Nowadays, Instagram has a major role in enhancing brands’ social presence. Learning how to get more followers on Instagram can help you grow your business. Instagram marketing has been proven to drive traffic, support sales, and engage customers effectively.
With more than 2 billion monthly active users, the competition is high, and gaining followers can be challenging. But growing your follower base is essential for amplifying your reach and creating opportunities to interact with potential customers. By following these tips, you can build a strong Instagram presence and attract a larger, more engaged audience.
How to Gain More Followers on Instagram?
If you’re wondering how to grow Instagram followers, the following tips will guide you in the right direction. Let’s dive into the best practices for growing your Instagram presence.
1. Optimize Your Instagram Account
Before focusing on how to get more followers on Instagram, ensure that your account is set up for success. A well-optimized profile is essential for attracting new followers. Ask yourself: does your profile represent your brand effectively? Key elements to review include:
- Instagram Bio: Include a clear slogan, tagline, and a branded hashtag if possible.
- Profile Picture: Choose a professional, easily recognizable logo.
- Bio Link: Ensure this directs users to valuable content, like a landing page with multiple links for easy navigation.
A search-friendly username helps people find you, and a well-chosen profile picture enhances your brand’s visibility. By carefully selecting where your bio link leads, you can guide followers toward meaningful interactions, whether it’s visiting your website or exploring your latest promotions.
This creates a more engaging experience for your audience, boosting your chances of gaining loyal followers. Reliable social media marketing services offered by experts will ensure that your Instagram account is not only optimized but also continuously refined to attract and retain your target audience.
2. Keep a Consistent Content Calendar
Momentum is key on Instagram. Posting randomly won’t help you get followers. Building your audience requires creating valuable content, and doing it consistently keeps them engaged. Avoid letting your account go inactive.
Sticking to a regular posting schedule is essential. You don’t need a rigid number of posts, but posting daily or near-daily works well for most brands. Keeping your audience regularly engaged is what helps your profile grow and maintain momentum.
3. Schedule Instagram Posts in Advance
Although Instagram’s algorithm determines reach, posting at the right times can boost your visibility and engagement. This is where scheduling Instagram content comes in handy.
With scheduling tools, you can plan and schedule Stories, Carousels, Reels, and Posts in advance. This gives you control, keeps you organized, and helps maintain the consistent posting schedule needed for growth. Additionally, these tools often allow you to crosspost from other networks, further enhancing your content strategy.
4. Engage with Customers and Brand Advocates
If you’re looking to get more Instagram followers, engaging with your audience is essential. One of the most effective ways to do this is by responding to their comments and sharing their posts.
Harnessing the power of user-generated content (UGC) can significantly boost your brand’s visibility. UGC campaigns create social proof and demonstrate that you value your followers. By showcasing their contributions, you not only foster community but also encourage more interactions and loyalty.
5. Avoid Fake Instagram Followers
There’s a clear difference between fake and real followers on Instagram. We get it—quick growth is tempting, and buying followers might seem like an easy solution. But the downsides massively outweigh any short-term benefits. Why? Because fake Instagram followers…
- Confuse your potential real followers. An account with a big following but little engagement raises red flags and can turn off users who might otherwise follow and interact with you.
- Add zero value to your business. Your bot followers aren’t going to buy your products, right?
- Create no real buzz. If you have 10,000 fake followers, how many will actually engage with your posts? Do spam comments really matter?
Real followers can share, like, and engage meaningfully with your content. Plus, they genuinely appreciate the time you spend interacting with them. Authenticity builds stronger relationships and is way more effective than buying fake likes or followers.
6. Showcase Your Instagram Everywhere You Can
Don’t hesitate to promote your Instagram account if gaining more followers is your goal. There’s no one-size-fits-all method for promoting your profile, so consider these ideas:
- Add Social Media Icons: Include social media icons on your website and in marketing emails. This makes it easy for visitors to find your Instagram and connect with your brand.
- Feature an Instagram Feed: Showcase an Instagram feed on your homepage or product pages. Many e-commerce brands display user-generated content directly on their site to engage visitors.
- Re-share Instagram Content: Promote Instagram-specific announcements or content on other social channels. For instance, you could announce an upcoming IG Live session on Facebook.
7. Post Content That Followers Actually Want to See
There are many things to think about, such as filters, captions, content types, and when to post. With so many factors, it is tough to get it right, especially since Instagram’s algorithm changes often.
What works for one brand may not work for another. For example, some brands find success with Carousels, while others prefer Reels. Both can attract likes, but testing different formats is key to figuring out what your audience likes best.
Instagram has useful analytics tools to help you understand your performance. If you want to dig deeper, consider using more advanced analytics tools. This will help you build a stronger content strategy.
If you are not sure where to begin, look at your competitors. About 90 percent of brands find that social media data helps them track what others are doing. You should not copy them exactly, but you can learn from their successful posts and see what engages their audience.
8. Make Meaningful Conversations with Your Audience
Many marketers use Instagram to connect with customers. It’s a great platform for talking directly with your followers. Popular post ideas often include asking questions and starting conversations.
Followers might ask about products, shipping, or even share compliments. Responding quickly and supportively shows that you care.
You might be surprised at how many more followers you gain when you become more personal. Research shows that most people are likely to buy from a brand after following them on social media.
Try to reply to as many questions and comments as you can. This can help turn casual visitors into loyal followers or customers.
9. Find Hashtags Where Your Followers Hang Out
Hashtags have always been important on Instagram, but their effectiveness has changed over time. Simply adding a bunch of hashtags to your posts won’t help you gain new followers, especially with all the competition on the platform.
Instead, focus on industry-specific hashtags that are relevant to your target audience. This will help you reach the right people and connect with potential followers who are genuinely interested in your content.
10. Take Steps to Delight Your Instagram Followers
Making your Instagram followers happy can lead to real growth in your audience. The most successful accounts create a community rather than just collecting followers.
Building relationships with your audience is key. Share content that shows your brand’s personality and the people behind it. Here are some effective ideas:
- Inspirational posts
- Humorous content
- Re-sharing user-generated content with unique captions
- Storytelling posts
- Behind-the-scenes photos and videos
- Posts that raise awareness for social causes
Make sure your content reflects your brand voice and values. Avoid being overly sales-focused or sounding robotic, as this can turn followers away.
11. Use Geo-Tagging to Attract Local Followers
Instagram recently reintroduced location stories, allowing users to find them on a map. This feature makes it easier for people to discover top posts and stories in specific places, like a coffee shop or shopping mall.
To get your content on the map, simply tag the location in your posts and stories. Geo-tagging helps your content reach people nearby or those looking at that specific place.
To tag a location in your Instagram story, use the location sticker and type in the desired location. This can significantly boost your visibility among local users.
12. Leverage Short-Form Video Content
Research shows that 66% of consumers want to see more short-form videos from brands, making Reels an essential part of your strategy. Reels are fun and engaging, and they work well with Instagram’s algorithm. Consider creating tutorials, product highlights, or quick behind-the-scenes glimpses.
Since you only have a few seconds to capture attention, get creative with Instagram’s built-in tools. Use stickers, cuts, filters, music, voice-overs, and transitions to make eye-catching Reels.
Additionally, these short videos can easily be shared on platforms like TikTok, helping you reach new audiences and gain more followers.
13. Partner with Influencers in Your Niche
Working with influencers who have an established following can significantly boost your audience. These content creators can introduce your brand to their engaged followers, increasing awareness of your products.
Start by identifying the right influencers using tools to find those relevant to your niche. Look for creators whose values and style align with your brand, and prioritize those with an engaged audience rather than just a large one.
Decide on how you want to partner with them. Here are a few options:
- Paid Sponsorships: This straightforward approach involves paying influencers to promote your product or service. Agree on details such as the number of posts, content type, and any specific messaging or hashtags.
- Product Exchanges: Some influencers might prefer receiving free products in exchange for a review or feature on their Instagram instead of monetary compensation.
- Affiliate and Brand Ambassador Programs: Create a program for smaller influencers who genuinely love your brand. Offer rewards like points, discounts, commissions, or other perks for promoting your brand over time.
- Collaborative Content: Work together on content such as joint Instagram Lives, giveaways, or co-created posts and stories. These collaborations can provide fresh ideas and expand your reach.
Lastly, track the success of your influencer partnerships by analyzing metrics like follower growth, engagement, and return on investment. This will help you determine if a long-term relationship with a particular influencer is beneficial.
14. Organize Top Stories as Highlights
Have you ever posted a fantastic story that you wished could stay on your profile? With story highlights, it can. Highlights are collections of your past stories that you can group by theme or topic, such as Q&As, tips, or events. This organization makes it easier for visitors to find relevant content.
Since highlights are positioned at the top of your profile, users are more likely to see them before scrolling down to your posts. Think of highlights as a curated portfolio that showcases the best aspects of your brand.
15. Go Live on Instagram
Use Instagram Live to engage with your audience in real time. This feature helps create a sense of community and allows for direct interaction. You can host virtual events like product launches, share quick tutorials, or hold casual chats and Q&A sessions. If you run an e-commerce store, you can even let users shop your products live.
Additionally, you can share these live streams as stories that last for 24 hours, giving followers who missed the event a chance to catch up later.
Conclusion of How to Get More Followers on Instagram
Learning how to get more followers on Instagram takes time and effort, but you can grow your audience naturally by following some key strategies. Start by optimizing your profile, posting engaging content regularly, and interacting with your audience. Focus on building relationships, having meaningful conversations, and providing valuable content.