I read top 20 'How to get followers on Instagram' posts on Google so you don't have to

Ever got tired of that mundane life or felt like quitting that 9 to 5 job only to become an Instagram influencer? If that’s so, you’re at the right place. It was not long ago that I also started having these thoughts, but I didn’t know where to begin. Most importantly, I didn’t know how to get a wider reach or gain more followers on Instagram. That’s when I started researching.

If you’re like me, keep reading this post. I’ve listed all the possible and useful ways that can help you amass more and more followers, if followed properly.

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1.4 billion monthly active users. It is also a great place to showcase your brand, business, or personal interests, and connect with your target audience. However, growing your Instagram account can be challenging, especially if you are starting from scratch or have a small following.

That’s why I have compiled a list of the pointers that can help you gain more followers on Instagram in an authentic and organic way. These pointers are based on the best practices and strategies that I have learned from reading the top results on Google. And with the help of this article, I want to make your work easier.

Before we dive into it, I want to make one thing clear. Buying followers is a big NO! Not only is it against Instagram’s terms of service, but it also does not help you grow your account in the long run. Paid followers (even likes) can result in fake or inactive accounts that do not engage with your content, which can lower your reach and credibility. Moreover, buying followers can expose you to scams, spam, and security risks. Therefore, I strongly advise you to avoid any services that claim to sell you followers or bots. Instead, focus on building a genuine and loyal community that values your content and brand.

Here’s how you can get followers on Instagram

Now that we have established that, let’s get started with the list of pointers on how to get followers on Instagram:

1. Optimize your profile for search

After spending hours reading a couple of dozens of articles, I came to the conclusion that optimization is the key. It is one of the easiest ways to get more followers on Instagram as it ensures that your profile is searchable and discoverable by potential followers. To do this, you need to optimize your username, name, bio, captions, and website link for relevant keywords that describe your niche, brand, or industry.

For example, if you are a travel blogger, you can use keywords like “travel”, “blogger”, “adventure”, or “wanderlust” in your profile. This way, when someone searches for these keywords on Instagram, your profile will show up in the results.

2. Create a consistent and aesthetic feed

Another way to get more followers on Instagram is to create a consistent and aesthetic feed that showcases your style, personality, and value proposition. A consistent feed means that you use the same or similar filters, colors, fonts, themes, and layouts for your posts. An aesthetic feed means that you use high-quality images and videos that are visually pleasing and engaging. A consistent and aesthetic feed can help you attract more followers who resonate with your brand identity and content.

Have you ever came across a profile and were like WOAH!!! Yes, same. The trick is posting in such a way that it creates a wonderful pattern. You can check out the images below for reference.

3. Post regularly and at optimal times

If you are still wondering about this, then here is your answer. Posting regularly is very important to keep your audience engaged as well as entertained. It generally means posting content at least once a day or every other day. Posting at optimal times means that you post when your audience is most active and likely to see your posts. To find out when your audience is most active, you can use Instagram Insights or third-party tools like Later or Sprout Social.

It’s worth mentioning that posting regularly also means posting at a specific time that increases your visibility. This is something I’ve dealt with personally. Thankfully, with the help of Hootsuite’s research analysis, I found out that the ideal hours for posting on Instagram are 8 AM and 12 PM PST or 4 PM and 5 PM PST on weekdays. And it actually works! Of course, it may vary depending on different locations.

4. Use hashtags strategically

Hashtags are words or phrases that start with a # sign and are used to categorize and organize content on Instagram. Using hashtags can help you reach more people who are interested in your niche, topic, or industry.

Moreover, what’s better than creating your own hashtag!? In this way, your hashtags will help people recognize you over time. For example, if you run a page that’s related to vegan food, you can check out the image below to get ideas for interesting hashtags:

To use hashtags strategically, you need to do some research and find out what hashtags are relevant, popular, and effective for your content and audience. You can use various tools to find and generate hashtags for your posts. You can also use a mix of broad and specific hashtags, as well as branded and community hashtags, to increase your exposure and engagement.

5. Tag relevant accounts

Another way to get more followers on Instagram is to tag relevant accounts in your posts. Tagging relevant accounts means that you mention or credit other users or brands that are related to your content or niche. Tagging relevant accounts can help you increase your visibility, reach, and engagement on Instagram.

It can also help you build relationships and collaborations with other users or brands that share your audience or interests. To tag relevant accounts, you need to use the @ sign followed by the username of the account you want to tag. You can tag up to 20 accounts per post.

The best example of this is fashion influencers who tag all the brands they exhibit or showcase in their post. For instance, in the screenshot shared below, check out how this particular Instagram influencer tagged all the relevant accounts:

6. Use Instagram Stories

I won’t be lying if I say that Instagram Stories are my saving grace. I often take to Stories to showcase my latest content. But the trick here is to be mysterious. That means, while you post a story, make sure you cover it with exciting stickers, directing your audience to tap on it in order to view it. And trust me, if you have a loyal follower base, this works every time as it sparks curiosity.

Using Instagram Stories can help you showcase your behind-the-scenes, personality, and value proposition in a more casual and authentic way. It can also help you increase your visibility, reach, and engagement on Instagram. To use Instagram Stories effectively, you need to post frequently (at least once a day), use stickers (such as polls, questions, quizzes, countdowns, etc.), add hashtags and location tags, and create highlights.

In the image shared below, see how this person has posted their story on Instagram by adding a link to provide more insight.

7. Use Instagram Reels

I really don’t think this point needs any introduction or explanation. But I’d do that anyway. I’ve seen people getting famous overnight only because of Reels. You can even find and explore a continuous stream of short videos from people around the globe using an Instagram Reels feed.

There is even a dedicated tab on Instagram for Reels, and I check it out every time I open the app. And honestly, my ‘Following’ list makes up for the 40% of the people I came across while exploring Reels. So, this is the power of Instagram Reels. Moreover, it’s perfect for transition videos, product highlights and so on.

8. Use Instagram Live

This is my personal favorite Instagram feature as it not only gives me a chance to interact with many people, but it also helps my account grow organically. It allows you to broadcast live video to your followers and interact with them in real time.

To use Instagram Live effectively, you need to plan ahead (choose a topic, time, and duration), promote your live session (announce it on your feed, stories, or other platforms), invite guests or co-hosts (to add value and variety), interact with your viewers (answer questions, acknowledge comments, ask for feedback), and save or share your live video (to extend its lifespan and reach).

9. Collaborate with other users or brands

Collaborating with other users or brands can help you expand your reach, exposure, and credibility on Instagram. It can also help you create valuable and diverse content for your audience. To collaborate with other brands, you need to find potential partners that are relevant and complementary to your brand. Pitch them an idea that is mutually beneficial, agree on the terms and expectations, execute the collaboration, and cross-promote the results.

10. Run contests or giveaways

Who doesn’t like giveaways? It’s a great way to attract followers. Knowing you run them frequently will gain you one for sure. However, make sure that your giveaways specifically appeal to your ideal clients. After all, quality matters the most.

11. Share user-generated content

Have you ever posted a story thanking a friend where they are wishing you a Happy Birthday? That is indeed the case when you share user-generated content that features your company’s brand, products, or services. They share content that uses (and inadvertently promotes) your products, and you share it back to say thank you.

Sharing user-generated content (UGC) can also help you showcase social proof, build customer trust, and encourage word-of-mouth marketing. You can encourage your followers to create and share content that features your brand, product, or service. But make sure you ask for permission from the original creators before reposting their content and give credit while doing so.

12. Switch to an Instagram Business Profile

Having a business profile not only opens up the option for paid advertising and promotions, but it also helps you reach a wider audience. It gives you access to analytics, allowing you to track the performance of your posts and understand your audience better.

13. Add Links to Your Instagram Bio

The fact that Instagram lets you share and add links to your bio is actually amazing. Before you actually scroll through someone’s profile, these links quickly give a glimpse of the nature of their brand.

Adding links to bio can help you drive more traffic and sales to your website, blog, YouTube channel, podcast, newsletter, or other platforms. In order to add multiple links, you can use a tool like Linktree or Taplink that allows you to create a landing page with those links that you can customize and update.

14. Reply to Comments, Messages, and Mentions

I love interacting with people both virtually and personally. In fact, I’ve made quite some friends online by creating a strong social presence. That’s what various brands or people can also look forward to. Replying to comments, messages, and mentions can help you increase your visibility, reach, and engagement on Instagram. It can also help you build relationships, trust, and loyalty with your audience or other users.

15. Apply for Verification

Never underestimate the power of that verification badge. It’s not just there for the appeal. It rather helps users build their trust on the brand, product or service. It’s simply one of the best ways to get followers on Instagram. It can also help you protect your account from impersonation, fraud, or misuse.

16. Be creative and share your own AR filters

In case you didn’t know, Instagram lets you create your own filters. AR (Augmented Reality) filters can be a fun and engaging way to attract and retain followers. When you create and share unique AR filters, it adds a creative and interactive element to your content, making your profile more interesting and shareable.

These filters also often attribute to your entertainment value, virality, brand recognition and even engagements and interactions. Here’s a tip for you. Halloween is around the corner, and you’d definitely want to make one of those spooky AR filters ASAP! You can also use tools like Spark AR Studio that allows you to design and publish your own filters.

17. Write meaningful captions

Instagram captions are like the secret sauce to your visual content. They can add depth, personality, and context to your posts, making them more appealing to your audience. To create engaging captions, you need to write in a clear, concise, and conversational tone that reflects your brand voice and personality. You also need to include a call-to-action (CTA) that invites your audience to comment, like, share, or click on your link.

18. Make use of Instagram Broadcast Channel

Yes, your Instagram Broadcast Channel can also help you get more followers. It lets you communicate directly with your followers by posting text, photo, video, voice notes, and polls.

You can use Instagram Broadcast Channel to share your latest updates and behind-the-scenes moments with your followers in a quick and casual way. It can also be used to create polls to crowdsource fan feedback or ask questions to your followers. This will only help you interact with your followers, spark conversations, and encourage actions.

Some more tips and tricks

Of course, my research just didn’t end there. I took the liberty of even rummaging through the social media platforms to see if I could find something more valuable. And I’ve some good news. I did find something very useful. You can check it out below:

• Share behind-the-scenes content
• Share valuable tips or advice
• Share testimonials or reviews
• Share inspirational or motivational quotes
• Share fun or entertaining content
• Share educational or informative content
• Share personal or emotional content
• Use or tag location in your posts to attract local followers
• Maximize the use of Highlights
• Share Instagram QR codes on other social networks
• Regularly pin your best comments

With this, I hope you enjoyed reading this article and learned some useful tips and tricks on how to get followers on Instagram. However, these are not the only ways to get more followers on Instagram. There are many other factors and variables that can affect your Instagram growth, such as your niche, audience, goals, content quality, algorithm changes, etc. Therefore, I encourage you to experiment, test, and adapt these tips and tricks to your own situation and see what works best for you.

If you find this article useful, then please do let me know in the comments section below. Your valuable suggestions are also welcome. I would love to hear from you.

PiunikaWeb started as purely an investigative tech journalism website with main focus on ‘breaking’ or ‘exclusive’ news. In no time, our stories got picked up by the likes of Forbes, Foxnews, Gizmodo, TechCrunch, Engadget, The Verge, Macrumors, and many others. Want to know more about us? Head here.