How to Organically Grow Your Social Media Following for Businesses

Key highlights

• Understand how to build genuine connections on social media to foster a loyal community and sustainable organic growth.
• Learn effective strategies to create engaging content that resonates with your target audience and boosts brand visibility.
• Explore practical tips for leveraging social media features and influencer marketing to expand your reach to a broader audience.
• Discover how to use relevant hashtags and analytics to optimize your social media strategy and increase engagement.
• Know how to encourage users to interact with your brand on a deeper level, enhancing trust and long-term customer relationships.

Did you know that a third of all the time spent on the internet is spent consuming social media?

Your business needs to be active on social media because that’s where your customers are focusing their attention.

The larger your social media audience is, the more potential customers you can reach. With exposure to engaging content and other marketing efforts, your social media followers could become your customers.

Read on to learn how to organically grow your social media following with these methods:

• Working with other brands
• Growth hacking
• Getting your followers to do the work for you
• Connecting in real life
• Working with influencers
• Using hashtags
• Cross-promoting your social channels
• Developing a timely posting schedule

You’ve got big dreams for your brand on social media, but the moment someone mentions “paid ads” or “boosted posts,” you’re wondering if there’s another way. Sound familiar?

If you’re curious about organic social media growth, why it works, or how to get started without spending a fortune on advertising, you’re in the right place. We’re here to break it all down for you, without the marketing jargon. Think of organic growth like cultivating a garden – instead of buying expensive cut flowers that wilt quickly, you’re planting seeds, nurturing relationships and watching your community bloom naturally. Here’s what that means in simple terms: you’re expanding your social media presence and following without relying on paid advertising. Instead of boosting posts or running ads, you focus on building genuine connections with your target audience through valuable, engaging content and authentic interactions. This approach not only helps you increase brand visibility, but it also fosters a loyal community that’ll support your business for years to come.

By prioritizing organic social media growth, you’re creating something that lasts – a sustainable foundation for your brand on social media platforms that won’t disappear the moment you stop paying for it. The secret sauce? Understanding what your audience actually cares about, developing a content strategy that delivers real value—specifically, valuable content that resonates with your audience—as a key component of organic social media growth and consistently applying proven social media tips to spark those meaningful interactions we all crave. Over time, this organic approach leads to a thriving community, greater brand visibility and long-term success – all without the ongoing costs of paid advertising eating into your budget.

Organic vs. paid social media

To most people, the term “organic” means food that is raised or grown without chemical or pesticides. To marketers, however, organic means something completely different. In marketing, organic growth refers to building an audience and engagement naturally, without relying on paid promotion. This contrasts with paid growth, which depends on advertising spend to achieve immediate visibility and quick results, while organic growth focuses on building genuine connections and long-term trust.

What is organic social media?

Organic means free in the world of social media marketing. By “free,” we mean social media marketing efforts that don’t involve spending money on advertisements. Organic social media marketing leverage strategies like using hashtags or working with influencers to promote a brand.

But just because organic engagement is not something you have to pay for to take advantage of, you’ll still be “paying” for it in terms of time. Specifically, your time or the time of a social media professional that you hire to do it on your behalf. Content creation is a crucial part of organic social media marketing, requiring you to produce high-quality posts tailored to your audience.

Using organic growth strategies is the most effective and affordable way to gain followers on social media who will be interested in your products and services.

What is paid social media?

Paid social media means paying for advertising campaigns on social networks, such as paid ads, to achieve marketing goals like gaining followers or increasing post reach. Unlike organic social media, which requires an investment of time, paid social media requires investments of time and money.

Social media advertising can be an effective way to grow your online audience if you know what you’re doing and if you have a large enough budget to see a return on your investment. If you’re bootstrapping your business, you may not want to spend precious resources on advertising.

Understanding your target audience

Want to truly grow your social media presence? Here’s the thing – you’ve got to know who you’re actually talking to. Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve been posting content that gets crickets, wondering why your carefully crafted posts aren’t hitting the mark. Understanding your target audience means:

• Getting into the nitty-gritty of their world: what keeps them up at night, what makes them hit that like button and the type of content that has them coming back for more on different platforms.
• Identifying your audience’s pain points and tailoring your content to address those challenges, making your material more engaging, relevant and valuable.
• Figuring out which platforms your ideal customers actually hang out on, what topics get them fired up and how they really interact with brands online.

No guesswork here—just solid research.

Here’s where social media analytics become your best friend:

• Think of analytics like having a conversation with your audience, except they’re telling you exactly what they want through their clicks, shares and comments.
• Dive into engagement metrics and audience demographics to spot patterns—the kind of content that makes your followers stop scrolling and pay attention.
• Use this information to tailor your social media strategy to give your audience exactly what they’re looking for.

The result? You’ll see engagement go up and you’ll start attracting new followers who are genuinely interested in what your brand has to offer. It’s like having a roadmap to social media success and we’re here to help you read it.

Content strategy

You’ve probably heard that content is king, but here’s the thing—you need a solid content strategy if you want real organic growth on social media. It’s not just about posting whenever you remember to. You’re building something bigger here. Think of it like hosting a dinner party every day. You need the right mix of dishes that your guests actually want to eat and you want them talking about it long after they leave. A strong social strategy means:

• Planning for interesting content
• Incorporating interactive elements like polls or quizzes to keep your audience engaged
• Mixing things up with user generated content
• Giving people a peek behind the scenes
• Bringing in industry experts or influencers who know their stuff

Keep your feed fresh and your audience will keep coming back for more.

Don’t be scared to try new things—blog posts, videos, interactive polls, you name it. Using the right hashtags? That’s how you invite new people to the party. But here’s where it gets good:

• Start conversations and ask questions to get people talking
• Put real thought into planning your content strategy
• Team up with the right influencers
• Share real life examples and success stories to inspire your audience and provide social proof

That’s how you keep them coming back for seconds.

Creating engaging content

Want to grab your audience’s attention and get them excited about your brand? Sound familiar if you’ve been struggling with this? You’re in the right place. Here’s what that means in simple terms: you need to create content that really speaks to people. Think of your content like hosting a party – you want visually appealing decorations (that’s your high quality images and eye-catching graphics) and fun activities (like polls or quizzes) that get everyone talking and sharing the experience with their friends. Visual content is essential for capturing attention and increasing engagement, as it helps convey your message quickly and effectively. While high quality images are important, keep in mind that static images often generate less engagement than video content, which tends to achieve higher organic reach and interaction on platforms like Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

Now, here’s where the magic really happens. Getting users to participate doesn’t have to be complicated – we’re talking about featuring user generated content, hosting Q&A sessions, or simply inviting your followers to share their own stories. Without the marketing jargon, it’s like being a good host who makes everyone feel welcome to join the conversation. The more you focus on creating these meaningful interactions, the more your audience will naturally want to engage with your content and become those loyal advocates for your brand. Using platform features and sharing trending content are also effective ways to keep your audience engaged. Remember, engaging content isn’t just about making things look pretty – it’s about sparking real conversations and building genuine connections with the people you want to reach.

Building authentic relationships

Want your social media to actually grow and get noticed? You’ve probably tried posting regularly, but you’re still not seeing the engagement you’re hoping for. Sound familiar? Here’s what that means in simple terms: today’s social media isn’t about shouting your message into the void—it’s about having real conversations with real people. Think of it like hosting a dinner party. You wouldn’t just talk at your guests all evening, right? You’d listen, respond and make them feel welcome. That’s exactly how social media works now. The platforms reward brands that genuinely connect with their followers, so your strategy needs to go way beyond just posting about what you’re selling. Take the time to respond to comments, answer questions and acknowledge when people mention you. When your audience sees you’re actually listening and care about what they think, they’ll stick around and engage with your content. It’s that simple.

But here’s where it gets really interesting. Use those social media analytics to dig deeper into what makes your audience tick. What topics get them talking? Which posts spark the most conversation? Think of analytics as your crystal ball—they show you exactly what your followers care about so you can create content that truly resonates. Tagging other creators in your niche and using relevant hashtags? That’s like networking at a conference. You’re building relationships within your industry and reaching people who might never have found you otherwise. Remember, organic social media growth is rooted in trust and authenticity—so focus on creating content that adds real value, sparks genuine conversation and shows your audience you’re in it for the long haul. At the end of the day, it’s about being helpful, not just promotional.

Creating a community

Want to know the secret behind a thriving social media presence? It’s not just about racking up followers—it’s about building a community that genuinely wants to engage with what you’re sharing. Think of your social media like hosting a party. The best hosts aren’t the ones with the biggest guest lists, but the ones who make everyone feel welcome and part of something special. When you focus on creating meaningful interactions and encouraging your followers to share their own content, you’re doing exactly that. Ever noticed how the most successful brands online are the ones that actually listen to their audience? They host Q&As, go live and run polls because they know something important: when people feel heard, they stick around, share their stories and bring their friends along.

Here’s where it gets interesting. You can make your followers feel like insiders by sharing behind-the-scenes content, giving them sneak peeks and offering exclusive deals on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It’s like giving them a backstage pass to your brand. And don’t overlook influencer marketing—partnering with industry experts and creators is like having a friend introduce you at that party we mentioned earlier. These connections help you reach new people and build credibility at the same time. When you focus on community-building instead of just chasing numbers, something amazing happens. You don’t just increase your visibility—you create a space where people feel valued and eager to participate. That’s how you turn casual scrollers into loyal community members who actually care about what you have to say.

Prioritizing quality over quantity

You’ve got big dreams for your social media presence, but the moment you start posting, you’re wondering—should I be churning out content every hour? Sound familiar? Here’s the thing: when it comes to organic social media growth, less is often more—especially if you’re focusing on quality. Instead of overwhelming your followers with endless posts, why not prioritize creating high quality images, engaging videos and longer form content that truly resonates with your target audience? Think of it like this—you wouldn’t want a friend who constantly talks but never says anything meaningful, right? Take the time to understand what your followers actually want by conducting polls and asking for feedback. This way, you can create content that meets their needs and keeps them coming back for more.

We know you want to reach as many people as possible and here’s where it gets interesting—you can leverage social media algorithms by posting your best content at times when your audience is most active, increasing the chances of reaching a wider audience and boosting engagement. For example, using Instagram’s “Reels” feature to share short, visually appealing videos can help increase brand visibility and attract new followers. But here’s what really matters: it’s not about how much you post, but how much value you provide. Think of your social media like a trusted advisor—people follow advisors who share insights that actually help them, not ones who just talk to fill silence. Take the time to understand what your followers actually want by conducting polls and asking for feedback. This way, you can create content that meets their needs and keeps them coming back for more.

We know you want to reach as many people as possible and here’s where it gets interesting—you can leverage social media algorithms by posting your best content at times when your audience is most active, increasing the chances of reaching a wider audience and boosting engagement. For example, using Instagram’s “Reels” feature to share short, visually appealing videos can help increase brand visibility and attract new followers. But here’s what really matters: it’s not about how much you post, but how much value you provide. Think of your social media like a trusted advisor—people follow advisors who share insights that actually help them, not ones who just talk to fill silence. By focusing on quality over quantity, you’ll build a reputation for sharing content that matters—helping you stand out, increase engagement and drive long-term brand visibility that actually grows your business.

How to organically grow your social media following: 15 strategies

Here are several tried and true strategies for mastering how to grow your social media following organically,

1. Customize your profile on each platform

Make no mistake—potential customers and clients are looking you up on Facebook or LinkedIn. They may go elsewhere if these social sites lack information, current activity, or a clear sense of your business.

All your social media sites need a customized and consistent business profile to promote your brand. Optimizing your social media profile is essential to make a strong first impression and attract users. Regularly review your profiles to remove any inappropriate content that could harm your brand’s image. Consistency across all social media profiles is key to building brand recognition.

Update your social platforms by using the same profile picture (such as your business logo) on each one and fill out the “About Me” section with your mission statement, a brief description and contact information. Craft a compelling bio that includes relevant keywords and a link to your website to enhance your social media profiles and improve engagement.

2. Partner with other businesses to reach new followers

Collaborate with another complementary business on a social media campaign. Create posts together and share them during the campaign period. Engaging with other creators in your niche can also help expand your reach, build relationships and foster reciprocal engagement within your community.

Both businesses need to tag each other in these posts for this partnership to succeed. This helps each business reach new, related audiences. Ideally, the business you collaborate with has an audience similar to yours.

3. Follow your competitors’ followers to grow your audience

Want to learn how to grow your social media following organically? Following your competitors’ followers is one of the best tricks in the growth hacking playbook. This method works best on Instagram and Twitter.

Here’s how to do it effectively:

1. Identify your competitors.
2. Go to their Instagram or Twitter accounts.
3. Click Followers to see a list of their followers.
4. Follow the accounts that look like real people (a photo of a person rather than a logo or default image is a dead giveaway!).

These people will be notified that they have a new follower. They may be intrigued to check out your profile and follow it because your profile shows that your business is similar to something they’re already interested in.

You’re the social media manager for a new fast-food franchise concept. Although you should certainly focus on competitors that represent many different business sizes, you might start your competitor research with one of the top players in the space — McDonald’s:

4. Interact with your audience

One of the benefits of social media is that consumers can now interact with brands rather than simply being given the message, as with traditional marketing (TV or magazine ads, for example).

So be sure to take advantage of this and engage your audience quickly, thoughtfully and honestly. It’s also important to actively listen to your audience by responding to feedback, seeking their input and understanding their needs to build authentic relationships. To foster meaningful interactions, conduct polls and incorporate interactive elements such as stories, surveys and Q&A sessions to encourage participation and engagement.

And don’t limit yourself to one social network; communicate with your audience through various channels. Host a live forum with Google+ Hangouts. Reply to comments on social media sites.

Tweet a company photo for Throwback Thursday. Thank blog commenters for their suggestions. Ask your fans and followers what they want, need, or prefer.

5. Reach new people by asking followers to tag their friends

Encourage your followers to tag their friends in your post comments. Your followers are friends with people who share their interests. You can also encourage followers to participate by asking them to share their own photos or use a branded hashtag, which helps build community and increases engagement. This approach can help you gain more followers by tapping into your existing audience’s network. Therefore, your followers’ friends will be more likely than completely random people to be interested in following your brand.

Offering an incentive is a good way to encourage your followers to engage their friends in your social media posts. For example, host a giveaway, create a contest, or offer a coupon code to people who tag friends in your posts.

6. Encourage customers to follow you offline

One of the best tricks for organically growing your social media following is thinking about getting offline customers to engage with your business online. Encourage people to follow your brand on social media when interacting with your business in real life.

If you have a brick-and-mortar business, put signs up around your store to tell customers about your social media presence.

If you have a direct-to-consumer business, include cards in each shipment that tell customers to follow you on social media. You can even include a call to action to encourage customers to share a picture of their purchase on social media, tag your company and use your hashtag. Encourage customers to share their own photos of your products, as user-generated content helps boost engagement and authenticity.

7. Leverage influencer marketing to grow your audience

Influencers have large social media followers and are often happy to tell their followers about brands in exchange for free products. So how can you collaborate with influencers?

Identify influencers who may be interested in your products. Reach out and ask if they’d like to work with you. Explain what you’d offer them in return for promotion.

See how many new followers you get after your influencer collaboration to determine whether or not you should work with that influencer again. Having influencers promote your brand on their social accounts can significantly expand your reach and help you engage with new audiences.

8. Use relevant hashtags to expand your reach

Hashtags help you grow your audience by linking your posts to trending topics. Most social media networks highlight trending hashtags and let you see other posts that use those hashtags. So, when you use a trending hashtag, people who are not yet your followers but are interested in the trending topic you are posting about will discover your posts.

A 2017 experiment by Agorapulse found that Instagram posts that used hashtags had 70% more likes and 392% more comments than posts that didn’t use hashtags.

Stay true to your brand when using hashtags. For example, don’t post about something that’s trending if you wouldn’t normally talk about that topic. Using hashtags is most effective when paired with relevant content that resonates with your audience.

9. Cross-promote your social channels to gain followers

Someone who follows you on Instagram may not know you’re also active on Facebook. So let followers know about your other social media channels.

Share information about your other social media accounts in the “About” section of your Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram bio.

Include calls to action in posts to ask followers to connect with you on other platforms. Cross-promoting your channels is a strategic way to improve your social media game and grow your audience organically.

10. Develop a timely and consistent posting schedule

A social media following is crucial to running a successful business because it exposes more people to your products and services. However, growing an online audience doesn’t have to be expensive. You can use many tactics to boost your audience without spending money on advertising or fake followers.

Consistency has a cumulative effect on social engagement, so you’ll want to post at least once daily throughout the workweek. As viewer numbers increase, you can adjust frequency based on analytics. And don’t just post sales-oriented content—share customer testimonials and photos of the people in your company, answer common customer questions, post funny photos or inspiring quotes and re-post content from others in your industry. Make sure to create content that aligns with your posting schedule and is tailored to your audience’s interests to maximize engagement.

11. Expand your sphere with Google Plus and LinkedIn groups

Join existing groups in your industry to be a part of the conversations people are already having. Ask and answer group questions. Use groups as an opportunity to spark conversations and build relationships within your industry. Can’t find a relevant group to join? Start your own, then post the link on your other social networking sites. Become the go-to resource for people looking for information in your industry.

12. Create tips and lists with Foursquare

Foursquare is all about community and helpful information. Create lists that readers can use to find favorite eateries, real estate agents, organic markets, or anything you think might be helpful. Build authority by posting tips on your business location and contributing to conversations on other business sites. Writing a dedicated blog post can also help promote your social media channels and foster engagement with your audience.

As you can see, building a strong, thriving social presence isn’t that hard once you know what to do. Most of these techniques don’t take long to implement and you can start reaping the rewards almost immediately!

13. Invest in Facebook ads

The number of Americans who say Facebook is their number one purchase influencer has almost doubled since 2011, going from 24% to 47%. But now that Facebook has changed its algorithm, the best way to reach your audience (i.e., actually be seen on their news feed) is through ads and boosted posts (another type of advertising). Staying updated on social media algorithms is crucial, as understanding how platforms prioritize content and engagement can help you maximize both your paid and organic reach.

Facebook ads get your business seen by an audience as large as a TV advertising audience, allowing you to target who sees them precisely; they are quite easy to implement and are very affordable—the minimum daily spend is just $1.

14. Give something away

In his book Youtility: Why Smart Marketing Is About Help Not Hype, Jay Baer explains the benefits of giving away informative, educational material with no strings attached.

Creating no-pressure touch points gets your name in front of prospects and when they need your product or service, they’ll already be familiar with your brand. You can also offer exclusive content as a reward for your followers to foster loyalty and engagement.

Create inspiring blog posts about key people in your industry or geographic region. It only takes a few minutes to craft an IFTTT recipe that gets information from potential customers they can use today.

Generate some feel-good moments by posting a funny or otherwise engaging YouTube video. Create an entertaining or informative infographic about your business or industry.

15. Keep optimizing and analyzing

Don’t build a website and then forget all about it. Take advantage of the analytics provided by your social media platforms to identify traffic patterns, key entry points, most popular posts and keywords. Use these analytics to gather actionable insights that inform your strategy and help you make data-driven decisions.

With this information, you can post at different times, on different days, or with different content. Pay attention to which posts inspire the most engagement to refine your posting schedule and duplicate that formula.

You’ll also want to optimize your social media by ensuring that specific keywords are included. Incorporating relevant keywords into your profiles and posts improves discoverability and enhances your SEO performance. Most people use keyword-based queries when looking for a service or product, so increase your chances of being found by using the same words and phrases that your target demographic is using to find you.

Building a strong, thriving social presence isn’t hard once you know what to do. Most of these techniques don’t take long to implement and you can start reaping the rewards almost immediately! To sustain organic growth, consistently produce high quality content and quality content that attracts and retains your audience.

Measuring success

Want to know if your social media efforts are actually working? You’re not alone in wondering how to tell if all those posts and stories are paying off. The key is measuring your success and trust me, it’s easier than you might think. Here’s how to get started with tracking and optimizing your social media performance:

• Dive into social media analytics to monitor key engagement metrics such as likes, comments, shares and follower growth.
• Think of these insights as your social media report card, showing what’s resonating with your audience and what needs improvement.
• Use the data to fine-tune your strategy — adjust your posting times, experiment with new content styles, or collaborate with other creators to broaden your reach.
• Leverage social media tips like using relevant hashtags and tagging industry experts your audience follows to boost brand visibility.
• Keep a close eye on your social media presence and make data-driven decisions to increase engagement and foster a thriving community.
• Remember, success isn’t just about big numbers; it’s about building lasting connections and cultivating a brand that people genuinely want to follow and engage with daily.

Using video content

• Video content is one of the most powerful tools for boosting brand visibility and growing your social media following.
• Most social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, prioritize video in their algorithms, increasing the likelihood your videos will be seen by a broader audience.
• Tailoring your video content to the unique features of each social media platform maximizes reach and engagement.
• High-quality, engaging videos capture attention quickly and encourage followers to share your message within their networks.
• Videos provide an opportunity to showcase what makes your brand special, whether through behind-the-scenes moments, influencer collaborations, tutorials, or product demos.
• Customer testimonials in video format can connect with your audience on a deeper emotional level compared to text alone.
• Video content sparks meaningful conversations with your target audience, fostering stronger relationships.
• Videos are versatile assets that can be easily repurposed and shared across different social media platforms, enhancing your overall social media strategy.

Final thoughts

Growing your social media following organically is a journey that requires patience, consistency and authentic engagement. By understanding your target audience, creating engaging and valuable content, leveraging social media features and building genuine relationships, you can cultivate a loyal community that supports your brand for the long term. Remember, quality always trumps quantity and meaningful interactions will set you apart in a crowded social landscape.

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