The 35 best ways to get more Instagram followers in 2023!

One of the hardest things for Instagram users to accomplish nowadays is to get more followers on the platform. Having a lot of followers on Instagram these days means not only a huge amount of people seeing your pictures and videos but also having a good chance of selling your products and services!

Have you ever thought about what it means to spread something you’ve created completely for free for thousands or even millions of people? A lot of the most popular influencers know what that means. And if you want to also know how it feels to have millions of people following everything you post pay a lot of attention to this article!

Tip: something you should do as soon as you can is to get verified on Instagram!

1. Apps to get more Instagram followers: are they worth it?

Getting more followers can be somewhat of a slow process. Nowadays it is not nearly as easy as it once was to get followers. However, there are quite a few apps that can help you along this journey. The question is: is it worthwhile using them? There are two main types of apps to get Instagram followers:

• Those that simply net you a lot of fake followers;
• Those that help you in actually getting new real followers.

Let’s talk about each one of these options.

Hoarding fake followers on your profile is basically the same thing as having a lot of people walking around your shop, but you know they would never buy anything you sell. Is it worth it to keep them around? Of course, it isn’t!

On the other hand, there actually are good apps and websites to get Instagram followers that can help you sell more. And to accomplish it, they use several different strategies, such as following and unfollowing, liking other users’ posts, and even commenting on their posts.

And you will be responsible for setting it all up! I’ll give you an example:

Imagine there are 10 other stores in your city that are your competitors. Their Instagram accounts get very popular, but yours is just starting out. If you’re using one of these apps, what they will do is follow the people who follow your competitors.

After that, some of these people who followed your competitors end up following you back, and they can then see your posts! Done: you now have a decent customer base that up until this point only followed those you are up against!

Using these apps, it is common for you to get anywhere from 50 to 200 new Instagram followers! Other than that, these apps also let you:

• Send automatic messages to those who follow you;
• Schedule new Instagram posts;
• Schedule Stories.

If you think that makes sense for you and you want to test them out, we highly recommend you start with Stim, an alternative that not only helps you get more followers and manage your Instagram account better but also works for TikTok!

Stim is extremely complete, it lets you automate interactions, finds new content to like and people to follow, shows you full reports with insights that tell you a lot of useful info about how you’re growing and how your posts are doing, and much more.

To top it off, if you follow this link you can try it out entirely for free using the 5-day FREE TRIAL!

2. Use several different links on your Instagram bio

The biography on Instagram has a problem: it only lets you use one external link. A great way to work around this limitation is by using AppTuts.bio. This is one of the best linktree alternatives through which you can create a page with several links, where your followers will be able to reach your brand’s different web pages.

This includes both newsletter subscription forms as well as your real sales pages, which will help you get more sales from your Instagram followers. If you’re interested in being able to do so and test AppTuts.bio for free, just follow this link!

3. Public or private account?

Many people start their Instagram accounts following the wrong step and making them private. If your Instagram account is set to private, your posts are not found on Instagram searches, and anyone who doesn’t follow you can’t see anything you’ve posted.

Other than that, if one of your followers tags their friends on a post and your account is private, they will not see your content! If you’re a brand and you want to start making money online by using Instagram, it is extremely important that your Instagram profile is set to public!

4. Personal or professional Instagram account?

Something everyone is unsure about when starting their Instagram accounts to sell their products is if they should use a personal or a professional account. Which one of them is better?

If you have a personal Instagram account, it is normal that Instagram recommends that you migrate to a professional account. Check out down below some of the main advantages and disadvantages of that:

Advantages:

• You have access to statistics and analytics, so you can know how well you’re doing and if your new posts actually get you more Instagram followers, what days and times they’re online, and even how good is your reach;
• You can start creating new paid ads straight through your account, and through them reach even more people.
• You can have interactive buttons that show up right under your profile, and there you can add your phone number, your email, and your address;
• Even if you regret your decision, you can turn back to having a regular personal account at any moment!

Disadvantages:

• Some people claim that their reach has lowered after migrating to using a professional account (even though this has not been confirmed by any official Instagram source);
• It mandates that you have a Facebook page. If you don’t use Facebook that much, this can be an annoying setback, but you can easily fix it by creating your Fan Page in a few seconds;
• If you go back to using a personal account you will reset all your statistics, and so they’ll be zeroed if you go back to a professional account later on.

How can you make your Instagram account a professional account?

To do so, you first need to go to your profile and then tap on the three dashes in the top right corner of your screen:

Then, tap on Settings at the bottom of the screen:

Now, tap on the Account button, in the middle of your screen:

Finally, scroll to the bottom of the list and tap on the blue Switch to Professional Account button, and that’s it!

After doing all these steps, you’re done and your account is now a professional account!

5. Post at the right times

Through your Instagram account, you can see a lot of statistics and data and learn about which days and times your followers most use Instagram. However, if you’re just starting out, how can you know what’s the ideal time to post? I’ll help you out:

Do the following exercise: when do you think that most people usually use social media platforms? Think about your own daily life. I bet you use them most often during the morning (when you’re waking up), at lunchtime, and at bedtime.

Was I right? These are the most common habits for most people. For that reason, I highly recommend that you try posting at these times, and I’m sure they will help you increase your odds of being successful!

On the other hand, if you already have your account for some time, you can check it out via the statistics. To do so, first of all, you need to change your account to a Professional account.

After that, you’ll have to tap on the three dashes menu and then choose the Insights option:

There, you can head on to the Audience menu:

Now, go to the end and you’ll see a menu named Followers, where you’ll see a lot of info about days and times. Keep in mind that this time is related to the time your followers use Instagram. The same is true if you choose the days option, and if you’ve just switched to a professional account, it’s normal for some data will be missing for you.

6. Use the most searched hashtags

Another way through which you can increase the likelihood that you’ll get more Instagram followers is by using the most popular Instagram hashtags. A good way to know which ones are the most used ones is by using a tool such as best-hashtags.

Through it, you will be able to find out which ones are the best hashtags to use, and which ones are the newest up-and-coming hashtags, and search through them thoroughly! A good tip is for you to check out our article where we list the most popular Instagram hashtags as well.

But why is it so important for you to use (good) hashtags?

According to some studies, hashtags can increase your posts’ engagement rate by up to 20%! Other than that, with hashtags, you can be found on Instagram’s searches much more easily.

For instance, if you have a local place of business you can use the name of your city or even your neighborhood as a hashtag!

7. Do Instagram contests

Doing giveaways on Instagram is one of the more effective ways to get more followers on the platform. However, in order to do that, you’ll need an app, otherwise, you’ll run the risk of creating issues for your audience!

So you can choose the best app, it is highly recommended that you check out our article about the best apps to get Instagram followers, many of which let its users create new giveaways!

Other than choosing the right app, you also need to be aware of what you should give away. To create a good contest or giveaway, here are some important tips for everyone:

• Make the rules for your contest clear by making a post about it and detailing everything. Tell your followers what will be the prize, which ones are the rules, and for how long it will run;
• Choose a good price for your followers. If you sell handmade items or paintings, don’t choose an iPhone as your prize! You should focus on prizes related to your business;
• Always have a set start and end date for your giveaways;
• When you choose the winner, do so in a public manner so that all your followers can know the winner is a real one. It is particularly recommended that you do so on a live broadcast, or at least in a video;
• Don’t do too many giveaways. They are good for you to get more audience and engagement, but if you do them too often you’ll end up with only empty followers and “fans” for your business;
• Finally, keep in mind all of Instagram’s rules. If you don’t follow them, you can end up having your account permanently deleted. Check out the giveaway rules by following this link.

8. Ask questions at the end of your posts

Just like in blogs and on Facebook, the strategy of asking questions generates better engagement with your posts. And with a better and wider engagement, more people will follow your work!

You can see on many of the most popular Instagram users’ profiles how they frequently ask questions at the end of what they write. These questions will generate responses, it’s only a normal and expected human behavior. If someone is talking to you and asks something, you’ll most likely answer. On social media platforms, it’s the same.

9. Ask your followers to tag their friends on your posts

Other than the questions, another great strategy that can work amazingly to help you get more Instagram followers is asking that anyone who sees your post tags their friends. You can do something like:

“Do you know of any of your friends who also need this tip? Tag them in the comments!”

This way, not only will you increase the number of comments on your posts, but the friends of these people will get to know about your profile! Many people do it with a lot of success, so why not give it a shot?

10. Ask that your clients take a picture

Using your current clients is another great way to create interesting content to post on your Instagram account. Ask that they post a picture with your product and then reward them in a way, that gives them a discount coupon for the next purchase, for example. Your clients will love showing up in these photos, believe me!

11. Tag your clients on your photos

Another very useful piece of advice I can give you is that you tag your clients in your pictures! When they’re finishing their purchases, just ask that they give you their personal Instagram account and then tag them on your posts.

This way, not only will your customers almost “mandatorily” start following your brand, the odds that they will share the picture to their own profile will increase, and so will your exposure as well!

12. Be professional in your posts

One thing that I’ve been learning through the past few years is that keeping a professional image is unsurmountable. Previously, I used to create my Instagram posts carelessly, which frequently ended up giving a less-than-ideal and not professional image of my work.

I’m not here to judge how you dress or groom yourself, but we can agree that for someone who sells their own brand keeping a well-groomed beard and hair, and taking high-quality pictures helps a lot!

13. Educate your audience

If you’re always selling, something is for sure: people will stop following your content. Nobody likes to log in to their social media to see a lot of products being sold!

And one of the best strategies to get more Instagram followers that you can easily use is educating your audience! In the case of being an expert in digital marketing, for instance, it’s only expected that there will be a fair share of educational posts. But what about other areas?

Down below are some examples that can inspire you and help you realize that in any area you can share some educational content:

• If you sell coffee, you can teach your followers the steps to brew better coffee;
• If you sell clothing, you can give tips on where you help people dress better;
• If you sell cases for iPhones, you can give some tips on how to better use the device, such as the most common iPhone charging mistakes.

Do you see how this works? Help your audience to better use your product and it will generate sales!

14. Use video

If you still don’t use videos in your marketing strategy for Instagram, I’m here to tell you you’re missing out on one of the most efficient weapons Instagram has to offer. You can create videos to tell a story, talk about your products, post testimony from your clients, give tips about your area, and a lot more.

Videos on Instagram can have up to one minute. If you’re uncomfortable about showing up in the camera, you can opt to simply create a video showing off a product of yours. You don’t need to actually be there, the product can do that for you! And you can even use some of the best video editing apps to crop out anything you want!

Tip: learn here how you can save a live video on Instagram!

15. Have a strategic biography

One of the most important parts of creating an Instagram account to get more followers is the biography. It’s there that people will get the first information about you! Here are some good tips you can use to have an interesting biography:

• Include all your areas of business, if there are more than one;
• Talk about what it is you do in a short sentence;
• Don’t forget to also add a few Emojis. As long as they are actually related to your work, they will only add value to your biography;
• Add in your contact as well;
• Include a link for your website – or a link that can take your followers to several websites;
• Use a hashtag that makes it easier for people to reach your profile.

If you want to get some ideas on what to use for your Instagram biography, check out our article with the best Instagram bio ideas! Don’t forget to also use a round profile photo on Instagram.

16. Find suggested users and get more followers

During your first days using your Instagram account, it will be hard to get more followers quickly. However, a good way to circumvent this issue is to start following some other users with the intention of having them follow you back.

It is a somewhat lengthier and hard way to do so since you’ll have to add them one by one, but when you’re starting off there’s no better thing to do than learning how to find people on Instagram!

To find these suggested followers, you have to go to your Instagram profile and tap on the three dashes at the top. After that, tap on Discover People:

There, you’ll find a long list of suggestions with all the people that Instagram thinks you should follow, starting with those who follow you but you don’t follow back. At the top of the screen, you can also Connect Contacts by adding them from your Contacts app.

If you don’t want to have to do all of this manually, remember to try using an app like Stim, as we have talked about in the first tip! However, whether or not you want to do this automatically or by hand, always use this strategy to get much more followers on your new Instagram account!

17. Use other social media platforms

You or your company certainly have at least an account on other social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, or even WhatsApp. You can use these other platforms to attract new followers to your Instagram! And you can do it in two different ways:

The first of them is also the most common one: asking your fans, your followers, or even your friends to follow you on Instagram as well.

The other one is by sharing the things you usually post to Instagram on other social media platforms. Obviously, this last option will net you a smaller number of followers, but it is a nice routine breaker. And if you include a link to your Instagram on your posts, it will help a lot.

18. Use your email

One of the habits I’ve been trying to keep is that every time I start working on a new social media, I let my mailing list know about this new account. For that reason, if you want to get more Instagram followers, I highly advise you to send a simple email telling the people who follow you that you’re on Instagram and you’d really like these people to follow you there!

Check out down below an email example you can use:

“Hello,

I’m just forwarding this quick email to you so I can invite you to follow me on my new Instagram profile! I will share a lot of very useful unique content there, and I think you’ll enjoy and make use of some of the tips and strategies you’ll see there.

Click here to go to my profile, and start following me on Instagram! :)

Regards,

X”

Did you see just how simple it is to send an email and in just a few short minutes get a few hundred new followers? :)

19. Explore the Stories…

If you still don’t use Instagram’s Stories, I feel for you, since you’re missing out on one of the best formats of content on the platform! The Stories are short images and videos that can have no more than 15 seconds and only last for 24 hours before being deleted. They are those circles that you can see on the top of your Instagram homepage.

A lot of people view Stories more frequently than their Instagram feed itself. The best part about them is that you can post new content every day and your followers will always come back for more since they are aware it goes away after a little while. Even better, the reach Stories have is amazing!

If you’re starting to use Stories right now, we have a few articles that can help you, such as the one where we talk about how to show the temperature on Instagram Stories and the one where we help you fix your Stories that won’t load, as well as how to share Instagram Stories memories!

20. … and use a lot of hashtags on your Stories!

One of the best ways for you to get more Instagram followers is by using hashtags on your Stories. These hashtags also pop up on the searches and a lot of people can get to know about you and what you do there.

To add a hashtag to your Stories all you need to do is type in the content normally and then add the # hashtag symbol and type in the hashtag you want to use. Keep in mind that you:

• Should add the hashtags people look for the most. If you’re in doubt, check out tip #6;
• Shouldn’t use your business hashtags unless you are already somewhat well-known;
• Use hashtags in the language you want your profile to be. Otherwise, people who don’t speak the same language can start following you.

21. Use location tagging on your Stories

Another way for you to get even more followers is by using the location feature on Instagram Stories. When you make a story and add the location, it can also be found via the search feature,

If you own a local business, for instance, using this option is almost necessary. All you have to do is to tag the name of your city and other people will be able to find your story easily on Instagram!

How can you do this? Well, it’s actually really simple. When creating a new Story, slide up from the bottom of the screen and you’ll already see the option to add your location:

Select your city and you’re all done. When others search for it, your Instagram profile will show up!

22. Repost interesting content

You’ve most likely retweeted or reposted something you liked on Facebook or on Twitter, right? Doing so is not nearly as easy on Instagram, but you can do it. However, to be able to repost something, you will need to use the Story Saver for Instagram app for Android or Story Reposter for iOS devices.

After you finish installing the app, all you will need to do is to look for content you find interesting on Instagram and post it again. But now on your profile! Of course, you should always give credit for the original poster.

When you share content you find interesting, you also increase the likelihood that you’ll get even more followers on Instagram. These two apps are entirely free to use, but if you want to see a few others, check out our list here!

23. Create amazing images with the right apps!

One of the ways through which you can get more engagement on Instagram is by creating images that really get the attention of other people. The best part of that is that nowadays you don’t need to know almost anything about designing to create great images.

All you will need is to know which ones are the right apps to do it. The good news is that you don’t need to go looking for them on your own: I have created a list with all the best apps for editing photos!

24. Think about other people in your area

Do you know of anyone who also works in your area who is successful on Instagram? And do you think this person could promote your Instagram account to their followers?

If the answer was yes, don’t waste any time and reach out to them! Asking people who you trust to promote you to their followers can give you a really nice boost for your account!

25. Create collages with your pictures

Statistically, a picture that has a collage generates 19% more likes and 22% more comments! So, if you really do want to get more followers on Instagram, creating good new collages has to be an option in your toolkit!

However, for you to be able to actually do that, you will need to use a good app. And so you can make the right choice, why not check out our article about the best apps to create collages?

26. Use your face. A lot.

Selfies are here to stay, and that’s no accident. According to a study made by National Geographic about their own pictures, the posts that had at least one face generated 38% more likes and 32% more comments. And if you are bad at taking pictures of yourself, we have an article that can help: learn how to take great smartphone pictures!

27. Use red, yellow, and other bright colors

Is the color used really impacting the performance of an image? According to a study made by MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), the answer is yes.

After analyzing over 2.3 million pictures, the investigators reached the conclusion that brighter colors always net better results. With a more flashy color, your Instagram followers will interact more and you will be able to get more followers easily!

28. Do collaborations!

Collabs are a huge trend in the YouTubers’ world, and you can easily do them as well on Instagram. The term basically represents the act of you taking part in someone else’s Instagram, and the other way around.

If you know someone on Instagram who is into this kind of initiative, why not send them a message and see if they’re up to doing a collab with you? The goal is to get this other user’s followers to follow you (and yours)!

Keep in mind that it is important for you to ask users who have around the same number of users as you to do a collab. There’s not much point in asking for someone who has 100 thousand followers to do one with you if you’re at 1 thousand, right?

29. Do pay for Instagram ads

One of the most efficient ways to get more followers on Instagram and to get some money is by doing paid ads. With these ads, you can choose who will be able to see your content and reach more people. The best part is that doing ads is extremely simple and you can do them through Instagram itself!

To do so, you need to have a professional account. After that, simply tap on the blue button located right underneath your posts

Now, just follow the next steps and your post will start showing up on other people’s Instagram feeds!

30. Post relatively often and on a schedule

Something you have to understand is that just like on any other social media platform, Instagram has its own algorithm, and it is one that will harm your profile and your reach if you stay too long without posting. This doesn’t mean you need to post every day, however.

On the other hand, it’s not a good idea to stay more than 2 or 3 days without posting something. If you do that, Instagram’s algorithm might decide to lower the reach that your next posts will have. A good idea is to use one of the best scheduling apps for Instagram!

31. Use the highlights to get more Instagram followers

The Instagram highlights are those circles that show up right underneath your biography. On them, you can add your most important Stories, posts about your products and services, or even show who you are.

They work just like Stories, but they are never deleted, and they’re one of the first points of contact when someone visits your profile. Don’t forget to also check out the best apps to make Instagram highlight covers!

32. Do a mosaic

Mosaics are a really huge trend on Instagram. With them, your profile gets a lot prettier and draws the attention of those who are visiting for the first time, since you clearly know how to organize your Instagram feed.

A good mosaic will have all posts combined, which makes the profile much more visually attractive. There are two main ways for you to do it. The first of them is by hiring a designer. The other is by using an app such as Layout from Instagram: Collage, available both on the Play Store and on the App Store.

33. Pay attention to your metrics

Another great way for you to get more Instagram followers is by paying attention to your metrics. Through them, you will be able to understand what’s generating results and what isn’t.

Take a look at them at least once a week and check which posts and hashtags are getting the best results!

34. Ask questions about your Stories

Do you already know how to use interactive stickers on Instagram, such as the one to ask questions? This is possible directly through the Stories and it is a great way to engage with your public.

Other than that, not only can this be a great way for you to get some direct feedback about what you post, but you can even create polls on your posts!

35. Create tests

Much like the idea of creating questions, you can also use the interactive stickers on Instagram Stories to create tests or polls.

In this model, you will create several alternatives and let your followers “vote” for the results, which is a great way for you to have a direct comparison of the preferences of your audience.

Now you already know how you can get more Instagram followers!

In this article, I’ve talked about a lot of extremely useful tools for you to use to leverage your Instagram profile. If you liked this article and you have friends who want to get more popular on the platform, why not share it with them?

Don’t forget to also check out some of our other articles about Instagram, such as what to do if you’re missing new Instagram features or you think Instagram is down, learn how to share an Instagram link on WhatsApp and how to recover deleted Instagram messages!