How to build a personal instagram following

17 Ways to Get More Followers on Instagram (2023)

Instagram can be a highly targetable, visual marketing channel for your brand and an opportunity to build a loyal audience that grows with your business.

In fact, more than 500 million Instagram users browse the app every day, making it home to some of the most engaged audiences around.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to grow your Instagram follower profile and increase engagement, while growing a massive following over time—one that’s full of real fans, not bots or fake followers.

17 ways to get more Instagram followers

Incorporate Reels into your content mix
Cross-promote content
Curate your profile grid
Work with brand ambassadors
Get follows from your loyalty program
Market through your personal Instagram account
Get on feature accounts
Use the right hashtags
Post at the right times
Steal your competitors' followers
Pay for sponsored posts and product reviews
Use geotags to boost local discovery
Organize your Stories in highlights
Ask for more followers
Run a giveaway
Share user-generated content
Use Instagram Live

Let’s dive deeper into how to implement each tactic to get more Instagram followers.

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1. Incorporate Reels into your content mix

Reels are fun videos you can share with followers on your Instagram account. They have audio, effects, and creative tools. You can share them on your feed and publicly in Instagram Explore to reach new audiences.

Reels are new territory for brands. Kristie Dash, Instagram’s beauty partnerships manager, stated in a Glossy forum that there isn’t one formula for success with Reels. However, she does suggest the following tips to gain traction:

Keep content unique and trend-driven. Identify trends on Instagram and TikTok and put your own spin on them. This increases the chance your Reels will go viral and get in front of new people.
Make content relatable and simple. Not every Reel needs to be a production. Lower quality videos can perform as well as, if not better than, highly produced Reels.
Educate your audience. Find the balance between education and entertainment in your Reels.

Reels should be a huge priority for you right now. It’s prime real estate for your brand to be discovered by new followers.
—Kristen Dash, Beauty Partnerships Manager, Instagram

Trilce Jirón Garro, owner of social media marketing agency TBS Marketing, agrees. “Don’t sell your products through Reels content,” she says. “Share facts. Provide tips about the industry you’re in. Entertain viewers.”

Trilce suggests that both new and existing brands incorporate entertaining Reels into their Instagram strategy. “Reels give anyone the opportunity to reach new target audiences,” she says. “There’s no learning curve because Reels content is lo-fi. And creators can produce community-driven content that builds trust, gains followers, and makes sales over time. ”

Trilce also loves the Instagram Insights Tool introduced for Reels. “Reels have become an integrated part of any Instagram marketing strategy,” she says. “Analytics tools for Reels have made it easy to track metrics and analyze data to see if your Reels are working. Now, you can understand exactly what your audience likes and dislikes, when to post Reels, and what calls to action resonate with viewers.”

Using Reels Insights, you can see patterns and understand different spikes in engagement that affect your visibility on the platform. That way, you can create higher-quality content that gets even more engagement and followers.

Need help creating a Reels strategy? Read How to Use Instagram Reels to Market Your Shopify Store to learn more.

2. Cross-promote content

Cross-promoting involves posting similar content across various social media channels. It’s a tactic used to save time and resources. It’s also effective at increasing brand awareness and growing an audience on Instagram.

Mobile users are spending an increasing amount of time with video and entertainment apps, with video content on social media platforms accounting for the biggest increase. Whether it’s a short-form video or lengthy tutorial, you want to improve the reach of your Instagram content.

Justin Bieber’s holiday dance challenge is a great example of successful cross-posting. During the 2020 holiday season, the Canadian singer posted the same dance challenge on both TikTok and Instagram. On TikTok, his video short received 9.8 million likes. The same content on Instagram received 4.8 million likes. While some users may overlap, others likely use just one of these services. Thus, Bieber was able to reach more people just by posting the same video on two different platforms.

Nadya Okamoto, founder of lifestyle period brand August, has found that TikTok naturally cross-pollinates to Instagram and YouTube. In an interview with Modern Retail she said, “As we’ve grown on TikTok from August, we’ve also grown to 175,000 followers on Instagram. ” Actively posting on multiple platforms has “affected our overall cost of acquisitions to be super effective,” allowing the brand to steer away from paid media as a main acquisition channel.

TikTok isn’t the only channel you can cross-post on. The Instagram Reels format translates well to YouTube Shorts and Pinterest Stories. It’s important to note that Instagram’s algorithm won’t promote Reels that have a TikTok watermark. So if you’re going to cross-post content from Instagram to other channels, ensure the content is high quality and doesn’t promote a competing platform through watermarks.

3. Curate your profile grid

Most of your Instagram followers won’t follow you for what you posted in the past but for the promise of what you’ll post in the future. Your audience wants to know what they’re going to get if they hit that Follow button.

Having a feed with a consistent posting schedule and theme can have just as much of an impact in growing a following as many of the other growth strategies we’ve covered above. Even a simple pattern can entice new followers, as long as it’s communicated at first glance to anyone who lands on your profile.

Consider your Instagram bio and your last nine posts as your first impression on Instagram. Do they effectively communicate some degree of consistency through personality, filters, colors, or layout? Does the clickable link send people to the same homepage every week or are you linking out to fun and exciting content too?

The layout of your grid is an often underestimated way to get creative with the aesthetic of your feed while adding a rhythm to your publishing strategy and consistency that’s worth following.

In fact, many accounts that adopt this approach often are able to spend less effort on creating content by focusing on converting visitors into followers, producing text graphics or other content with a faster turnaround, and streamlining the overall production of their Instagram content.

You can use a tool like Later to easily plan out and schedule Instagram posts to create the look and layout of your feed. Letterfolk is just one example of how far some brands go with the aesthetic of their Instagram layout.

Your feed serves as the billboard for your brand. It’s a customer’s first touchpoint with you and captures the essence of your brand.
—Trilce Jiron, TBS Marketing

4. Work with brand ambassadors

Don’t want to pay the celebrity influencer big bucks to market your brand? Work with brand ambassadors who have anywhere from a couple hundred to a few thousand followers. Ambassadors are people who genuinely support and believe in your brand and will tell their friends about it.

Luxury shoe retailer Sarah Flint reports seeing success with its brand ambassador program, which has more than 500 women as members. Each ambassador has their own unique discount code, which gives them a free pair of Sarah Flint shoes after five new customers use it.

Ambassadors like Holly Hollon attest to the quality and comfort of the brand’s shoes. Her Instagram posts are authentic and relatable to regular Sarah Flint shoppers. This helps the brand grow its Instagram following and earn sales.

5. Get follows from your loyalty program

Retailers are increasingly launching loyalty programs, repeatedly encouraging consumers to shop with their brand over another. It’s worked for brands like Sephora and Blume. One way brands are capitalizing on loyalty programs is by rewarding those who follow them on Instagram.

When luxury retailer Rebecca Minkoff launched its rewards program, RM Rewards, it gave shoppers the option to earn points by following the brand’s Instagram account. Brands like Blume are also finding the value in rewarding Instagram followers. Program members can earn Blume Bucks for becoming a friend on Instagram versus Facebook or Twitter.

6. Market through your personal Instagram account

Another popular way to increase your Instagram following is growing your personal account—basically, make yourself the influencer. Harnessing both the company account and your personal account can increase brand recognition, follower counts, and sales. Pro tip: You can also run this playbook on TikTok to improve your numbers.

It’s a tactic that works well for fashion label ANINE BING. In addition to the brand’s Instagram profile, the company’s founder also drives engagement and awareness through her personal Instagram page, which has more than one million followers.

Anine invites followers into her design studio, takes them through the design process, and even gets feedback from followers throughout the creative process. Anine also shares a bit about her personal life and milestones, giving followers a peak behind the curtains of their favorite designer’s life.

7. Get on feature accounts

Instagram feature accounts are pages that curate the best content in a specific niche. They are like the “best of” photo journals for an industry. Some feature accounts have a massive following. If you get placement on the account, it can send new Instagram followers to your profile.

There are feature accounts for every niche: travel, fashion, photography, and more. For example, @discoverearth curates adventurous travel content from around the world for more than 6.6 million followers.

8. Use the right hashtags

Your goal on Instagram is to engage your current audience on a regular basis while also growing your number of real followers. Posting new, interesting, and engaging photos will satisfy the first requirement, but to begin growing you’ll find hashtagging your photos extremely important. Hashtagging makes it easy for people searching for specific terms to find your photos.

So which hashtags should you use? Just like with Twitter and other social sites, users on Instagram choose certain hashtags over others. If you use popular Instagram hashtags within your photos, you’re much more likely to reach new users and be discovered.

At the time of this writing, these were the top 20 hashtags on Instagram:

#love
#instagood
#fashion
#photooftheday
#beautiful
#art
#photography
#happy
#picoftheday
#cute
#follow
#tbt
#followme
#nature
#like4like
#travel
#instagram
#style
#repost
#summer

If you looked at this list and said, “But none of those apply to my products or brand,” you’re likely correct.

Using hashtags is one thing; using the right tags is something else.

Popular tags like the ones listed above will likely net you additional engagement and likes. However, they won’t lead to increased long-term engagement from relevant users, new followers, or, most importantly, sales.

If you want to tag your photos properly, you’ll need to find and use the most relevant hashtags. This means doing the appropriate research to make sure you’re using hashtags that not only describe your brand but that are also being searched for on Instagram.

You can use a free online tool like IconoSquare or Webstagram to find relevant, related, and popular hashtags by searching for key hashtags closely related to your brand.

For instance, if you have a men’s accessory business, you can use the hashtag #MensFashion in Webstagram to pull the following list of additional keyword hashtags, along with the number of times they have been used (i.e., their popularity).

You can also find more related hashtags and their popularity if you search for any of your target keywords directly in the Instagram app.

You’ll want to go through this exercise trying different keywords that describe your brand and products, building out your hashtag keyword list as you go.

Keep in mind that Instagram allows for a maximum of 30 hashtags per post. Additionally, the popular words will change over time: make sure you revisit your hashtag keywords every few months so you’re using the best possible terms.

You can also steal hashtag ideas from competitors or similar accounts that have the kind of following you aspire to, but, ultimately, you want to create your own groups of hashtags that relate to your specific account.

Pro tip #1: For every product and product category in your store, research the most popular related Instagram hashtags. Use this research to compile a list of 15 to 20 popular hashtags for each category of products, as well as a base of five to 10 popular tags that describe your brand and product offering. Finally, create a list of location-specific hashtags that relate to your brand.

For example:

Brand keyword hashtags

#mybrandname #mensfashion #mensaccessories #mensgoods #fashion #mensstyle #instafashion #menswear

Product category keyword hashtags

#bugatchisocks #happysocks #corgisocks #socks #sockswag #socksoftheday #sockgame #sockswagg #socksofinstagram #happysockday #sockwars #funsocks #happysockday

Location-specific keyword hashtags

#Toronto #TorontoFashion #TorontoFashionBloggers

Store these groups of keyword hashtags in a convenient location like Evernote or Google Drive. This makes it easy to post a new Instagram image optimized for the most relevant keywords when you’re on the go. Some Instagram scheduling tools also let you save caption templates for storing your hashtag groups.

Doing the work of researching, organizing, and saving the most applicable and popular hashtags upfront will save you a ton of time down the road, increase your engagement, and help garner new followers.

Pro tip #2: If you’ve been posting to Instagram for a while and feel you’ve missed out on all these opportunities to build your audience using keyword hashtags, fret not. You can still go back and post a comment with your new hashtag keyword lists and watch the likes and followers roll in.

Using hashtags in Instagram stories

Hashtagging on Instagram posts is a given, but you should also be using hashtags in your Stories for the chance to be seen by users who follow that specific hashtag.

You can use hashtag stickers (which can be found in the Instagram Stickers menu when creating a Story) or just hashtag directly in your post captions for a chance to be featured in a hashtag story.

Now that users can follow hashtags, your Stories on Instagram have a chance to be seen by both people who are following that hashtag and anyone who’s just checking it out.

9. Post at the right times

Beyond adding the appropriate hashtags and using the best filters to get more Instagram followers, you should also consider the timing of your posts.

A targeted approach involves analyzing what has and has not worked for you in the past. By visiting IconoSquare’s optimization section, you can get a detailed analysis of your posting history versus engagement. This report will also highlight the best times of the day and days of the week to post.

The dark circles indicate when you usually post media. The light gray circles show when your community has been interacting. The biggest light gray circles represent the best times for you to post.

You can also get a lot of great insight for free from Instagram analytics for business accounts, found under the Followers section.

You may want to consider using a social media scheduling tool to automatically publish your posts when your audience is the most engaged.

10. Steal your competitors’ followers

One of the best ways to find and attract a new following is by seeking out your closest competitors’ Instagram accounts and engaging with their audiences. These people have already shown some level of interest in the products you carry simply by following your competitors.

So how do you effectively steal your competitors’ followers? By engaging with them. There are several ways to engage with Instagram users, and the more work you put in, the more followers and repeat engagement you’ll get out of it.

The three types of engagement on Instagram are:

Follow a user
Like a photo
Comment on a photo

Don’t be afraid to use an emoji or two to add some personality to your text.

11. Pay for sponsored posts and product reviews

All this optimized posting to your account is great, but if you really want to increase Instagram followers, you need to take advantage of influencer marketing and expose your brand to a wider audience.

So, how do you do that? First, unlike the tactics to grow Instagram followers mentioned above, this one usually isn’t free. However, if done correctly, it’s of good value.

To get started, you’ll need to make a list of large accounts in your niche. For example, if you sell beauty products, you’ll want to find large accounts from beauty bloggers.

You may already be following these accounts, but if not, you’ll need to find them. One of the best ways is by using Webstagram to search for some of the best hashtag keywords you’ve uncovered. When you do a search for your keywords, you’ll see any related keywords, along with the top Instagram accounts that feature those keywords.

There are a couple of things to look for in the profiles results:

A large following (usually 20,000 to 200,000)
An email address in the profile

If there is an email address in the profile, it usually means the account is open to sponsored posts or a shoutout in a sponsored Story.

You’ll want to email and ask their sponsored post pricing. While this differs from influencer to influencer, you’ll likely find the average rate to be anywhere from $20 to $50 per post, depending on the size of the following.

If you’re selling a unique and original product, you may also want to consider sending your product for the influencer to review and post. Usually, the more natural and less advertisement-like the image, the greater the engagement and response.

You don’t necessarily need influencers with a massive following to get more followers on Instagram, but rather ones with a high engagement rate (likes and comments relative to follower count), which many influencer marketplaces can provide.

12. Use geotags to boost local discovery

Besides hashtags, you can also make your Instagram posts and Stories discoverable by tagging your location—either the city you’re in or the venue where the photo or video was taken.

Locations not only have their own Instagram feed but also their own Story, and hashtags you can contribute to when you use the location sticker in your own Stories.

Local businesses can get the most value out of location tags by posting regularly to these feeds and also engaging with posts from prospective customers who are physically in the vicinity.

13. Organize your Stories into Highlights

Whenever a potential follower lands on your business profile, you have a short span of time to convince them to follow you.

One way to do this is by using the Highlights feature on your profile to organize your Instagram Stories in a way that communicates what your account is about.

Since Stories have a 24-hour lifespan, Highlights can be used to give them a second life and entice others to follow you so they don’t miss out on more Stories in the future.

Use Story Highlights to grow Instagram followers by:

Creating trailers that tease what your account is about
Organizing your Stories into themes (like countries you’ve visited, for travel accounts)
Explaining your products through pictures and videos

14. Ask for more followers

It sounds obvious, but it deserves to be said: Don’t be afraid to occasionally ask your target audience to follow you.

The same way YouTubers ask their viewers to follow them at the end of their videos, you can also ask viewers to follow you for more content.

Sometimes people might really enjoy what you put out on Instagram but need a nudge before they actually follow you.

You can also do this in your Instagram captions: work it into your content by pitching what your audience will get if they follow you or by hinting at content that’s coming up that they won’t want to miss.

15. Run a giveaway

One of the best kinds of comments you can get on any social media post, not just Instagram, is when one user tags a friend. Not only do these comments contribute to your post’s engagement, which in turn makes it favorable to the Instagram algorithm, but each tag brings you a new audience member who arrived through a recommendation and who you could potentially win over as a follower.

One way to encourage this behavior is by posting relatable content that begs for one-to-one sharing (e.g., a gym meme that asks you to tag a friend who skips leg day). But a more reliable way is by running a giveaway that encourages your audience to tag a friend and follow your account.

Follow Instagram’s promotion guidelines and any legal requirements for running an Instagram contest that applies in your country of operation.

For inspiration, here’s an example of a successful product giveaway from Philip Kingsley that incentivizes people to follow its account and tag a friend for the chance to win a collection.

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16. Share user-generated content

User-generated content (UGC) is any type of content—such as videos, photos, reviews, audio, and more—that you curate from fans or followers. It’s an essential tool in your marketing arsenal for gaining followers on Instagram. UGC helps humanize your brand by featuring real people, with real stories that show your product in real life, and builds a more trusting relationship with potential customers.

Not only does your audience love their 15 minutes of fame on your Instagram feed, featuring them also helps drive more sales in your online store. According to research from Olapic, consumers today are 56% more likely to buy something after seeing a photo of the product shared by customers.

Take Fashion Nova, for example. The online retailer’s Instagram account relies heavily on user-generated content.

Fashion Nova’s user-generated content gives it access to thousands of pictures from people all over the world to share with its target audience—pictures that both showcase the brand’s values and inspire followers to engage with the brand’s posts and buy the clothes real people are wearing.

When it comes to creating user-generated content for your online store, start by asking customers to share their favorite experiences and images with your products by:

Creating a branded hashtag feed where customers can post images
Adding a call to action in your Instagram bio
Running a contest
Reaching out to influencers
Adding an “ask” for user-generated content in your packaging

Remember, the goal of UGC is to show an authentic view of your products. If some customers send you lower-quality photos that still highlight your products’ best features, don’t be afraid to use them.

17. Use Instagram Live

Live video is the key to running a successful marketing strategy on any social media platform. With Instagram, you can use Instagram Live to stream videos to your followers and engage with them in real time.

When your brand starts a live video stream, a ring encases your profile picture in Instagram Stories to tell followers they can check it out. Followers also receive a notification when you start a live video. Once you finish your livestream, you can upload it to your Story for 24 hours.

Remember that Instagram Live is interactive. Your followers will probably comment while you’re live, so try to acknowledge their comments and find ways to get them to participate.

Some ways to gain more followers when using Instagram Live include:

Influencer takeovers
Hosting an AMA (ask me anything) or Q&A
Teasing a product launch or update
Hosting a talk show
Going behind the scenes on your operations
Sharing a current event
Running product tutorials

Building an Instagram growth strategy to drive followers

Growing your Instagram following isn’t always a numbers game. As with any social network, the most successful content strategy is being authentic and social.

If you focus on engagement, not just number of followers, Instagram can be a great home for your products and brand and can lead to a healthy stream of revenue for your ecommerce business. For more tips on turning this social media platform into a profitable channel, check out our guide on how to make money on Instagram.

Illustration by Eugenia Mello

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How to get more followers on Instagram FAQ

How do you get more followers on Instagram for free?

Find and use popular hashtags related to your photo, product, or brand.
Create your own branded hashtag.
Use hashtags in Stories.
Create Instagram Reels.

How can I increase my followers on Instagram?

Use the right Instagram hashtags.
Steal your competitors’ followers.
Use geotags on Instagram posts.
Organize Stories into Highlights.
Post user-generated content.
Collaborate with other brands.
Post at the best times.
Use Instagram analytics tools.
Publish Instagram Reels.
Livestream on Instagram Stories.

Get More Real Instagram Followers in 10 Steps

Instagram is the foundation of so many brands’ social presence. The platform is proven to drive traffic, support sales and engage customers.

And that’s why 59% of marketers plan to up their investment in Instagram this year.

But if you’re not thrilled with your Instagram growth and engagement, you’re not alone.

Competition on the platform is fierce as more and more brands get on board. Thing is, taking steps to grow your audience is absolutely worth it. That’s because the bigger your audience, the more opportunities to delight your customers.

Ready to tweak your presence to attract authentic and organic Instagram followers? This post breaks down how to make it happen.

10 ways to increase Instagram followers

Before we get into the nitty-gritty, this post is about building an organic following.

And yes, the distinction matters!

Some brands want to take shortcuts when it comes to trying to get more Instagram followers. We don’t pretend that pay-for-play sites exist.

That said, these services aren’t worth it for brands long-term. The Instagram algorithm weeds out low-quality accounts and phony engagement from paid bots.

But we’ll bite: there’s definitely some legwork involved in growing your audience authentically.

Doing so it worth totally worth it, though. Below are our ten best tips for getting more Instagram followers the right way.

1. Optimize your Instagram account

Before you worry about how to get followers, consider how your Instagram account is set up first.

Ask yourself: does your profile “look the part?” For starters, consider your:

Your Instagram bio (including your slogan, tagline and/or a branded hashtag)
Your profile picture
Your bio link (and where it points to)

These details define your brand identity on Instagram. More importantly, they impact your account’s discoverability. Building a follower-friendly account means:

Having a search-friendly username. Stick to either your brand name or whatever’s closest to your existing social handles. If your name is too long, shorten it to a variation your audience would recognize (ex: Cold Stone Creamery’s account is @coldstone).
Making your profile picture professional. An appropriately-sized logo is ideal. Any text in your profile picture should be legible on a smartphone screen.
Minding where you point your bio link. This is crucial for turning Instagram followers into meaningful traffic or customers. It’s your only way to funnel social traffic to your site and promotions.

Linking to your homepage is fine but not always ideal. To encourage more meaningful interactions, a social landing page that points to multiple links can help.

This gives your audience total control of how they engage your business next. That means a better experience for your followers.

The best way to optimize your account is to follow a proven Instagram marketing strategy. Download our free guide to get started.

2. Keep a consistent content calendar

Momentum matters on Instagram. In other words, you likely won’t get followers on Instagram if you post at random.

Creating content and providing value is what builds your audience. Doing so consistently is what helps you keep them. Don’t let your Instagram account gather cobwebs.

That’s why sticking to a regular posting schedule is crucial. In terms of when and how much to post, you don’t have to stick to a set-in-stone number. Most brands post daily or near daily. This tracks our own research on how often to post as well.

For reference, below is a breakdown of the best times to post to Instagram. “Optimal” engagement is during the mid-to-late morning and early afternoons during the week.

If you’re worried about your posts not getting seen enough, we get it. Consider how features like Stories can get more eyes on your content if it wasn’t seen the first time.

3. Schedule Instagram posts in advance

There’s no denying that brands are at the mercy of the Instagram algorithm for reach. Still, posting at the right times can still give your posts more visibility. Anything you can do to maximize engagement is a plus.

This speaks to the value of scheduling Instagram content. With Sprout’s newest tools, brands can schedule Stories, Carousels, Reels and Posts.

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.

You can also use Sprout’s ViralPost feature to nail down your timing, too. Our platform analyzes your engagement history and identifies the best times to post.

Perfect your Instagram content plan with Sprout Social

In addition to scheduling a complete picture of your Instagram content calendar, Sprout offers even more features to perfect your brand’s feed.

Share IG-approved visuals with your team using our Asset Library, or test out our grid preview feature to make sure every aspect of your presence is true to your brand style.

Get a hands-on look at these features and more with a 30-day free trial of Sprout.

4. Engage with customers, brand advocates and influencers

Figuring out how to get more Instagram followers means engaging your audience.

And one of the best ways to do that is through responding to and republishing their posts.

Enter the power of user-generated content. UGC campaigns build social proof by showing followers you’re invested in them. For example, Drunk Elephant regularly regrams their followers’ posts. They gather content with their #BareWithUs and #DrunkBreak hashtags.

Partnering with influencers with an established following is another way to grow your own audience. Content creators can get your brand in front of your target audience and build ongoing awareness for your products.

5. Avoid fake Instagram followers

There’s a big difference between fake and legitimate followers on Instagram.

We get it, too. For the sake of quick growth, it might be tempting to purchase followers.

But the drawbacks outweigh the benefits 100%. Why? Because fake Instagram followers…

Confuse your potential organic followers. An inactive, low-engagement account with a big following is suspicious. This can be a turn-off for fans that’d otherwise follow you and engage.
Provide no monetary value to your business. Think about it. Your bot followers can’t buy your stuff, can they?
Generate no buzz: If you have 10,000 fake followers, how many are going to engage with your posts? Does it really even matter if your posts are brimming with spam comments?

Real people have the ability to share, like, comment and engage with your Instagram posts. Additionally, real followers actually appreciate the time you spend interacting with them.

For example, Lush Cosmetics takes the time to answer questions and engage followers all the time. This results in customers regularly returning to share shout-outs and positive comments.

6. Showcase your Instagram everywhere you can

Don’t be shy about promoting your Instagram if more followers are your goal.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to promoting your ‘gram, either. Here are a few ideas:

Add social media icons to your website and marketing emails. Social media icons make it easier for people to find your business and help you connect with customers.
Feature an Instagram feed on your homepage or product pages. Many ecommerce brands have dedicated UGC feeds on-site (see below).
Reshare Instagram-specific content or announcements on other social channels. For example, you could talk about an upcoming IG Live via TikTok or Facebook.

7. Post content that followers actually want to see

Easier said than done, we know.

Filters. Captions. Content types. Post times. That doesn’t even scratch the surface.

There are so many variables to consider, right? It doesn’t help that Instagram’s algorithm is fickle. What works for one brand might not work for the next in terms of format and timing.

For example, some brands swear by Carousels. Others are all-in on Reels. Both approaches can work. You’ll quickly find on Instagram that some content performs better than others. This is why testing is so important.

Instagram’s native analytics are surprisingly powerful. That said, investing in Instagram analytics tools will take things to the next level.

For example, Sprout makes it easy to benchmark and analyze Instagram content across accounts. Rather than second-guess what’s working and what’s not, our reporting spells it out for you.

Be confident in your content strategy by analyzing those variables we mentioned earlier.

And if you’re unsure where to start, try analyzing your competitors. A staggering 90% of brands say that social media data helps them keep up with competing social accounts.

You obviously shouldn’t copycat your competitors. That said, you can take notes on what they’re doing or posting that drives engagement. Sprout’s Instagram Competitors report can provide a breakdown of what’s working in your industry. A little competitive research can go a long way.

Oh, and keep your ear to the ground with new Instagram trends. That way you won’t miss out on platform-wide opportunities to hop on trending content formats.

For example, Reels are popping off right now. Our data shows that 66% of consumers want to see more short-form videos from brands. In terms of trends, Reels should be on your radar.

8. Make meaningful conversation with your audience

Food for thought: 60% of marketers use Instagram as a service channel.

The platform is perfect for going back and forth with followers. Likewise, many popular post ideas center around asking questions and engaging in a dialogue for a reason.

Off-the-cuff questions, shipping concerns or praise for products are all fair game from followers. Check out how Cometeer responds to all of the above on their Instagram posts:

Being supportive and responding promptly shows people that you care.

You’d be surprised at how your Instagram followers increase once you start acting more personable. Our Index research shows that 89% of consumers will buy from a brand after following them on social. Every interaction counts.

Again, try to respond to as many questions or comments as possible. Doing so could make or break someone becoming a long-term follower or a customer.

9. Find hashtags where your followers hang out

Instagram hashtags have been a staple of the platform, like, forever.

That said, they don’t hold as much weight as they used to.

Dumping hashtags into your posts isn’t going to net you any new followers. Especially when there’s so much noise on the platform.

Be proactive by focusing on industry-specific hashtags relevant to your customers. For example, Lashify regularly posts content to the #LashEducation hashtag. Tags are less general and competitive than #beauty. Becoming more visible within these types of tags is meaningful for brands in the right niche.

Understanding how your hashtags perform on Instagram is critical. With Sprout Social’s hashtag analytics tools, you have direct access to in-depth performance and usage data. Figuring out which hashtags to use is just a few taps away.

10. Take steps to delight your Instagram followers

When you make your Instagram followers happy, you’ll see the payoff in audience growth. The best Instagram accounts have fans and communities (hint: not just followers).

The tips below are the building blocks for a follower-friendly account. Put them into practice in a way that aligns with your brand voice and values. Avoid coming across as needy, solesy sales-driven or robotic at all costs.

So much of how to get Instagram followers for free is about creating an authentic community. For many accounts, this means building customer relationships. Content that highlights your personality and the humans behind your brand is a plus. This includes:

Inspirational content
Humorous content
Re-sharing UGC with unique captions
Storytelling posts
Behind-the-scenes photos and videos
Posts that raise awareness for social causes

How to get more Instagram followers (the wrong way!)

Disclaimer: Sprout Social does not endorse purchasing Instagram followers. We don’t recommend services that sell followings or “Likes.”

As the social space becomes more crowded and competitive, brands are willing to take risks for the sake of instant results.

We’ll say it again: brands shouldn’t buy Instagram followers. Nobody should!

Why you shouldn’t buy followers on Instagram

Here are some reasons why buying followers to grow your account is a serious mistake.

Your real followers know what fake followers look like

Social consumers are getting savvier. Privacy concerns and social scammers have made people hyper-aware of weird activity. In short, people today are spam-detectors.

A sudden follower spike is a red flag. Not to mention having bots stink up your account with endless spam followers. This all damages your reputation and keeps you from growing an authentic Instagram following.

Fake followers bring nothing to the table

You’re probably worried about your Instagram metrics and understandably so.

That said, your follower count doesn’t mean much if your “followers” don’t drive engagement. You might look “bigger” at a glance but who cares? Consider how your engagement rate on the platform will suffer if your follower count is inflated.

If nothing else, buying Instagram followers violates TOS

No surprises here.

Consider how Meta has taken direct action against buying engagement in the past. They’ve gone as far as to shut down companies that sell likes. That’s because this practice violates the platform’s terms of service:

Help us stay spam-free by not artificially collecting likes, followers, or shares, posting repetitive comments or content, or repeatedly contacting people for commercial purposes without their consent.

Platforms for buying Instagram followers

You shouldn’t risk your account or organic followers for the sake of boosting your numbers. But if you’re dead-set on trying an Instagram followers app, we can’t stop you.

Here are some options:

Path Social (Web)

Path Social’s platform is intended for influencers looking to grow their following. Touting “no bots, no fake users” and an AI-powered platform, the tool markets itself as being legit.

Followers & Unfollowers (Android)

This Android app identifies mutual followers and non-followers. This makes it easier to go on following and unfollowing sprees. Of course, doing so can be a red flag to Instagram.

Reports + Followers Tracker IG (Apple)

This Apple app has a similar function as the one above. In short, you can track mutuals and non-followers in one place.

How are you growing your Instagram following?

Listen: getting more followers on Instagram isn’t going to happen by accident.

And despite what you might have heard, there’s no silver bullet solution for making it happen.

The tips above can help you build the foundation for an organic following that actually engages with you. Putting these tips into action is so much easier with a powerful publishing and analytics tool like Sprout.

Want to see our suite of tools in action? Start a free trial today and see for yourself!

How to make a personal blog on Instagram - ideas, post topics, blog header

A year ago, I heard from my friends: “Now, if I started my personal blog on Instagram in time, I would already . .. And now what's the point?”. A year has passed and, as it turned out, the meaning was. Those who did not delay and started working then came to certain results: someone monetized their profile, someone strengthened their personal brand and found new customers. Yes, there was less competition before, but now the audience on Instagram is much wider. The main thing is that this social network is actively developing, and, therefore, “biting off a piece of the pie” is still quite real. nine0003

In this article, we will talk about how to create and prepare for promotion a personal blog on Instagram, which will not only take your time, but also work for you.

Advertisement: 2VtzquY3wEz

Read also : The best Instagram promotion courses

What is a personal blog on Instagram and what is it for

In a broad sense, a personal blog is a place where the author shares his thoughts and ideas. A personal blog on Instagram is a page that can be used to demonstrate one's own expertise, increase the degree of trust among subscribers, work on a personal brand, and promote goods or services. Of course, in order to achieve such results, you need to work hard and daily on visuals, texts and promotion. nine0003

But blogging opens up new possibilities. Thanks to a developed profile on Instagram, you will be able to:

launch new services: courses, master classes, marathons;
receive additional income from advertising;
increase sales and find new customers for your business;
find partners and get profitable offers of cooperation;
influence a warm audience that trusts you.

There are also disadvantages :

Blogging requires daily work. If you fall out of the process, you can lose the loyalty of the audience.
In order to unwind, investments will be required. Potential costs may be needed for a photographer, copywriter, SMM manager, targetologist. Of course, you can do some of this work yourself, but in any case, you will need an advertising budget.
You will not feel the result immediately. Building a quality audience is a long process. nine0022
Blogging is hard work. You will need to interact with subscribers, respond to their comments, regularly prepare useful and interesting content: photos, videos, texts.

Why keep your personal blog on Instagram

Very often, personal blogs are run by the “poke method”. They try everything and see how it goes. The reasons are different: lack of time to sit down and properly understand the algorithms of the platform, stereotypes that it is enough just to blog and sales will skyrocket, a frivolous attitude to the profile, etc. I have always said that it is difficult to expect any tangible result without planning and analysis. nine0003

Before you do anything, ask yourself important questions:

Why do I even need a blog? Do you want to become a blogger and sell ads? Download an expert personal brand? Sell services/products? Any other goals?

Why will people follow me? If you rely on a personal brand and professional expertise, then think about why a person needs to read you every day, what will you give him? Favor, humor, stories, advice? What will your raisin be? nine0003 An example of an expert profile

How will I be different from others? Not only experience and quality! How are you really different from them? Why should clients choose you?

Only when you have clearly articulated the answers to these questions can you start writing a blog that will not only take your time, but also bring benefits. It can be successfully monetized or strengthen your own personal brand. In addition, a promoted profile always brings new opportunities and offers. nine0003

How to create a personal blog on Instagram: step by step instructions

Choosing a blog topic

Depending on your goal, decide on a topic. It should be interesting not only to you, although this is also important, but also be relevant to your target audience. Think about what kind of followers you want to see on your profile, and then guess what topics might hook them.

Find related blogs and study them. Please note that on Instagram these are not only direct competitors, but also those with whom you compete for the attention of the target audience. For example, if you are going to promote hair services and write about beauty, then you need to analyze not only the blogs of masters with similar services, but also pages that basically write about the beauty industry. nine0003

To stand out from the competition, try to find your own niche. Do not be afraid to take narrow topics - this way, on the contrary, you will be able to attract a better audience. For example, instead of a psychologist "of all trades", you can blog "family psychologist". Instead of a stylist "for everyone", position yourself as a "stylist who dresses moms."

Creating a new account

I have seen many times how users change the theme and format of the same blog several times. It is a pity for them to lose the accumulated audience and it seems that it is easier this way. But think about this. Let's say you used to write book reviews and now you've decided to blog about marketing. What makes you think that your old audience will be interested in a new topic? nine0003

Most likely, many people will start unfollowing your profile, Instagram algorithms will regard your blog as uninteresting and start showing it less. In addition, there are always risks that there may be some kind of blocking on the old profile. Therefore, most often, I still recommend creating separate pages for new goals. Although, of course, situations are different. First, we register a page on Instagram and translate it into the “Personal Blog” format.

Go to your profile, open settings and select "Account". nine0084
At the very bottom of the list, click Switch to Professional Account.
When choosing a profile type, select "Business" and select the "Personal Blog" category.
Specify the contact details that you consider necessary. You can change or add them at any time.
Link your Facebook page. If you do not plan to promote your profile with targeted advertising in the near future, you can click “do not link to Facebook” for now

Please note that you can choose any category you like. For the most part, it doesn't affect anything.

Making a personal blog

In order for the profile to work, you need to properly “package” it. Before you start working on attracting new subscribers, make sure that your page is ready to receive "guests". Pay attention to the following points.

Nickname should be simple, easy to read

Try to use one or two words. Minimum dots and underlines. Ideally, the nickname should be memorable and associated with your area or positioning. nine0003

These are good examples : @style.mom, @zapiski_introverta, @kraski_v_gorode.

But this is not very good : @shnayatirkeysmt, @457525sharipat.

Bright and high-quality avatar

Since Instagram is primarily a social network, your personal positive photo, where your face is clearly visible, is best suited for an avatar. Even if you have a very beautiful logo, but no one knows it, and it will not tell users anything, putting it on an avatar does not make sense. nine0003

These are good examples :

But this is not very good :

Name

The line "name", the line in bold type should contain keywords that you can be searched for.

Only this line affects the formation of the search and the list of issue. Therefore, you do not need to be original here, you just need to work with the most popular queries. nine0003

This is a good example :

This is not so good :

There are no words for potential subscribers to search for a similar blog. This phrase is best omitted in the profile header

Profile header

Must include your unique selling proposition and offer (an offer that is valid right now).

I also recommend using an individual author's hashtag, by which users can immediately see your best work or the most important posts. Use verbs in the formulations: I will tell, I will teach, I will show, I will do, etc.

These are good examples :

But this is not very good non-clickable phone, no unique offer

Links

Active links to instant messengers, website or multilink.

With a clickable link, you can indicate a convenient way to contact and provide information that may be useful to subscribers or customers. nine0003
One of the most common ways is to link to WhatsApp.

Here is a good example of a link: wa.me/79991111111

You can simply replace the digits of the number with your own and set it to your profile in the "site" field. When you click subscribers, they will immediately transfer to a dialogue with you in WhatsApp.

This is not very good : https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=79991111111

This link is too long and will not look nice on the blog. You can make it more “pretty” with any link shortening service. nine0003
Profile menu (actual stories)

These are clickable circles where you can save the stories you want. They can contain all the information for potential customers and subscribers. For example, reviews, price, description of services, work process, selection recommendations, behind the scenes.
An example of a profile menu on a yoga instructor's personal blog

How to create a menu from pinned stories?
This menu is called "Actual". Someone calls it “eternal stories”, somewhere you can find the name “Highlights” - their essence does not change from this. There can be as many circles of eternal stories as you like. You yourself adjust the quantity, edit the titles and select the covers to your taste. nine0003
To create a new circle, go to an already published story and click on the "Select" button in the lower right corner:

In the window that appears, write the name that will be displayed on the Instagram page. If you don't fill in the name, the default name will remain "Actual":

How to make covers

In order for the profile menu to match the visual concept of the entire page, you can add your own covers for eternal stories. To do this, use either the most ordinary pictures, or create special ones. For example, this functionality is available in the Canva app. nine0003 An example of designing a profile menu using ordinary pictures taken from available stocks
To replace the cover, go to the existing circle and click on the "More" button in the lower right corner:

Select "Edit current":

you can edit the name of the circle or insert the desired cover:

What to write on a personal blog: 10 ideas to start

In order for all content (posts, photos and stories) to be united by a common idea and lead your profile to the goal, there is it makes sense to pre-plan a content plan. Below are a few post ideas to get you started. nine0003
Post-acquaintance

For an outside reader, it doesn't make much difference whether you are a blogger or a clothing brand. In both cases, you are interested because you can be of some use. Benefits are not only training or advice. Laughing is good. Find out how you organized your family trip, of course, too.

Therefore, write in this text not so much about yourself, but about how you will be useful:
An example of an acquaintance post from a developer of educational toys blog
Read more : How to write a welcome post on Instagram

Instruction post

Any instruction can be written dryly, or creatively and cheerfully. Choose your format depending on the goals of the blog. In any case, if the topic is relevant to your subscribers, such posts go with a bang.
Instruction post in stylist profile
Before/after post

Tell your followers what results can be achieved by using your product or service. You can show by example or describe the client's story. nine0003 An example of a before/after post on a personal blog of a fitness trainer
Useful selection

Make a useful selection of books, a travel list, or something else that matches your topic. Such posts are always very well preserved.
List of resources to study in the personal blog of a Korean teacher
Checklist

This is a post-memo to help subscribers prepare for an event or check themselves / their actions.
Checklist post on personal blog about India
Post-history

Stories are always more readable than plain text. They are remembered, they are easier to perceive. You can tell a personal story that will reveal some of your positive qualities, or describe a story about clients - the main thing is that it harmoniously fits into the blog theme and evokes the necessary emotions.
An example of a post-story on the personal blog of a girl who sells books
An expert post

Such posts allow you to show your subscribers what you understand about your topic. The most important thing is that the post contains exactly your personal opinion on the issue, and not general recommendations that everyone already knows. nine0003 Expert post on the targetologist's blog
Behind the scenes post

Show what's going on inside you. How do you create your products? How do you provide services? It is interesting and increases the degree of trust. You can capture a video and speed it up in the editing application.
Post from the artist's profile, which was published along with the process video
Post-review or case study

Take any feedback from the client and "shoe" it into a story. Tell us why the client contacted you, what were the expectations, what did you get in the end. Attach screenshots with testimonials to the carousel. nine0003 Post-review from the astrologer's personal profile
Sales post

Tell us about your services or products, describe their characteristics, advantages and benefits for subscribers. Come up with an interesting presentation, add comparisons, a mini-story.
An example of a selling post from a personal blog of an organizer of fitness tours to Cyprus
Do not forget that posts can and should be supplemented with interesting stories, live broadcasts and videos on IGTV.

Conclusion
After you have completely "packaged" your profile - thought out the visual concept, designed the profile header, filled your personal blog on Instagram with useful and interesting content, you can move on to promotion. nine0003
Yes, you can't do without it either, because subscribers and customers won't just come by themselves, the days of organic growth are long gone. To get to know about your personal blog, it makes sense to think about advertising: targeting, bloggers, mutual PR, mailing, etc. But this is a topic for a separate article.

Useful links :

How to set up ads on Instagram

10 services for mass following on Instagram
nine0021 Games for Instagram followers

How to create, maintain and promote a personal blog on Instagram

We tell you how to create a blog on Instagram, properly maintain it and monetize it.

How to create a blog on Instagram

First you need to create a regular social network account through the official website or mobile application (if you wish, you can use an existing Facebook profile to create an Instagram account). The procedure is simple, you just need to enter a phone number or e-mail and come up with a password. nine0003
After that, you can convert your account from personal to business profile. So he will acquire a number of functions that are not available for standard accounts. But this is optional. You can develop and promote a personal blog with the same success. And even earn some money on it.

If this option suits you, then proceed to the next step without conversion.

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Choosing a theme

Instagram audience loves personal blogs. Watching someone else's life is of genuine interest to a huge part of the population, but this life should be interesting.

Therefore, a blogger must have a chip. Something that will attract people and make them subscribe. For example, you are a tattoo artist with a bunch of interesting ideas, who talks about his work in parallel with life stories. Or you work as a taxi driver and regularly get crazy clients that are interesting to tell others about. Or, like Northern Friend, you travel around Russia and post heartfelt photos of your homeland. nine0003

Multiple topics can be selected. The main thing is not to spread yourself on a dozen topics at once, but to concentrate on two or three ideas that you can develop and regularly supplement with new posts.

How to properly blog on Instagram

We will assume that you have already decided on the topic and know that your profile will be dedicated to conditional music or, for example, fashion. Now you should go directly to the development of the concept and content creation.

Making profile appearance

Everything on the main page should be balanced, everything should be harmonious and attractive. Avatar, description, profile name, photo grid, the presence of a common style in every detail, etc.

Your account avatar is the first thing people see when they spot your profile in a comment or search. Let it be not particularly interesting and catchy, but at least not repulsive.

It used to be fashionable to put pictures on the main profile image that from afar seem obscene and provocative, but now it only works for very low-grade humorous profiles. nine0003
Add a clear description without unnecessary information and husks in the form of hundreds of emoji. It's not beautiful. Use applications to form a custom grid of pictures with useful information and high-quality photos. Add unique images to your saved stories, just like the NeuralDSP brand does.

Use your video intros and your signature font to decorate your photos or graphic posts.

Photo and video editing

The visual component of Instagram plays a key role. Doing something ugly is no longer possible. Regardless of what you shoot, the quality should be at the level of professional shooting. Fortunately, even a smartphone can now provide this level. The main thing is to learn how to adjust the lighting. nine0003
This applies not only to bloggers who create specialized content (record musical covers, play sketches, etc. ). Cooking breakfast and morning coffee can also look like a movie scene, and such content really attracts a large audience of aesthetes, of which Instagram is full.

Instead of explicit Instagram filters, use neat color grading in apps like Adobe Lightroom (for photos) and iMovie (for videos). It looks cinematic and more professional (as in the Street Vision aggregator profile, for example). nine0003
We select content for posts

It is not difficult for musicians, artists or actors to generate posts. There are always new works to publish. People who talk about their personal lives have a much harder time. But this is on the one hand. On the other hand, there are no clear rules. You can talk about anything, including politics, high-profile failures of famous people and other sensitive topics.

It is important to always follow the agenda and speak out on almost any issue. Did one of the stars disgrace himself, and is the entire Internet discussing this? Insert your 5 cents. Artemy Lebedev once again launched a product that no one needs? And mention it. With this approach to creating materials, the content of the frames is no longer so important. nine0003

There are bloggers who post their beautiful faces without context, but at the same time discuss complex political issues, vaccinations, state propaganda and tragic events in captions and comments. This catches Karina Strimersha.

Coming up with ideas for stories

Stories will quickly become one of the main tools for communicating with subscribers. This is the format that does not require special attention to the design and thinking through every detail of the statement. The beauty of stories is the ability to create them quickly and instantly get feedback from the audience in various formats. nine0003
You can organize polls, repost audience opinions, call for communication and share personal information more often. Also, do not be shy about stealing formats from well-known bloggers looking for methods to engage the audience.

Interacting with followers

Communication is the trump card of Instagram bloggers who gained popularity without any background (high-profile career or fame before appearing on Instagram). Simple communication with subscribers in the comments already increases the chances of a more successful promotion. nine0003
Ask for the audience's opinion. Let everyone have a voice. Create the illusion of choice, or really be guided by the vote of the public. Let her feel important and see the impact on the content of the account.

Do not shy away from lotteries, giveaways and full-scale contests. The call on Instagram is an effective way to attract new people, and also allows you to establish emotional contact with them.

Promoting the blog

The competition on Instagram is insane, and you can’t count on growth solely through beautiful content. It is necessary to do either something completely incredible, or use obsolete methods of promotion and advertising.

We crawl into recommendations due to popular posts and hashtags (free targeting to an audience with specific interests).

Bulk subscribe other users to subscribe in response. Collaboration with other bloggers to mutually like each other's posts, etc. nine0003

We participate in popular marathons, flash mobs and other public events where you can showcase your profile. This also includes raffles and giveaways for subscription.

We mutually talk about other bloggers in our stories.

We leave provocative comments under the posts of famous bloggers and try to discuss them with a large number of people. nine0003

We buy targeted advertising using Instagram so that the profile appears in the feed of interested users under the "Advertising" label.

Do not select from this list. It is necessary to use everything at once equally and in different combinations.

Thinking over the tactics of earning

There are several ways to monetize your profile. The choice depends on your activity and profile popularity. nine0003

The so-called influencers (that is, opinion leaders) are often approached by big brands and offered to make native ads in stories. Tell about their product and recommend it to your audience for big money.

Smaller bloggers also charge for posts and promotion. For example, they talk about lesser-known photographers and musicians for a nominal fee and help them gain an audience.

Anyone who creates unique content can use Instagram as a platform to promote their profile on Patreon (well, or OnlyFans, whoever has what preferences), which already makes money. Someone generally sells methods for promoting their account in social networks, and for some reason people pay money for it. So there are enough niches. nine0003
And if you create something with your hands (decorative mugs, knitted scarves, stickers or paintings, as enthusiastic artist Marina Shulgina does), then you can promote and sell your products directly through the social network.
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