Follower count is probably the first number people check on your profile. It’s part of what defines your influence as a creator, so knowing how to get more followers on Instagram is clearly of major importance for anyone approaching the platform with serious intentions.
Let’s explore what works – and one thing that doesn’t.
1. Get verified.
Once reserved for public figures but now available for purchase, verification puts that coveted blue checkmark next to your username to show the account truly belongs to you.
Both Professional Creator and Personal accounts may use government-issued photo IDs for verification (if they meet the eligibility criteria) and pay either $11.99 (£9) to subscribe via the web or $14.99 (£11.25) in the app.
Verification boosts visibility, since verified accounts rank higher on comments and in searches and recommendations, exposing you to more potential followers. It also increases your credibility, because users will know your account is trustworthy. “They know that you are who you say you are, meaning they’re more likely to follow you,” according to social media marketing company Hootsuite.
2. Post consistently.
Going viral on Instagram is possible but never guaranteed, and one or two viral posts won’t necessarily translate into a corresponding growth in your IG following.
Focus on consistency rather than virality. Scheduling content in advance and posting dependably throughout the week incentivises people to follow you for more. “Posting between three and five times weekly can more than double follower growth rate, compared to posting one or two times weekly,” according to social media management platform Buffer. “Posting more frequently than this will lead to more reach and followers, but the returns are diminishing.”
Real-world examples support that idea. Anissa, from @anissadphotography, went from just over 22,000 followers to over 96,000 in three months by consistently posting five Reels a week and three Stories every day.
3. Use Reels.
Instagram’s April 2024 Reels update improved recommendations, giving “creators of all sizes a way to break through and be seen by new audiences.”
Since they’re shown to followers and non-followers alike, making Instagram Reels engages current followers while attracting new ones. High-performing Reels are particularly effective, since they’re shown to an increasingly wide audience of non-followers.
Instagram’s suggestions for making the most of Reels include posting regularly, creating content that stands on its own, incorporating audio, and experimenting with Trial Reels.
Daniel and Eunice Chung (@pov_husband) demonstrate the value of Reels. Their Reels gained 1.2 billion views and helped their account soar to over 2 million followers within a year.
4. Experiment with Trial Reels.
The Trial Reels feature warrants its own section. Available for professional accounts, which anyone can convert to simply by switching to a Business or Creator account in their Instagram settings, Trial Reels can be sent only to non-followers and won’t appear on your profile grid. “Our hope is that this helps people feel more comfortable experimenting with new ideas without worrying how their followers might react,” says Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri.
You can use engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comments to assess how Trial Reels perform and experiment to see what attracts followers, all without worrying how your current followers will react. You can even choose to make particularly effective Trial Reels public.
Instagram growth coach Brock Johnson (@brock11johnson) put the feature through its paces by posting 25 trial reels in 24 hours. “I got 33,000 people who have never seen my content…who have no idea who I am or what my business does to see my posts,” Johnson says. “Fifty people joined and followed me in that one day.”
He dubbed Trial Reels “arguably one of the best features that has ever been released on Instagram.”
5. Use analytics.
“Analytics tell you so much,” says fashion influencer Laura Blair (@thelaurablair). “I think people really overlook it. I’m always in my analytics. I know my audience to a tee. I know what they like and what they do.”
How do you get more IG followers using analytics? Simply check Instagram Insights for follower growth and loss, top follower locations, follower age ranges, when your followers are most active on Instagram, and the number of followers and non-followers who interact with your content.
The more you learn about who engages with your content and how they convert to followers, the better you can target new followers. It’s valuable information whether you’re choosing when to post or choosing topics for future content.
6. Interact with your audience.
A thriving community led by an influencer eager to interact with their audience is a huge part of what convinces current followers to stick around, and it encourages newcomers to join your following and become part of that digital clique.
“One of the most important ways to increase your reach is through engagement from your audience,” Instagram advises its creators.
Spark conversations by:
- Replying to and liking comments
- Hosting Q&A sessions on Instagram Live
- Asking questions in post descriptions, captions, and at the end of Reels and Carousels
- Using polls, quizzes, and question Stickers on Instagram Stories
- Producing relatable content that showcases your genuine personality
“I’m not a celebrity, so I need to be attainable,” fashion influencer Sarah Ashcroft (@sarahhashcroft) told Cosmopolitan. “It’s so important for my followers to feel like they can relate to me. It’s about being yourself, being really open, and not putting a facade up. I spend an hour and a half replying to comments every day.”
7. Stay on trend.
Head to your Explore page’s Reels section to discover trending audio and hashtags, or hit up your Professional Dashboard for Reels Trends. Jumping in on a few trends (as long as they’re in keeping with your personal brand) puts you in front of new followers and exposes you to the next hot topics, a key concern if you’ve noticed your increase in Instagram followers trending downward.
“The key is not to get stagnant,” Blair says. “Some people have really taken off and some people have stayed where they are. If you break it down, it’s always people that are really doing the next thing.... You need to be on to the next thing.”
8. Buy them!
Buying followers can be tempting, especially given how little work is required. Doing so, however, is entirely self-defeating, because fake followers carry no real value.
You can’t influence them, and they don’t typically engage with your content, so making money on Instagram is all but impossible through fake followers. Instagram can recognise inauthentic followers, and could either purge them or suspend your account. Brands check engagement metrics and can spot deceptions, scuppering potential sponsorships or user-generated content work. Analytics are distorted, clouding any understanding of your audience.
“On a platform as vast as Instagram, it makes no logical sense to buy fake followers,” concludes Influencer Marketing Hub. “Anyone can spot them, and the practice offers no real value.”
Resist the temptation and keep up the hard work.