With 800 million active users on the platform, you would think the answer to the question how to get more Instagram followers would be easy. But, even with so many people to engage with, many businesses struggle. Changes to the algorithm have affected the number of people who see each post, and the introduction of business accounts on Instagram would have had a negative impact on those who don’t want to pay to be exposed.

Discovering how to gain followers on Instagram is well worth an investment of your time. Research has shown that users want to engage with you in a meaningful way, such as calling you, visiting your website, or seeking directions to your premises. In fact, over 120 million Instagram users do this every month. If you don’t care how to get Instagram followers, you are missing out on a golden business opportunity

Our ultimate guide to how to get more followers on Instagram is built to help you explore new ways to communicate with interested parties. There is no guaranteed way to increase Instagram followers, but there are ways to increase your potential to attract new fans. Below are some insightful tips on how to get more followers on Instagram so your business can become a benchmark in your industry.

Important tips to gain more followers on Instagram

Here we offer our top tips for getting more followers on Instagram, so you can take full advantage of the world’s largest photo-sharing platform.

You can have the best images, the most insightful content, and work as hard as you want on your account, but if users can’t find you, it will all have been for nothing. If your fans don’t know you’re there, they’ll never follow you.

To increase your visibility, use the tools you already have in place. If you have a fanbase on Facebook, Twitter, or any other social network, cross-promote your Instagram page with those people, encouraging them to follow you. You might consider paying to boost these posts to ensure even more of your existing fans are driven to your Instagram account.

You can also place a link on your website to help visitors find you on Instagram, and you might consider including a link in your email signatures and other publicly available profiles. If you want to discover how to increase your number of followers on Instagram, optimizing the use of existing resources is a no-brainer.

Optimize Profile

Your profile should be a powerful marketing tool, so don’t waste your time on it either. Make it professional, describe who you are and what you do, and give them a good reason to hit the ‘Follow’ button.

To get started, you need to make sure your username is easy to find. Keep your business name in the first part of the tag, so people looking for you can always find you.

Choose a profile photo related to your brand; your logo will be a great choice. Fill your bio with interesting information about your brand, while adding a bit of personality. Add a link to your website, but consider a shortened custom link from a provider like Bitly to keep your profile as tidy as possible.

Editing your profile can make all the difference when it comes to getting Instagram followers, so it’s a good idea to review your profile fairly regularly to make sure it’s up to date. Take a look at the profiles of some of your competitors to see what works for them, then you can make improvements to yours.

Tell a coherent story

Consistency and regularity are the keys to knowing how to get more followers on Instagram. Think about your brand story and useful content that will engage your audience. Instagram is a very visual channel that requires perfect curation to get the best results.

You may be interested in your products, showing how they look, showing the problems they solve, or telling customers how they are made. Or maybe you’re a service business, more interested in inspiring your customers with inspirational posts and inspirational ideas. Whatever your brand, presenting a reliable image in all your posts will help you attract new followers and keep them.

That doesn’t mean you should limit your Instagram content in any way, but your posts should have a clear message and consistent ideas. Your visuals should be instantly recognizable at first glance and should present a cohesive narrative across this social channel.

Use hashtags

Hashtags are one of the best ways to increase Instagram followers. Proper use of powerful and relevant hashtags will expose your posts to people who aren’t followers of your page, but are interested in the type of content you produce. When you start using hashtags, you can achieve rapid success by:

checking the most popular hashtags: Take a look at popular hashtags for your industry. Which are your competitors using? What about influencers in your niche?

using niche tags: By focusing on your tags, you will attract the attention of a smaller audience that is much more interested in your business.

creating your own tag: Use your own branded hashtag with your posts and promote it with contests and other channels to get people started using it.