How to Get More Instagram Followers: 16 Proven Ways

Instagram isn’t just about sharing pretty pictures anymore. It’s a powerhouse platform where individuals and businesses are building brands, connecting with millions, and, yes—making serious money.

The best part? You can start growing your following without spending a lot of money.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to attract more followers and build a strong, profitable presence on Instagram. Forget shady techniques like buying Instagram followers or “like for like” gimmicks. We’re talking real, sustainable growth strategies.

What to know before starting your Instagram marketing journey

Getting the best results from Instagram marketing means laying a solid foundation. This will guide your strategy, help you make more impactful content, and get you better results.

Set clear goals

Set SMART goals for your Instagram presence: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. A goal could be: “Gain 1,000 new followers in the next three months by posting daily and engaging with 50 potential followers’ content each week.”

Break larger goals into weekly or monthly milestones. Remember, building a large following takes time. Focus on creating value and fostering genuine connections.

💡 Action step: Write down your primary Instagram goal and three milestone goals to achieve it.

Know your ideal follower

Create a detailed persona of your ideal follower or target customer. Consider their:

• Demographics (age, location, occupation)

• Interests and hobbies

• Pain points and challenges

• Goals and aspirations

If you have an existing Instagram account, pull this data from your analytics. Write a brief description of your ideal follower and list three to five types of content they would find valuable.

How to get more Instagram followers: 16 ways

With so many social media gurus and changing tactics out there, it can be hard to know where to begin. Here are 16 ways to get real followers, not bots, for your Instagram account.

1. Create a compelling bio

Your Instagram bio should be clear, authentic, and aligned with your brand. Avoid stuffing it with hashtags—save those for your posts. Instead, focus on conveying your value proposition and personality in a concise, engaging manner.

Start by stating who you are and what you do. Make it clear right off the bat, like marketing influencer and CEO Ross Kernez. His bio clearly outlines his role and highlights his professional achievements.

Ross Kernez's Instagram profile showing follower count and bio including marketer and author.

Then, add a touch of personality. Share a fun fact about yourself, a favorite quote, or a quirky tagline that echoes your brand.

Consider the example of travel influencer @Thomaslmanuel, below. Thomas shares the number of countries he’s visited to date, which let’s people know traveling is a huge part of his life, and that his content is in the travel niche.

Thomas Manuel's Instagram profile showing follower count and bio with travel achievements.

💡 Action: Draft your bio using these elements, then ask a friend for feedback. Is it clear who you are and what value you offer at a glance?

2. Choose a memorable profile picture

Your profile picture should instantly convey your brand identity and make you recognizable in comments and Stories, and on the Explore page. Here’s how to make it count:

Personal brands: Use a clear, friendly headshot with good lighting and focus. Reflect your personality and professional image, like the example below.

Businesses: Use your logo or a branded graphic. Make sure it’s recognizable at small sizes and is consistent across all your social platforms. For example, @maevillasbali uses a simple, elegant logo that’s easily identifiable.

Creatives: If you’re a food blogger, consider a close-up of your signature dish. If you’re a photographer or artist, showcase a piece of your work.

In general, avoid text-heavy images, as they are unreadable at small sizes. The key is to choose an image that instantly conveys your brand identity and makes you stand out in a crowded feed.

💡 Action step: Create two to three options for your profile picture and ask your current followers to vote on their favorite using an Instagram poll in your Stories.

3. Cross promote other social media platforms

Use the link feature to direct traffic to your most important link (website, latest content, etc.). Update your link regularly to align with current campaigns and promotions. Consider using a link-in-bio tool like linktr.ee for multiple links.

See the example of creative influencer and freelance marketing consultant Kendall Furhman, below. Being an entrepreneur and creative, Kendall has many ventures under her belt. Organizing her business links in one place allows her audience to explore her brand beyond Instagram and engage with her content on their own terms.

@kendallfaefuhrman

💡 Action step: Set up a link-in-bio tool and create a branded landing page with your top three to five most important links. Then, create an Instagram Story highlighting what followers can find through your bio link.

4. Showcase your best content with Story Highlights

Story Highlights are the greatest hits of your feed. They’re a way to showcase your best content and give visitors a glimpse into what your brand is all about. Story Highlights live right at the top of your profile, so they’re impossible to miss.

Think about the key themes of your content to come up with effective Highlights. Maybe you have workout videos, recipe tutorials, or travel photos you love. Put your content in logical categories, and make each highlight stand out with a compelling title and cover picture.

Since Mae Villas Bali wants to promote its villa rentals, it created a Highlight to show off each villa. Brand messaging is key, so it uses a clean, consistent look.

Instagram highlights with categories such as Shoots, Villas, and Featured

Emily from Fine Art Tutorials organizes her Highlights based on sub-genres of her niche, like Prints and Portraits, so her audience can easily navigate to the specific art they’re interested in.

nstagram highlights with categories like Videos, Prints, Process, Portraits, Seascapes.

Your Highlights are a powerful tool to showcase your brand’s personality, values, and offerings. Use them wisely, and you’ll turn those casual profile visitors into engaged, long-term followers.

💡 Action step: Review your current content and create three to five Highlight categories. Design custom cover images and add relevant Stories to each Highlight. Then, ask a few trusted followers for feedback on your new highlight structure.

5. Take captivating photos

On Instagram, your visual content is your currency. Consistency in your visual style helps build brand recognition and can lead to more engagement. While a professional camera isn’t necessary, you’ll want to have a good handle on shooting with a smartphone.

Here are some tips for taking good IG photos:

• Enable your camera’s grid feature to compose balanced shots.

• Opt for 4K recording for maximum post-production flexibility.

• Tap to focus, then fine-tune exposure with the slider.

• Harness natural light, especially during the golden hours.

Use Instagram’s built-in editing features to make quick enhancements. If you want pro-level edits, get an app like VSCO or Lightroom. You’ll be able to create presets that you can use in all your content.

Experiment with these tips to find what works best for your aesthetic, but always prioritize authenticity over perfection.

6. Write captivating captions

While stunning visuals catch the eye, it’s the power of a well-crafted caption that truly captivates your audience. Your Instagram captions are an opportunity to showcase your brand’s personality, share valuable insights, and foster deeper connections with your followers.

Getting readers’ attention is the key to an engaging caption. Make sure your opening line piques curiosity, or inspires emotions. Think of something that’s thought-provoking, surprising, or a little humorous that matches your brand voice. Remember, those first few words are everything in a world of rapid scrolling.

Gymshark writes good captions on its Instagram posts. For example, the following caption is short, yet exciting, and prompts engagement with requests like “Comment below what you ordered.”

Analis Cruz's Instagram post promoting Gymshark with comments and engagement.

Think of each caption as a mini-blog post that complements your visual content. A fitness influencer might share a quick workout routine, while a travel blogger could offer hidden-gem recommendations.

Take the time to craft compelling, value-packed captions that leave a lasting impression and keep your audience coming back for more.

7. Plan your Instagram feed

Think of your Instagram feed as a visual representation of your brand’s personality. Are you going for a bright and energetic vibe, or something more muted and sophisticated? Your choice of colors, filters, and image styles should all work together to reinforce this overall mood.

Mae Villas Bali has a well-planned feed. Its images use a cohesive, muted color scheme with warm tones, creating a harmonious and visually pleasing grid. It clearly conveys a luxury vacation/lifestyle theme that invites viewers to imagine themselves in these settings.

Instagram grid featuring lifestyle and travel photos with minimalist aesthetic.

To gain insight into maintaining a consistent brand voice and aesthetic, we turned to Lucia Grace, an entrepreneur, model, and seasoned social media influencer. Lucia, who manages the stunning feed @maevillasbali among others, shares her strategic approach:

“I start every social media management project with a brand deck as a reference point for mood, creative assets, and tone of voice,” Lucia explains. “It includes a detailed mood board with imagery and quotes to establish the desired aesthetic and vibe. I also include sample captions, hooks, and quotes that match the intended tone of voice—whether that’s informative, dreamy, or sarcastic.”

Lucia emphasizes the importance of clear brand guidelines: “The deck contains pages of branded materials like logos, colors, and fonts to be used. This ensures the branding and aesthetic remain clear and consistent across all relevant posts. Having this reference point always ensures content is consistently on brand.”

8. Create a content calendar

A well-planned content calendar is the backbone of a consistent and engaging Instagram presence. By outlining your posting schedule and content types in advance, you can ensure your feed tells a cohesive story about your brand or business.

Start by dedicating time to plan your content and craft thoughtful captions. This approach allows you to create more compelling posts than trying to come up with ideas on the spot.

When creating your content calendar, consider the following elements:

• Post types (e.g., product shots, behind the scenes, user-generated content)

• Caption ideas and themes

• Relevant hashtags

• Ideal posting times based on your audience’s activity

• Special events or promotions to highlight

Tools like Preview can be invaluable in this process, allowing you to visualize your grid, rearrange photos, and test different caption ideas before posting.

Planner

A content calendar isn’t set in stone. Keep your content calendar flexible and revise it based on audience engagement and your evolving marketing goals.

9. Engage with video

In case you hadn’t noticed, video is the dominating force on Instagram. From Stories and Reels to IG Lives, video reigns supreme on the algorithm.

Here are three ways you can use the power of video to gain more followers.

Stories

Try to post a few Stories a day, and experiment with different types of content, like behind-the-scenes videos, quick tips, and sneak peeks at new stuff. Get to know your audience using Instagram’s built-in tools, like stickers, polls, and questions. Q&As are another great tactic for brands.

Reels

Reels are short videos that often go viral on Instagram. They were created in response to the rise in popularity of TikTok in 2020. Instagram’s algorithm heavily favors Reels that use popular music, sounds, or hashtags, as these tend to generate high levels of engagement and shares.

To find trending audio and challenges, keep an eye on Instagram’s Explore page and the Trending section in Reels. You can see an audio is trending when it has the upward arrow next to it:

When you see a social media trend that aligns with your brand or niche, put your own unique spin on it and post your version as soon as possible to ride the wave of popularity. And more reach means more chance of gaining followers.

📚 Read more: Reels vs. Story: What's Best for Growing Your Instagram Presence in 2024?

IG Lives

Instagram Live offers unparalleled reach, with content often featured on the Explore page. Its versatility allows for repurposing into long-form videos or bite-sized Reels. No matter the format, authenticity is key.

Take inspiration from travel influencer Thomas Manuel, who gained more than 100,000 followers in a year. His Instagram Reels, showcasing authentic travel content and practical advice, often get millions of views.

He explains that, “consistent authenticity is key. Social media is full of extremely curated content, which is nice, but it’s refreshing for people to consume content that’s raw, organic, and authentic. Simply sharing honest thoughts and opinions unfiltered goes a long way.”

When creating video content, focus on staying true to your brand voice, engaging directly with your audience, and sharing genuine stories. In the world of Instagram, authenticity can be your most powerful tool for growth and engagement.

10. Post consistently at the right times

Aim for daily posts to keep your audience engaged, but prioritize quality over quantity.

Establish a regular schedule, such as:

• Daily feed posts each morning

• Weekly Instagram Lives on Friday afternoons

• Reels every Tuesday and Thursday

Ensure each post aligns with your brand’s aesthetic and values. Experiment with posting times to identify peak engagement periods. Access this data through your Professional Dashboard on mobile.

A well-crafted post that resonates with your audience is more valuable than frequent, mediocre content. By maintaining a consistent, high-quality posting schedule, you’ll build a loyal following that eagerly anticipates your Instagram content.

11. Use relevant hashtags

Hashtags remain a vital tool for expanding reach and attracting followers on Instagram. Cristy Stewart-Harfmann, creator behind @happyfamilyblog, recommends using five to seven relevant hashtags per post. She emphasizes their role in:

• Categorizing content for the algorithm

• Reaching new, interested audiences

• Boosting discoverability, albeit with diminished impact

Focus on niche-specific hashtags rather than broad terms. For instance, a vegan food blogger might use #veganfoodshare or #plantbased. Research competitors’ hashtags and use Instagram’s search function to discover related, popular tags. This can improve your content’s visibility and get you in front of the right audience.

12. Engage with your audience

Build a loyal, active community by encouraging interaction in every post. Include clear calls-to-action, ask questions, and prompt followers to share experiences. Use Instagram’s interactive features like polls and questions in Stories to gather valuable feedback and insights.

Other ways to engage with your audience include:

• Respond to comments promptly, even with simple acknowledgments

• Address questions with personalized responses

• Reply to direct messages in a timely manner

Your commitment to building genuine relationships shows you value your followers’ input. By being attentive, you build a vibrant community, which boosts your content’s visibility and can bring you new followers.

13. Automate messages

As your Instagram presence grows, engaging with your audience can become increasingly time-consuming.

Once you’re at a pace where you simply don’t have time to reply to so many followers, this is where Instagram Messaging Tools can come into play. Instagram allows you to set up automated responses and even suggest FAQs for your audience to choose from. This is particularly good if your business is service- or product-based.

If you want to get a bit more advanced, tools like Manychat are a great option. Manychat is a chatbot platform that can automate Instagram interactions, saving time while providing personalized experiences.

For example, if you set up a quiz in your Stories to gather audience insights, then send targeted messages based on their responses. Balance efficiency with authenticity to build relationships and drive Instagram growth. Manychat streamlines engagement for better results.

14. Collaborate with other content creators

Boost your follower count by partnering with like-minded creators who share your values and target audience. Cross-promote your content across various social platforms, but remember to tailor your approach to each platform’s unique culture for maximum impact.

Network with influencers by attending industry events, joining engagement groups, and reaching out to creators you admire. Build genuine relationships based on mutual support and collaboration. Thomas Manuel’s video offers an excellent example of effective cross-promotion in action.

These partnerships with fellow creators will help you reach new audiences and gain more followers.

15. Review your Instagram Insights

Use Instagram’s Insights tool to track post reach, engagement, and audience demographics.

Identify common themes in your top-performing content, noting preferred visuals, formats, and engagement triggers. You can monitor various real-time social media metrics like video views and audience growth rate to understand your progress.

As you review your data, consider these aspects:

• Which content types consistently perform well?

• Do certain visuals or post formats generate more engagement?

• Are questions or strong calls-to-action driving more interaction?

Use these insights to refine your strategy, focusing on what works and adjusting what doesn’t. Viral success on Instagram comes from a combination of persistence, strategic iteration, and understanding the platform’s algorithm.

By consistently applying these insights, you’ll increase your chances of achieving viral status.

16. Run Instagram ads

Instagram ads offer a powerful way to expand your reach and grow your follower base. The platform provides various ad formats, including photo, video, carousel, and Stories ads, each with unique advantages. They generally cost $1.15 per click, which makes them cost-effective for growing your account.

To create effective ads:

• Define your target audience precisely

• Craft compelling visuals and copy that resonate with your audience

• Use Instagram’s targeting options (location, age, interests, etc.)

• Include clear calls-to-action encouraging specific actions

By leveraging ad strategies, you can attract new followers who are genuinely interested in your content or offerings, and build a more engaged and valuable Instagram community.

🧠 Learn: How Much Does Social Media Marketing Cost?

Hire an Instagram pro on Fiverr today

Want to take your Instagram game to the next level without spending countless hours trying to figure it all out yourself? Hiring a skilled freelancer on Fiverr might be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Freelance Instagram experts like social media managers and video editors bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the table. From crafting engaging content and designing eye-catching graphics to optimizing your Instagram profile and actioning growth strategies that push the needle, these experts can save you a lot of manual labor.

On Fiverr, you can find freelancers specializing in everything from Instagram marketing specialists to paid media experts and social content creators to help grow your Instagram.

Get more Instagram followers FAQ

How can I use hashtags effectively?

Use five to seven niche-specific hashtags per post. Research the popular hashtags of your competitors and within your niche. Test using them as comments or within the post itself to reach more Instagram users.

Do I use the location feature when posting?

Using the location feature helps boost your discoverability. However, bear in mind the audience you want to reach. If you are based in a country different from the audience you want to attract, it might be better not to post the location.

How often should I post on Instagram?

Once a day is ideal, however, consistency and quality are key. Stick to a regular schedule and post content that has a clear purpose and message.

How can I find trending music on Instagram?

You can find trending music in two ways. Go to the Explore page and see what Reels are trending there, or go to your Dashboard and select “Inspiration.” Here you can access trending music and templates, and gather ideas.