If you're reading this, you're likely keen to grow your business's Instagram following and connect with your audience on a deeper level.
If that's the case, welcome. You're in the right place.
While building an engaged follower base takes time and strategy, it's so worth it.
Let's get into some advice on how to get more followers on Instagram.
Types of Instagram followers
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to get more Instagram followers, let's take a moment to consider the different types of followers there are. They each have unique characteristics, so it's helpful to bear this in mind when formulating your company's Instagram strategy.
Here are three common types of Instagram followers:
Organic followers
Organic Instagram followers discover your brand's Instagram account naturally. This can occur in several ways, such as scrolling through relevant hashtags, browsing the Explore page, watching Instagram Reels, etc.,
Organic followers are typically genuinely interested in your content, which drives them to engage regularly with your Instagram posts and stories, and over time, who knows? Perhaps they'll become loyal followers.
Loyal followers
Loyal followers are, yes, you guessed it, those who have followed your business's Instagram account for a long time.
Loyal followers consistently engage with your Instagram posts, actively participating as dedicated fans and often sharing your content and recommending your brand to others.
Bots and fake Instagram followers
Bots and fake followers are automated accounts programmed to follow Instagram users. While they might seem like a cost-effective way to boost your organization's visibility, they don't offer the benefits of real Instagram followers.
Genuine followers engage with your content and foster authentic growth. Conversely, when you buy Instagram followers, you're likely getting fake accounts. This isn't good for engagement but, more importantly, it violates Instagram's Community Guidelines and puts your account at risk of suspension or even permanent removal.
25 ways to get more Instagram followers
With the basics covered, let's turn our attention to the reason you're here: our top 25 tips for getting more Instagram followers and increasing engagement.
1. Optimize your business's Instagram account
First things first, optimize your company's Instagram account. This is just a fancy way of saying enhancing your Instagram account's setup to improve visibility.
If you're unsure where to begin with this, here are a few pointers:
- Select a clear and memorable username that represents your brand, and upload a high-quality logo or profile photo.
- Write a concise yet engaging bio that reflects your brand's tone of voice and includes keywords to improve searchability.
- Lastly, don't forget to add a 'Link in Bio' page or a direct link to your business's website (or wherever else you want to drive traffic to).
2. Develop a consistent posting schedule
Whether posting daily or several times a week, consistency is key. This helps establish clear expectations for when your audience can look forward to your content, encouraging engagement. To help you with this, utilize social media management tools like Brandwatch to schedule your Instagram posts in advance. This makes it much easier to maintain a steady Instagram presence.
3. Post when your following is online
Post when your company's audience is most active. If you're unsure when that is, use social media analytics tools or Instagram Insights to identify when they're most likely to engage with your content. Then, optimize your content scheduling accordingly.
That said, typically, the best time to post on Instagram falls between 7 am and 9 am and 10 am and 2 pm, with Tuesdays through Thursdays seeing the highest levels of engagement. However, you'll need to experiment to find what works best for your target audience, taking different time zones into account
4. Use relevant hashtags
Hashtags effectively categorize your content, allowing Instagram users to find posts about topics they're actually interested in.
To maximize your Instagram hashtag usage, keep track of those that are trending. Content associated with popular topics is often prioritized by Instagram's algorithms. So, using Instagram's search and explore functions to actively monitor these trends is a wise thing to do.
It's also worth using a mix of popular and niche hashtags. Popular hashtags are great for broad exposure, whereas more specific hashtags distinguish your Instagram posts in crowded spaces. Therefore, a mix of the two gives you the best of both worlds.
Select a few hashtags relevant to your post's content, niche, and target audience. Even though Instagram allows up to 30, this prevents your content from appearing spammy.
5. Run contests and giveaways
Let's say your company has just launched a new product and wants to get the word out. Why not create a buzz by hosting a giveaway or a contest?
You could ask your Instagram followers to like, comment, share, or tag people in your post to enter.
This is a fun way to boost engagement and expand your reach, as more people will discover your account through their friends.
6. Collaborate with influencers
Collaborating with Instagram influencers who resonate with your target audience can dramatically broaden your business's reach and boost your follower count by tapping into their established follower bases.
Here are a few tips to help get the ball rolling on your first influencer marketing campaign:
- Start by identifying influencers with a similar audience to your brand so your content reaches the right demographic.
- When budgeting for a campaign, remember that influencers have different levels of following — from just a few thousand followers to those with millions. This variety means you're likely to find a suitable collaborator who's pay expectations fit within your marketing team's budget.
- Work closely with your chosen influencers to plan content to ensure you both benefit from the shared exposure. This should include defining the goals of your campaign to maximize the impact of your collaborative efforts.
7. Publish Instagram stories
Instagram Stories engage followers with dynamic, temporary content that encourages interaction, fostering a sense of community and immediacy.
If you're stuck for Instagram story ideas, here are a few to get you started:
You could share stories highlighting product benefits through customer testimonials or quick demos. Alternatively, you could give followers a peek behind the scenes to reveal the faces and processes behind your company's brand.
Pro Tip: Organize these stories into themed highlights on your business's profile for easy access.
8. Go live
Hosting regular Instagram Lives is an excellent strategy for businesses looking to connect with their followers in real time, showcasing your brand's authenticity and building trust.
These live sessions can include Q&As, product demos, tutorials, updates, etc.
Pro Tip: To maximize engagement, integrate these live sessions into your regular posting schedule, timing them when your company's audience is most active.
9. Share user-generated content
Share user-generated contentUser-generated content is any photo, video, or story created and shared by followers that features your company's brand. This works wonders for building a library of authentic, relatable content to schedule while also doing something to let your audience know they're valued — win-win.
To hit the ground running with this, encourage Instagram followers to tag your brand in posts that align with its style. You could even create branded hashtags and run contests or challenges to motivate followers to post (as per the advice above).
10. Use Instagram Reels
More than two billion people interact with Instagram reels every month, with Reels gaining 22% more engagement than standard videos. Instagram's algorithm boosts Reels with strong engagement – the more people like, comment on, and share your business's Reels, the more visible they become – helping you reach an even wider audience.
Reels give you 90 seconds to do your thing. Use this time wisely to capture attention with creative, impactful content that resonates with your business's audience.
For example, this could be a behind-the-scenes peek/day in the life, a product showcase, a quick how-to, or a trending dance/voice-over/challenge relevant to your brand.
Whatever you decide, just be sure to make every second count.
11. Cross-promote on other social platforms
Cross-promoting on other social platforms is paramount to maximizing your team's social media management efforts. Why confine yourself to Instagram when you could also leverage TikTok and Facebook (and elsewhere) for more exposure?
There are a few ways to achieve this. For example, share Instagram Reels on Facebook and TikTok, embed Instagram posts in your blog posts and newsletters, publish your Instagram Stories on Facebook, etc.
Just beware – the content you repurpose should really work for the platform you're sharing it on and shouldn't look weird alongside the other content you post there.
12. Run Instagram ads
To reach a larger or more targeted audience on Instagram, consider running paid ads. These ads appear directly in users' feeds, Stories, Reels, or Explore pages and look like regular Instagram posts but are marked as "Sponsored."
Before you jump feet-first into your first campaign, follow these tips:
- Clarify the overarching goals of your business. Then, utilize Instagram's ad targeting to reach your company's ideal audience based on their demographics, interests, and more.
- Don't forget to use attractive and striking visuals to gain your target audience's attention and test different ad formats, such as Carousel, Reels, Stories, feed posts, Instagram video ads, etc., to see which delivers the best results.
13. Participate in trends and challenges
We can't stress how important it is to keep up-to-date with current Instagram trends in your company's niche so that you're not late to the party.
The easiest way to do this is to use social listening tools to monitor what's trending across social. A tool like Brandwatch can help you see when a trend is emerging or peaking, as well as when it's starting to die down (at which point it may not be worth your time and effort to participate in).
14. Highlight testimonials and reviews
With 34% of consumers turning to Instagram for reviews, it's important to leverage this platform to showcase your business's glowing customer testimonials.
Here are a few fun ways to incorporate them into your team's content calendar:
- Share customer testimonials via Instagram Stories to reinforce the benefits of your product or service.
- Use customer quotes in post captions, pairing positive feedback with a product visual.
- You can also pin a testimonial post to the top of the Instagram feed so that new Instagram followers see evidence of customer satisfaction immediately.
15. Share behind-the-scenes content
Behind-the-scenes content is a surefire way to engage audiences. You're showcasing the brand, humanizing it, giving it personality (in real time if you want to), and leveraging its authenticity to create a deeper connection with your audience.
Ideas for this include introducing your team, showing new products arriving at the store/warehouse/being created, taking your audience along to an industry event you're participating in, providing a peek at your team while they're creating Instagram videos, and so on.
16. Create Instagram highlights
Highlights are a permanent set of Stories, videos, and/or video highlights that sit below the Instagram bio and profile photo. Think of them like folders, allowing you to organize this content by theme. You can give each highlight a descriptive title and add a custom image to represent what's inside.
Highlights are a perfect way of showcasing your brand's values. Just remember to update your Highlights regularly to keep them relevant.
17. Host takeovers
Retain audience attention and attract more Instagram followers by inviting influencers, industry experts, or team members to talk to your company's following.
These guests can "take over" the account for a day to share fresh insights and expand your reach. When influencers with large followings engage with your Instagram account like this, they introduce your business to a wider yet relevant audience which, hopefully, should result in more Instagram followers.
Pro Tip: Takeovers should be promoted well in advance to boost visibility and engagement.
18. Join relevant Instagram pods
An "Instagram pod" is a group of Instagram accounts that actively engage with other accounts by responding to Stories, commenting on posts, and liking them. Participating in a relevant pod increases engagement with your company's content, which might improve performance in Instagram's algorithm.
However, be strategic about which pods you join. Make sure they're in your business's niche and have an audience you're trying to reach. Also, find authentic pods with real interactions to focus on long-term credibility and growth, not short-term engagement spikes that won't lead to meaningful connections.
19. Promote exclusive offers
Create a sense of excitement and urgency by offering Instagram-only, time-sensitive discounts, early access to sales and new products, buy-one-get-one-half price promotions, and so on.
By offering exclusive offers, you'll attract more Instagram followers and reward existing ones, giving them a reason to stick around.
20. Encourage tagging and sharing
One way to encourage people to tag and share your Instagram content is to include clear CTAs, such as "tag a friend." You could even offer an incentive like a discount to followers who tag 10 of their friends, for example.
Similarly, you could ask Instagram followers to share your posts on other social media platforms like Facebook. Needless to say, all of this is effective for expanding your company's reach and getting in front of potential followers.
21. Utilize location tags
Tag locations in posts and Stories to appear in location-specific feeds and attract local followers.
This is handy, for example, if you're traveling to a specific event, like a beauty trade show, launching a brand pop-up in a new location, or your company is looking to extend its reach within a particular area.
22. Share your Instagram handle on email signatures
How many emails does your business send a day? Probably a lot. Each email you send is an opportunity to increase your company's Instagram following and visibility. So, put your email signature to good use by sharing a link to your Instagram account.
Also, each time you send an email newsletter, include links to your Instagram to prompt email subscribers to follow.
23. Run polls and Q&As in Stories
These are great opportunities to ask your audience questions about what they think via polls and run interactive quizzes.
Polls can be an effective way to gauge what your audience:
- Likes
- Dislikes
- Wants
- Don't wants
You could also host Q&As with followers, allowing them to ask questions and engage directly with your brand. This gives you insight into what your audience is thinking and encourages them to check your company's Stories regularly for updates — double win.
How is this helpful for gaining followers? Well, the more you know about your consumers from polls and Q&As, the more shareable and follower-attracting content you can make!
24. Keep up with Instagram updates and features
Instagram regularly updates and introduces new features which you can leverage to gain more followers.
You can keep your finger on the pulse by subscribing to relevant newsletters, keeping an eye on industry blogs and webinars, and following creators for the latest on Instagram.
25. Leverage Instagram analytics
How do you know if your team's Instagram activity is working? Enter Instagram analytics tools.
You may already be using social media analytics tools, but make sure yours is helping you monitor engagement, track how many Instagram followers you're winning and losing, and gather insights on what's working or not working.
All of this can help you create a content strategy that chimes with your company's audience.
FAQs
How do you get more followers on Instagram organically?
Post high-quality content with visually appealing images and videos that speak to your audience.
Engage promptly with comments and make sure to interact with and reward user-generated content.
Do hashtags work on Instagram?
In short, yes. Instagram posts with a minimum of one hashtag have 29% more interactions (for profiles with 1,000 or fewer Instagram followers). You can read more about Instagram hashtags in our dedicated guide.
How often should you post on Instagram?
This depends on your business's audience. But broadly speaking, it's best to focus on quality and consistency over quantity. That said, if you're looking for a frequency to aim for, post one to three times a week to maintain quality and not overdo it.
We of course caveat this advice by urging your team to test what frequency works with your audience by monitoring your analytics.
