60 Tips on How to Get More Instagram Followers: The Ultimate Guide
by Fabio Peters
Each and every day, thousands of people search the internet for ways to get more Instagram followers and to become the next Insta-famous celebrity. It’s becoming the new career path that a lot of people are pursuing. There is so much attention focused on Instagram right now, it would be crazy to ignore it.
Yes, like with all online trends, they will have an upswing, then they will eventually fall. So, take advantage of this opportunity while it’s HOT!
I don’t want to give you the impression that you will be able the quit your day job, become insta-famous and you will be set for life. It doesn’t work like that for everyone. Your content has to be popular and highly searched to begin with.
However, for any business, Instagram has amazing potential for those who are looking to establish their brand and corporate identity.
So, if you are interested in using Instagram as a marketing tool for your business, but you are not exactly sure how to go about it, please check out these 60 free tips:
Post high-quality and visually appealing content: Invest in creating visually stunning and high-quality photos or videos that will catch the attention of your audience.
Use relevant and popular hashtags in your posts: Research and include hashtags that are relevant to your content and popular among your target audience. This will increase the discoverability of your posts.
Engage with your followers by responding to comments and messages: Show appreciation for your followers by actively responding to their comments and direct messages. This builds a sense of community and encourages them to engage more with your content.
Collaborate with other Instagram users or influencers in your niche: Collaborations with others in your niche allow you to tap into their audience and gain exposure to new followers who have similar interests.
Run contests or giveaways to encourage user engagement and tagging: Create contests or giveaways that require participants to engage with your content by liking, commenting, or tagging others. This not only increases engagement but also expands your reach to potential new followers.
Cross-promote your Instagram account on other social media platforms: Leverage your existing presence on other social media platforms to promote your Instagram account. Encourage your followers on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc., to also follow you on Instagram.
Share user-generated content and give credit to the original creators: Encourage your followers to create content related to your brand or products. Repost and share their content, giving proper credit. This fosters a sense of community and encourages others to create content for you.
Follow relevant accounts and engage with their content: Find and follow accounts that are relevant to your niche. Engage with their content by liking, commenting, and sharing. This can attract their attention and their followers’ attention to your account.
Use Instagram Stories to provide behind-the-scenes glimpses and exclusive content: Utilize Instagram Stories to offer exclusive content, behind-the-scenes looks, product sneak peeks, or day-to-day happenings. This creates a sense of exclusivity and encourages followers to stay engaged.
Post consistently to maintain a presence in your followers’ feeds: Establish a consistent posting schedule to stay on top of your followers’ feeds. Regular and consistent content keeps your followers engaged and increases your visibility.
Optimize your Instagram bio with a clear and compelling description: Craft a concise and compelling bio that clearly communicates who you are, what you do, and why people should follow you. Include relevant keywords and a link to drive traffic to your website or other platforms.
Include a call-to-action in your captions to encourage likes, comments, or shares: Prompt your followers to take action by including a clear call-to-action in your captions. Ask them to like, comment, share, or tag someone who would appreciate the content.
Use Instagram Insights to analyze your audience and optimize your content strategy: Utilize Instagram’s analytics tool, Insights, to gain insights into your audience demographics, engagement, and the performance of your content. Use this data to refine your content strategy and cater to your audience’s preferences.
Collaborate with local businesses or organizations for mutual promotion: Partner with local businesses or organizations that align with your brand values or target audience. This collaboration can involve joint events, co-created content, or cross-promotion to reach each other’s followers.
Run Instagram ads to reach a wider audience: Utilize Instagram’s advertising platform to run targeted ads. This allows you to reach a wider audience beyond your existing followers and increase your visibility.
Participate in popular Instagram challenges or trends: Keep an eye on trending challenges or popular trends on Instagram and participate in them. This helps you tap into wider conversations, gain visibility.
Tag relevant accounts or locations in your posts to increase visibility: When you tag other accounts or specific locations in your posts, your content becomes visible to their followers or people browsing those locations, increasing the chances of attracting new followers.
Host Instagram Live sessions to connect with your followers in real-time: Use Instagram Live to engage directly with your audience. You can conduct Q&A sessions, tutorials, interviews, or simply share valuable insights. Live videos tend to receive higher engagement and can attract new followers.
Use Instagram’s “Highlights” feature to curate your best content: Highlights are permanent collections of stories that you can display on your profile. Organize your highlights to showcase your best content, important announcements, or specific themes. This allows new visitors to get a quick overview of your account.
Share exclusive discounts or offers for your Instagram followers: Reward your Instagram followers by offering exclusive discounts, promo codes, or special offers. This creates a sense of exclusivity and encourages people to follow and engage with your account to access these benefits.
Post content related to trending topics or events: Stay up-to-date with current trends, holidays, or events relevant to your niche. By creating content around these topics, you can leverage the increased interest and engagement associated with them, attracting more followers.
Create visually consistent and aesthetically pleasing Instagram feed: Aim for a cohesive and visually appealing feed by maintaining a consistent style, color palette, or theme. A visually attractive feed attracts attention, makes people want to follow, and encourages them to explore your content further.
Engage with your followers’ content by liking and commenting on their posts: Show genuine interest in your followers by regularly engaging with their content. Like their posts, leave thoughtful comments, and build meaningful connections. This increases the likelihood of them returning the engagement and following you.
Collaborate with photographers or other creatives for unique content: Work with photographers, graphic designers, or other creative individuals to produce unique and eye-catching content. Collaborative projects not only enhance the quality of your content but also expose you to new audiences.
Share informative or educational content related to your niche: Position yourself as an expert or a valuable source of information in your niche by sharing educational or informative content. Provide tips, tutorials, guides, or industry insights that your followers find helpful and shareable.
Share testimonials or reviews from satisfied customers: Social proof is powerful. Share testimonials, reviews, or success stories from your satisfied customers to build trust and credibility. This encourages others to follow you with confidence.
Use Instagram’s Explore page to discover and engage with new accounts: Explore the Explore page regularly to discover new accounts, engage with their content, and attract attention from users who may be interested in your content. Engaging with popular or trending posts can expose you to a wider audience.
Respond to direct messages promptly and provide helpful information: Monitor your direct messages and respond to them promptly. Offer assistance, answer inquiries, or provide valuable information to build relationships and leave a positive impression on potential followers.
Optimize your Instagram profile by using relevant keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords in your Instagram username, bio, and captions. This enhances the discoverability of your account when users search for specific terms or topics.
Use Instagram’s IGTV feature to share longer videos or tutorials: IGTV allows you to share longer videos, tutorials, or in-depth content. Utilize this feature to provide valuable and engaging video content to your followers, attracting new ones who appreciate your expertise.
Share behind-the-scenes stories or snippets of your creative process: Give your followers a glimpse behind the curtain by sharing behind-the-scenes stories, images, or videos. This personal touch creates a stronger connection with your audience and makes them feel
Participate in Instagram comment pods or engagement groups: Join comment pods or engagement groups within your niche. These groups consist of Instagram users who agree to engage with each other’s content by liking and commenting, boosting engagement and potentially attracting new followers.
Host Instagram takeovers with influencers or industry experts: Collaborate with influencers or experts in your industry to host Instagram takeovers. This involves allowing them to take control of your account for a specific period, sharing their content, and engaging with your followers. This cross-promotion can introduce your account to their audience and vice versa.
Share personal stories or experiences to connect with your audience: Share personal stories, experiences, or anecdotes that resonate with your audience. This vulnerability and authenticity help build an emotional connection, making your followers feel more invested in your content and more likely to follow you.
Use Instagram’s carousel feature to share multiple images in one post: The carousel feature allows you to share multiple images or videos in a single post that users can swipe through. This provides an opportunity to showcase a variety of content, tell a story, or share different perspectives, increasing engagement and follower interest.
Collaborate with micro-influencers to reach niche audiences: Identify and collaborate with micro-influencers—accounts with a smaller but highly engaged following within your niche. Their audience is often more targeted and receptive, increasing the likelihood of gaining new followers who align with your target demographic.
Use geotags in your posts to target local audiences: When appropriate, tag your location in your posts using geotags. This helps you attract followers who are interested in or located near that specific area, allowing you to build a local following.
Share tips, tricks, or hacks related to your industry: Position yourself as a valuable resource by sharing practical tips, tricks, or hacks relevant to your industry or niche. This establishes you as an authority and encourages followers to look to you for valuable content and insights.
Repurpose popular content from other platforms to drive traffic to your Instagram: Take advantage of content you’ve created for other platforms, such as YouTube or your blog. Repurpose and share snippets or teasers of this content on Instagram, providing a preview and driving traffic to your Instagram account.
Run Instagram-specific promotions or discounts: Offer exclusive promotions or discounts specifically for your Instagram followers. This incentivizes people to follow your account to access these special offers, increasing your follower count and engagement.
Use Instagram’s “Swipe Up” feature in Stories to link to external content: If you have a verified account or more than 10,000 followers, you can utilize the “Swipe Up” feature in Instagram Stories. This allows you to link directly to external content, such as blog posts, videos, or product pages, driving traffic and attracting followers.
Share motivational or inspirational quotes: Inspirational quotes resonate well on Instagram. Create or curate visually appealing quote graphics that align with your brand or niche. These types of posts tend to be shared widely, exposing your account to new potential followers.
Create engaging and interactive Instagram polls or quizzes: Use Instagram’s interactive features, such as polls or quizzes, to engage your followers. Ask thought-provoking questions, seek opinions, or create quizzes related to your content. This not only encourages engagement but also increases the likelihood of followers sharing your content with their own followers.
Share before-and-after transformations or progress pictures: Whether it’s a physical transformation, a project outcome, or a personal journey, sharing before-and-after pictures captures attention and generates curiosity. It can inspire and motivate others, leading to increased followers.
Use Instagram’s shop feature to tag and sell products directly: If you sell products, take advantage of Instagram’s shopping feature. Tagging products on Instagram is a valuable feature that allows businesses to showcase their products and make them easily discoverable to their followers.
Partner with charitable organizations and promote your philanthropic efforts: Collaborate with non-profit organizations or charities that align with your values. Promote your involvement and share how your brand is making a positive impact. This can attract followers who appreciate socially responsible businesses.
Conduct Instagram Live Q&A sessions to address your followers’ questions: Host live Q&A sessions on Instagram to directly interact with your followers. Encourage them to ask questions related to your niche or expertise. This fosters engagement, builds trust, and attracts new followers who value your knowledge.
Use Instagram’s AR filters or stickers to make your content more engaging: Take advantage of Instagram’s augmented reality (AR) filters and stickers to enhance your content and make it more interactive and visually appealing. This can attract attention, encourage sharing, and increase your follower count.
Share user testimonials or success stories: Highlight the positive experiences of your customers or clients through testimonials or success stories. This social proof can influence others to follow you, knowing that others have had a positive experience with your brand.
Optimize your posting times based on your audience’s activity: Analyze your Instagram Insights to determine the times when your audience is most active. By posting at optimal times, you can increase the visibility and engagement of your content, leading to more followers.
Share sneak peeks or previews of upcoming projects or releases: Generate excitement and anticipation by offering exclusive sneak peeks or previews of upcoming projects, product launches, or collaborations. This builds curiosity and attracts followers who want to be the first to know about your latest updates.
Collaborate with Instagram influencers for sponsored posts or shoutouts: Partner with influencers who have a similar target audience to yours. Sponsored posts or shoutouts from influencers can expose your brand to their followers, leading to increased visibility and follower growth.
Share lifestyle or behind-the-scenes content to humanize your brand: Give your followers a glimpse into your personal life or the behind-the-scenes aspects of your business. Showcasing your human side creates a stronger connection and relatability, making people more likely to follow and engage with your account.
Use Instagram’s “Explore” page to discover and engage with new accounts: Regularly explore the “Explore” page on Instagram to discover new accounts, engage with their content, and attract their followers’ attention. Engaging with relevant and popular posts can expose your account to a wider audience.
Create Instagram Guides to curate and share valuable content: Utilize Instagram’s Guides feature to curate and share valuable content related to your niche. Guides allow you to compile and organize posts, products, or recommendations, providing a valuable resource for your followers and attracting new ones.
Share before-and-after transformations or progress pictures: Whether it’s a physical transformation, a project outcome, or a personal journey, sharing before-and-after pictures captures attention and generates curiosity. It can inspire and motivate others, leading to increased followers.
Host Instagram contests or challenges: Run engaging contests or challenges on your Instagram account. Encourage your followers to participate by liking, commenting, sharing, or creating content related to the contest. This generates excitement, increases engagement, and attracts new followers.
Utilize Instagram Reels and video content: Leverage the popularity of short-form video content by creating engaging and entertaining Instagram Reels. This format allows you to showcase your creativity, humor, or expertise, attracting a wider audience and increasing your follower base.
Engage with relevant industry events or hashtags: Stay active and engaged during industry events or popular hashtags related to your niche. Participate in conversations, share your insights, and interact with other participants. This increases your visibility and positions you as an active and knowledgeable presence in your industry.
Stay true to your brand: Maintain consistency in your content, messaging, and overall aesthetic to reflect your brand identity and values. It’s crucial to define and understand your brand identity before you start posting on Instagram.
Bonus Tip:
Direct message influencers in your location. You can do this by going to the PLACES tab in the search field. When you do this, a list of businesses will show up related to that keyword you typed in.
Go to each one of their Instagram pages, like their images, comment and then Direct Message them by clicking the three dots in the top right corner. This is a great way to start a relationship with a business in your region.
The main thing to take away from these 60 tips is the importance of engagement. It won’t matter how many followers you have, if you don’t engage with them and create a relationship. That is how you will convert followers into paying clients or customers.
If you take the steps listed above, I guarantee that you will increase your Instagram following by a significant amount. It seems like hard work, but if you begin to implement these tactics slowly into your Instagram posts, your Instagram page and your business will grow.
Thank you for your time. I’ll be back with more Instagram tips, so stay tuned. I hope this brought you some value. See you soon. Take care!