How to Get More Followers on Instagram

We all focus a lot on numbers when it comes to social media, and numbers - whether follower counts, subscriber counts, or share rates - are definitely of top importance. But when you get more followers on your socials, what you’re really getting is opportunity!

Instagram connects billions of users globally, and offers lots of opportunities for content creators, influencers, brands, and businesses. When you post on Instagram, you're potentially sharing your content with those billions of viewers. So getting a substantial follower count on Instagram is vital for growing your audience and unlocking your potential - and you’ll get even farther if your follower count is engaging with your content. 

Whether they’re looking for travel, music, holidays, fashion, or cute animals, Instagram has billions of potential followers just waiting to discover new content - which could be your content!

Your Instagram followers count represents your reach, influence, and community; so by growing your Instagram followers, you’re opening the doors to higher audience engagement rates, improved visibility online, more partnership opportunities, and the chance to really stand out in your niche. Your followers are the foundation upon which all of your social media - including Instagram - is built! So start by getting more followers, and the rest will fall into place.

There are plenty of practical and actionable strategies to grow your Instagram followers. From optimizing your profile and creating great content; to incorporating user generated content; to using hashtags, Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels, Instagram Live, and other Instagram features, our tips will help you refine your Instagram marketing strategy and get your follower count growing.

Why Followers Matter on Instagram

Having more Instagram followers is about more than just boosting follower numbers; it’s about creating a thriving audience and community. A strong Instagram follower count positions your account as active, interesting, current, and credible, all qualities that help build that community, and attract collaborations with brands and other creators. 

Instagram’s algorithm actually prioritizes accounts with active high engagement, which means that the more followers you have interacting with your content, the greater chances you have of higher reach on Instagram feeds and on the Explore page.

Engaged followers provide consistent interaction - likes, comments, and shares - that signal to the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable. But don’t think you can buy your way in; fake followers, acquired by buying Instagram followers from websites that offer a "buy Instagram followers" service may temporarily inflate your numbers; but in the end, all they really do is damage your credibility and offer no real engagement.

Also - contrary to popular belief - growing your Instagram followers count doesn’t require you to follow back everyone who follows you.

Instead, focus on smart, organic growth strategies to ensure that you’re actually building a genuine Instagram followers count full of people who will care about your content, interact with it, support your content creation efforts, and maybe even contribute user generated content of their own.

Understanding the Instagram Algorithm 

The Instagram algorithm is a large part of how content is displayed and discovered on the platform. Understanding its ranking factors - engagement, relevance, and recency - can help you optimize your Instagram account and grow your Instagram followers.

Engagement is one of the most critical factors. Instagram’s algorithm prioritizes content that receives high follower interaction, such as likes, comments, and shares. Instagram Stories, Instagram Reels, and Instagram posts with strong engagement are more likely to appear on the Explore page, or up higher in users' feeds. To boost engagement, respond to comments quickly; ask questions in your post captions; hashtag correctly; and use entertaining interactive Instagram Stories features like polls and sliders.

Relevance determines how well the content on your Instagram account aligns with your audience’s interests. Here, Instagram’s algorithm tracks users’ past interactions to curate their feed, favoring accounts that they engage with regularly. By consistently using hashtags and keywords specific to your niche and your content, you can effectively signal to the Instagram algorithm that your posts match your target audience’s interests.

Recency emphasizes the importance of posting at the right time. The Instagram algorithm generally prioritizes fresh content, so posting when your followers are most active increases the likelihood of your posts being seen by them, and by others seeking content of your niche. Use Instagram Insights to determine your audience’s peak activity times, and adjust your posting schedule to align with these times.

To optimize your content for the Instagram algorithm, focus on content consistency and high quality visuals. Regularly posting engaging and visually appealing content keeps your account relevant and increases its chances of being featured to new audiences on the Explore page; another avenue for increasing your Instagram following.

Optimize Your Instagram Profile to Attract Followers

Your Instagram profile is your introduction to Instagram users who might become your Instagram followers! A nicely organized, attractive, optimized profile not only brings in new followers, but also helps keep current followers engaged.

• Username and Profile Pic: Your profile pic and username on your Instagram account are the first impressions new users get. Choosing a clear, colorful headshot for personal or influencer accounts, or a professional logo for a brand or business account, are your best bets to attract new followers. Also choose a username that’s simple, easy to remember, and aligned with your personality or brand.

• Your Bio: When using Instagram, think of your bio as your elevator pitch about you or your brand or business! Communicate your info clearly and concisely, and consider including a strong CTA (call to action) like “Follow for fashion tips!” or “Join me here to follow my acting journey!” Add in emojis or line breaks to make it even more visually appealing to your audience and potential new followers.
  
• Consistent Aesthetic: Your Instagram grid (your photos and posts) should reflect a cohesive style throughout and align with your niche. Use a consistent color palette and a cohesive style of filters, layouts, and text to create a visually appealing first impression and solidify your brand on Instagram. Incorporate eye-catching designs, bright colors, and well edited videos and photos to stand out in crowded feeds!

• Links in Bio: Use Instagram link list tools like Linktree or Beacons to maximize the value of your bio link by directing your audience to multiple destinations on your link list, such as your website, portfolio, and your Fourthwall merch shop.

All About Instagram’s Features

Instagram’s features are designed to help creators grow their reach and follower count. Each one is a different type of post; experiment with all of them to put together a compelling mix for your audience!

Basic Posts: These are the foundation of Instagram; basic Instagram posts showing photos, with captions or storylines. You can make these more interesting by putting together a set of themed photos; coordinating your photos with all the same font or style; or telling a sequential story through the photos in the post. Hashtags also help discoverability a lot on basic Instagram posts.

Reels: Reels are short, dynamic videos, often with trending audio, to maximize exposure. Reels have extra potential to go viral, can draw in new followers, and are often featured prominently on Instagram’s Explore page.

Stories: Stories on Instagram keep your audience engaged! They’re easy to put together, and even easier for your followers to flip through. Use fun stickers plus questions, polls, and countdowns to encourage interaction.

Highlights: Save your most engaging Stories to Highlights - this allows new potential followers to quickly explore some of your best content without having to scroll through your feed.

Instagram Live: Instagram Live sessions allow you to connect with your audience in real time, answer questions, and boost your profile visibility. On your Instagram Live, you can play live music, read acting monologues, give a tour of your new apartment, or even just do a casual Q&A hangout.

6 Strategies to Increase Your Instagram Followers

1. Post Consistent High Quality Content

Great content and consistency are two key components of keeping your current audience engaged while attracting new followers. High-quality visuals - photos and videos - are essential for capturing your audience's attention and encouraging shares. Keep your content fresh by participating in trending challenges, audio, or memes; trendy content actually helps increase your shareability and relevance on the platform.

Reels and Highlights are two of Instagram’s most powerful tools for reaching a wider audience. Use trending audio, creative visuals, polls, sliders, and other eye-catching, engaging content to attract new followers. Reels also have a high chance of appearing on the Explore page, boosting your visibility!

And as far as consistency goes, make sure to establish a regular posting schedule, to keep your account in front of your followers. Instagram users generally expect to see regular posts and updates, so an erratic posting schedule can cause you to lose your audience's interest.

2. Use Hashtags 

Hashtags are great for increasing the discoverability of your posts on Instagram. People searching for specific hashtags can easily find your content this way. Use a mix of popular hashtags, branded hashtags, and hashtags specific to your niche to reach your target audience. 

For example, if your account focuses on fitness, hashtags like #FitnessJourney or #HealthyLiving can connect you with users who are interested in that type of content. Businesses using Instagram marketing can also benefit from relevant hashtag use.

3. Engage With Your Audience

Engaging with your audience is pivotal to your Instagram growth! Respond to comments, questions, and DMs, and encourage initial interactions by asking your own questions and posting polls. Instagram Live sessions are also great for audience interaction.

By creating two-way conversations in your comments section, you’re involving your audience in your content, and people are more likely to support your posts if they feel like they’re part of your growth. Lots of interaction also signals to the Instagram algorithm that your content is valuable and worthy of a push.

Also share and repost UGC - user generated content - that’s created by your followers! Hyping user generated content helps build your audience and adds a sense of community; it also encourages others to tag your account when they post on Instagram.

New wave cyberpunk Twitch musicians The Fantastic Plastics reposted UGC from their fans to highlight their new music release, “Spark,” on their Instagram.

4. Collaborate With Others

Collaborations are an amazing way to expose your content to new audiences and increase your follower count. Partner up with influencers or creators in your niche, and work together to produce creative posts, Reels, and live sessions that can tap into each other’s follower base. Then cross-promote your collab on your other socials, with appropriate hashtags! 

And make sure that any fellow creators on influencers that you're working with align well with your brand, to attract followers who will be relevant to your content, and who will stick around.

5. Promote Outside of Instagram

Cross-promotion is such a good way to bring in followers from other platforms. Share your Instagram content on TikTok, Twitter (X), Bluesky, Pinterest, and Facebook to drive traffic to your Instagram account. Create some content that’s exclusive to your Instagram, so that your followers from your other social platforms will feel like they need to follow your Insta so they don’t miss out!

6. Use Your Analytics

Instagram Insights offers valuable data about your audience, as well as performance of your posts and content. Using Instagram analytics helps you better understand what resonates with your followers; you can then refine your Instagram posting strategy to suit.

Support Your Instagram Growth with Fourthwall

Fourthwall offers plenty of tools to help creators enhance their Instagram marketing strategies and increase their Instagram following. With customizable templates, integrated ecommerce solutions, and community building tools, Fourthwall helps creators to monetize their accounts, grow their audience, and get more Instagram followers!

With Fourthwall, you can build your own website; launch your own online shop full of customized branded merchandise; display your Instagram feed on your Fourthwall site; and, in the reverse, sell your Fourthwall merch right on your Instagram page. 

There’s so much on Fourthwall to help you grow your audience! Explore all of Fourthwall’s features to take your Instagram account to the next level.