Instagram is an important part of one’s identity in 2024 for anyone who is looking for a way to grow a business, become an influencer, or develop an online persona.

Despite being relatively young, the Instagram app now boasts an audience of more than a billion active users, making it one of the most influential social media sites. Yet, getting out to a crowd, or even finding a crowd that follows one, is much more difficult today than it ever was. As your success is our goal, here’s a list of 20 powerful tips to gain more followers on Instagram and engage your audience.

20 Ways To Get More Followers On Instagram

1. Optimize your profile

First of all, an Instagram account is the first thing that people see when deciding whether to follow this account or not.

• Choosing the right username and display name: The username you use should, therefore, be simple to recall and to look for. If possible, ensure that it reflects on your other social media accounts. Your display name must reflect your brand or personality, depending on whether you are using it for business or personal purposes.
• Crafting a compelling bio: Your bio is what should introduce visitors to you and the content that will be posted on the account. It is advisable to use hashtags contained in your chosen topic, put a call to action on the photo (for example, ‘Follow for daily motivation’), and provide a web link to your site or your most recent post.
• Utilizing a recognizable profile picture or logo: A profile picture needs to be very distinguishable, and a clear headshot is needed if you are a personal brand. If you’re a business, use the logo you have proudly created for your business. Ensure it is of good quality and should suit the circular frame.

2. Leverage high-quality visual content

Instagram is a photo-sharing and video platform; thus, the quality of pictures and videos that one produces determines the number of people who will follow them.

• Importance of aesthetics: At least the pictures must blend well together to have a flow which is in harmony with your brand. This could be a specific color palette, filter, or theme that will be used in designing the posts. It gives a well-coordinated look to the adopted profile, hence enhancing its appeal and professionalism.
• Using professional-grade photos and videos: This may be in the form of cameras, image-enhancing software, edit buttons, or even better-quality camera phones. If visuals are high quality, then chances are high that they will have the capability of capturing the attention of the audience and get their engagement.
• Incorporating branded visuals: Watermark your content by including company names, symbols, texts, or some other kinds. One of the benefits of doing this is that it helps create awareness of you or your brand and at the same time discourages other people from using your content without permission.

3. Post consistently

• Ideal posting frequency: It is still regarded as sufficient to post at least 3-5 times a week by the year 2024 to be effective in reintroducing the account to the audience. Nonetheless, do not be very active on the Social Media platforms in a way that it forms a nuisance to the followers.
• Utilizing scheduling tools: For this, you can use Later or Buffer to schedule the posts that you would want to make in the future and don’t have the time for. Among the benefits of this approach is the ability to create content ahead of time, this only means that you are always on the driver’s seat in terms of posting frequency even for those weeks that you are very busy.
• The importance of timing: When the target audience is most active, it is wise to post. As a result, it is recommended to use Instagram Insights that will show the exact time when most of your followers are active.

4. Use Instagram stories effectively

The popularity of Instagram Stories sings its signal for being used as an effective tool to share with your audience content that is more informal and timely.

• Engaging with interactive elements: For participation, use features such as polls, quizzes, and questions that will encourage participation by the users. These tools are perfect for the reception of the feedback and the enhancement of the engagements.
• Sharing behind-the-scenes content: Take your followers a sneak preview of your day or how your business is run. Such content provides a personal touch to your brand, and therefore, it gets real with the audience.
• Highlighting key stories: This information needs to be preserved in the profile’s highlight section. This way, they will not disappear when they are no longer ‘trending’ and can restart engagement if needed after 24 hours.

5. Leverage Instagram reels

Instagram reels have now turned out as one of the best features and it also helps in reaching out more audiences.

• Creating trending and shareable short videos: Take time, follow the trending topics and challenges that are ongoing, and try to develop your own topics for the competitions. The other important aspect is that, the more Reels are shareable, the more they trending and can go viral.
• Utilizing popular music and effects: Engage the modern music and effects while creating your Reels. It is crucial to know that most of the time, the algorithm of Instagram tends to promote Reels that incorporate the trending music.
• Reaching a broader audience: To my knowledge, Reels appear in the feed of users you don’t follow, which means that they can be beneficial for increasing your popularity. The major key is to aim on developing content that can be understood by a vast number of people.

6. Utilize hashtags strategically

Hashtags are critical in the process of getting your content to more people.

• Researching relevant hashtags: You can generate hashtags to use on the internet by using Hashtagify or searching for hashtags on the Instagram Explore page. Combining the general hashtags with specialty specific hashtags in an effort to reach even more spectators.
• Balancing niche and popular hashtags: You can be overwhelmed by the huge number of content with the most trending hashtags, or if you use a very specific hashtag, the content will barely be seen. The fact is that the balanced combining of various means of advertising guarantees you capitalize on the middle ground.
• Creating branded hashtags: Create your brand hashtag or that of your campaign. You should use it to encourage your followers’ usage that establishes a community around your brand.

7. Engage with your audience

Building a loyal following requires active engagement.

• Responding to comments and DMs: The unserious time needs to be spent replying to comments and direct messages. It also demonstrates that you are keen on your followers and at the same time gives others reason to consider following you.
• Hosting Q&A sessions and going live: Employ IG Live so that you connect with the audience at a given point in time. Responding to the followers is always important and hosting Q&A sessions with followers is a good way of doing that.
  
• Creating interactive content: Share content that will make people interact with you; for instance, use a call to action in captions such as question marks or use hashtags such as #tagfriend.

8. Collaborate with influencers and brands

Collaborations are a powerful way to tap into new audiences.

• Partnering with influencers in your niche: Choose and work only with the influencers that have the same target audience as you do. This could be in the form of shoutouts, takeovers or collaborating and creating content together.
• Running joint campaigns or giveaways: Collaborate with other brands or other influencers in giving away products. This, in turn exposes your account to more of their followers and can go as far as having a new flood of followers.
• Tagging and getting tagged: This is done by getting involved in posts and stories that belong to your niche and tag the respective accounts, and urging them to do the same to you. It increases your visibility to their followers and hence market your brand.

9. Run Instagram contests and giveaways

Contests and giveaways are effective for rapid follower growth.

• Structuring a successful contest: State motives clearly as for example calling on participants to follow you, like the post and tag friends. The more the rules and regulations are made simple that is why we have (participation rates) high rates.
  
• Encouraging user participation: Ensure that the students are engaged in the contest and make it as exciting as possible for the participants. Request submissions to share content (e. g. , images, or narratives) under a certain hashtag. It not only increases engagement but also creates user-generated content.
• Offering valuable prizes: When planning on this, make sure that the prize is something that will be appealing to your audience and one that they will appreciate. The more that the price is offered, the bigger the number of people who will follow your account and participate in the event.

10. Utilize Instagram ads

Paid advertising can significantly boost your reach and follower count.

• Targeting your ideal audience: Here is how you can ensure that you target users on Instagram who are likely going to engage with your content. You can target geographically the interests of your audience, their behaviors, and so on.
• Creating engaging ad content: Your ads should be colorful and catchy, the main feature being the call to action, for example, “Follow for more tips” or “Swipe up for more information.”
• Analyzing ad performance: It is essential that you watch your ads’ performance and make adjustments based on their effectiveness. Concentration should be given on those ads which create maximum engagement and followers.

11. Create shareable content

The more shareable your content, the more likely it is to spread across the platform.

• Making content that people want to share: Post material that can stimulate the viewers’ emotions, for instance, quotes, laughter, or advice. As the results delinea the shareable content tends to increase the considerable followers.
• Using memes, infographics, and viral challenges: Contribute to the meme culture, make people learn new facts through the contextual infographic, or try yourself at the viral challenge. Such contents are easier shared among the users.
• Encouraging followers to tag friends: Encourage the friends that read about to tag their friends if the content posted by the entertainer is relatable. This not only enhances the activity but also makes the audience familiar with your account.

12. Engage with relevant communities

Building relationships within Instagram communities can help grow your following.

• Joining and participating in Instagram communities: Search for communities that correspond to your topic as in channels, hashtags, and groups of interest to members. That involves reading content shared in these communities by liking, commenting and sharing it through your profile.
• Commenting and interacting with posts in your niche: Participate with other accounts whose posts are in the same category as yours. Such comments can bring attention to your profile with timely posted comments carefully delivered.
• Leveraging community features like Instagram guides: Add Instagram Guides that are collections of posts from users, such as you or other users. That can help build the audience and position you as an expert that everyone needs to listen to.

13. Use User-Generated Content (UGC)

UGC is a powerful way to build trust and expand your reach.

• Encouraging followers to create content for you: Tell your followers how they could use your products or services or have been using them. Share this content on your profile to create social proof and share it again on your profile to build this type of social proof.
• Sharing UGC on your profile: Include the posts from other users in your feed or stories at least once a week. This not only offers you with new material for use in your promotion and marketing campaigns but also ensures that a large number of your followers develop content that includes your brand.
• Running UGC-focused campaigns: Promote relevant content and call your fans to make content under a specific hashtag or a specific theme. It does not only make the audience responsive but also extend reach and introduce your brand to an untapped market.

14. Capitalize on trending topics

Creating content around trending topics can significantly boost your visibility.

• Creating content around current events and trends: This means that you can update yourself with trending posts on Instagram and other social platforms. Producing material that relates to such trends is vital while maintaining the corporation’s identity.
• Using trending hashtags and themes: Hashtags are a popular means of finding content, so it is recommended that trending hashtags be used in the posts. It is also important to ensure that the content is relevant and will benefit the users in a way that relates to the given trend.
• Adapting your content to fit popular trends: It’s smart to adapt to the current content marketing situation if it means changing something up a little. Whether it is getting used to a new meme, a new challenge to doing business or a fresh global event, this is achieving the best when anything goes viral.

15. Cross-promote your Instagram on other platforms

Leverage your presence on other platforms to drive traffic to your Instagram.

• Sharing your Instagram content on other platforms: Some of the things to do with Instagram content are reposting it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and so on and calling for your fans on other platforms to follow you on Instagram.
  
• Adding your Instagram handle to your email signature, website, and other social profiles: Make sure that fans can find your Instagram handle every time you are on the internet. It also means that people do not struggle to look for you and subsequently follow you.
• Using other platforms to drive traffic to your Instagram: If you are active on other platforms such as blogs, YouTube channels, or podcasts, do not forget to mention and link to your Instagram periodically. By giving them something they can’t find anywhere else or claiming to post updates on Instagram can get followers to follow you there.

16. Use Instagram insights to optimize strategy

Instagram Insights is a valuable tool for understanding your audience and refining your content strategy.

• Analyzing follower demographics and behavior: To get to know the age, location, and gender of your followers and their activity level – try Insights. It can also inform you of what type of content they want to be provided with, hence helping you in a feed to provide the right content.
• Tracking content performance: Also, don’t forget to see which of the posts, stories, and reels get the most engagement. It is therefore important to use this data to help in future posting.
• Adjusting your strategy based on insights: Thus, if some kinds of posts or hours show better results, it is better to act accordingly. Dynamic optimization or implementing changes based on the data play the center in maintaining growth.

17. Create a content calendar

Planning your content in advance helps maintain consistency and ensures a balanced mix of posts.

• Planning content ahead of time: Organize your content by using a content calendar where you outline what you will post and when. It is beneficial to avoid situations where you have to search for content at the last moment and in this way, you can arrange your uploads according to holidays, events or other kinds of significant events.
• Balancing different types of content: Try to diversify and do not stick to one type of content — post photos, videos, Reels, Stories, and Carousel. This makes sure that your feed is always active, and people are most likely going to stay engaged.
• Scheduling posts according to engagement patterns: According to Instagram Insights, plan the post to be made at the specific times when the audiences are most engaged. This increases the chances of reaching more people and therefore its engagement rates and followership will improve.

18. Engage with influential followers

Building relationships with influential followers can amplify your reach.

• Identifying and connecting with influential followers: Always be careful with the people who are following you as well as those interested in your content. If they are influential or have many followers within your niche, then reach out with an aim of becoming friends.
• Encouraging influencers to engage with your content: If key influencer’s opinions appear on your feed, make sure to respond and communicate in an elaborate way. This in turn could post your content on their followers’ page, thus increasing your exposure.
• Leveraging their networks to grow your following: Whenever people of influence like to comment on your content, this activity can be seen in their followers’ timelines, which in turn will lead to growth in their followers’ list and possibly yours too.

19. Participate in Instagram challenges

Challenges can be a fun and engaging way to connect with a larger audience.

• Joining popular Instagram challenges: Try to be ready to solve the challenges that are top-pinned in your area of specialization. Engaging in these challenges also enable you to expand your followership base and get individuals with an interest in the topics.
• Creating and promoting your own challenges: Create your own challenge and tag those you have on your page to join the challenge. Just make sure that it’s something you want to do and would be interested in and related to your brand, of course. This is especially helpful if the email will be sent to many individuals; ensure that there is a chance to win a prize or should have the best entries be posted in websites or bulletin boards.
• Encouraging followers to participate and tag you: If consumers are engaging in your challenge, make sure to tell them what to do so you can see their posts, which is to tag you and include a certain hashtag. This also helps to make you more visible, and people will also be able to follow you and continue with the challenge.

20. Stay updated on Instagram’s algorithm changes

Instagram’s algorithm is constantly evolving, and staying updated is key to maintaining and growing your follower base.

• Understanding how the Instagram algorithm works in 2024: It focuses on posts that are interesting, timely, and, thus, relevant. Concentrating on producing more engaging content is a more effective way of promotion through the use of the algorithm.
• Adjusting your content strategy according to algorithm changes: As Instagram releases updates to its platform, it is time to prepare for changes to your strategies. This might mean changing to new features such as Reels or Stories or how you post, possibly due to the new algorithm.
• Staying ahead of trends by being adaptable: It can be said that the most successful IG users are those who are able to adjust to the turn of events more easily. Always remember those twists and turns, continue to be up to date with the constant notifications, try out new things, and if you need to – change the course of your actions.

Bonus tip: Utilize SMM panel services to accelerate growth

In addition to the organic methods listed above, there are also further ways for fast and efficient promotion in which SMM (Social Media Marketing) panel services are perfect instruments for promotion on Instagram. As a recap, SMM panels provide additional services that can enhance your actions plus provide that initial boost for your account.

1. What are SMM panels?

SMM panels are services that offer various social media promotional services like followers, likes, comments, and views at cheap rates. All these services work to make your profile seem more popular instantly and attract organic followers for such profiles.

2. How SMM panels can boost your Instagram followers?

• Instant social proof: What it means is that by getting followers, likes, or comments from an SMM panel, you can make it look as though you are popular with active fans. Such a social proof can inspire real users to follow you because following your accounts can be beneficial, given that many people do it.
• Enhancing content visibility: Having SMM panel results helps in enlarging the number of your posts that are being viewed by enhancing the engagement statistics such as likes and comments. More engagement is an indication to the Instagram algorithm that your content is relevant, which improves the positioning of your posts within user feeds and can even have your posts featured on Influencer’s Explore page for those users.
• Kickstarting new accounts: If, for instance, one is just creating a new Instagram account, it can be quite a task to get those first few followers. Getting started, SMM panels can be used to bring in a quick follower boost to kick-start an account’s organic growth.
• Supporting organic growth efforts: Although growth plans are a major necessity, if not backed up with an SMM panel service, they will only be more potent. For instance, when you post quality content you have developed, you can use an SMM panel to boost the likes and views so that it can attract new followers.

Conclusion

Getting more Instagram followers in 2024 is most effectively achieved through innovation, time, and planning well. The following are 20 ways through which you can increase followers, audience interaction, and overall engagement on your Instagram profile: Try to start implementing these tips, and you will very soon see your followers grow in number.