How to get more Instagram followers as a racing driver
Instagram is a powerful platform for building a following and promoting your racing brand. However, getting more followers on Instagram can be challenging, especially with so much competition out there. But with good content and a consistent posting strategy, you can grow your following and increase your reach.
This then opens you up to a world of opportunities, either as an influencer or when it comes to reaching new potential sponsors.
Here are some of the frequently asked questions we get when talking about Instagram growth for racing drivers.
How often should I post?
Consistency is key when it comes to building a following on Instagram. It's recommended to post at least once a day, but if you can post more, even better. It's also important to post at the right time of day – i.e. when your target audience is most active. Use Instagram's analytics or a third-party tool to find out when your audience is online and schedule your posts accordingly.
What should I post?
The key to getting more followers on Instagram is to create high-quality, engaging content that aligns with your brand. This could include eye-catching images and videos, interesting captions, and Instagram Stories. You should also mention people and use relevant hashtags to increase the visibility of your posts.
How do I get followers quickly?
A great way to get followers quickly is to collaborate with other Instagram users. Reach out to others in your niche and ask if they would be interested in collaborating on a post or an Instagram Story. This will help you to reach a new audience and increase your visibility on the platform.
Unfortunately, though, there’s no real secret behind getting Instagram followers quickly. Just be active, follow people, post great content, and get involved in the comments.
How important is engagement on Instagram?
It's vital to engage with your followers and other users on Instagram. Respond to comments on your posts and interact with others by liking, commenting, and sharing their content. This will help to build relationships and increase your visibility on the platform.
Engagement comes from great content. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Share personal and behind-the-scenes content to give followers a unique look into your life.
Show your personality and share your interests, hobbies, and passions to connect with your followers.
Use all Instagram’s features, such as live videos, Stories and Reels, to share different types of content.
Collaborate with other athletes, brands, and influencers to reach new audiences and cross-promote each other’s content.
Respond to comments, direct messages, and engage with your followers to build a community and strengthen your relationship with your audience.
Use relevant hashtags to increase discoverability and reach new followers.
Mention the people and brands featured in each post as they’re likely to share your post with their followers, too. But don’t overdo it, no one likes to be spammed.
How can I use Instagram Reels to get more followers?
Instagram Reels are a powerful tool to get more followers on Instagram. To use them effectively, follow these tips:
Create high-quality content that is engaging and relevant to your target audience. Think about what they’d like to see or what they might find relatable.
Use popular music or trending sounds to increase the visibility of your Reels.
Use eye-catching stickers and text to grab the attention of viewers and make your Reels stand out.
Share your Reels to your Instagram story and on other social media platforms to maximize your reach.
Use relevant keywords in your Reels’ captions to increase discoverability.
Encourage your followers to share and engage with your Reels by asking for comments and likes.
How can I use Instagram Stories to get more followers?
Consistency is key; post regularly while keeping your story content fresh and relevant.
Use text to give more context to your Stories and make them more eye catching
Use stickers to create engaging content such as polls, quizzes, and questions. You can then share more content off the back of this.
Collaborate with other users by including them in your stories.
Highlight user-generated content to show appreciation for your followers and encourage more engagement. For example, if someone snaps your race car at an event, share their post!
Don’t forget you can include hashtags in stories too!
Offer exclusive content and behind-the-scenes glimpses into your racing to keep people coming back for more.
Do I need lots of followers to be an influencer?
The short answer is no, you do not need a large following to be an influencer.
An influencer is defined as someone who has the power to affect the purchasing decisions of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their audience. It's not about the number of followers you have, but the level of engagement and trust you have with your audience.
Going down the influencer route is very powerful when it comes to funding your career as a driver because brands will pay for access to engaged people who might buy their products.
This means having a smaller, highly engaged audience can be more valuable than having a large, disengaged audience.
If you’re a racing driver looking to use Instagram as a sponsorship tool, posting consistently in order to build your following is a must. While engagement is the most important metric, many brands will only consider working with an athlete once their followers number in the thousands.
Looking for more tips? Check out our Instagram Masterclass here.