Instagram has grown exponentially over the years, and it continues to attract small businesses, brands, celebrities, and users from all walks of life around the world. A significant number of users are looking for more fame on Instagram, and so they try every approach to win it.
The creation of quality content can work wonders, but it seems not to be enough. Getting an Instagram shoutout is one of the approaches to gain popularity on Instagram and increase your followers.
What is an Instagram shoutout?
An Instagram shoutout is promoting another Instagram account by mentioning them or putting their photo or video in a post or a story. You can get a shoutout by paying to an Instagram user such as an influencer or offering them your product or service for free. Another way is to exchange shoutouts which are briefly called S4S (shoutout for shoutout). You may also get voluntary shoutouts by your loyal customers or the company you are working for, for instance.
How to find Instagram shoutout pages?
It’s now more common to ask influencers to give you a shoutout, but you need to take the time to find the best-suited ones depending on your field of activity or niche. Some ways to discover them are listed below:
- Hashtags
Find Instagrammers who use hashtags relevant to your industry or niche. Note that some pages are designed only for the purpose of giving shoutouts to a particular industry. For example, if your work involves styling or dying hair, you can search for the hashtags #hair #hairstylist #haircolor #hairdresser #hairgoals #hairdo #hairfashion #hairoftheday #haircare #hairsalon. You may come across some shoutout pages such as @hair.place the owner of which has a shop called “barber place” selling razors, beard oil, hair color, and several other products related to beauty and hair. This page with 1.7 m followers seems to be a perfect choice for promoting your hair beauty salon, hair dye products or yourself as a hairstylist.
- Instagram shoutout apps
Some apps, such as Shoutcart help you find credible influencers that match your niche on Instagram. These apps are not free, but they can save a lot of your precious time by discovering the right influencers and providing statistics for you. You can see the number of average likes or comments, hours of activity, and other useful information about different influencers so that you can decide more thoughtfully on who to choose.
Keep in mind that if you are willing to use the “S4S” or “shoutout for shoutout,” the number of followers and engagement rate of the chosen shoutout page should be nearly the same as yours.
It is recommended to build a relationship with potential shoutout pages before pitching them. It makes them notice you more easily and instantly figure out who you are when they receive a message or email from you asking for shoutouts.
Instagram shoutout examples
1- National geographic is a good example of a shoutout page. It gives regular shoutouts to travel bloggers and photographers, usually by posting one of their photos showcasing a landscape, a lifestyle or a special monument. For instance, as shown below, it posted a photo taken by Simon Norfolk of the official workplace of the President of Brazil called The Palácio do Planalto. Many of those users who get a shoutout from @natgeo are its dedicated explorers or journalists. However, some others may get shoutouts if they have an amazing content to share.
2- Amanda Burrill is a social media travel influencers who gives shoutouts to some known brands from time to time. As shown below, she has tagged the names of some clothing brands in an Instagram post while she is wearing or using items such as a bag and a jacket. She may have got them for free from the brands to advertise for them.
3- If you have a great customer service or a quality product, chances are you’ll receive voluntary shoutouts from your customers. Beauty salons, for instance, tag the name of cosmetic brands they use on their posts and show people how they could do an amazing makeup using a certain brand. Another example is an influencer recommending a restaurant or a coffee shop he or she frequently visits, without getting anything in return. The influencer just wants to let people know how delicious the food is or how amazing the service is.
To conclude
One of the best ways to grow your Instagram account and attract more followers is through the technique of Instagram shoutout. This method quickly exposes your account to a large audience and gives you credibility, especially if the shoutout was from a well-established Instagram profile. You may ask for a shoutout in exchange for money or a free product or service. You can also get it voluntarily from your fans or employer.
Source: Everything you Need to Know about Instagram Shoutouts