I’m sure you know by now that Instagram is a big deal for businesses. It’s a great way to get your brand out there and connect with customers. In fact, 59% of marketers are planning to increase their investment in Instagram this year because they know how important it is.
But, I get it, competition can be tough on the platform. It can be frustrating when your growth and engagement aren’t where you want them to be. But, the good news is, you’re not alone. And, the even better news is, there are steps you can take to grow your audience and make a real impact. The bigger your audience, the more opportunities you have to make your customers happy.
So, are you ready to step up your Instagram game and attract more genuine and organic followers? Check out this post to learn how you can make it happen!
Here is a summary of 28 ways to grow your instagram following:
Optimize your Instagram Bio
Make the people to stay as long as possible on your post
Post 100% consistently – also when the algorithm is down
Do Instagram Stories with 1-2 Hashtags & mark other relevant profiles for reposts
Posting at the right time matters
Crosspromote your channel in free niche relevant Facebook Groups
Never buy fake followers
Engage with your community
Crosspromote your Instagram account on your owned channels
Create viral content
Post Instagram Reels with Viral potential
Comment on other profiles and build a relationship with influencers
Do collabposts with niche relevant persons or repost profiles
Advertise your most viral content (paid posts with Instagram Ads)
Post content from just 1 niche
Actively encourage your followers to subscripe to your account
Use geotags
Run a giveaway contest
Ask your followers for more followers
For Brands Only: Work with influencers
Engage with your competitors followers
Use niche relevant Hashtags
Get the blue verified button
Use viral hacks – QR-Code on the car or shirt
Ask Questions In Your Posts to increase the engagement
Don’t use too much text in the post (nor stories)
Don’t use logos on your post
28 ways how to boost your Instagram Following:
Optimize your Instagram Bio
Before we dive into how to get more followers, let’s make sure your Instagram account is set up for success.
First, ask yourself, does your profile look professional and appealing? There are a few key things you should pay attention to, like your Instagram bio, profile picture, and bio link. These details are important because they define your brand identity and can impact how discoverable your account is.
To make your account more follower-friendly, here are a few tips:
- Have a username that is easy to search for. Stick with your brand name or something similar to your other social handles.
- Make sure your profile picture is professional, with a logo that’s appropriately sized and text that’s legible on a smartphone screen.
- Pay attention to where your bio link points to. This is your only way to funnel traffic from Instagram to your website and promotions, so make it count!
- Consider linking to a social landing page instead of your homepage. This way, your followers have more options for how they engage with your business, leading to a better overall experience.
- Check well-performing profiles on how they set up their bio. Good examples are :
Bonus tip : Write the name (the name is different from user name) words that are searched often by your potential clients or target group. Instagram will rank your profile higher when someone is searching for those specific words.
By taking these steps, you’ll be on your way to a more successful and attractive Instagram account.
Make the people to stay as long as possible on your post
Making your audience stay longer on your Instagram posts is an excellent way to increase engagement and visibility. Because the platform will recognize that your post is more interesting than others and give a bigger boost. Instagram is a fast-paced platform, and with an average attention span of only a few seconds, it’s crucial to make your posts stand out. Here are some tips to help you keep your audience engaged longer:
- Tell a story: People love stories, and by sharing the story behind your images or videos, you can create a deeper connection with your audience and keep them engaged for longer.
- Create a Reel : Create a reel video of around 8-10 seconds that catches the followers. Like this more people not following you will also see the video as the algorithm is pushing it.
- Use eye-catching visuals: Use high-quality images and videos to grab your audience’s attention and keep them engaged.
- Create a cohesive aesthetic: By consistently using a specific color palette, font style, and visual style in your posts, you can create a recognizable brand identity that will keep your audience engaged and coming back for more.
- Use interactive elements: By including interactive elements, like polls, quizzes, and questions in your post description, you can keep your audience engaged longer and encourage them to interact with your content.
By keeping your audience engaged and spending more time on your posts, you can increase your visibility and reach on Instagram, build a strong and dedicated following, and ultimately grow your brand or profile.
Post 100% consistently – also when the algorithm is down
If you want to get followers on Instagram, you need to be consistent with your content. People are more likely to follow you if they see that you’re putting in effort and providing value. And, if you want to keep your followers engaged, you need to keep your account active and post regularly.
When it comes to timing, there’s no hard and fast rule for how often you should post. Most brands post daily or close to daily, which aligns with our own research. Make sure you’re posting consistently and if possible every day or every second day. We also know profiles that are posted twice a week and still get a good reach.
You don’t have time to always post? Invest one hour every week in preparing the upcoming posts in a tool. Scheduling content in advance ensures control and organization. Instagram scheduling tools ultimately help you hit that cadence we mentioned earlier. The ability to crosspost content from other networks helps here, too.
Tools anbieten mit affiliate
Do Instagram Stories with 1-2 Hashtags & mark other relevant profiles for reposts
If you’re worried about your posts not getting seen enough, don’t forget about Instagram Stories! They’re a great way to reach a wider audience and get more eyes on your content.
Instagram stories can be a valuable tool in keeping your followers engaged and connected with your brand. They allow you to showcase a more personal side of your business and build trust with your audience. By using niche-relevant hashtags and tagging relevant repost accounts in your stories and posts, you increase the chances of reaching new followers who are interested in your niche.
In addition to these tips, using creative features such as polls, quizzes, and gamification can also help you drive engagement and increase your visibility on the platform. Furthermore, tracking your performance through Instagram Insights can give you valuable insights into the success of your stories and help you make informed decisions on how to improve your content strategy.
Posting at the right time matters
Did you know that you can increase your chances of reaching your followers by posting during optimal times? In terms of the best times to post, our research shows that mid-to-late morning and early afternoons during the week are optimal for engagement.
Based on research, it is proven that posting on weekends in the late afternoon (between 3 and 5pm) is a great idea. However, every audience is slightly difference so don’t forget to check your insights to see when most of your followers are active. That way, you can make sure your posts are being seen by the right people at the right time.
Crosspromote your channel in free niche-relevant Facebook Groups
If you’re looking to grow your Instagram following, cross-promotion is key. One way to do this is by sharing your account on other social channels. For example, you can post a video showcasing your Instagram in a Facebook group that’s relevant to your niche.
By doing this, you’re introducing yourself to a new audience and potentially gaining new followers. People who are interested in your niche are more likely to follow you if they see that you have content that aligns with their interests.
Just be sure to follow the rules of the Facebook group and make sure that your video is well-received by the community. You don’t want to come off as spammy or disruptive.
If you play your cards right, cross-promoting on Facebook groups can be a valuable addition to your overall strategy for growing your Instagram following. So, give it a try and see what happens!
Bonus Tip : Use niche relevant facebook groups to cross-promote your content. Just post your most successful posts there and some of those people start to follow you on your Instagram
Never buy fake followers
Did you know that there’s a big difference between fake and legitimate followers on Instagram? While it might be tempting to buy followers for quick growth, it’s not worth it. Having fake followers can confuse potential organic followers and make your account seem suspicious. They won’t bring any monetary value to your business since they can’t buy your stuff and won’t generate any buzz or engagement. Mostly these are just bots, sometimes a service promises real people, however even if they are real they just care about the money they earn and are not interested in your content.
Instead, focus on real people who have the ability to share, like, comment, and engage with your posts. Interacting with real followers can help you build trust and appreciation from your audience.
Engage with your community
Have you noticed how engagement is key on Instagram? When you take the time to respond to your followers’ comments and ask them questions, you’re creating a real connection with them. Plus, the more time they spend on your post, the higher the chance that it will get shared and go viral. It’s a win-win situation because not only are you building a relationship with your followers, but you’re also increasing your reach and getting your content in front of more people. So, make sure to keep an eye on your comments section and keep the conversation going! This leads to customers regularly sharing positive comments and shout-outs, making it all worth it!
Crosspromote your Instagram account on your owned channels
Make sure you showcase your Instagram everywhere you can to get more followers on Instagram. Don’t be shy about promoting your profile if you want more eyes on your posts. You can start by adding social media icons to your website and marketing emails. This makes it easier for people to find your business and connect with you. Also, you can feature an Instagram feed on your homepage or product pages. Many brands do this to showcase their user-generated content. And finally, don’t forget to reshare your Instagram-specific content or announcements on other social channels. For instance, you can talk about an upcoming IG Live on TikTok or Facebook. By doing these things, you’ll have a better chance of reaching a wider audience.
Create viral content
Let’s talk about posting content that your followers actually want to see. It’s definitely not easy, but it’s the most important point for building engagement on Instagram.
There are a ton of factors to consider, from the filters you use to the type of content you post, and even the time you post it. And the algorithm is constantly changing, so what works for one brand might not work for another.
That’s why it’s a good idea to test different content formats and analyze what’s working and what’s not. Instagram’s native analytics can be helpful, but investing in Instagram analytics tools can take things to the next level.
You can also research what your competitors are doing and what’s driving engagement in your industry. As a brand, don’t copy them, just take notes on what’s working and adapt it to your brand. If you are a content creator it’s a different story.
Post Instagram Reels with Viral potential
If you’re looking to get more followers on Instagram, posting Reels with viral potential can be a great way to do just that. With Reels, you can create fun and engaging short-form videos that can entertain and educate your followers. The more enjoyable your Reels are, the more likely your followers are to share them with their own followers, helping you reach a wider audience.
- Keep an eye out for new Reels trends on Instagram!
- Create similar content that already went viral (as a content creator)
- Check popular music
- Use a few hashtags
Comment on other profiles and build a relationship with influencers
Have you ever considered commenting on other profiles and building a relationship with influencers on Instagram? It’s a great way to grow your following and reach a new audience.
By commenting on other profiles, you show that you’re engaged and interested in their content. This can lead to them checking out your profile, potentially following you and even collaborating with you in the future.
Building a relationship with influencers and reposting profiles is especially powerful. Not only will you get exposure to their followers, but they can also help promote your content to their audience. To build a relationship with influencers, start by engaging with their content regularly. Leave meaningful comments, share their posts with your followers and mark them. Over time, reach out to them through direct messages to see if they’re interested in collaborating with you for example, in doing a collab post. A very good example is Swiss_beautiful who grew his profile in just 6 months to almost 3 million followers.
Remember, building relationships takes time and effort, but it can pay off big time in terms of increased exposure and followers. So start commenting, building relationships and watch your following grow!
Do collabposts with niche relevant persons or repost profiles
Have you considered doing collab posts with niche-relevant individuals or reposting profiles on your Instagram? This can be a great way to reach new followers and expand your reach.
By partnering with others in your industry or niche, you can tap into their existing following and introduce yourself to their audience. This can help you reach potential followers who may not have discovered you otherwise.
In terms of reposting profiles, this can help you share valuable content from others and give them a shoutout. This can not only help you build relationships with others in your niche, but it can also provide valuable content for your own followers to enjoy.
So why not give it a shot? Reach out to some relevant individuals or profiles and see if you can collaborate on a post. This can be a great way to build your following and connect with others in your industry. In order to increase your success rate be sure to first engage a while (2 weeks till 1-2month) before asking and not beeing too offensive.
Advertise your most viral content (paid posts with Instagram Ads)
Advertising your most viral content is an excellent way to reach a wider audience, get more engagement, and ultimately, gain more followers. The key is to know what your audience loves, what resonates with them, and what keeps them coming back for more.
First, you’ll want to identify what content is already performing well for you. Check your analytics to see which posts are generating the most engagement and reach. This will give you an idea of what kind of content to advertise.
Once you’ve identified your most viral content, you can use Instagram’s ad platform to promote it. Just create an ad campaign, select your target audience, and choose the content you want to promote. You can also use this as an opportunity to experiment with different ad formats, such as video, carousel, and story ads.
We only recommend to do that when you have content that was already reposted a lot. Otherwise it is a waste of money.
Post content from just 1 niche
Posting consistent content in just one niche is a great way to attract and retain followers on Instagram. When you consistently post about a specific topic, your followers come to expect that kind of content from you. This helps you build a strong and dedicated following of people interested in what you say about that particular niche.
We have observed a few profiles who have over 100k likes for their content and suddenly they shared an irrelevant sponsored post. What happened was, that the engagement dropped to less than 2000 likes! Moreover, if you post regularly irrelevant content, the Instagram algorithm will punish your account and drop the reach drastically.
Actively encourage your followers to subscribe to your account
Encourage your followers via Instagram Stories to subscribe to your Instagram account by having them click on the bell icon on the top right of your profile. This will ensure they receive notifications when you make new posts. As Instagram’s reach decreases every year, this is an effective way for followers to stay updated with your valuable content and get engagement.
Use geotags
By tagging your location, whether it’s the city you’re in or the venue where your photo or video was taken, you can make your posts and stories more discoverable in your region.
Not only does each location have its own Instagram feed, but it also has its own story and hashtags that you can contribute to when you use the location sticker in your stories.
If you’re a local business, you can really take advantage of location tags. By posting regularly to these feeds and engaging with posts from people in your area who might be potential customers, you can increase your visibility and reach on the platform. So, don’t forget to add a geotag next time you post!
Run a giveaway contest
Ever thought about running a giveaway contest on Instagram? Whether as a brand or as an influencer, it’s a great way to boost engagement, reach new followers, and even increase sales for your business.
The concept is simple – offer a prize or incentive to your followers, in exchange for completing certain actions such as following your account, tagging friends, or using a specific hashtag. This helps to spread the word about your brand and engage with a wider audience.
When running a giveaway, it’s important to set clear rules and guidelines, choose a prize that will appeal to your target audience, and promote the contest on all your social media channels. You can also collaborate with influencers or other businesses in your niche to reach a bigger audience and increase the visibility of your giveaway.
Overall, a giveaway contest can be a fun and effective way to boost your presence on Instagram and grow your following.
Ask your followers for more followers
Are you close on reaching a nice number like for example 1000, 5000, 10’000 or more followers ? Try to push your community and your fans to promote your account in their stories. You can tell them that you will repost their most beautiful post in your stories as well.
This could be a text you can post in your stories: I’ve been working hard on growing my Instagram account and I could use a little help from my friends. I’m so close to hitting 20k followers and it would mean the world to me if you could help me spread the word. All you have to do is share my account with your followers or share a post of mine on your story. I will repost my favorite post of yours in my story. Every little bit helps and I would be forever grateful. Thanks so much for your help!
For Brands Only: Work with influencers
Have you ever considered working with influencers to promote your brand on Instagram?
Influencer marketing has become a popular strategy for businesses to reach a larger audience and increase their brand awareness. By partnering with an influencer who has a following that aligns with your target audience, you can tap into their audience and gain new followers for your own account.
There are many different ways to collaborate with influencers. You could host a giveaway with them, create sponsored content together, or even just feature their product in one of your posts. The key is to find an influencer who truly resonates with your brand and whose audience is engaged and authentic.
Remember, the goal of working with influencers is not just to get more followers, but to also build relationships and connect with people who are passionate about your brand. So, why not give it a try and see what kind of results you can achieve?
Engage with your competitors followers
Have you ever considered reaching out to your competitors’ followers on Instagram? This can be a great way to tap into an already engaged audience who has shown an interest in products similar to yours.
One effective way to do this is by engaging with them. Whether it’s leaving comments on their posts, responding to their comments on your posts, or reaching out to them directly, any effort you make to connect with them will increase the chances of them following you and becoming a part of your audience.
Remember, the key to successfully stealing your competitors’ followers is to build a genuine relationship with them. So take your time and get creative with your engagement strategy. Who knows, this could lead to a whole new group of loyal followers for you!
Use niche relevant Hashtags
Another strategy that can be really effective is using niche relevant hashtags.
Hashtags help your content get discovered by people who are searching for or interested in that specific topic. So, when you use hashtags that are relevant to your niche, you increase the chances of your content being seen by the right people.
Here’s what you need to keep in mind when using hashtags:
- Use hashtags in each post. The number depends on the niche. You can’t go wrong between 5 and 20.
- Research popular and relevant hashtags in your niche and use those
- Create and use your own branded hashtags
- Don’t just use popular hashtags that have nothing to do with your content, as this can come across as spammy and hurt your credibility. Use a mixture between small hashtags (with less than 100k posts), medium hashtags (up to 500k posts) and big hashtags (500k+ posts). Please be aware that taking random hashtags is useless nowadays.
Also, don’t be afraid to experiment and switch things up! Try different combinations of hashtags and see what works best for you. And always remember, quality over quantity – using a few relevant hashtags is better than using a bunch of irrelevant ones.
So give it a shot and see how using niche relevant hashtags can help you gain more followers and reach your target audience!
Get the blue verified button
Getting your account verified on Instagram can add a special touch of credibility and authority to your brand. When users see that little blue check mark next to your username, they’ll know that you’re the real deal.
The verification process isn’t straightforward, but it’s definitely worth it. First, you’ll need to make sure your account is in good standing with Instagram’s community guidelines. That means no spammy behavior or inappropriate content.
Next, you’ll want to fill out your profile completely, including a profile picture and a bio that accurately describes who you are and what you do. This will help Instagram understand what your account is all about and why it deserves to be verified.
Finally, you’ll need to submit a verification request through the app. This can be done through the “Settings” section of your profile. Be sure to include a reason for why your account deserves verification, and provide any relevant documentation that proves your identity.
While getting verified isn’t easy, it’s a great way to show your followers and potential followers that you’re a legitimate and trustworthy account. So, if you’re up for the challenge, give it a try!
Bonus tip: If your account is verified you can comment on high-engagement and viral posts. Due to your popularity your comment will be on top of all other comments.
Use viral hacks – QR-Code on the car or shirt
Using viral hacks like QR codes on your car or shirt can be a creative and effective way to gain more exposure and drive more traffic to your Instagram account. QR codes are like a bridge between the physical and digital world, allowing people to quickly and easily access your account simply by scanning the code with their smartphone.
Having a QR code on your car or shirt makes it easy for anyone to follow you, even if they don’t have your username. It also provides a way for you to connect with people outside of the digital world, which can be a powerful way to build a following and increase engagement on your account.
To create your own QR code, you can use a free online QR code generator. Simply input your Instagram username and choose the design that best fits your brand. Then, you can print it out and place it on your car or shirt to start getting more followers and engagement.
By using a QR code as a viral hack, you can reach a wider audience, build brand awareness, and gain more followers, all while making it easier for people to connect with you and engage with your content.
Ask Questions In Your Posts to increase the engagement
Have you tried using questions and calls to action in your Instagram posts? It’s a simple yet effective way to increase engagement and build a deeper connection with your followers.
Asking questions in your captions can spark conversations and create a sense of community among your followers. The followers stay longer on your post which gives the algorithm the go that your post is interesting. It also gives you valuable insights into what they’re interested in and what they want to see more of.
Including calls to action (CTAs) in your posts can also drive action and increase engagement. For example, you can ask your followers to tag a friend, share their thoughts in the comments, or check out your latest blog post.
Don’t use too much text in the post (nor stories)
Did you know that using too much text in your Instagram posts can actually hurt your engagement? While you want to include a caption and relevant hashtags with each post, having large blocks of text on the actual images and videos can be overwhelming and off-putting to your followers. Furthermore, Facebook has a rule that you shouldn’t post more than 20% of the post with text.
Instead, try to keep the text on your photos and videos to a minimum. You can still convey important information in your caption or through a call-to-action. In fact, a strong CTA can encourage followers to interact with your post, boosting your engagement and reach.
So next time you post, think about the message you want to convey and how you can do it visually, rather than through a lot of text. Your followers will thank you!
Don’t use logos on your post
Have you ever noticed how some of the most engaging Instagram posts don’t have logos or watermarks on them? That’s because including logos and watermarks can detract from the overall look and feel of your content. Moreover, Instagram punishes the content. We have tried the experiment. While our posts got normally an average of around 8000 likes, a post with our website on the picture just got 1500 likes.
It’s important to remember that Instagram is all about visually-appealing content, and logos and watermarks can be distracting and take away from the impact of your image or video. This can cause users to scroll past your post more quickly, rather than stopping to engage with it.
