23 Ways to Get Instagram Followers

23 Ways to Get Instagram Followers

Things that increase dopamine levels in the brain?

-Exercise
-Turmeric.
-Green leaves.
-Getting more followers on Instagram.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

23 ways to get Instagram followers in 2022

23 ways to get Instagram followers – smiling dog meme

Am I right?

But seriously, increasing your Instagram followers can help you increase brand awareness, build relationships, and get more customers for your business. So in this guide, I’ll share with you 22 free ways (and one paid) to get more Instagram followers – that is, quality followers.

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Contents

Twenty-three ways to get more Instagram followers in this post are divided into the following sections:

  • How to get more followers using your Instagram bio
  • Using creativity and content to attract followers
  • How to use hashtags suitable for followers
  • Getting more followers through other users
  • Best practices for increasing followers
  • Tools that will help you get more Instagram followers
  • How to get more Instagram followers: bio basics

If you want to get more traffic to your Instagram bio and more followers, you need to treat it like a landing page and optimize it. Here’s how to do it.

1. Give people a reason to follow you.

Instead of (or in addition to) just putting your credentials, tagline, or value proposition in your Instagram bio, give potential followers a clear idea of what they can expect if they follow you. For example:

  • Follow for dog training tips; get ready for cuteness overload.
  • Follow me if you’re interested in, you know, securing your financial future and binary options.
  • Your go-to source for quick marketing tips and brilliant, original memes.
  • Cooking tips for the culinarily challenged.
Instagram followers
Instagram followers


How to get more Instagram followers – reason to follow in bio

2. Choose the right profile handle

First, make sure your Instagram profile handle is as close as possible to your business name and your other social media handles. This will ensure that your account is easy to remember, find, and recognize.

3. Make sure it’s a business profile

A business profile on Instagram will give you access to analytics data that shows you who your followers are, what content they like most, and whether you’re gaining or losing them. If you haven’t made this switch yet, go to the hamburger menu in the top right of your bio, tap Settings, and then Switch to Professional Account. Select a category, enter your business information, and you can get started.

Do you want to increase the visibility of your Instagram profile or Facebook page? Don’t know how to deal with social media or Google ads? Simplemedia.cz will take care of everything for you!

4. Eliminate the boring bio link

This is the main value of Instagram. Do you really want it to point to your home page? Yawn. The best Instagram bios change their bio link at least once every two weeks and send people to new or popular content, promo codes, landing pages, and more.

The best social media magazine MrInsta.cz

Even better is to use an app like Linktree and share multiple links to places with added value, such as websites, blog posts, offers, and more.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more Instagram followers – linktree example

An effective link tree can showcase your value and gain followers.

5. Focus on quality followers

There are a billion users on Instagram (literally). However, do you want to have disinterested followers who bring no life to your account? Unstable followers who unfollow just as quickly? I don’t think so. You want followers who:

  • Comment, like, and share your posts.
  • Appreciate your content and make sense of it.
  • Convert into potential customers.
  • Help you gain more great followers.

If followers on Instagram are candy, you’re not trying to break the pinata and dive into it. You’re trying to curate a candy box and cultivate a community.

How to get more followers on Instagram using your content
Now that your profile is optimized for fruitful and wonderful followers, it’s time to start attracting more people to it. Here you will learn how to gain more followers on Instagram through content and creativity.

6. Use all formats

One of the things that sets Instagram apart from other popular social media platforms are its various formats. They keep user attention and allow you to showcase different aspects of your brand. So take advantage of these options:

Feed posts: photos and videos in the best quality.
Stories: short-term content, rawer and more spontaneous (hacks for Stories can be found here).
Reels: videos with a bit more emphasis on the entertainment factor (creative Reels ideas here).
Lives: live videos, great for tutorials and AMA (how to run a great IG Live here).
The more aspects of your business a person can learn about, the greater the likelihood that they will develop an affinity for you and follow you. Not sure what to do with all those formats? Find more ideas on what to post on Instagram here.

7. Post great content – consistently

This is the most important thing for your entire social media marketing strategy – not just on Instagram. Great content is a given, but consistency is often overlooked. One great post can get you followers, but now you’re in the spotlight. They see your content regularly, and if you can’t keep delivering what brought them in the first place, you’ll get unfollowed. So what makes great content on Instagram?

Useful: relevant to your industry and your audience’s needs. Tips, facts, news, ideas.
Thoughtful: speaks to their values, lifestyle, and personality.
Interactive: so it’s fun to follow you! Polls, questions, Lives, contests, shared content.
Fun: catches and holds attention. Attractive design, movement, emotion, humor, video, boldness.
On the Mailchimp account below, we see a beautiful mix of posts covering everything: useful tutorials, thoughtful customer spotlights and a campaign supporting small businesses, an interactive post about personal development, and a fun video with DJ Khaled.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more followers on Instagram – examples of great content from Mailchimp

8. Focus on Entertainment

The entertainment factor is becoming increasingly important. When Instagram revealed how its algorithm works last summer, it stated that it shifts attention to “full-screen, immersive, entertaining, mobile video content”. Entertaining content doesn’t necessarily have to be action-packed or funny. It just has to be interesting. Creative. Original. Striking. Tips on how to create engaging videos on Instagram can be found here.

9. Do Instagram SEO

SEO is not just about getting more Google search traffic to your website. Social media platforms are also search engines, and Instagram’s search feature now supports common keyword searches – not just account or hashtag searches. This makes Instagram SEO even more important now, so don’t forget to:

  • focus on keywords in captions and bio
  • Add your location to Instagram
  • Add alt text to images
Instagram followers
Instagram followers


How to get more followers on Instagram – Instagram SEO alt text

10. Cross-Promote Your Account

One of the best ways to promote your Instagram account is through cross-promotion. Place links to your social media profiles in your website footer, email templates, and signatures. Print your handle name and put it in a cute frame in your office. Tell visitors to your Facebook page where to find you on Insta. Cross-promote your branded hashtag as well on receipts, in print ads, and at relevant events.

Don’t assume people will find your Instagram account or hashtag. Direct them to it.

11. Create Your Own Instagram Style

The beauty of design lies in the fact that there are endless ways to be unique. Choose a style that is distinctly yours so that your posts are immediately recognizable in the newsfeed. Users follow accounts whose content they can experience, not just see. A great example is Oatly:

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more followers on Instagram – example of visual identity

To create your own style, make sure you have a well-developed overall brand. Your positioning, voice, brand colors, audience, and offering will play a role in your Instagram aesthetic.

12. Write Good Captions

The image may be the focal point of a post, but your Instagram caption can sometimes determine its impact on your potential followers. What makes a good caption? Originality. What makes something original?

  • Wit
  • Humor
  • Inspiration
  • Meaningful Stories
  • Self-Irony
  • Relatability
  • Storytelling
  • Intrigue

For example, National Geographic knows how to fantastically use storytelling along with photography on Instagram to evoke interest and sharing. Whatever you choose, try to maintain this style so your followers stay with you.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more Instagram followers – example of narrative captions

There are endless opportunities for originality. Stay away from generic wallpaper captions and paint something that catches attention.

13. Launch giveaways on Instagram

They are perhaps the quintessence of an Instagram follower magnet. First, who wouldn’t love free things or prizes? The awareness that you run them regularly will certainly bring you followers. Second, entry into the contest itself may require following you or tagging a friend. Just make sure the prize is something that appeals to your ideal customers. Remember, you want to attract quality followers.

And check this out. We have just the post for you >> How to use giveaways on Instagram to grow your followers?

14. Go local

Your Instagram marketing strategy should aim to gain followers through content that resonates not only with your ideal customers but also with your local geographic community. People are immediately drawn to things they know, and they like to see parts of their identity represented online. Here are a few ways to achieve this:

  • Post photos and videos of local landmarks and attractions.
  • Share local news and recommendations on the topic.
  • Engage with local events. Search for your city or town and tap “places” in the search results to see what’s happening.
Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more Instagram followers – example of local search

For even more ideas and tips on local social media marketing, head to the LOCALiQ Social Media Marketing Lab. A white coat is not required.

How to get more Instagram followers using hashtags
Hashtags on Instagram serve several purposes. They provide information, add humor, categorize posts, and create a network of content that can lead users anywhere. Here you will learn how to lead them to the follow button on your bio.

15. Use a combination of different types of hashtags

Hashtags on Instagram are like keywords on Google. They can be broad or long-tail, with high or low volume, location-based or universal, and can vary in intent. Let me show you:

  • Broad: #dogsofig
  • Long-tail: #dogtraining101
  • Local: #dogsofsouthie
  • Low intent: #smartdogs
  • High intent: #dogtrainerboston
  • Evergreen: #clickertraining
  • Trending: In 2018, several events were held as part of the “Cats for Dogs” project aimed at dog training: #valentinedogs
  • Brand: #chewydogs

Really specific hashtags are like long keywords that have greater intent and will help you find the right people, but the broad ones can get you in front of more people overall. To grow your followers on a massive platform like Instagram, you need a combination of both.

16. But don’t take them too seriously

The large lists of hashtags you see at the end of posts do serve their purpose, but should every one of your posts have them? No, if you want your followers to feel sick when they see them and think you’re desperate. Be selective when using hashtags, vary their number in individual posts, and also have fun with them. Some hashtags are purely aesthetic or are added for humor or brand voice. Some have nothing to do with your brand, but they’re just fun.

For example:

  • #twothingsthatdontmix.
  • oneoftheseisnotliketheother
  • mylifeinanutshell
  • youhadonejobdobí
  • neveragain

17. Have an interesting or action-packed brand hashtag

While we’re talking about fun, come up with a brand hashtag suitable for your followers. In other words, instead of just using your company name or a behind-the-scenes hashtag, create something your followers can use in their posts.

Take UPS’s Instagram account for example with their great #upsdogs hashtag. Anyone can contribute! More posts with your hashtag = greater publicity = more followers.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more Instagram followers – example of a fun brand hashtag

How to get Instagram followers with other users
There are three types of Instagram users who can help you get more followers: influencers, your customers and followers, and your competitors. Let’s explore them.

18. Go all in with influencer marketing

We all know that when an influencer mentions you, you can score followers, but it won’t happen overnight. Influencer marketing is a careful strategy. You’ll want to:

Research. Create a list of influencers who would be most realistic to approach and who are most relevant to your followers.


Start small. Focus on smaller accounts and use these relationships to work your way up to higher positions.


Be genuine. Pick one and spend a week or two getting to know them thoroughly. Turn on notifications for their posts, explore their content elsewhere on the web, and engage with their account. Take your time and build interest in them – not in their followers. When you then approach them, your request can be more attractive and your chances of a lasting relationship higher.

19. Support user-generated content

No matter how good a company is, its own promotional content will never be as powerful as content from its customers. Feature user-generated content – posts from other users that tag your brand and/or location or mention your business name in captions or hashtags.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to get more Instagram followers – example of user-generated content

Whether a user sees user-generated content on your account or someone else’s, your credibility increases and your chances of gaining their followers are even higher. Here’s how to support it on a larger scale:

  • Come up with a fun brand hashtag as mentioned above.
  • Turn your location into an Instagram-friendly place with a fun photo opportunity.
  • Engage with user-generated content and repost it (you can find seven different ways to repost content on Instagram here).
  • Host contests where participants post photos using your product or service.

20. Analyze your competitors

Do you have a competitor you can’t seem to catch? Do a small social media competitor analysis and find out what, how often, when, and in what formats they publish. Watch them closely for a week so you can catch all the nuances of the strategies they use. You might just get ideas on what, how, and when to best post on Instagram to gain more followers.

So now you know that to get more followers on Instagram, you need to know your audience, engage with them, and create compelling content. The thing is, you probably manage more than one social media account for your business, and the more followers you gain, the harder it can be to scale your strategy. Here are some free tools that can help.

21. Social Media Management Tools

It might seem like automation is the opposite of genuine engagement, but social media management tools are designed to help you streamline your personalized strategy. With them, you can stay on top of conversations, consistently post content through scheduling, monitor competitors, and sometimes gain deeper insights than what the native platform offers.

22. Photo Design and Editing Tools

Instagram offers its own set of filters, stickers, stamps, and special effects to make your visuals look their best, but external design and editing tools can help you achieve the unique look you want. Plus, you can template things to ensure consistency and create more great content more efficiently. My number one recommendation here is Canva, but there are other free tools too, like Afterlight and Facetune.

23. Instagram Advertising

This is the only paid strategy in this post. Organic reach on Instagram has always been considered high. But don’t get too excited, we’re talking about 9%. That means your posts will only reach 9% of all your followers.

Instagram followers
Instagram followers

How to Get More Instagram Followers – Organic Reach

Advertising, on the other hand, gives you the opportunity to get in front of thousands of relevant users. And besides the CTA button in the ad, viewers can also view your bio directly from the ad. Now, you shouldn’t advertise just to gain more followers, but if this platform is suitable for you, it’s a nice bonus.

How to Get More Instagram Followers for Free [Summary]


The secret to getting more quality followers on Instagram who will help your business grow? Patience. Finding your niche and cultivating a community requires time, trial and error, and effort – but it’s worth it. Here’s a summary of the 23 best ways to get more followers on Instagram:

  1. Choose the right handle
  2. Make sure it’s a business profile
  3. Give people a reason to follow you
  4. Remove the boring link in your bio
  5. Focus on quality followers
  6. Use all formats
  7. Publish great content – consistently
  8. Focus on entertainment
  9. Cross-promote your account
  10. Do SEO for Instagram
  11. Create your own Instagram style
  12. Write good captions
  13. Run Instagram giveaways
  14. Get local
  15. Use a combination of different types of hashtags
  16. But don’t take them too seriously
  17. Have an interesting or action-oriented branded hashtag
  18. Go all in with influencer marketing
  19. Support user-generated content
  20. Analyze your competitors
  21. Social media management tools
  22. Photo design and editing tools
  23. Instagram advertising

Autor

  • front view happy man standing against white background 23 2148043782

    Michal Záruba je specialista na digitální marketing a konzultant v oblasti sociálních médií a SEO. Více než 8 let pomáhá značkám růst online prostřednictvím strategického obsahu, optimalizace pro vyhledávače a efektivní komunikace na platformách jako LinkedIn, Instagram a YouTube.

    Na svém blogu sdílí praktické tipy o tom, jak propojit SEO, sociální sítě a brand building do jedné funkční strategie. Zaměřuje se na to, jak firmy mohou využít moderní nástroje a algoritmy k tomu, aby jejich značka nezískala jen dosah, ale i důvěru.

    Když zrovna netvoří obsah, přednáší o digitálním marketingu, školí týmy a sleduje nové trendy v AI a vyhledávání.

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