also post Instagram Stories to boost engagement and reach. Unlike main feed posts which are on your profile indefinitely, Instagram Stories are perfect for photos or videos that you may not want on your profile forever. Rather, these Stories disappear after 24 hours. And keep in mind that you can and should include hashtags and location stickers in Stories.
How do Stories help boost overall engagement? If you publish high quality content to your Stories, your followers will likely engage with the content (i.e. messaging you, sharing the content with friends, etc). The more engagement your Stories get, the more likely it is that Instagram features your content alongside other 'trending Stories' on the main feed. Now your Stories are suddenly being shown to tons of new people!
You can also use Stories to drive traffic to existing posts or to stir up demand for a pending post. To share a main post to your Stories, click the paper airplane icon just below your post the select "Add post to your story". Consider including a fun "New Post" sticker or caption to the Story.
Tip 5: How Often Should I Post on Instagram?
Every post (accompanied by 30 high quality hashtags) is an opportunity for a new audience to discover you. This doesn't mean, however, you should post 10 times a day. Excessive posting may turn off your followers and result in a wave of unfollows.
The general rule of thumb for Instagram is to post consistently and average 1.5 times per day. Consistency is key. It is ok to post every 2, 3 or even 4 days, so long as you keep up this cadence.
If you post infrequently or let a few weeks pass without any activity, you risk losing followers and fans. Your audience may forget that you exist and find new accounts to follow.
Do I post each and every day to Django's account? I should, but I don't. I have a full-time job and don't always have the time or energy to keep up daily activity. That said, I do post regularly and rarely let more than 3-4 days pass without new content.
Tip 6: Build A Base of Followers
As soon as you get on Instagram, start following other similar accounts. If, for instance, you're launching your pug's new Instagram account, follow other pug accounts and pug "community" accounts (i.e. @pugsofinstagram).
Spend time each day interacting and engaging with your new Instagram friends. Like photos, respond to comments, and comment on posts you love. These accounts will give you inspiration for posts. You'll also get on their radar - a bunch of these accounts will probably follow you back.
Tip 7: "Sometimes I Pretend to be Normal, But It Gets Boring So I Go Back To Me" - Ain Eineziz
Personality is what makes everyone unique and special, so pour your personality into your captions and hashtags. Friends and followers will love getting to know you through your posts.
When I first launched Django's Instagram account, I was a unsure of how to proceed with his captions. Do I let my fun-loving, dry and occasionally crude sense of humor let loose, or will that turn off followers? Over time I became increasingly comfortable letting my personality shine. Not only did I notice better engagement, I also started having more fun with Django's account. Now I have one rule when posting - I have to make myself laugh or smile with each post. If I can entertain myself, I consider the post successful.
One more tip? Share personal and humanized content - something people can relate to and emotionally connect with. Your post is more likely to be liked, commented on and shared if your followers identify with your experiences or see themselves in your content.
Tip 8: Get Featured!
Over the past two years, Django has been featured consistently in the online and offline neighborhood. Django has been featured by huge "community" Instagram accounts, publications like Subaru's Drive magazine, and internet powerhouses like People.com. Each feature has resulted in new exposure and followers.
How can you get featured? Start with big "community" accounts on Instagram. If you post great shots of outdoor adventures with your dog, reach out to @adventuredogsofficial via direct message or email, send them your most engaging high resolution photos, and ask to be featured.
Getting feature in offline publications like newspapers and magazines is definitely more difficult, but it is also doable. Usually huge online media sites like People.com have a few writers that focus on specific content, i.e. pet-related posts. See if you can reach out directly to one of these writers. Introduce yourself, your account, and ask them to consider including your account in relevant future content.
Tip 9: Cross Promote With Other Influencers
As you engage with your following and audience, you'll slowly start to get to know the people behind the accounts. Consider cross promotions with similarly sizes accounts. Cross promotions can include shoutout-for-shoutouts or jointly-hosted giveaways.
Another rising trend is "engagement groups". In engagement groups, an average of 10-15 similarly sized accounts join a group DM (direct message group) and agree to engage with each other's posts. The the idea is to trick Instagram's algorithm by boosting engagement on your friends' and your own posts. So how exactly does this work? Whenever someone in the group DM posts on Instagram, they share the post in the DM group. All the others in the DM group then go over to the new post and like and comment on it. All of a sudden, a brand new post has 10-15 more likes and 10-15 more comments. Instagram will see this sudden engagement, assume the post is doing well overall, and therefore boost the post across the the news feed. Engagement Groups are especially powerful when large Instagram accounts (25k+ followers) team up.
Tip 10: Celebrate Milestones with a Giveaway
There are a few ways to host a giveaway on Instagram. Thrive Hive provides a great resource for the various types of giveaway.
Once your account reaches 1,000+ followers, consider reaching out to a brand you love and ask them to sponsor your giveaway with one product. Brands usually welcome exposure to a new targeted audience and are willing to offer one free product in exchange.
In my experience, the most effective giveaways are those where Django works with one brand and gives away one high quality product, i.e. a dog hoodie, pet camera, or a dog bed. We keep the contest rules simple: (1) Follow Django and the brand (2) Like this post (3) Tag 2 friends. These rules guarantee simplicity (i.e. higher probability people will enter the giveaway), engagement, and new followers.
Below is an example of a giveaway Django hosted for animal non-profit More Than a Cone. More Than a Cone wanted to raise awareness for their cause, and a giveaway on Django's Instagram was a wonderful way to get in front of a new dog loving audience. The giveaway prize was a huge box of Kong dog toys. To enter the giveaway, friends just had to follow Django and More Than a Cone and tag a friend.
Tip 11: Boost Your Brand On Facebook and Other Social Media Channels
After Django's Instagram account surpassed 50,000 followers, I decided to launch his Facebook page. Facebook introduced Django to a brand new audience of dog lovers, and many of these new Facebook friends ultimately started following Django on Instagram.
Connect your Facebook and Instagram accounts, if you haven't already. Sharing content from Instagram to Facebook became incredibly easy after Facebook bought Instagram in 2012. What this means is you can post a photo, video or story to Instagram and immediately upload it to your Facebook page with one click. Instagram also allows you auto-follow your Facebook friends in seconds. By connecting with your Facebook friends on Instagram, you will automatically introduce them to your Instagram account.
Outside of Facebook, consider expanding your presence on other social media platforms. Do you post video content? Then create a YouTube channel! We launched DJANGO's YouTube channel in 2017. Our content includes a mix of hilarious Django videos, educational dog content (here's a great example), and product videos.
Do you prefer Pinterest? We launched DJANGO on Pinterest just recently and have since become huge fans of the platform. One Pinterest strategy we recently discovered is to pin your Instagram photos to Pinterest. Make sure each Instagram photo 'pinned' links back to your original Instagram post. Whenever someone comes across your Pinterest post and clicks, they'll automatically be taken to your Instagram post. All of a sudden you are driving new traffic to your Instagram page!
Tip 12: A Well-Trained Pet Makes Things Much Easier
When Django was a baby, I spent 30 minutes every morning doing "school" with him. We practiced sitting still - I would walk around the apartment while Django sat patiently in one spot, waiting for me to give him the OK to run over and grab a treat. I also taught Django to look at the camera whenever I am taking a photo. How? I would tell Django to "Look!" at me. Whenever he caught my eye, I would praise him with "Good look!" and give him a treat. You can imagine that this makes taking photos of Django so much easier!
One last thought.
It is very easy to compare your account growth, follower count, and engagement with other accounts... and get frustrated if your account isn't performing as well or growing as quickly. As soon as you start letting these thoughts creep into your head, your fun-loving Instagram account becomes a stressful job. What is the point of posting fun images of your pet if you suddenly hate doing it?
There are now over 1 billion monthly active Instagram users, and Instagram's algorithm inexplicably dictates which of these accounts see above-average growth.
Unless you are Selena Gomez or a Kardashian, your account will never be the biggest or most successful. And it shouldn't have to be! With 1 billion users, Instagram is offering an incredibly opportunity to amass hundreds, thousands or even millions of followers. Stay savvy (i.e. follow the above tips), be yourself, and have fun.
BEFORE YOU GO
We would love to hear from you and check out your Instagram account! Drop us a comment below (include your Instagram account name!) and remember to follow our sausage dog celeb Django on Instagram. DM us on Instagram when you do so we can follow you back!
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147 comments
DJANGO
@JAYDEN Thanks for reaching out! Storm is beautiful – those blue eyes are just stunning!
Regarding human accounts, you’re obviously getting some attention if you already have 1k+ followers! Congrats on hitting that milestone! To get more human accounts to follow you, you could do a few things including (1) following human accounts that you find interesting – they may just follow you back (2) engaging with more human accounts so they notice you – especially mini aussie dog owners since they are more likely to follow a breed they love (3) humanize Storm as much as possible. The last point is especially important. Human accounts are most likely to follow you (and share your posts with friends) if your posts are relatable. If they somehow see themselves in Storm or in Storm’s captions, they’ll be more likely to engage and ultimately press follow.
@JAYDEN Thanks for reaching out! Storm is beautiful – those blue eyes are just stunning!
Regarding human accounts, you’re obviously getting some attention if you already have 1k+ followers! Congrats on hitting that milestone! To get more human accounts to follow you, you could do a few things including (1) following human accounts that you find interesting – they may just follow you back (2) engaging with more human accounts so they notice you – especially mini aussie dog owners since they are more likely to follow a breed they love (3) humanize Storm as much as possible. The last point is especially important. Human accounts are most likely to follow you (and share your posts with friends) if your posts are relatable. If they somehow see themselves in Storm or in Storm’s captions, they’ll be more likely to engage and ultimately press follow.
Jayden
Django is ADORABLE!!
Thanks for these tips, they will really help!
I just started Storm’s page @cloudywithachanceofstorm for a bit of fun to compete with a friend but I’ve been sucked into the world of Petstagram! Any special tips for getting noticed by more human accounts? Storm is doing a great job of getting himself known with other pet accounts but the human market isn’t easy to break into.
@cloudywithachanceofstorm
Django is ADORABLE!!
Thanks for these tips, they will really help!
I just started Storm’s page @cloudywithachanceofstorm for a bit of fun to compete with a friend but I’ve been sucked into the world of Petstagram! Any special tips for getting noticed by more human accounts? Storm is doing a great job of getting himself known with other pet accounts but the human market isn’t easy to break into.
@cloudywithachanceofstorm
DJANGO
@JESSICA F That is how dog accounts on Instagram usually start… when you realize you already have 300 pics of your puppy on your phone so why not :) Thanks for including Maggie May’s IG handle with your comment – what an adorable baby!! So much fluff. Absolutely love her ❤️
@JESSICA F That is how dog accounts on Instagram usually start… when you realize you already have 300 pics of your puppy on your phone so why not :) Thanks for including Maggie May’s IG handle with your comment – what an adorable baby!! So much fluff. Absolutely love her ❤️
Jessica F
I didn’t intend to start an Instagram for my Saint Bernard puppy but she’s so cute I can’t stop taking pictures of her! Thanks for the great advice! ❤️ I found it very helpful. @saintmaggiemay
I didn’t intend to start an Instagram for my Saint Bernard puppy but she’s so cute I can’t stop taking pictures of her! Thanks for the great advice! ❤️ I found it very helpful. @saintmaggiemay
Cody
Hey! Just checked out your advice! I’m going to try it a lot. I have my aussie on instagram with @lucydaaussie she’s a cutie and we have a lot more content coming soon! I’ll dm you on IG! If you have time and check it out, awesome. Let me know if i’m doing ok or not! Thanks!
Hey! Just checked out your advice! I’m going to try it a lot. I have my aussie on instagram with @lucydaaussie she’s a cutie and we have a lot more content coming soon! I’ll dm you on IG! If you have time and check it out, awesome. Let me know if i’m doing ok or not! Thanks!
aduhini
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DJANGO
@JOHN LETOURNEAU Belly is absolutely adorable! Thank you for your kind comment, and thanks for sharing Bella’s Instagram account handle :)
@JOHN LETOURNEAU Belly is absolutely adorable! Thank you for your kind comment, and thanks for sharing Bella’s Instagram account handle :)
John Letourneau
Wow this is very useful and clear information. I hope to expand my instagram even more. My bellas page is @littlebellapuggle
https://www.instagram.com/littlebellapuggle/?hl=en
Wow this is very useful and clear information. I hope to expand my instagram even more. My bellas page is @littlebellapuggle
https://www.instagram.com/littlebellapuggle/?hl=en
DJANGO
@STEPHEN Thank you for reaching out! Nola is absolutely beautiful. I just left a bunch of likes and comments on her page :) Thanks for sharing her account with us!
p.s. GO LSU
@STEPHEN Thank you for reaching out! Nola is absolutely beautiful. I just left a bunch of likes and comments on her page :) Thanks for sharing her account with us!
p.s. GO LSU
Stephen
My wife and I have decided that our 4 legged child needed to be shown to the world and so far we absolutely LOVE it. Coming across your Instagram along with others has truly given us the inspiration we needed and this article is so helpful. Give Django a boop for me and check out our page @queennolathedog. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
My wife and I have decided that our 4 legged child needed to be shown to the world and so far we absolutely LOVE it. Coming across your Instagram along with others has truly given us the inspiration we needed and this article is so helpful. Give Django a boop for me and check out our page @queennolathedog. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
DJANGO
Hi Arlo! You’re absolutely adorable!! Following accounts is definitely one way to get followers… You’re right that many accounts will follow you if you follow them first. Obviously the goal is to grow without having to follow thousands of people though! I can’t explain @oliverthedogx’s growth since I don’t know their account and how much time they spend on Instagram, but there are a few things that could’ve helped Oliver grow super quickly in the first few months like (1) Following a ton of accounts. Oliver follows 2.2k accounts vs. your 260. Many of these will immediately follow him back (2) Engaging with these accounts. If Oliver is engaging with those he follows, these friends are likely to engage with Oliver’s photos in return, ultimately boosting Oliver’s posts in the News Feed and helping his overall standing with the IG algorithm. And as I quickly referenced above, Oliver may also be spending more time on Instagram than you, engaging with people that don’t follow him, liking photos, etc. This will also help him get noticed and get more traffic back to his profile.
Regarding your last comment, a theme or personality for your pet is definitely a great idea. As silly as this sounds, remember that there is a human liking your photos. People are naturally drawn to fun or interesting personalities, not just a cute face (although elps too!). Pouring your personality into Arlo’s account will make him unique and help him stand out among the millions of other dog accounts on IG.
Hi Arlo! You’re absolutely adorable!! Following accounts is definitely one way to get followers… You’re right that many accounts will follow you if you follow them first. Obviously the goal is to grow without having to follow thousands of people though! I can’t explain @oliverthedogx’s growth since I don’t know their account and how much time they spend on Instagram, but there are a few things that could’ve helped Oliver grow super quickly in the first few months like (1) Following a ton of accounts. Oliver follows 2.2k accounts vs. your 260. Many of these will immediately follow him back (2) Engaging with these accounts. If Oliver is engaging with those he follows, these friends are likely to engage with Oliver’s photos in return, ultimately boosting Oliver’s posts in the News Feed and helping his overall standing with the IG algorithm. And as I quickly referenced above, Oliver may also be spending more time on Instagram than you, engaging with people that don’t follow him, liking photos, etc. This will also help him get noticed and get more traffic back to his profile.
Regarding your last comment, a theme or personality for your pet is definitely a great idea. As silly as this sounds, remember that there is a human liking your photos. People are naturally drawn to fun or interesting personalities, not just a cute face (although elps too!). Pouring your personality into Arlo’s account will make him unique and help him stand out among the millions of other dog accounts on IG.
Arlo
Django is so cute! I’m just wondering how to grow your account without having to follow everyone back, as the only way I can really get more followers is following other accounts first. Some accounts have a puppy and follow basically no one, yet they already have so many followers. I have a friend, @oliverthedogx who has 10k followers, only follows 2000 people and he opened his account in mid-July. Another thing I see people who have lots of followers doing is having a sort of ‘theme’ or ‘personality’ for their pet, or something unique about them to make them stand out. Any suggestions? My account is @arlo.the.moodle ❤️
Django is so cute! I’m just wondering how to grow your account without having to follow everyone back, as the only way I can really get more followers is following other accounts first. Some accounts have a puppy and follow basically no one, yet they already have so many followers. I have a friend, @oliverthedogx who has 10k followers, only follows 2000 people and he opened his account in mid-July. Another thing I see people who have lots of followers doing is having a sort of ‘theme’ or ‘personality’ for their pet, or something unique about them to make them stand out. Any suggestions? My account is @arlo.the.moodle ❤️
DJANGO
@DESTINY THOMAS I’m so glad you found this useful! Kirby is too freakin cute!! And his coloring is stunning. I don’t think I’ve seen many tri-color corgis before.
We include some tips on doing giveaways above, but I’ll definitely elaborate on them more here! You can do giveaways two ways… (1) You can buy a relatively inexpensive dog product that Kirby loves (a dog toy, dog hoodie, etc) and sponsor the giveaway yourself. This may be the best route if you have a small account, i.e. <1k followers OR (2) You can get a brand to sponsor you by providing the giveaway prize.
For option (1), you would simply post a photo of Kirby with the giveaway prize (i.e. Kirby wearing the dog hoodie he’s giving away) and announce the giveaway in your caption. The caption can be simple, but it should grab everyone’s attention: DOG HOODIE GIVEAWAY We absolutely love our DJANGO Dog Hoodie and are giving one away to 1 lucky winner!! To enter the giveaway: Follow Kirby, like this photo, and tag a friend! US and Canada only.
For option (2), you would reach out to a brand directly and ask if they are interested in doing a giveaway on your Instagram account. It definitely helps if the brand is smaller (i.e. we at djangobrand.com are a lot more likely to sponsor giveaways than PetSmart) and if you’re already a customer of the brand. We’ve sponsored giveaways for many of our customers to celebrate birthdays and milestones.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!
@DESTINY THOMAS I’m so glad you found this useful! Kirby is too freakin cute!! And his coloring is stunning. I don’t think I’ve seen many tri-color corgis before.
We include some tips on doing giveaways above, but I’ll definitely elaborate on them more here! You can do giveaways two ways… (1) You can buy a relatively inexpensive dog product that Kirby loves (a dog toy, dog hoodie, etc) and sponsor the giveaway yourself. This may be the best route if you have a small account, i.e. <1k followers OR (2) You can get a brand to sponsor you by providing the giveaway prize.
For option (1), you would simply post a photo of Kirby with the giveaway prize (i.e. Kirby wearing the dog hoodie he’s giving away) and announce the giveaway in your caption. The caption can be simple, but it should grab everyone’s attention: DOG HOODIE GIVEAWAY We absolutely love our DJANGO Dog Hoodie and are giving one away to 1 lucky winner!! To enter the giveaway: Follow Kirby, like this photo, and tag a friend! US and Canada only.
For option (2), you would reach out to a brand directly and ask if they are interested in doing a giveaway on your Instagram account. It definitely helps if the brand is smaller (i.e. we at djangobrand.com are a lot more likely to sponsor giveaways than PetSmart) and if you’re already a customer of the brand. We’ve sponsored giveaways for many of our customers to celebrate birthdays and milestones.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!
Destiny Thomas
This really helped me!! I was just wondering how to do giveaways for my pup’s instagram.
@kirby.corgi_
This really helped me!! I was just wondering how to do giveaways for my pup’s instagram.
@kirby.corgi_
DJANGO
@HOUSTON Thanks for the kind comment! You are absolutely adorable (we checked out your IG page!) and your engagement is fantastic! Keep up the good work!
@HOUSTON Thanks for the kind comment! You are absolutely adorable (we checked out your IG page!) and your engagement is fantastic! Keep up the good work!
Houston
Hi…Your account is so beautiful.. I love Django ! @houstonspaws
Hi…Your account is so beautiful.. I love Django ! @houstonspaws
DJANGO
@ALISSA Thanks so much for the love, and congratulations on nearing 1,000 followers! Also, Daisy is absolutely adorable :)
@ALISSA Thanks so much for the love, and congratulations on nearing 1,000 followers! Also, Daisy is absolutely adorable :)
DJANGO
@ALISSA Thanks so much for the love, and congratulations on nearing 1,000 followers! Also, Daisy is absolutely adorable :)
@ALISSA Thanks so much for the love, and congratulations on nearing 1,000 followers! Also, Daisy is absolutely adorable :)
Alissa
This is so helpful, thank you! We love following your instagram and are hoping to one day have a community like yours!
our_golden_daisy
This is so helpful, thank you! We love following your instagram and are hoping to one day have a community like yours!
our_golden_daisy
DJANGO
@MIA_THE_DOODETTE Yes, we totally hear you! Giveaways and engagement groups can definitely be time-consuming and feel more like work after a while… While they are definitely helpful when it comes to engagement, we don’t do either too frequently for those very reasons. And definitely stick to more simplistic giveaway rules! We find that doing a giveaway with ONE brand only and giving away ONE item (i.e. hosting a giveaway with DJANGO and giving away one DJANGO dog hoodie) work the best. Fewer rules means it’s easier for your followers to enter… and that ultimately leads to better overall giveaway engagement.
Thanks for your comment! We found you on Instagram and just left a ton of likes and comments on your page :)
@MIA_THE_DOODETTE Yes, we totally hear you! Giveaways and engagement groups can definitely be time-consuming and feel more like work after a while… While they are definitely helpful when it comes to engagement, we don’t do either too frequently for those very reasons. And definitely stick to more simplistic giveaway rules! We find that doing a giveaway with ONE brand only and giving away ONE item (i.e. hosting a giveaway with DJANGO and giving away one DJANGO dog hoodie) work the best. Fewer rules means it’s easier for your followers to enter… and that ultimately leads to better overall giveaway engagement.
Thanks for your comment! We found you on Instagram and just left a ton of likes and comments on your page :)
Mia_the_doodette
The giveaways and engagement groups are always a bit much. I like your simplistic giveaway rules rather than the follow these 12 accounts and comment on 3 of their 4 last posts while tagging 30 accounts. Exaggeration…but you get the point. We haven’t started the facebook page yet but I guess it’s time to talk to the new audience too.
Great advice and followed you :)
The giveaways and engagement groups are always a bit much. I like your simplistic giveaway rules rather than the follow these 12 accounts and comment on 3 of their 4 last posts while tagging 30 accounts. Exaggeration…but you get the point. We haven’t started the facebook page yet but I guess it’s time to talk to the new audience too.
Great advice and followed you :)
DJANGO
@LUNA Just took a look at your Instagram account! Luna is absolutely adorable and your captions are fun, personable, and relatable! Great use of questions in your captions as well (i.e. “Am I as pretty as a flower?”) – asking relevant questions to your followers encourages engagement in the comment section and ultimately helps boost the post’s overall standing in Instagram’s algorithm. And great use of a giveaway to celebrate Luna’s 3k following! That post had incredible engagement :)
My only feedback is for your photos. Some photos are very clear and crisp – these stand out really well in the Instagram feed. Others however are a little out of focus and/or busy (i.e. the background is in focus and busy and takes away from Luna). One option is to download a free photo editing app in your App store and use it to slightly blur the backgrounds of these busier photos. You don’t want to go overboard – the photo should look authentic – but doing this will help Luna pop in the photo and ultimately get more clicks on the IG feed. Hope this helps!
@LUNA Just took a look at your Instagram account! Luna is absolutely adorable and your captions are fun, personable, and relatable! Great use of questions in your captions as well (i.e. “Am I as pretty as a flower?”) – asking relevant questions to your followers encourages engagement in the comment section and ultimately helps boost the post’s overall standing in Instagram’s algorithm. And great use of a giveaway to celebrate Luna’s 3k following! That post had incredible engagement :)
My only feedback is for your photos. Some photos are very clear and crisp – these stand out really well in the Instagram feed. Others however are a little out of focus and/or busy (i.e. the background is in focus and busy and takes away from Luna). One option is to download a free photo editing app in your App store and use it to slightly blur the backgrounds of these busier photos. You don’t want to go overboard – the photo should look authentic – but doing this will help Luna pop in the photo and ultimately get more clicks on the IG feed. Hope this helps!
Art Yourself LLC
This information is so generous. So many accounts are afraid to share info like you have done. Thank you and I am now a new follower of yours. 🙂
This information is so generous. So many accounts are afraid to share info like you have done. Thank you and I am now a new follower of yours. 🙂
Luna
Hi, thanks for these great tips! I was wondering if you could have a look at my account and maybe give me some tips on what I could do better? My account is @its_luna_the_cat_
Hi, thanks for these great tips! I was wondering if you could have a look at my account and maybe give me some tips on what I could do better? My account is @its_luna_the_cat_
DJANGO
@CAITLINMILLER Thanks for the great question! I would approach several friends on Instagram with similarly sized dog accounts and ask them if they want to start an engagement group. We’ve been invited to several groups this way… Usually one person will message 5-10 other accounts and see who wants to join the engagement group. It’s as easy as that!
Once you have a group formed, just agree on some simple rules of the engagement group. For example, (1) Everyone likes and comments on each other’s recent posts (2) Comments should be 4 or more words (3) Everyone shares their latest post within the group message thread to ensure all see it.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any follow up questions!
@CAITLINMILLER Thanks for the great question! I would approach several friends on Instagram with similarly sized dog accounts and ask them if they want to start an engagement group. We’ve been invited to several groups this way… Usually one person will message 5-10 other accounts and see who wants to join the engagement group. It’s as easy as that!
Once you have a group formed, just agree on some simple rules of the engagement group. For example, (1) Everyone likes and comments on each other’s recent posts (2) Comments should be 4 or more words (3) Everyone shares their latest post within the group message thread to ensure all see it.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any follow up questions!
DJANGO
@ALBUSDUMBLEDOG Thanks for the nice comment! Your photos of Albus are absolutely beautiful and definitely high res! Definitely a great start!! And yes, Instagram can easily become a full time job if you let it :) Just have as much fun as you can and try not to stress. Come back here if you have any follow up questions!
@ALBUSDUMBLEDOG Thanks for the nice comment! Your photos of Albus are absolutely beautiful and definitely high res! Definitely a great start!! And yes, Instagram can easily become a full time job if you let it :) Just have as much fun as you can and try not to stress. Come back here if you have any follow up questions!
DJANGO
@PET_ANG3L Thanks for the great question! I would approach several friends on Instagram with similarly sized dog accounts and ask them if they want to start an engagement group. We’ve been invited to several groups this way… Usually one person will message 5-10 other accounts and see who wants to join the engagement group. It’s as easy as that!
Once you have a group formed, just agree on some simple rules of the engagement group. For example, (1) Everyone likes and comments on each other’s recent posts (2) Comments should be 4 or more words (3) Everyone shares their latest post within the group message thread to ensure all see it.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any follow up questions!
@PET_ANG3L Thanks for the great question! I would approach several friends on Instagram with similarly sized dog accounts and ask them if they want to start an engagement group. We’ve been invited to several groups this way… Usually one person will message 5-10 other accounts and see who wants to join the engagement group. It’s as easy as that!
Once you have a group formed, just agree on some simple rules of the engagement group. For example, (1) Everyone likes and comments on each other’s recent posts (2) Comments should be 4 or more words (3) Everyone shares their latest post within the group message thread to ensure all see it.
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any follow up questions!
Caitlin Miller
Hello! Such excellent information and tips!!!! Can you please advise where to find an engagement group as mentioned?? 🙏🏼 We are @originalmaxgram – thank you SO much!
Hello! Such excellent information and tips!!!! Can you please advise where to find an engagement group as mentioned?? 🙏🏼 We are @originalmaxgram – thank you SO much!
Caitlin Miller
Hello! Such excellent information and tips!!!! Can you please advise where to find an engagement group as mentioned?? 🙏🏼 We are @originalmaxgram – thank you SO much!
Hello! Such excellent information and tips!!!! Can you please advise where to find an engagement group as mentioned?? 🙏🏼 We are @originalmaxgram – thank you SO much!
Albus Dumbledog
Thank you so much for this article. I just got a new camera so I am definitely working on the better quality content. I need to get in the habit of posting more though. You guys are incredible and working full time and keeping up with IG is hard work! Congratulation on your big achievement!
@albus_dumbledog247
Thank you so much for this article. I just got a new camera so I am definitely working on the better quality content. I need to get in the habit of posting more though. You guys are incredible and working full time and keeping up with IG is hard work! Congratulation on your big achievement!
@albus_dumbledog247
Pet_ang3l
@pet_ang3l is my rescue animal instagram. Trying to get 1k but not quite there yet I just need a little boost past 800 and I will feel a lot better. Where do you find those groups you mentioned? To engage on each others accounts?
@pet_ang3l is my rescue animal instagram. Trying to get 1k but not quite there yet I just need a little boost past 800 and I will feel a lot better. Where do you find those groups you mentioned? To engage on each others accounts?
Louie McLovin
Thanks so much for the response. Definitely gonna check out that account & use the extra advice you gave! Feel free to check me out sometime! @louie.mclovin
Thanks so much for the response. Definitely gonna check out that account & use the extra advice you gave! Feel free to check me out sometime! @louie.mclovin
DJANGO
@LOUIE MCLOVIN I’m so glad you found our tips useful! You’re not alone in feeling like you hit a wall with new followers… It is definitely getting harder to grow on Instagram – and this is for everyone, not just you! That’s wonderful you have a core group of IG friends and are utilizing engagement groups to boost likes, comments, and overall growth.
As for your content and how to mix up your posts… You definitely don’t need to go anywhere exotic to make compelling content! Some of the best pet accounts post photo after photo in their home. Look at @harlowandsage, one of our favorite dog accounts. 95%+ of their photos are taken in their home. What makes their photos so engaging is the personality of the dogs, the simple but often humorous captions, and the unique and adorable shots they manage to capture.
Try capturing more unique photos of your pup around the house. Focus on shots that ‘humanize’ your dog, i.e. make him really relatable to people like you and me (since we’re the ones liking posts!). Is your dog sitting upright on your couch? Throw a book on his lap and a coffee mug in front of him and pretend he’s reading on a Saturday morning :) Is he cuddling in your bed with his head on the pillow like you would after a long day at work? These are often easy-to-take photos that people definitely relate to (and double tap as a result).
@LOUIE MCLOVIN I’m so glad you found our tips useful! You’re not alone in feeling like you hit a wall with new followers… It is definitely getting harder to grow on Instagram – and this is for everyone, not just you! That’s wonderful you have a core group of IG friends and are utilizing engagement groups to boost likes, comments, and overall growth.
As for your content and how to mix up your posts… You definitely don’t need to go anywhere exotic to make compelling content! Some of the best pet accounts post photo after photo in their home. Look at @harlowandsage, one of our favorite dog accounts. 95%+ of their photos are taken in their home. What makes their photos so engaging is the personality of the dogs, the simple but often humorous captions, and the unique and adorable shots they manage to capture.
Try capturing more unique photos of your pup around the house. Focus on shots that ‘humanize’ your dog, i.e. make him really relatable to people like you and me (since we’re the ones liking posts!). Is your dog sitting upright on your couch? Throw a book on his lap and a coffee mug in front of him and pretend he’s reading on a Saturday morning :) Is he cuddling in your bed with his head on the pillow like you would after a long day at work? These are often easy-to-take photos that people definitely relate to (and double tap as a result).
Louie McLovin
Thanks for the tips. I feel like I’ve hit a wall with new followers but have a really strong core of great new friends. I do engagement groups & that helped. I struggle with content. All my posts feel like repeats with the same locations. How can I mix it up (without actually going other places)?
Thanks for the tips. I feel like I’ve hit a wall with new followers but have a really strong core of great new friends. I do engagement groups & that helped. I struggle with content. All my posts feel like repeats with the same locations. How can I mix it up (without actually going other places)?
DJANGO
@JESSEWITHTHEGOODHAIR Your account is doing really well! Your engagement (likes and comments per account following) is actually very high, so I’d say you’re doing considerably well on Instagram!! We just followed you too, so there’s one more following :)
@JESSEWITHTHEGOODHAIR Your account is doing really well! Your engagement (likes and comments per account following) is actually very high, so I’d say you’re doing considerably well on Instagram!! We just followed you too, so there’s one more following :)
DJANGO
@NANAMI Your IG account is adorable! Just followed you and left a bunch of likes and comments :) Videos are definitely a great idea and will help boost engagement. Of course, it can be very time consuming to make and edit videos – this is the only downside and honestly the reason why we aren’t posting more videos to @DjangoTheGent! As for account growth, it’s probably not accurate to compare Django’s initial account growth to Nanami’s. Initial account growth depends on so many things… most importantly when the account launched and what kind of niche you’re in. It was a LOT easier to grow an account 3 years ago vs. today. @DjangoTheGent did grow fairly quickly when we launched it in late 2015 (quicker than we expected) but I’d be lying if I said growth hadn’t slowed down significantly since then. There are just so many more accounts on Instagram today – growth today will never be what it was a few years ago unless you have photos/videos that go viral.
And yes, happy to provide feedback! Nanami is absolutely beautiful, and I give you credit for posting clear, high res photos. My one piece of feedback would be to add variety to your photos. The majority of your photos are close up portraits of Nanami. Although these are beautiful shots, they probably get redundant to your followers after a while. New potential followers that visit your profile will also scroll down and see a grid of similar looking photos… this may prevent them from becoming truly engaged (i.e. clicking on any one photo and liking it) and ultimately following you.
@NANAMI Your IG account is adorable! Just followed you and left a bunch of likes and comments :) Videos are definitely a great idea and will help boost engagement. Of course, it can be very time consuming to make and edit videos – this is the only downside and honestly the reason why we aren’t posting more videos to @DjangoTheGent! As for account growth, it’s probably not accurate to compare Django’s initial account growth to Nanami’s. Initial account growth depends on so many things… most importantly when the account launched and what kind of niche you’re in. It was a LOT easier to grow an account 3 years ago vs. today. @DjangoTheGent did grow fairly quickly when we launched it in late 2015 (quicker than we expected) but I’d be lying if I said growth hadn’t slowed down significantly since then. There are just so many more accounts on Instagram today – growth today will never be what it was a few years ago unless you have photos/videos that go viral.
And yes, happy to provide feedback! Nanami is absolutely beautiful, and I give you credit for posting clear, high res photos. My one piece of feedback would be to add variety to your photos. The majority of your photos are close up portraits of Nanami. Although these are beautiful shots, they probably get redundant to your followers after a while. New potential followers that visit your profile will also scroll down and see a grid of similar looking photos… this may prevent them from becoming truly engaged (i.e. clicking on any one photo and liking it) and ultimately following you.
titusandeden
Thanks for the info. I started posting pics of my 2 babies (english bulldogs) and I am doing it just for fun because I love going places and photographing them. I guess I have been posting too much because every time I pick up followers…I also lose them!!! So thank you! My babies…#titusandeden!
Thanks for the info. I started posting pics of my 2 babies (english bulldogs) and I am doing it just for fun because I love going places and photographing them. I guess I have been posting too much because every time I pick up followers…I also lose them!!! So thank you! My babies…#titusandeden!
Jessewiththegoodhair
Hi Django
Thanks for the awesome tips. I m going to try one of your techniques I have nt yet.
I think my content is good but How can I grow faster? Need Whelp! Pweeze! Django! Because each day I ain’t gettin any cuter, an If i lose another toof my career will be ruined
IG jessewiththegoodhair
Hi Django
Thanks for the awesome tips. I m going to try one of your techniques I have nt yet.
I think my content is good but How can I grow faster? Need Whelp! Pweeze! Django! Because each day I ain’t gettin any cuter, an If i lose another toof my career will be ruined
IG jessewiththegoodhair
Nanami
Thank you Steph, these are very helpful tips. I think I need to start posting videos. I have tried using relevant hashtags, adding the location, posting everyday, joining engagement groups, etc, but the growth of my account seems extremely slow. Did your account grow rapidly the first year? I have had mine for nearly 3 years, with very slow growth. Could you please check out my account and give me feedback about what I am doing wrong? @nanami_the_yorkie
Thank you Steph, these are very helpful tips. I think I need to start posting videos. I have tried using relevant hashtags, adding the location, posting everyday, joining engagement groups, etc, but the growth of my account seems extremely slow. Did your account grow rapidly the first year? I have had mine for nearly 3 years, with very slow growth. Could you please check out my account and give me feedback about what I am doing wrong? @nanami_the_yorkie
DJANGO
@KIKA & OZGE We just checked out your Instagram account and left a few comments (and lots of likes) ❤️You are absolutely adorable!!
@KIKA & OZGE We just checked out your Instagram account and left a few comments (and lots of likes) ❤️You are absolutely adorable!!
kika & ozge
Thank you so much for this suuuuper informative post! my little puppy kika’s account is new and it looks like she has a lot to learn from Django! Please light up our day by visiting kika’s account IG: kikapups
Thank you so much for this suuuuper informative post! my little puppy kika’s account is new and it looks like she has a lot to learn from Django! Please light up our day by visiting kika’s account IG: kikapups
DJANGO
Sounds great Maisie! Definitely let me know if you have any follow up questions. And oh my… Maisie Marie is the absolute cutest! Just followed her on Instagram! Our IG handle is @djangobrand :)
Sounds great Maisie! Definitely let me know if you have any follow up questions. And oh my… Maisie Marie is the absolute cutest! Just followed her on Instagram! Our IG handle is @djangobrand :)
Maisie
I loved these tips! So glad I found you on a random search! Needed this little boost of morale and I’m going to up my game with better content! Thanks!
Btw, feel free to follow me on IG! @lilmaisiemarie
I loved these tips! So glad I found you on a random search! Needed this little boost of morale and I’m going to up my game with better content! Thanks!
Btw, feel free to follow me on IG! @lilmaisiemarie
Miri Fridman
Thanks for these great and easy to follow tips. I am slowly building Rosie’s page so will take this info on board.
Thanks for these great and easy to follow tips. I am slowly building Rosie’s page so will take this info on board.
Sara and Maylee
Thank you Stephanie and Django! Django’s account is our family’s favorite – we look forward to his posts everyday!! We can’t seem to crack 190 – but we aren’t trying very hard either ??! Keep the good stuff coming!
Thank you Stephanie and Django! Django’s account is our family’s favorite – we look forward to his posts everyday!! We can’t seem to crack 190 – but we aren’t trying very hard either ??! Keep the good stuff coming!
Ruby Rose
Great post!! Thanks for the info!!!
Great post!! Thanks for the info!!!
Rebekah Patten
I adore you Django! You light up my instagram!! ❤️
I adore you Django! You light up my instagram!! ❤️