Influencer Marketing & PR Strategist in health & wellness industry. PR & Advocacy Manager at Vega. Freelance writer & editor
Creator of influencer marketing and ambassador program for one of the fastest growing CPG companies in natural & performance nutrition. Public relations and digital marketing expert with over a decade of experience building ambassador and advocacy program.
You hit the nail on the head when you said that you want to provide value to your followers. It's far better to focus on the followers that you do have rather than those that you don't yet have. Start with being grateful for the community that you've been able to develop so far and start creating consistent, valuable content. Consistency is key to make sure they grow to appreciate what it is that you are offering them, and think of ways to gauge how that content is working for them. (1) Look for posts that gain more engagement (2) Ask them directly for content that they would like to see or find valuable.
If you are really focused on gaining followers, perhaps find one or two influencers or very engaged social media users with focused, niche audiences (5K-50K followers is a golden area on IG for example). Consider offering them free product or exclusive deals, discuss letting them offer a giveaway to their users, and I'm sure you'll see a bump in your followers. Again, you have to maintain consistency and focus on value rather than numbers. This not only allows you to become a brand that is known for offering value, but lets you stop stressing about not having "enough followers". Most importantly, if you do decide to work with influencers, make sure to research FTC dislosure and endorsement guidelines (here's a great resource: https://www.ftc.gov/tips-advice/business-center/guidance/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking).
Lessons: (1) Focus on Value not numbers (2) Start small and be consistent (3) Work on building relationships and trust, not followers