For most businesses and brands on social media, one of the biggest goals is to grow their following, but it’s not always easy to know how to get more Instagram followers.
Just because it isn’t easy, doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.
Let’s talk about how to increase your following starting today.
Why You Need To Grow Your Following On Instagram
Instagram is a marketing tool, and that means you’re probably using it to reach more people, promote your products or services and eventually convert them to customers.
The best way to create these conversions is by having more followers you can put great content in front of on a regular basis.
Here are 46 tips you can use to get more real followers.
How To Get More Followers By Using An Organic Instagram Growth Service
Using an organic growth service can help you gain followers in an authentic way so you know you’re gaining the right people.
1. Look For A Service That Uses The Liking Method
Now, there are some growth services that offer to send DMs, follow and unfollow people on behalf of your account, or even buy Instagram followers that are fake.
Avoid working with companies like that, as these tactics can often come across as spammy and leave a bad taste in the mouth of your potential followers.
These kinds of techniques will not help you get more followers on Instagram.
Kicksta uses the liking method to auto engage with other accounts on Instagram. After you create an account, you provide a list of target accounts of whose followers you’d like to connect with. This can be a list of competitors, complementary brands, influencers in your niche, etc. Then Kicksta like posts of the followers of the target accounts that you listed.
In turn, this organically sends those users to go check out your profile and decide on following you or not. You can set filters, and monitor your growth with analytics.
2. Use A Service That Focuses On Engagement Marketing
One of the best things about a quality Instagram growth service is that they’ll use engagement Instagram marketing tactics.
This is the easiest way to get more followers for Instagram, because you’re letting your potential followers decide whether or not they want to follow you. You’re leaving a little engagement, such as a like on a few of their posts, and then they can check you out and choose to follow.
3. Avoid Platforms That Make Promises
If you choose an Instagram growth platform that promises you a certain number of followers, you can be confident that many of those followers will be fake.
After all, no one can guarantee that a certain number of people will like and want to follow your account. Instead, understand that quality growth services will work on your behalf to automate your Instagram engagement marketing.
4. Use A Safe, U.S. Based Service
Kicksta is an organic Instagram growth that is based in San Diego, California.
We grow your followers using our proprietary AI-powered technology that has been developed over the last 5 years.
Unlike many of our competitors using foreign white-labeled technology, your account and data are secured within our U.S.-based servers and shared with no outside parties.
Our unique technology allows us to safely and securely connect to your Instagram account from a location near you, which eliminates the suspicious login attempts and blocks that are common with our competitors who connect from third-world countries.
How To Get More Followers By Optimizing Your Instagram Bio
If you’re wondering how to gain followers on Instagram, try starting with your Instagram bio. Your Instagram bio is one of the most important things to optimize to improve your presence on the platform.
5. Make Your Title Searchable
First of all, take advantage of the keyword-searchable portions of your bio. Most important is your “title.” This is where many people simply put their name, but by taking the chance to add something about your industry, business, or what you do, you can show up in searches for people looking for those particular keywords.
6. Optimize The Link In Your Bio
Secondly, make sure you’re completely making use of the link you have in your bio.
You only get one place to have a permanent link, so make it as effective as possible. It’s a good idea to use a link in bio tool so you can send people to a landing page that includes multiple links.
7. Use Your Highlights
Finally, make sure you’re using your highlights fully.
You can include quick links to things you don’t want to have to repeat all the time, give your followers and potential followers an overview of who you are, or include helpful step-by-step guides.
No matter how you choose to use your highlights, make sure you take advantage of these long-lasting snapshots.
How To Get More Followers With Better Content
Real talk: when you’re creating better content, you’ll attract more (and better) followers for Instagram. But how do you know what better content looks like?
We have tips for you.
8. Start With Good Quality Images
Whether you use photos, videos, or graphics on Instagram, you want to make it eye-catching. The whole purpose of the image is to stop your followers or potential followers from scrolling past your content.
9. Try Infographic Content
One way to get more followers for Instagram is by having your existing followers share your posts to their Stories or with their network.
Oftentimes people would rather share graphics with text on them, either as quotes or factual information, rather than just a pretty picture. Try it with your audience and see how they like it.
10. Test Different Kinds of Content
When it comes to the question of how to gain followers on Instagram, there’s no secret formula for the best kind of post. Instead, you need to test different combinations to see what resonates with your audience. Try photos of people, landscape pictures, quotes, infographics, videos…try everything you can think to try. Then, monitor your analytics and see what works best. Depending on your audience, this could help you figure out how to get more Instagram followers.
How To Get More Instagram Followers PDF Guide (Bonus Content)
Download this free guide on how to get real followers on Instagram in 2023. This 36-page PDF is loaded with actionable tips you can easily follow. Learn the most effective tactics on growing your Instagram following now!
Download PDF Guide
How To Get More Followers By Optimizing Your Instagram Captions
We covered how to make the visual element of your content better, so now let’s focus on your written captions.
11. Deliver Value In Your Captions
If you’re wondering how to get organic growth on Instagram, it’s time to look at your captions.
There are so many accounts on the platform that your potential followers could choose to follow. One of the best ways to attract people is by writing information they’ll find valuable.
This will be different for each audience. For some, it might need to be health facts, others might want tips for copywriting, still others will get value from the story of how you’ve been navigating homeschooling. Whatever you do, though, give your followers a substantial caption.
12. Test Different Caption Lengths
Valuable doesn’t always mean long. In some cases, Instagram users may want to read long captions.
Others likely prefer shorter, more to-the-point captions. You won’t know which is best for your audience until you start writing varying kinds of captions and testing them by looking at your analytics.
13. Strategically Create CTAs
Finally, look at your most recent posts and ask yourself: have you used strong calls-to-action? If not, you could be hurting your engagement and your follower growth. When users engage with your posts, it tells Instagram they’re valuable and should be shared with more people. Do yourself a favor and ask your audience to interact. Add a call to action that says “comment your favorite” or “like if you agree” or even “send this to a friend who needs to hear it.”
How To Get More Followers By Using Hashtags Wisely
It’s no secret that using hashtags is a great way to gain followers, but you’ll want to be strategic about how you actually use those hashtags. Here are a few tips.
14. Use About 30 Relevant Hashtags
Instagram allows you to use up to 30 hashtags, and generally, you want to try to get as close to that number as possible. However, you want to make sure these hashtags are relevant. Don’t use #icecream on a photo of a dog with a caption about your pet-sitting business. Instead, use a mixture of hashtags that relate to your photo, caption, and business.
15. Don’t Use Huge Hashtags
If you use hashtags that have a very large amount of posts, your post will likely get lost, and it won’t help you get more followers for Instagram. Stick with smaller hashtags that are slightly more niched down to reach your right audience. Generally avoid hashtags with over 300,000 posts.
16. Find Related Hashtags Easily
There are a few ways to find hashtags. One is to do like the photo above shows – begin to type in a hashtag in the Instagram search bar and see what suggestions appear. But that won’t help you find new, related hashtags. Instead, you’ll want to head to a hashtag generator to see more options.
How To Get More Followers Through Instagram Stories
It’s no secret that Instagram Stories are one of the most popular parts of the platform. Use that to your advantage.
17. Use Engagement Tools Well
With Stories, you’re given many ways to ask your viewers to engage with your Story. Use the question box, quiz, poll, or any other engagement sticker to increase engagement. When more people engage, Instagram will be more likely to share it with more people browsing the app.
18. Share Content Consistently
When people are considering whether or not to follow you, they’ll probably head to your Instagram Stories to see what kinds of content you post there. Make sure there’s always something interesting for them to see, whether it’s behind the scenes of your day, a quick burst of encouragement or a cute video of your dog.
19. Mix Up Your Story Content
Stories are great because you can easily show a real look into what’s happening right now. You can also be strategic and create Stories ahead of time that match your branding. This can be helpful if you’re launching a product or have something important you want to share. Mix up the kinds of content you’re publishing and your audience will love it.
How To Get More Followers Through Giveaways
Chances are high that you’ve seen some giveaways on Instagram, so let’s talk about the best way you can use them to get more followers on Instagram.
20. Choose The Prize Strategically
To make sure you’re attracting the right new followers, make sure your prize is associated with what your business does.
Everyone wants to enter to win cash or an iPad. Only people who are interested in what your business does will want to enter a giveaway to win a free month of your service or a trial of your product.
21. Make Following You Part Of The Entry
Your giveaway, your rules. To grow your following on Instagram, you’ll want to make sure that part of the criteria for entry involves following you. You can even make it a bonus and ask that they tag someone who also needs to be following you to be entered.
22. Consider Partnering With Other Brands
You can run a successful giveaway on your own, but you can quickly reach a larger audience by partnering with another complementary brand. Just make sure that the criteria say that entrants must be following both of you in order to win!
How To Get More Followers By Partnering With Influencers
Influencers are one of the best ways to grow your following on Instagram, so start working on an influencer Instagram marketing strategy.
23. Decide On Your Goals
Most likely your goal is to grow your following, but decide how much you want to grow your following. Then, you can express that goal to the influencer you want to work with, and they can know what success in this partnership looks like for you.
24. Don’t Forget Micro-Influencers
Micro-influencers have smaller followings, but typically those followings are more loyal.
The influencer is able to have a more personal relationship with their followers, which means those followers are more likely to do what they suggest.
25. Pitch A Strategy, Tweak Together
This is especially important if you’re new to working with influencers. You’ll want to create a strategy and plan beforehand so you have something to pitch, but be ready to adjust based on their feedback. Chances are they’ve worked with brands before, so they’ll likely have a good insight into what makes a good campaign.
How To Get More Followers By Figuring Out The Best Time To Post
By posting at the best time each day, you’ll improve your chances of having people see and engage with your posts, which shows Instagram that they’re valuable.
26. Look At Analytics
As with most things on social media, the best time to post depends on your specific audience. Check out your analytics and see when your audience is most active on the platform, and plan your posts accordingly. Understanding your posts is one of the key parts of understanding how to get more Instagram followers.
27. Experiment With Different Times
You might have a few days or times that all work out fairly similarly. Don’t be discouraged. Instead, try posting at a different time each day and see which posts get more engagement. Experimentation helps you figure out how to get more Instagram followers. Test strategically so you know you’ll be able to find good information. Below are the global best times to post on Instagram that you can test as well.
28. Consider Time Zones
Another thing to watch for when choosing the best time to post is time zones. Just because you’re located in one particular time zone, doesn’t necessarily mean that your ideal followers are in that same time zone (unless you’re a local business). So, try to post in the most popular, ideal time zone for your audience.
How To Get More Followers By Using User-Generated Content
Did you know your followers can help you get more followers? The secret lies in user-generated content (UGC). Here’s how it can work.
29. Host A Contest
The whole goal of UGC is to have your followers, customers and fans create content about your brand that you can repost on your page. If they’re already doing that, great! If not, you can host a contest that asks them to create content about your product. You can offer a prize, but for some people, being featured on your page will be prize enough.
30. Create A Hashtag
If your audience is already posting about you, create a hashtag they can use to keep all of these user-generated posts together. This way you can easily search through and find posts to republish. Many people trust UGC more than posts created by brands because they trust other people’s opinions, so it’s a great way to help you get more followers on Instagram.
31. Start Reposting
Once your audience is beginning to create content for you, it’s time to start sharing it. This will help create more buzz around UGC in general, and it will show potential followers that you care about your audience enough to republish their content. As people start seeing and engaging with these reposts, you might see that this is how to get more Instagram followers for your brand.
How To Get More Followers Through IGTV
IGTV is Instagram’s long-form video option. It’s a great place to share interviews, long tutorials or even Q&A sessions.
32. Repurpose Other Videos
If you’re already creating content for YouTube or other video platforms, consider reusing that content for IGTV. This is especially true for videos that talk about who your company is, since that can help potential followers connect with your brand and mission and can help them decide if they want to follow you.
33. Film Vertically For Instagram
Whether you’re creating an IGTV-only video or editing an existing video, make sure you optimize it for Instagram. That means you’ll need it to be vertical. This is critical to creating the best impression possible for potential followers. It might not bother some people, but it could be enough to send someone else away.
34. Promote Your IGTVs
When you create an IGTV, make sure people know about it. Promote it in your Stories and on your feed. Use hashtags and put keywords in your caption. Make sure that people can find it so it can help you increase your following.
How To Get More Followers Through Instagram DMs
Instagram direct messages are often overlooked, and they can be incredibly helpful in turning potential followers into followers. Here are a few tips for you as you test and try different ways to discover how to get more Instagram followers.
35. Encourage People To DM You
In your captions, your Stories or on your Instagram Lives, ask people to send you a direct message. Invite them to have a conversation with you anywhere you can. You can also reach out and DM people who engage with your polls and other stickers in your Stories.
36. Have A Conversation
When you’re in your DMs with someone focus on having a conversation with them. Right now, you aren’t trying to pitch them anything. You simply want to share your knowledge and get to know them. That will often pique their interest enough to follow you.
37. Send Helpful Links
You can send links in your DMs, and while that might not always be helpful, there are times when it can be. For example, if they ask you a question about something you covered in-depth in a blog post, you can give them a couple of sentences as an answer, and then a link to the blog post. This shows that you’re there to serve them as well as you can.
How To Get More Followers Through Paid Promotion
Ads on Instagram are a great way to get your business in front of new people and help you get more followers on Instagram.
38. Experiment With Different Placements
On Instagram, you can put your ads in Stories or in the feed. You’ll want to test both and see which gives you a better return on investment for your brand. Just because Stories are very popular for many people doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll be better for you. Test, evaluate and make changes as necessary and you’ll work out how to get more Instagram followers.
39. Try Different Kinds Of Ads
There are so many different kinds of ads, especially for feed ads. You can create videos, use multiple images, a single image, a collection and more. Again, the best way to handle this is by testing so you can know what resonates with your ideal audience.
40. Add A Link To Your Page
You can add links to paid posts, but they don’t have to lead off of Instagram. If your primary goal is increasing your followers, your link can lead to your profile so they can hit that follow button. Of course, if you’d rather send them off the platform for some reason, you can do that, too.
How To Get More Followers Through Instagram Reels
Instagram Reels is the platform’s answer to TikTok. These short videos are taking the Internet by storm, so get ready to have some fun with them. They might even be the answer to how to get more Instagram followers.
41. Start Experimenting With Reels
This might sound like a lame tip, but hear us out. Instagram is currently boosting Reels on the explore page and in searches to better compete with TikTok. This means if you create a Reel and a typical feed post about the same topic, your Reel is more likely to be shown to new people. It’s worth trying, right?
42. Have Fun With It
Reels are meant to be fun pieces of content. Don’t spend too much time stressing over making it perfect. Instead, have some fun, do a little dance and share some valuable pieces of information. Then press publish and start planning your next Reel. You never know who’ll see it and be interested in following you.
43. Start With An Introduction
This is especially helpful for growing your following. When you create a Reel that acts as an introduction, not only are you increasing the chances it’ll be shown to more people, but it also gives you somewhere to refer new followers to as they join your page. You can always re-share a link to it in your Stories to promote it again. Introducing yourself might be the piece that was missing as you’ve tried to figure out how to get more Instagram followers.
How To Get More Followers Through Instagram Takeovers
If you’re wondering how to gain followers on Instagram, give Instagram takeovers a try. Takeovers are a great way to expand your reach on the platform. Here are three ways to make the most of the opportunity.
44. Partner With An Influencer
Influencers can be great at Instagram takeovers because they’re becoming a popular method of promotion. You’ll want to choose an influencer who knows what they’re doing. They’ll come on your page and take over your Instagram Stories for the day to share the behind-the-scenes of their day or how they use your product or service, hopefully bringing their followers with them.
45. Internal Takeovers
Another takeover option is to have someone internally run the takeover. This is a good way to attract new followers, especially if your staff member or contractor has a decent-sized following of their own to promote the takeover to before it happens. Maybe for your potential audience seeing someone else from your brand is important. Then you’ll know that’s how to get more Instagram followers.
46. Promote The Takeover
Speaking of promotion, to make sure it’s a success, both you and the person who’s taking over your account should promote the takeover leading up to the big event. Then, they can even promote it on their page while the takeover is happening to ensure their followers come check it out and don’t miss anything.
Get More Instagram Followers: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get more followers on Instagram for free?
One of the best ways to get more followers on Instagram is through engagement marketing. This means you’ll need to reach out and interact with potential followers so they can see that your account exists. You could also do things like use targeted hashtags or create engaging content your followers will want to share with others.
How can I get 1000 followers on Instagram?
Unfortunately, there’s no quick way to get more followers on Instagram, and certainly not 1,000. Instead, you’ll want to use good, quality tactics like creating good CTAs or partnering with an influencer to help fuel your growth.
How can I get more followers on Instagram fast?
If you really want to gain more Instagram followers quickly, try using Instagram growth tools, like Kicksta. You’ll still be using real, organic methods of attracting followers, you’ll just have a little help to actually do the work. This is a great time-saving way to grow your following.
Follower Growth On Instagram In 2024
So there you have it: 46 different tips you can use to increase your following on Instagram in 2024.
We covered a lot of tactics today, so there’s sure to be something you can start implementing right now. Maybe it’s writing a post that has an awesome call-to-action or creating your first Instagram Reels post. No matter what it is, it’s time to get started.
When you start creating you can start testing. When you start testing you’ll be one step closer to learning how to get more Instagram followers for your brand.
Bonus Content
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