How to Get More Followers on Instagram: 15 Tips to Grow Your Real Audience

To grow a substantial following on Instagram, you do not need to use typical black hat techniques to grow. However, it is also not easy to crack Instagram’s algorithms. So, answering how to get more followers on Instagram can be challenging and requires years of expertise.

We as a team continue making experiments and come up with the proven results to help you grow on the social media platforms like Instagram.

Over the years, after using black hat techniques or getting fake followers, people came to know that getting more followers on Instagram is not just about numbers. It is about building a community that trusts, interacts with, and values your content.

Getting more followers on Instagram today requires a thoughtful approach. It is no longer about posting just beautiful photos or catchy captions. Rather than this, it is all about consistency, engagement, and genuine connections.

The modern Instagram users and influencers crave authenticity, value transparency, and quick enough to spot spammy growth tactics. This authentic approach positions your profile as credible and in turn drives more traffic and better engagement rates.

In this comprehensive guide, we will break down 15 expert tips to help you grow your real audience on Instagram. This will include several methods to spot inauthentic and spammy techniques.

15 Ways how to Get Followers on Instagram

1) Optimize Your Profile for Discovery

Your profile is the first thing people see and it is crucial to make a strong first impression. A well optimized profile attracts new followers by clearly conveying who you are and what you offer.

When someone visits your profile, they should immediately understand why they should follow you. Keep a check on these factors, you should be the best at them.

Choose a relevant username: Make sure your username is recognizable, unique, and as close to your brand or personal name as possible to look like a real profile.

Create a compelling bio: Your bio suggests what your personality is like. Use your bio to showcase your expertise, purpose of the profile (if brand). Incorporate relevant keywords naturally but keep it concise.

Attractive profile picture: Choose a professional photo or a brand logo. A high-quality image that resonates with your niche or your personality, will attract more followers.

Add a link: This is the opportunity and you must be taking advantage of this link in the bio feature of Instagram. Whether it is to a website, blog, or to another social network, it is surely a valuable space to drive organic traffic.

2) Identify and Understand Your Target Audience

Before heading to the content making strategies, we should understand the type of audience we are going to target. Our content will be according to their needs.

Knowing exactly who you want to reach, will help shape the type of content you create. It will also help you to make a content plan for the future with clarity. Without a clear understanding of your audience, your content may miss the attention of your potential audience. Here is how to get more followers on Instagram by defining your audience:

Define demographics: Determine age, gender, location, and interests.

Identify interests and needs: Understand the problems of your target audience, their preferences, and motivations.

Analyze competitors: Observe the followers of similar accounts and what content they like to engage by analyzing the likes, shares and comments.

Utilize Instagram Analytics: Use insights on your existing followers’ demographics and behaviors.

Additionally, look for other key factors about your audience like what they do for living, when they are the most active on the platform, and what are their pain points. You can easily find their pain points by following the competitors and reading users’ comments.

On the other hand, join discussion forums where people share thoughts and reviews about the products. Those reviews will greatly help you to beat your competitors.

By identifying your target audience clearly, you will be better equipped to craft content planning that speaks directly to their needs. It will help to draw the audience to your account and encourage them to follow your account.

3) Develop a Strong Brand Identity and Cohesive Visual Style

A consistent brand story and aesthetic are essential to stand out on Instagram and attract a loyal following. When users land on your profile, they should immediately understand who you are and what you represent and why they should follow you.

Your brand identity goes beyond just visuals. It is about the story you are telling and the experience you are creating for your audience. Start by defining the tone and values that align with your personality or business.

This story adds depth and helps you connect authentically with your audience and ultimately boost your chances of getting more followers.

It is equally important to establish a consistent aesthetic. Instagram is a visual social media platform so a recognizable look will help draw attention and make you different from the competitors. Apply this aesthetic across all content types, from posts to Stories and Reels.

When your brand is reliable, it attracts and retains followers who genuinely connect with your message. It also enhances your potential how to raise your Instagram followers.

4) Create a Visually Attractive Instagram Feed

A visually appealing Instagram feed is essential and attracts the audience more. In today’s digital era when everyone is a social media expert, it is very easy to differentiate fake from the real. Your feed grid plays a huge role in this.

When someone visits your profile, the overall look of your grid can make them decide to follow or scroll down. Your feed grid must be arranged and look professional that forces the visiting user to click the follow button.

To design a great feed, first pick a consistent color or pick the color of your brand. When you use the same colors or filters across posts it helps tie everything together.

For example, you can pick some bright or muted colors according to your choice that fits best your brand. Next, plan your posts so they look good together. Now, select the best layout. Most of the people use a checkerboard style as it makes the grid look organized and balanced.

5) Boost Your Visibility with Instagram SEO

To grow on Instagram you must learn some basic SEO strategies and they can make a huge difference. It is a necessary part as if you are not appearing in the feeds of the right people, your chances of getting noticed are low.

So, if you are learning how to get more Instagram followers, you must learn Instagram SEO. Instagram SEO is all about helping people find your profile and content when they search for topics that interest them.

Use of right keywords and right placement will help you reach people who are already looking for the type of content you share.

Start focusing on keywords that relate to your niche and that mostly your target users search on Instagram. Use such keywords in the prime locations such as in bio, captions, and even hashtags. This strategy will help you learn how to get more followers on Instagram.

Let’s understand it with an example. Imagine you are a fitness coach who is trying to grow on Instagram. You should include terms and keywords like ‘workouts’ fitness tips’ or ‘healthy living’ or target any particular gym session.

Instagram also uses alt text to understand what is in your image. Including this alt text which is hidden from view, can improve discoverability.

Finally, make sure your username or name field in your profile includes searchable keywords. This boosts your chances of appearing in Instagram search results.

6) Use Engaging and Shareable Infographics

Creating shareable content like infographics and memes will encourage existing users to share it with friends and eventually help you get more followers. Infographics make complex information easy to understand and memes add humor and relatability.

One thing you should be doing while sharing such stuff is to add a logo or a watermark to your content. It is because wherever your content will reach, they will get to know the primary source of the content.

For infographics, focus on delivering value quickly. Use clear visuals, simple icons, and concise text to break down information. Think about tips, facts, or how-to guides relevant to your niche. For example, a travel account might create an infographic on the topic ‘Top 5 travel tips for beginners’.

Memes, on the other hand, are all about connecting with your audience’s humor and interests. Use the latest trends and somehow relate them to your products or services that add an element of fun with marketing. People do not mind sharing such stuff with their friends even if it contains marketing content.

7) Host Interactive Q&A Sessions

Q&A sessions are an excellent way to connect with your audience and build loyalty. These sessions allow followers to ask questions about topics they are interested in. They give you a chance to show your expertise and personality.

To start with, announce your Q&A session in advance so that the followers know and they spare time to join the session. Use the question sticker in Instagram Stories that allows followers to submit questions easily.

You can either take a live Q&A session or simply post your responses in Stories. Live videos often attract more attention and give followers a chance to connect with you directly.

Ask your audience what they want from you? Which type of content do they expect more from you and why? It makes the whole conversation engaging and also gives you ideas on how to get more followers on Instagram by understanding their needs.

8) Share Behind the Scenes Content

Sharing behind-the-scenes content is a great way to make your Instagram feel more personal and authentic. It builds a deeper connection with your audience. This type of content lets your followers see what goes on in your life or business beyond polished posts. It gives them a real story behind the brand.

Behind-the-scenes content can be anything from your daily routines, photoshoots, or anything creative you are doing. It shows a more relatable and human side of your profile which followers appreciate. By making your audience feel like insiders, you build a stronger connection and loyalty.

However, make sure that you do not fake it. We have noticed that several brands tried to fake this behind-the-scenes and it did more harm than good.

9) Leverage Instagram Stories and Highlights

There are more than 500 million daily Instagram Story users and if you are unaware of the fun and engaging facts of Instagram Stories, you are missing a lot. Stories allow you to share quick and engaging content that disappears after 24 hours.

It helps you keep your profile active and fresh. On the other hand, highlights let you save important Stories permanently on your profile. It makes it easy for new users to see key content from the past and connect with you.

Instagram Stories have a number of built-in fun features. It means that you have endless ways to engage with your audience. Use features like polls, quizzes, music, stickers, and many other features to make your Story attractive and interactive.

It can also help you with crafting your future content. For example, a poll on what content followers want to see next can boost engagement and also provide you with ideas and clarity about future content planning.

Nothing to worry about if you are thinking that it takes time, effort, and money to make attractive Stories and they just vanish after 24 hours. You can save important stories as highlights for a lifetime.

Highlights act as a mini portfolio. Group similar Stories into highlights such as About Me, Events, or Products. If you use both Stories and Highlights rightly, you not only keep your followers engaged but also make your profile more welcoming.

10) Post Consistently and Post at the Right Time

Posting consistently and timing your posts well are crucial steps in how to get more followers on Instagram. Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and shows that you are active while posting at the right times can help boost visibility and interaction.

Start by finding a schedule that works for you. Whether it is once a day or a few times a week just stick to it. According to our past experiences, posting between 3-5 times/week is a good frequency. Consistency builds and makes them engage with your profile and recommend it to others.

Timing also matters. Experiment to see when your followers are most active. If you want accuracy and have no time to experiment, use third-party social media marketing tools to help you with. These tools will automatically schedule your posts at the best suitable time according to that region and demographics of your audience.

In addition to this, Instagram Insights can help you find peak activity times, which boosts the chances of your posts appearing in your followers’ feeds.

11) Schedule Your Posts and Stories for Maximum Impact

To grow on social media platforms like Instagram, you need consistent posting. In this busy era, no one has so much time to sit and just post content. Scheduling your posts and Stories ahead of time is a smart way to stay consistent and reach followers when they are most likely to interact with your content.

It is another way how do we get followers on Instagram without the stress of last-minute posting. When you plan and schedule your content, you can naturally maintain a steady presence on Instagram.

There are several tools also available like Later, Buffer, or Hootsuite that let you plan and schedule posts, captions, and even Stories in advance. This saves important time and ensures you post during peak hours.

Several studies show that posting consistently and at optimal times is key to how to get more followers on Instagram. When you automate posting content, you have plenty of time to focus more on creating quality content and engaging with your audience.

12) Use of Hashtags

The use of hashtags effectively can be a game changer for increased visibility. It helps you reach a new audience. Hashtags allow your posts to show up in relevant searches. It makes it easier for people interested in your content to find you easily.

By choosing the right mix of hashtags, you increase the chances of attracting people who are likely to follow and engage.

Start by using a combination of popular hashtags and niche-specific ones. Popular hashtags like #travel or #food has a broad reach. While more specific tags like #solofemaletravel or #veganrecipes connect you with a more targeted audience.

You can use up to 30 hashtags but instead of using irrelevant hashtags, try some experiments and gradually learn how many hashtags work best for your Instagram post. Using around 10-15 well-chosen hashtags per post is usually ideal.

To make things further easier, keep a list of effective hashtags for your niche to save time when posting.

13) Link Instagram Posts in your Blogs

Adding a contextual link of your Instagram posts directly in your blog is a smart way to drive traffic from your website to your Instagram profile. Another organic way how to get more followers on Instagram.

This technique introduces your blog readers to your Instagram content and encourages them to follow you for more. For example, if you are writing a travel blog post, you embed Instagram posts from your recent trip. This way readers enjoy reading your blog and are more likely to click through to your Instagram and follow for more of your content.

This method works particularly well if you have a loyal blog audience who does not follow you on social media. This is how to get Insta followers without complicating things.

14) Get Featured on Popular Instagram Accounts

Being featured on well-known Instagram accounts in your niche can be effective, particularly if you are still finding a way how to raise your Instagram followers. Feature accounts on Instagram are the accounts that curate or re-share content based on a hashtag. Some of these accounts can have a huge following.

To get featured, start identifying popular accounts that regularly showcase content similar to yours. Many of these accounts accept submissions or tagged posts, especially if they focus on niche topics like travel, fitness, or fashion.

A feature on a respected account exposes you to a broader audience that helps you gain more followers who are interested in your content. There are feature accounts in almost every niche where you can get featured. You just need to find the right one for you.

15) Leverage User-Generated Content

When your followers create and share content related to your brand, it builds trust with new potential followers. People are more likely to follow accounts that feature real, relatable content from other users. It shows authenticity and community involvement.

Encourage your followers to share their experiences with your brand or content by using a specific hashtag or tagging your account in their posts. Once they do that, you can repost these images, videos, or Stories on your feed or in your Stories.

This type of content helps create a sense of community and gives your audience a voice, making them feel more connected to your brand.

Additionally, when followers see their content featured, they are likely to share it with their network that will further increase your exposure.

How to Get More Instagram Followers (the wrong way)

This is not the right way to boost your audience and we do not endorse practicing this. However, in the growing competition of social media presence, some brands are taking this risk. We say again that you should not adopt this method.

These tactics will not only fail to provide long-term value but can also lead to negative consequences.

Why You Should Never Purchase Followers

Buying followers might seem like an easy way to increase your followers in no time. But it is a mistake that can backfire. These fake followers are not real people who engage with your content. Instead of this, they are mostly bots or fake accounts handled by only one person.

These fake followers contribute nothing to your engagement rate and make your profile look artificial. Having a huge number of followers but a minimal number of likes and comments gives a clear indication to incoming new users that this account is fake or not credible. This should not be the way how to get more followers on Instagram.

Fake Accounts Add No Real Value

Fake followers do not interact with your posts, leave comments, or engage with your brand. This lack of engagement undermines your growth because Instagram’s algorithms reward accounts with higher engagement rates.

In the end, buying followers or using artificial methods is not the recommended way to raise your Instagram followers. Rather, it makes it harder to get more followers on Instagram through organic, meaningful interactions. Stick to basics and work on recommended methods to boost your follower count organically.

Final Verdict

If you aim to grow your followers on Instagram, you need to come up with a plan. Buying fake followers is not the solution as they bring nothing to the table. To grow your audience organically and boost engagement rate you have to follow the process and have patience.

Building a genuine Instagram following takes time and effort but the results are worth it. You can raise your organic follower count by focusing on creating valuable content, engaging with your audience with several methods, and utilizing third-party or Instagram native tools like Instagram Stories and hashtags.

Consistency and a clear brand identity will help you attract the right people who are genuinely interested in what you share. I recommend not get trapped! Avoid shortcuts like buying followers as they can hurt your reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions