Instagram is the top place for businesses and creators to show off their products, services, and personal brands.
But with over a billion active users, how do you make your content go viral? Accounts with a million or more followers can get paid up to $20,000 for just one sponsored post! Yes, you heard me right.
How to go viral on Instagram can be a game-changer for your business or personal brand.
Picture this: your content being seen by millions of potential customers or fans, instantly boosting your reach, engagement, and credibility. The benefits are endless – more people knowing about your brand, more visitors to your website, and even opportunities to make money through sponsorships and collaborations.
Wouldn’t you love your Instagram content to be shared and celebrated by a massive audience?
To see your posts, Reels, or Stories flooding the explore pages of users? With the right tips and tricks, you can make this dream a reality and take your Instagram to the next level.
In this blog post, we’ll share 10 proven strategies on how to make your Instagram go viral and also tips and tricks to help you create viral Instagram content that will grab your audience’s attention.
From using popular hashtags and challenges to teaming up with influencers and using Instagram’s latest features, we’ve got you covered with practical tips and real-life examples of content creators who have cracked the code for going viral.
The 10 proven strategies on How To Go Viral On Instagram:
Are you ready to learn the secrets of how to go viral on Instagram? creating super popular Instagram content is one of the ways to do that. In this blog post, we’ll share the 10 proven tips that have helped content creators and businesses become famous on Instagram.
From using smart words like hashtags and creating beautiful pictures to teaming up with influencers and showing your personality, these tips will teach you how to get your posts, videos, and Stories in front of millions of new fans and customers.
- Understanding Your Target Audience:
Understanding your target audience is key if you want to go viral on Instagram. Take time to identify your ideal follower’s age, location, interests, and the type of content they like. This will help you create content that truly resonates with them.
For instance, if you’re targeting young music fans in Nigeria, your content might feature trendy beats and colourful visuals. But if your audience is mostly working professionals, aim for a more polished and informative vibe.
Nigerian comedian Taaooma excels at this by creating relatable skits that her young Nigerian audience loves. Beauty blogger Dimma Umeh is another pro, consistently delivering tutorials, reviews, and fashion tips that her followers can’t get enough of.
To boost your chances of going viral, know your ideal audience and create tailor-made content for them. When your posts speak directly to their interests and needs, they’ll likely engage and share.
Focus on giving your target followers the content they want, and watch your Instagram presence go viral!
2. Create Top-Notch Content:
If you want to make it big on Instagram, you need to create content that’s impossible to ignore! Your posts should be so eye-catching and valuable that people can’t help but stop and engage.
Focus on creating high-quality visuals that grab attention right away. Take time to snap perfect photos and videos, playing with angles, lighting, and backgrounds to make them stand out.
Even without fancy equipment, you can use natural light and simple editing to take your posts to the next level.
But it’s not just about looking good – your content needs to offer something special too. Think about what your audience likes, whether it’s helpful tips, inspiring stories, or just a good laugh.
Look at viral posts from Nigerian accounts for inspiration. Comedian Broda Shaggi’s relatable skits get millions of views thanks to their spot-on humour.
Fitness coach Obinna Udora’s posts went viral by giving followers practical advice to crush their goals. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes and create content they can’t resist.
Experiment with different formats like Reels, IGTVs, and carousels to keep things fresh.
Remember, going viral is about posting stuff your specific audience loves. So get creative, provide value, and watch that engagement soar!
3. Post Consistently and at Best Times:
If you want to keep your Instagram audience hooked and coming back for more, consistency is key! When you post on a regular schedule, your followers know when to expect new content from you and they’ll be more likely to check your page often.
But it’s not just about posting frequently – it’s also about posting at the right times. You want to share your content when the majority of your followers are online and scrolling through their feeds. That way, your posts have the best chance of being seen and engaged with.
To figure out the best times to post, look at your Instagram Insights. This handy tool shows you when your followers are most active each day.
You might find that your audience is mostly online during lunchtime or evenings after work. Every account is different, so use your data to guide your posting schedule.
Once you know your best posting times, tools like Hootsuite can help you stay consistent. This app lets you schedule your posts in advance, so you can plan your content calendar and make sure you’re always showing up for your followers.
Posting regularly at peak times is a game-changer for boosting your reach and engagement on Instagram. By being consistent and strategic, you’ll keep your audience excited about your content and coming back for more.
So find your rhythm, use your insights, and watch your account thrive!
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4. Use Popular Words (Trending Hashtags) and Join Fun Trends (Challenges):
One great way to get more people to see your Instagram posts is by using popular words, and hashtags, and joining fun trends or challenges that are currently hot.
Hashtags are those words you see with the # symbol in front of them, like #love or #food. Hashtags that are trending or popular, make it easier for people searching for that topic to find your posts.
Challenges are when people do a specific activity and post their videos or photos with a special hashtag. For example, the #SilhouetteChallenge was a trend where people posed dramatically with red lighting and uploaded their cool silhouette photos/videos with that hashtag.
A great example is Nigerian comedian Craze Clown. He joined the #SilhouetteChallenge and his video got over 1.5 million views! (BBC News). That’s because millions of people were searching for that hashtag during the challenge.
Using trending hashtags and participating in fun viral challenges gives your content a much better chance of being seen by new people beyond just your followers. It’s an easy way to get more eyes on your Instagram!
5, Create High-Quality Appealing Content Is One Of The Ways TO Go Viral On Instagram:
Instagram is all about visuals, so making your posts look amazing is important if you want people to notice them. You need to create content that is bright, colourful, and just plain beautiful to look at.
Think about Nigerian fashion influencer Tosin Ogundadegbe’s Instagram feed. His pictures always use bold, vibrant colours that grab your attention. But it’s not just about colours – he also makes sure all her photos have a similar edit style and vibe. This makes his whole feed look cohesive and aesthetic when you scroll through it.
Using quality cameras or editing apps can step up the look of your photos and videos. But even if you’re just shooting on your phone, there are tricks like finding good lighting, clearing clutter from backgrounds, and using filters consistently.
The bottom line is that Instagram is a visual platform. The better your content looks visually, the more likely people are to stop scrolling and take notice. With beautifully edited, eye-catching posts, you’ll stand out on their feeds!
6. Engage Wih Your Audience: Talk to Your Fans and Get Them Involved
Having a lot of followers on Instagram is good, but it’s even better when those followers engage with your content and feel connected to you. That’s why it’s so important to talk to your fans and get them involved!
An easy way to do this is by replying to comments on your posts and Instagram Stories. When people feel you’re listening and responding to them, it builds a strong community around your page. You can ask questions, run polls, or chat back to keep that engagement going.
A great example is Nigerian musician Zulezoo. He’s always sharing fun, interactive Stories where he responds to fan comments and questions. This makes his fans feel special and keeps them coming back for more.
But engaging means more than just talking to your audience. It’s a two-way street! You want to get your fans involved by asking for their opinions, input, or user-generated content. Repost fan photos/videos run caption contests, anything to make them feel ownership.
The more you talk to your fans and get them actively participating, the stronger your community becomes. An engaged audience leads to more shares, more growth, and more success on Instagram. So don’t be a stranger – get those conversations going!
7. Work with Popular People (Influencers) or Brands
Going Viral On Instagram, you need to work with influencers or brands that are already well-known in your area of interest.
Influencers are Instagram users who have a lot of followers engaging with their posts. If an influencer with 500,000 followers shares your post, that’s a huge opportunity for new people to see it! The same goes for popular brands in your industry.
When you work with these bigger accounts, you’re borrowing their audience and introducing yourself to all their fans. It’s like being introduced to a large group of friends by someone they already know and like.
A great example is Nigerian lifestyle blogger Sisi Yemmie. She worked with the big company Unilever. By tapping into Unilever’s huge following, Sisi Yemmie got her content in front of more people than usual.
Of course, these partnerships need to make sense. An influencer or brand should be related to your niche and have an audience interested in your content. Look for accounts that share your style and beliefs.
Working together can happen in many ways – paid posts, shoutouts, takeovers, joint giveaways, and more. Get creative and find ways to create partnerships that help both accounts and give something of value to both of your audiences combined. That’s the secret to working together in a way that can hugely increase your reach and engagement!
Include the sponsored post image or a screenshot from Sisi Yemmie’s collaboration with Unilever.
8. Utilize Instagram Reels and TikTok Cross-Promotion
Instagram Reels and TikTok are two of the hottest ways to create short, fun videos that can go viral quickly. If you want to reach a huge audience, you need to be using these features!
Instagram Reels are 15-30-second video clips set to music or audio, with room for creativity and effects. They show up on a special Reels tab on Instagram, which means people beyond your followers can easily discover them.
TikTok is a whole app dedicated to these short videos, and it’s insanely popular – especially with younger people. The great thing is, that you can make a video on TikTok and then easily share that same video as a Reel on Instagram. Double the exposure!
Nigerian comedian Maraji is a perfect example of someone who has mastered Reels and TikTok. Her funny, relatable videos often get millions and millions of views on both platforms. That’s the power of these short video formats!
The key to going viral on Instagram is to create content that is attention-grabbing right from the first second. Use trending audio clips, participate in viral challenges, and show off your unique personality or skills. The more entertaining and shareable your Reels and TikToks are, the more they’ll get pushed out to new audiences.
So if you’re not already on the Reels and TikTok train, it’s time to hop on board! Start experimenting with these short videos and cross-posting them for maximum reach. With a little creativity and consistency, you could be racking up those million-view videos in no time.
9. User-Generated Content
If you want to go viral on Instagram, one super effective trick is to get your followers to create content about you! When your fans post photos, videos, or stories that feature your brand or products, it’s called user-generated content (UGC).
UGC is powerful because it shows that real people trust your brand enough to share it with their followers. It’s like a big stamp of approval that can make others curious to check you out. Plus, when your followers create content about you, it can reach a whole new audience and skyrocket your viral potential!
Lots of brands and influencers have had amazing success with UGC campaigns. For example, the fashion brand Orange Culture encouraged customers to post photos wearing their colourful designs with the hashtag #IAmOrangeCulture. The campaign blew up, with hundreds of stylish fans eager to show off their looks.
Try running a fun contest or giveaway to get your followers excited to create UGC. You could challenge them to post their most creative photos using your product and reward the best ones with a prize. Or come up with a catchy branded hashtag that’s easy for fans to remember and use in their posts.
The key is to make it exciting and simple for your audience to get involved. When you give them a reason to create content that puts your brand in the spotlight, you’ll be amazed at how quickly your reach and engagement can go. So start brainstorming ways to turn your followers into your hype squad!
10. Tell a Story With Your Content
If you want your Instagram content to make a lasting impact and go viral, try using your posts to tell a captivating story! When you craft a narrative that draws people in, they’re much more likely to remember your message and feel a strong connection to your brand.
The great thing about Instagram is that you have so many tools to help you tell your story. Your visuals are the star of the show, so choose photos and videos that grab attention and convey emotion. But don’t neglect your captions! Use them to provide context, share personal anecdotes, or even create a sense of suspense that makes people eager to see your next post.
You can also use Instagram’s features like carousel posts, Stories, and Highlights to break your story into smaller chunks that keep people engaged over time. Each post becomes a chapter in your overarching narrative, building anticipation and keeping your followers hooked.
Lots of Nigerian influencers and brands have mastered the art of Instagram storytelling. For instance, travel blogger Funmi Oyatogun takes her followers on vivid journeys with her posts, using stunning visuals and evocative captions to make them feel like they’re right there with her.
Similarly, the skincare brand Arami uses its feed to share real customer stories and transformations, creating a powerful sense of authenticity and trust.
To start weaving stories into your content, think about the key messages or emotions you want to convey. Then, brainstorm creative ways to bring those ideas to life through your posts. You could share a series of behind-the-scenes moments, take your followers on a step-by-step journey, or even create a fictional story that aligns with your brand values.
The more you can use your posts to tell memorable, relatable stories, the more likely you are to capture hearts, and minds, and have viral success on Instagram. So get imaginative and start spinning those tales!
Conclusion:
We’ve covered a lot in this post! Let’s go over the main points one more time.
If you want your Instagram content to be seen by tons of people, there are some key things you can do:
- Understand Your Target Audience.
- Create Top-Notch Content.
- Post Consistently and at Optimal Times.
- Use popular hashtags and join in on fun challenges
- Use bright colours and a consistent style for your posts.
- Engage your followers and involve them in your content.
- Collaborate with influencers or brands to expand your reach.
- Create short, engaging videos for Instagram Reels and TikTok.
- User-Generated Content.
- Tell a Story With Your Content.
The most important thing is to try these tips! Every Instagram account is different, so play around and see what works best for you and your followers. Experiment and get creative.
I would love to hear from you! If you’ve used any of these strategies and seen your Instagram blow up, share your story in the comments below. Your experiences could inspire someone else to take their Instagram game to the next level.
Follow us at Shayo Marketing and Business Skills Blog for more valuable insights and resources on our blog!
Remember, how to go viral on Instagram is possible with a little effort and a lot of personality. So get out there, start posting, and let’s make your content the talk of the ‘gram!
