How to Get More Instagram Followers: 24 Tips for Record-Breaking Growth

How to get more Instagram followers is a question that concerns many brands and creators. As one of the world’s most popular social networks, Instagram is an essential component of almost any digital marketing strategy. Building an active and loyal community can significantly increase brand awareness, establish trust with customers, and ultimately improve your bottom line.

However, attracting more Instagram followers organically may sound simple, but it is a considerable challenge. “Buying followers” is the wrong approach and undoubtedly not a good idea. In the long term, this method will not work or help you build a larger organic following on Instagram.

If you want more Instagram followers but do not know where to begin, you are in the right place. This article presents 24 strategies and tactics that can help you significantly increase your Instagram following by using the right tools, methods, and trends to achieve the best possible results.

1. Create a Dynamic Content Strategy and Posting Plan

Simply uploading photos to Instagram is no longer enough, especially when you represent a brand and want to attract more followers. Just like any serious marketing activity, sharing content on your brand’s Instagram account requires a strategic approach.

Building an engaged and loyal Instagram community is practically impossible without a well-planned content strategy. This strategy will help you clearly understand:

• What are your goals for attracting more followers?
• Who is your target audience?
• Which topics should your posts cover?
• What other factors should guide your content?

Based on this information, you can create a strong and varied content calendar that determines what you will publish and when.

It is important to dedicate time to developing engaging content ideas that align with seasonal topics, cultural holidays, and major events relevant to your business or industry. At the same time, your content should support your website traffic and broader business objectives, ultimately helping you attract more Instagram followers.

When you have a database of ideas and a schedule prepared in advance, you will always remain one step ahead and will not need to decide what to publish at the last minute.

Remember that your strategy should be both flexible and responsible. You should be prepared to adapt to current trends and audience feedback without disrupting your regular and consistent posting schedule.

Depending on your business and audience, it is generally advisable to publish content at least several times per week to support follower growth.

Summary:

Create an Instagram content plan and follow it as consistently as possible. This is a fundamental step toward attracting more Instagram followers.

2. Define Your Target Audience

As mentioned above, before creating content for Instagram, it is essential to understand who your audience is.

Do you want more Instagram followers? That is a reasonable goal—but who are these people? What are they interested in? Most importantly, how do you plan to reach and communicate with them?

Take the time to consider the types of people you want to engage. Then research how they use Instagram: what content they view, which hashtags they use, when they are most active, and other relevant behavioral patterns.

This knowledge will guide your content creation process and significantly increase your chances of attracting new followers successfully. After all, your content should be created specifically for the people you want to reach.

3. Prioritize High-Quality Content

Although Instagram has undergone many changes over the years—and continues to evolve—it remains a platform primarily focused on visual content.

For brands, success on Instagram largely depends on capturing people’s attention. The best way to do this is through high-quality, visually striking, thumb-stopping content.

Whether users encounter your post on the Explore page or while scrolling through their feed, you usually have only a few seconds to attract their attention.

Therefore, focus on publishing high-quality content to attract more Instagram followers. This includes:

• High-resolution photos, videos, and Reels with effective composition.
• Clean and clear audio that listeners can easily understand.
• Readable text with appropriate size, color, and contrast.
• Content that follows Instagram’s recommended dimensions.
• Other visual and technical quality standards relevant to the platform.

Avoid using pixelated or incorrectly cropped images and videos. Your brand should not publish blurred photographs or videos in which important parts of the content have been cut off.

This does not mean that every piece of content must meet National Geographic standards. It simply needs to be good enough to compete for attention on Instagram.

Producing quality content does not necessarily require a large budget or professional photographers. The main objective is to create authentic and engaging content.

Remember that low-quality content is unlikely to generate engagement and may even cause you to lose followers instead of attracting new ones.

4. Create Instagram Reels and Video Content

TikTok’s rapid growth and YouTube’s continued dominance have demonstrated the power of video across social media. Instagram is no exception, particularly when your goal is to attract more followers.

Instagram has invested heavily in the development of Reels, its primary competitor to TikTok. As a result, the platform often gives preference to Reels when recommending new content to users.

By creating your own Reels, you can attract users’ attention while also producing the type of content Instagram’s algorithm is currently designed to promote.

Using Instagram Reels and other video formats can significantly increase impressions and engagement, ultimately helping you attract new followers.

Make sure your videos are:

• Interesting.
• Short and concise.
• Built around a compelling story.
• Visually optimized according to the platform’s recommended dimensions.

5. Actively Use Instagram’s Latest Features

To continue this point, try to stay informed about Instagram’s constant updates and newly released features.

Instagram is more dynamic than ever, and the platform continuously introduces new tools designed to increase user engagement. Understanding and using these features can help differentiate you from competitors and attract more followers.

Just as creating Reels can be advantageous because Instagram is actively investing in that format, you may notice that your content performs better when you use the platform’s newest tools and features.

Monitor developments such as:

• Improved or advanced Reels editing tools and options.
• New interactive stickers and features for Stories.
• New filters.
• Other newly introduced tools and content formats.

Then find creative ways to adapt these features to your target audience and content strategy.

6. Use Instagram Analytics for Deeper Insights

An Instagram Business account is free and provides access to insights and analytics that show how your content performs with your audience.

Instagram Insights allows you to monitor metrics such as:

• The number of accounts reached and the number of users who engaged with your content.
• Your follower growth over time.
• Detailed engagement metrics generated by different types of content on your page.
• Performance data for individual Instagram Stories slides.

This information is extremely useful for understanding your audience’s behavior and content preferences.

It can also help you determine which formats, topics, and content types deliver the strongest performance and contribute most effectively to follower growth.

Use this information to optimize your content calendar and posting schedule and maximize your opportunities to expand your Instagram community.

7. Use Instagram Stories

Just as video has dominated social media in recent years, the same can be said for ephemeral content.

Since Snapchat launched in 2011, temporary or “disappearing” content has grown rapidly in popularity, and the trend has never slowed down.

This development led to the creation of Instagram Stories, which have become an integral part of how people use the platform.

For businesses, Instagram Stories provide an effective way to attract users’ attention and introduce a brand to its target audience, helping it gain more followers.

Make your Instagram Stories more powerful by adding interactive elements. Relevant features include:

• Polls.
• Questions.
• Quizzes.
• Link stickers.
• Other interactive Story stickers.

These features can increase engagement and make your account more visible to a broader audience.

The more people interact with your content, the more likely Instagram’s algorithm is to recommend additional content from your account to a wider group of users.

8. Focus on Instagram SEO for Discoverability

Over the past few years, Instagram SEO has developed into a distinct and independent strategy.

Social media platforms once relied almost entirely on the newsfeed for content discovery. Today, they have evolved to support broader discoverability in response to changing user behavior.

Instagram SEO is the practice of optimizing your Instagram content so that users can find you more easily on the platform.

This means using relevant keywords in appropriate areas of your content to improve your visibility in Instagram Search.

Areas where Instagram SEO can be applied include:

• Bio: Include strong keywords, relevant search terms, and appropriate hashtags.
• Profile name and handle: Choose a name that contains keywords people may search for when looking for a brand, product, or service like yours.
• Alt text: Alt text is a written description of visual content that improves accessibility and searchability on Instagram. From an SEO perspective, it helps the platform understand your visual content and potentially recommend it to users searching for similar material.

Optimizing your profile and content for Instagram’s search functionality will help new users discover your account more easily and can contribute to follower growth.

9. Optimize Your Profile

Continuing with the same topic, your profile should be optimized so that users who visit your account can quickly decide whether they want to follow you.

Your Instagram bio allows users to understand what your brand represents and decide whether your account is relevant to them.

An Instagram bio usually includes:

• A description of your business or a tagline.
• A link to your website.
• Relevant branded hashtags.
• Any calls to action you want to include.

You can also consider adding a Linktree link or using a similar service that allows you to share multiple links to articles, website pages, and other resources.

Tell users clearly what your brand represents, but avoid sounding overly promotional or spammy.

Update this section whenever necessary to include new or relevant information.

In addition to your bio, choose a compelling and easily recognizable profile image that generates interest and helps users identify your brand.

If you are unsure what to use, a high-resolution version of your logo is usually an appropriate choice.

10. Experiment with Collaborative Posts

Another relatively recent Instagram feature is the collaborative post, which can be an effective tool for attracting new followers.

Collaborative posts, also known as Instagram Collabs, allow two or more accounts to co-author content.

One Instagram user can publish a photo or video and invite another account or page to participate as a collaborator.

Once the invited account accepts the request, the post is automatically shared with the followers of both accounts and appears on both profiles. This can effectively double the post’s visibility.

For this reason, collaborating with brands or individual influencers whose followers overlap with your target audience can be a smart strategy.

By sharing a collaborative post, you introduce your brand to the other account’s audience and create an opportunity to convince some of those users to follow you.

11. Use Influencer Partnerships Strategically

Speaking of influencers, it is always worth considering partnerships with them as part of your strategy for attracting new followers.

Influencer partnerships are a popular tactic for good reason. They can be an effective way to gain visibility, benefit from the trust and loyalty influencers have already established, and reach new audiences.

Although influencer partnerships are not new to Instagram, there has been a clear shift toward micro-influencers—smaller influencers with highly engaged audiences—rather than macro-influencers with enormous but less active followings.

This is good news for brands because it means you do not necessarily need a huge budget to work with influencers.

Focus on finding the right influencers whose values, messaging, and audience align with your own. Then develop creative partnerships to achieve stronger results on Instagram.

12. Use Instagram Shopping if It Suits Your Business

Instagram Shopping, the platform’s ecommerce offering, is useful not only for driving sales but also for attracting new followers who are interested in your brand and products.

With Instagram Shopping, businesses can create a type of digital storefront and allow users to purchase products directly through photos and videos on the platform.

If your business sells products that can easily be purchased directly by consumers, this may be an excellent option for you.

There is considerable potential here, especially considering that nearly half of users say they use Instagram for shopping every week.

Once your Instagram Shop is set up, you will have many customization options, including adding new products, creating collections, and more. You will also be able to tag products in your posts so that users can learn more about them and make a purchase.

To get started with Instagram Shopping, go to Commerce Manager and follow the instructions.

13. Use Tagging to Increase Visibility

Tagging, in all its forms, is an effective way to expand your reach on Instagram and attract new followers.

Below are several ways to use tagging strategically to increase your visibility:

A) Tag People or Brands in Your Posts

You can tag other brands or individuals in your content when it makes sense to encourage engagement in several ways:

• First, you may benefit from the authority or trust your audience already associates with the tagged brand or individual.
• In addition, the tagged accounts may engage with the content themselves, which could provide a positive signal to the algorithm.
• Finally, tagging relevant accounts means your post may appear in the Tagged section of their profiles.

For example, imagine that you own a fitness studio. After a fitness class, you take a group photo and tag everyone who appears in it. The post may then appear in the Tagged section of each person’s profile, giving their followers an opportunity to see the post and discover your studio.

B) Use Location Tags to Reach Local Audiences

Another way to be discovered by users who do not yet follow you is to geotag your content.

You can use your actual physical location so that people can find you and learn what your business offers.

Alternatively, try using the location of your city or a relevant nearby landmark that receives a high volume of searches. When people search for that location, they may come across your content.

If your content performs particularly well, it may even appear near the top of the location search results.

Location tagging improves searchability because people often search for locations to discover what is happening in a particular area and what activities are available.

The same applies to events. If you are attending a major event, or simply want to reach people interested in it, try geotagging your post with the event location.

14. Connect Your Instagram Account to Your Website and Email

Make sure your existing clients and customers can easily find your Instagram page. Add an Instagram icon to your website’s social media links or embed Instagram content, such as a feed of recent posts, directly on your website.

You can also include a link to your brand’s Instagram account in your email signature. This is especially useful if you regularly communicate with clients or partners by email.

Tip: Use a dedicated plugin, if your website supports one—for example, on WordPress—to display your latest Instagram posts automatically on your website. This is an effective way to introduce your account to people who regularly visit your site and expand your follower base through existing customers.

15. Launch Contests and Campaigns to Increase Brand Awareness

Once you have built an initial follower base, you can begin running contests and campaigns designed to attract more users to your page.

Focus on contests that encourage User-Generated Content (UGC) or, at minimum, active interaction with your content.

For example, you can:

• Drive traffic to your website or sell a product: Run an engaging Instagram contest with a prize related to your product or service.
• Increase engagement: Ask users to like the post, leave a comment, or use a specific hashtag.
• Expand your reach: Ask followers to tag a friend in the comments.

When users tag their friends, your brand and Instagram page are introduced to more people. This is a highly effective way to increase brand awareness and reach, and it is one of the most commonly used tactics for gaining more Instagram followers.

16. Monitor Your Competitors

Another effective practice for gaining Instagram followers is to observe what your competitors are doing and learn from them.

Researching their accounts may reveal:

• Hashtags you have not previously considered.
• Influencers you have not yet contacted.
• Other strategies that could help you develop and improve your own approach.

Also pay attention to which of their posts perform best. This may provide another indication of what could work well for your account.

Tip: Regularly analyze your competitors’ strategies to identify effective tactics and emerging trends. Then adapt those findings to your own style and audience.

17. Pay Attention to Trends

As with any other social media platform, it is important to monitor current trends on Instagram.

From content formats and trending topics to the most popular audio tracks, you should stay informed about what users are engaging with most actively and look for ways to adapt those trends to your own content.

For example:

• Is there a particular meme format currently dominating Instagram?
• Are you repeatedly seeing the same photo or video of Taylor Swift—or another celebrity or event—adapted for different jokes or brands?

Consider whether joining the discussion would make sense for your brand. Doing so may help you reach users who are already participating in the trend.

Similarly, review the content on your Explore page to see what is performing well. Are particular types of Reels especially popular? Is there a certain type of creator you are seeing more frequently?

Monitoring these patterns can help you choose the right direction and make your content more distinctive and effective.

18. Be Authentic and Active on the Platform

If you want people to engage with your content and interact with you, you should begin by doing the same.

Try to build genuine relationships with your community. This includes following, liking, and commenting on content from your followers and other users, but it should not end there.

The main objective is to focus on real and meaningful interactions rather than simply clicking the Like button and moving on to the next post.

Engage strategically with users who may be interested in your brand. These could include potential customers, brand partners, current followers, or people who publish similar content and use the same hashtags as you.

The more active you are, the more frequently you may appear in other users’ feeds and the more likely they are to notice you.

It also demonstrates that yours is an authentic and active account that values communication and reciprocal engagement.

19. Prioritize Accessibility

Accessibility should be a fundamental consideration when creating Instagram content. Ensuring that your content is accessible to everyone may determine whether someone follows your account or simply continues scrolling.

To make your content more accessible:

• Make sure all text is easy to read, including on a mobile phone screen.
• Pay attention to color contrast.
• Always add captions to video or audio content.
• Avoid placing too much text within an image post.

Large amounts of text can be difficult to read on a small screen, particularly for users with visual impairments, and may also make the design look cluttered.

Use text within images selectively and strategically to add context or highlight key points. Everything else can be included in the post caption.

How Many Hashtags Should I Add to an Instagram Post?

Although Instagram allows users to add up to 30 hashtags to a single post, using that many may appear spammy and overcrowded.

According to Instagram’s official recommendation, shared through the Instagram Creators account, it is preferable to use three to five hashtags. This is usually enough to categorize your content and reach new audiences without overloading the post.

Where Should I Add Hashtags to an Instagram Post?

You can add hashtags in the following places:

• In the post caption: This is the most common method.
• In an Instagram Story: Hashtags can be added to Stories as a sticker or as regular text.

Some users prefer to leave several blank lines after the main caption—sometimes by placing a period on each new line—and then add the hashtags below them. This makes the hashtags less visible when the post is first viewed unless the user selects See more.

Whichever method you choose, the important thing is to remain consistent across your posts so that your page maintains a polished and professional appearance.

22. Create a Branded Hashtag for Your Events

Since we are discussing hashtags, consider creating a branded hashtag for your next event.

This can help you:

• Increase brand awareness: People who use or see the hashtag will become familiar with your brand.
• Create a dedicated content stream for your event: Every photo, video, and post published with the hashtag will be collected in one place.
• Give users an opportunity to interact: People can connect with your brand and with other event participants.

How to use it:

• Before the event: Use the branded hashtag to promote the event and increase awareness.
• During the event: Encourage attendees to use the hashtag in their posts and Stories.
• After the event: Use the hashtag to share event recaps, photographs, and participant experiences.

This is an effective way to increase interaction around your event and collect User-Generated Content.

23. Use Instagram Ads to Reach Your Audience

If you genuinely want to increase your follower count significantly, consider allocating an advertising budget to Instagram campaigns.

With Instagram ads, you can:

• Easily turn any existing Instagram content into a paid advertisement.
• Target specific audiences so that your ads are seen by the right people.
• Track advertising performance and optimize campaigns accordingly.

With several advertising formats available, you can adapt your campaigns to different marketing objectives, whether the goal is to drive website traffic, increase brand awareness, or grow your follower count.

How to get started:

Instagram ads are managed through Ads Manager. To begin, you will need a Facebook business page, which will provide access to an Ads Manager account.

You will then be able to create Instagram advertisements directly through the Ads Manager platform.

24. Get Your Account Verified

Becoming verified on Instagram—or on any other social media platform—is an effective way to increase engagement.

The small blue verified badge can provide your brand with:

• Credibility.
• Trust.
• Authenticity.

Although only certain accounts meet Instagram’s verification criteria—typically celebrities, public figures, global brands, and organizations—it may still be worth submitting a request if you believe your brand qualifies.

Verification is another way to differentiate yourself from competitors and send a trust signal to users that your business is genuine and recognized.

To request verification, follow these steps:

• Tap the hamburger menu—the three horizontal lines—in the upper-right corner of your profile.
• Select Settings and privacy.
• Open Accounts Center, followed by Verification, or search directly for Request verification if the option is displayed. Instagram’s interface may vary slightly.
• Complete the required form, select Submit, and wait for a response.

Note: Meta recently changed its verification process and now offers the Meta Verified subscription. However, the traditional free verification request process may still be available to certain accounts. It would be advisable to update this section according to Meta’s current policy when publishing the article.

Final Thoughts

Although there is no guaranteed way to gain Instagram followers—apart from buying them, which is strongly discouraged—these recommendations provide a practical path forward.

By publishing high-quality content, using the latest trends and features, and prioritizing the value you provide to Instagram users, you can:

• Expand your reach.
• Increase brand awareness.
• Attract new audiences and encourage them to follow your account.

Try to apply as many of these recommendations as possible to position yourself for success on one of the world’s most popular social media platforms.