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How to grow your instagram page


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.

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!

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.

How to boost my Instagram followers?

Here are some tactics to help you get more followers on Instagram, from incorporating new features like Reels to cross-promoting content, curating your profile, and working with brand ambassadors.

Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your reach, these 17 tips will help you grow your Instagram followers and increase engagement on the platform.

  1. Incorporate Reels into your content mix
  2. Cross-promote content
  3. Curate your profile grid
  4. Work with brand ambassadors
  5. Get follows from your loyalty program
  6. Market through your personal Instagram account
  7. Get on feature accounts
  8. Use the right hashtags
  9. Post at the right times
  10. Steal your competitors' followers
  11. Pay for sponsored posts and product reviews
  12. Use geotags to boost local discovery
  13. Organize your Stories in highlights
  14. Ask for more followers
  15. Run a giveaway
  16. Share user-generated content
  17. 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. 

    Looking for a way to find brand ambassadors with an established and engaged audience? Use Shopify Collabs to connect with customers and manage your influencer marketing campaigns all in one place.  

    Find influencers to drive sales with Shopify Collabs

    Shopify Collabs makes it easy to partner with creators, promote your products, reach new customers, grow your sales, and track affiliate campaign performance all from Shopify admin.

    Discover Shopify Collabs

    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:

    1. #love
    2. #instagood
    3. #fashion
    4. #photooftheday
    5. #beautiful
    6. #art
    7. #photography
    8. #happy
    9. #picoftheday
    10. #cute
    11. #follow
    12. #tbt
    13. #followme
    14. #nature
    15. #like4like
    16. #travel
    17. #instagram
    18. #style
    19. #repost
    20. #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.

      Social media strategy and planning templates

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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?

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

        How can I increase my followers on Instagram?

        1. Use the right Instagram hashtags.
        2. Steal your competitors’ followers.
        3. Use geotags on Instagram posts.
        4. Organize Stories into Highlights.
        5. Post user-generated content.
        6. Collaborate with other brands.
        7. Post at the best times.
        8. Use Instagram analytics tools.
        9. Publish Instagram Reels.
        10. Livestream on Instagram Stories.

        How to promote an account on Instagram from scratch - working tips

        The day has come when you decided to make money on Instagram*. But now you look at your brand new account and feel like a small fish in the ocean of successful bloggers... Believe me, everyone went through this path from scratch, and the most difficult stage is the first 3,000 subscribers. Here, many give up and leave the account, but not you! Now we will tell you how to achieve the first goal, overcome the “valley of death” and promote your page on Instagram*.

        Contents :

        • Prerequisites before promotion
        • Try the standard methods everyone advises
        • Test promotion methods that few people use
        • Write a plan of action
        • How long does it take to promote Instagram* from zero to 3000
        • I do everything but they don't sign
        • Summing up

        Prerequisites before promotion

        Check your profile against a short checklist before you start promoting your Instagram account*:

        1. Whether the description is complete. It is clear what your account is about, and the name is related to the topic. Even if you use your first or last name, write the field of activity.
        2. The profile has been converted to a business page. How to do this, read the detailed Instagram Business Profile Guide*. It will be difficult to sell and track statistics without this option. You can leave the regular page if you are blogging. But remember, as soon as you want to take something for advertising, you still have to show statistics to the advertiser. And it is only available for a business profile.
        3. There are 12 posts in the feed. No one will subscribe to an empty account, you need to fill in the first screen of the visitor. This is just 12 posts, but you can write more. Pictures should reflect the essence of your topic, texts should be useful and capacious. How to do it? Look at what posts you save on Instagram* or other social networks, and do the same.
        4. No selling content. Until you reach your first 1,000 subscribers, use useful and engaging content. Do not push away from the first seconds with the impression “they are selling something again” - this will not help promote your account.

        Another tip: search Instagram* for posts using the hashtag #evaluationaccount and ask for feedback on your profile in the comments. Looking from the outside will help you see what you did not notice.

        Try the standard methods that everyone advises

        We have collected the main tips that are most often repeated in articles on the topic “How to promote Instagram * on your own from scratch”. You don't have to give them up - check it out for yourself. The main thing is to gain experience.

        Tell everyone

        You probably have a profile on Vkontakte or Facebook*. Publish a post that you have an Instagram account*. Write why read you there, in addition to existing profiles. Send a letter with the news about the new account to the database of contacts or customers by email.

        Follow and like

        Be active to get noticed on Instagram*. At the initial stage, mass following can help, but you should not abuse it. Better to do it manually. Keep in mind that Instagram* does not approve the connection of third-party mass liking services and may block the account.

        React Stories instead of people who might like your topic. This method will attract a more loyal audience and active subscribers.

        Run a contest

        Give away your product for free or raffle it for meeting conditions. Tell about the contest on your pages and inform that the draw is only among subscribers. It is not necessary to make a repost a condition of the competition. Ask your friends to share the contest on their pages.

        Instagram Contest Examples*

        Test promotion methods that few people use

        Promotion takes effort, so get ready to work in the coming months. If you plan to relax more, then allocate a budget and set up targeted advertising on Instagram*. Or try non-standard approaches in promoting your account.

        Announce a challenge

        Put on a reality show and talk about how you are trying to promote your Instagram account* from scratch. Report in stories and involve everyone who wants to help, promise a cool ending if the idea ends in success. Let everyone know "I'm gaining 3,000 in a month!", maybe someone will come up with new ideas. Use Instagram Stories* to share what's happening and engage viewers in the process.

        The public goal in stories is 1,000 people on the course

        Use the $1.8 method

        This method was used by Gary Vaynerchuk, one of the top bloggers in America, to promote his account. The method is called "$1.8". In English there is an analogue of the Russian expression "insert your 5 kopecks", only percentages. The bottom line: "insert" your 2 cents in the TOP 9 posts for 10 hashtags in your topic. It turns out a contribution of $ 1.8 to the development of your blog.

        How to promote Instagram* from scratch by yourself using this method? Choose 10 hashtags related to your topic and comment 9 every dayposts. If the post has a question, then give a meaningful answer. Pay attention to engagement: the post should have at least 5% likes from the number of subscribers. Don't give up and keep investing your "2 cents" every day.

        Write a comment on the hashtag #relaxation for a blog about yoga

        Write articles

        Write a guide or instruction on your topic with the answer to the “how” question and place it on a popular site. For example: vc.ru, TJournal, Spark, Yandex.Zen, Peekaboo. Mention your Instagram account* and indicate that there is even more material on the topic.

        For example, links to accounts on Instagram* in an article on vc.ru

        Post ads

        How can an ad help promote Instagram* from scratch? In Ukraine, the girl gained thousands of subscribers by simply posting a handwritten message on an A4 sheet on a pole. This unusual trick can work, especially if you use a QR code.

        An article about a girl who gained 42,000 subscribers

        Run a marathon

        Gather an audience for a useful marathon. Come up with a theme and easy tasks for the week. Here you can also promote the publication (you remember that we have transferred the page to a business profile, but only they have this option directly from their Instagram account*). Ask your friends to participate or tell your friends. Be sure to organize activity under posts and in stories to promote your account: collect reports on tasks or come up with challenges for shooting videos for Instagram Stories*.

        If you need an analytics tool to track your progress, we recommend picking it up using the article “The 5 Best Instagram Analytics Services*: Pros, Cons, Opportunities and Prices”. From it you will learn about the possibilities of analyzing the audience and content on the social network. This will help you improve your strategy and increase promotion efficiency.

        Examples of how to collect for a marathon on Instagram*

        Do not forget that during the promotion of Instagram * your profile should be updated with new posts and stories. No time? Create content months in advance and upload to SMMplanner. The service will independently publish posts on a schedule.

        How to plan your Instagram feed*

        Write an action plan

        A clear plan will help you not miss posting days and track your progress on Instagram*. Try strict mode for 30 days to reach your goal of 3,000 subscribers.

        How long does it take to promote Instagram * from zero to 3000

        We need to get 3,000 subscribers - that's 100 people a day. With 8 hours of work, we need 12 people per hour. Suppose every tenth person who sees the publication subscribes to you. This means that the conversion is 10%, and you need at least 120 people to find out about you per hour.

        Keep track of these statistics by reviewing your page report every evening. If growth is not enough, then scale up. Run 2 marathons, put up a few ads, ask not 5, but 10 friends to tell about you.

        How to track your progress

        Create a spreadsheet to track your progress. Choose activities from the article and mark your progress every day.

        Instagram Promotion Success Table*

        A more visual and convenient way is to use the DataFan service. It will display account statistics in a ready-made report or automatically update data in Google Sheets.

        In addition to subscriber data, DataFan will show you which posts your audience visited the most, from which posts they subscribed more often, and will help you achieve your goals faster.

        What will help you to be regular

        Add to the table — when and what actions you will do on Instagram*. You can fill the cell with color when the task is completed. Write a comment to the cell if you have an idea or want to write down your emotions.

        Instagram posting table*

        How to stay motivated

        Think about how you will please yourself for every hundred subscribers. You can enter the data in the table so that motivation is in front of your eyes. Share your achievements in all social networks - it motivates you to follow your project.

        How to stay motivated to promote Instagram* from zero to 3000

        I do everything, but they don’t subscribe

        The lack of an active influx of new followers makes many give up and think: “I should have started earlier.” Most often, the problem is in the profile, not in your actions. Therefore, check your Instagram account * according to a short checklist.

        1. Clear topic

        1. The description answers the question: “Why should I follow this account?” or "What's interesting here?"
        2. A cursory glance at the photos shows the theme of your account, and they are beautiful (Instagram* is a visual social network).
        3. Texts are written in clear language and on your topic.

        Try using an unusual theme, it will help you promote your account more easily. People will subscribe because they haven't seen anything like it. For example, on Instagram*, the account of a girl) who lives in Paris and interviews random passers-by is popular.

        2. Content fits the audience

        You understand who you attract to your account. No need to write “girls, look at the bouquets on my page by March 8” under the post of a fitness trainer on how to lose weight after giving birth. There, advice about your yoga mats will look more harmonious. You don't have to run a "my menu for the week" marathon if you're selling financial planning services.

        3. Regular posts

        You may have posted 12 posts and forgot about your account while promoting. To keep your circle in Instagram Stories* always active and post at least 2-3 times a week, use SMMplanner. Shoot content for stories, write posts, take a couple of hours of delayed planning and engage in audience engagement.

        We also recommend reading the article “How to create a content plan for Instagram Stories*”.

        Summing up

        To promote an Instagram page* from zero to 3000 followers per month, you need regularity. In actions and updating content in the profile. Write down the plan for the days of the week and note the progress. Treat account promotion like a game, and your perseverance will turn into passion. Remember that after the first 1,000 subscribers it will become much easier! Don't give up if you're behind schedule. When you pass the "valley of death", the snowball effect will begin, and the growth will be faster.

        Author: Katerina Voronezhtseva

        40 tips on how to promote your Instagram

        1. Do not forget to put hashtags that will help increase the number of subscribers: #instafollow, #l4l (Like for like), #tagforlikes and #followback.

        2. Like as much as possible. For every 100 likes you give to random photos, you will get an average of 6 new followers.

        3. Run contest . The easiest way to do this is to post a themed picture and ask people to like it so they can participate.

        4. Start promoting profile on your pages in other social networks. Write what your blog is about and why people should read it and invite them to join.

        5. Be generous with likes and comments - this is the easiest way to attract new subscribers.

        6. Use common hashtags so that your photos can be seen in global searches. Among the most popular are #love, #instagood, #fashion and #photooftheday.

        @westwingde

        7. Time matters. Research has shown that the best time to fast is between 2 pm and 5 pm.

        8. Follow people who use popular hashtags (#followme, #likeforlike) because many of them will follow you back.

        9. Remember, quality is important , not quantity. Monitor your profile and leave only beautiful and high-quality photos. Believe me, no one is interested in flipping through hundreds of photos of salads.

        10. Love the Mayfair filter . Track Maven listed this filter on The Fortune 500 Instagram as the best choice for marketers.

        11. Check that you have completed the biography section . Complete it with suitable words and hashtags, and also provide a link to your website. But remember: no spam! Otherwise, subscribers will lose interest in the profile.

        12. Ask questions to subscribers. This is a great way to connect with your target audience.

        13. Publish on Sundays . It is on this day that people post photos a little, so your post will be seen by the maximum number of people.

        @nastiapoberezhna

        14. Be consistent with . Think about who and why you are doing this. The more clearly you answer these questions, the faster you will attract the right audience.

        15. Call people to action. For example, ask them to write their opinion about your photo in the comments.

        16. Don't be afraid to post often. It may seem that the more often the photos flash, the more indifferent the subscribers behave. But according to the Union Metrics program, there is no relationship between posting frequency and audience activity. At least negative.

        17. Follow suggested users. Go to settings and select "Find and invite friends" and then "Recommended users".

        18. Set geolocation to . This will be especially useful if you run an Instagram company. So you will have the opportunity to attract new subscribers-neighbors.

        19. Schedule publications with the Later program. Consistency never hurt anyone.

        20. Arrange with popular blogger to advertise your profile or product. So information about you will quickly scatter over the network.

        21. Studies have shown that images in blue get 24% more likes than orange or red images. Post something blue and see for yourself!

        22. Let fast on Wednesdays become your obligatory ritual. This is because posts get more attention and likes in the middle of the week.

        23. Write the word "comment" more often in your posts. This encourages your followers to share their opinions and be more willing to join the discussion.

        0008 . According to research, such publications are 35% more popular than others.

        25. Tag in photos of people. Your post will also be seen by friends of friends.

        26. Remember the rule: the more light , the better.

        27. If you have a business account, create a branded hashtag . So users can specify it when purchasing a product. And it will increase your visibility on Instagram several times over.

        28. Share live photos. Show that behind the beautiful picture there is living person .

        29. Business trick: share photos of your followers mentioning your brand or product. This pleasant step shows that you value each client. In return, they will definitely share your photos in their feed.

        30. Brand yourself : Use your nickname for more than just your profile. A notebook, a case or a branded sticker on a car will surely attract the attention of potential subscribers.

        @romantimo3

        31. Invite Facebook friends to follow you. To do this, in the profile settings, select "Find friends on Facebook."

        32. People love stories. Share your experiences and thoughts, so you will gain their trust and establish contact. Just remember that the post should be emotional and bright, not snot in sugar.

        33. Tag people , even in stories, don't be lazy.

        34. Feel free to post ask for likes . As practice has shown, such publications receive 89% more likes.

        35. In advance plan not only time, but also content. Prepare your materials and only then start filling out your feed.

        Learn more