13 Ways to Get More Followers on Instagram in 2026 — Exactly What I Would Do

I’ve over 15,000 followers on Instagram, and I’ve helped develop Buffer’s Instagram account to over 100K.

One factor I’ve discovered on my journey is that there aren’t any definitive “progress hacks” for growing your Instagram followers. However don’t be concerned, there are nonetheless loads of sensible issues you are able to do to construct a stable progress technique that truly works.

I’ve examined quite a lot of progress methods through the years and seen firsthand what actually works, what burns you out, and what really fuels progress over time.

The truth is, I’ve seen an thrilling surge in attain and follower progress in latest months on each accounts with these precise methods. They are surely tried and examined!

On this article, I will stroll you thru 13 methods I like to recommend — whether or not you are seeking to develop past a plateau, otherwise you’re beginning to develop your Instagram following from scratch.

These techniques concentrate on sustainable, natural progress — the type that compounds over time. Let’s get into them.

1. Outline your technique earlier than chasing progress

Earlier than fascinated with follower counts, take a step again and make clear what position Instagram performs in your larger image. Having a transparent concept of the place Instagram matches into your total social media advertising and marketing technique is not going to solely aid you acquire extra followers, but in addition aid you get extra related content material concepts for Instagram.

However how do you create an Instagram progress technique?

Step 1. Get clear in your targets

As an alternative of studying how one can get extra followers on Instagram, step again and replicate on what you propose to do together with your follower depend.

Do you need to construct a private model? Or increase model consciousness on your firm? Maybe you need to drive web site site visitors. Possibly you need to gather extra user-generated content material.

No matter it’s, outline it clearly — with measurable milestones — to place intention behind your Instagram technique.

Step 2. Get a 360-view of your audience

Understanding the essential demographics is essential. But additionally transcend that and deeply perceive what your viewers struggles with and how one can assist them resolve their challenges utilizing your Instagram content material technique.

Subsequent, get a 360-degree view of your preferrred follower. I might begin by clarifying three easy issues.

1. Who am I speaking to? 
2. What am I serving to them with? 
3. And what do I would like them to really feel after they land on my profile?

This may let you create content material that actually resonates together with your group — serving to you acquire extra Instagram followers.

Natasha Pierre — creator and host of the Shine On-line Podcast — says dropping sight of your preferrred follower in change for virality is the one greatest mistake creators make.

“Individuals usually focus a lot on going viral and reaching as many individuals as doable that they lose sight of the best follower they’re attempting to achieve,” she says.

“You might go viral as we speak, and in case you’re reaching largely the improper individuals, likelihood is it will not end in them following you. [Even if they do], it might result in Instagram followers who aren’t engaged.”

“Taking the time to replicate on who your preferrred follower is will aid you create specific-to-them content material, which is not going to solely end in higher progress however high quality new followers.”

Step 3. Outline your model voice and aesthetic

Even in case you’re a creator and never an organization, it’s price crafting a social media advertising and marketing voice that’s uniquely you, so Instagram customers can establish your posts with out seeing the username.

Model voice is difficult to trace or quantify, but it surely’s non-negotiable to be memorable. On Instagram, you can even outline your aesthetic alongside together with your model voice. Use model colours, stick with a constant content material theme, and have a character.

Step 4. Create content material pillar themes and stick with them

Resolve on a distinct segment on your Instagram account. Have a couple of overarching matters you’ll publish about, and don’t deviate from them an excessive amount of. This has many advantages:

• You don’t should consistently reinvent the wheel for brainstorming nice content material concepts.
• Your Instagram group begins recognizing you for the kind of content material you create.
• You don’t get distracted by the brand new, shiny factor, and maintain revising your Instagram technique.

2. Optimize your Instagram bio

Whenever you consider how one can get extra followers on Instagram, you won’t consider the Instagram bio. However the bio is an important a part of your Instagram feed — it provides individuals a high-level view of what you do, what you publish about, and what they’ll anticipate by changing into a part of your journey.

The skincare firm, Kinship, is a wonderful instance of how one can ace the Instagram bio.

They use the best Instagram class for his or her account (well being/magnificence) to immediately set up their area of interest. Following that is one line about their model mentions, one other about what they promote, and the final one about their strongest options. They’ve additionally added a number of hyperlinks for his or her Instagram followers to faucet on and be taught extra.

Listed here are the weather it’s worthwhile to nail for the right Instagram bio:

• A descriptive class
• An easy description of what you do and/or what you promote
• A contact of name character
• Hyperlinks that lead someplace helpful, like your web site or a Buffer Begin Web page

Used pinned posts in your profile grid

Deal with your grid like a storefront by ensuring your most compelling content material is true up entrance. Use pinned posts in your profile grid that showcase your finest work or a reel that solutions your mostly requested questions.

Need to present up in additional searches?

The Instagram algorithm prioritizes search outcomes containing key phrases within the title and username. Add one or two key phrases that describe what you do proper in your title discipline or deal with — suppose “vegan recipes” or “marriage ceremony photographer.”

For instance, creator Hannah Hargrove has the key phrases “Child + Toddler Diet” on her Instagram account, proper subsequent to her title. Her username can also be “tinyeatersnutrition” — these specifics immediately let you know what to anticipate from her Instagram account.

Instagram customers trying to find “toddler diet” will even discover her account pop up in search (that’s how I discovered her) — serving to her acquire extra Instagram followers.

Simply do not go overboard with key phrases in your Instagram title discipline — it’s going to come throughout as spammy and water down their function. Use just some phrases that inform individuals what your Instagram account is about.

🥡 Takeaway: The important thing to nice Instagram bios is making them clear, artistic, and full. Anybody studying it ought to immediately know what you do or your organization does, the way it might help them, and the place they’ll be taught extra.

Redirecting potential prospects from different channels to your Instagram account is a simple strategy to acquire extra Instagram followers rapidly — particularly if you have already got a robust presence on different social media platforms.

For instance, at Buffer, we’ve got our Instagram hyperlink on our web site footer.

There are numerous methods to cross-promote to extend your follower depend. Add your Instagram web page’s hyperlink to:

• Your product packaging
• Your blogs (when related)
• Advertising and marketing and transactional emails
• Your web site’s footer and/or sidebar
• Social media posts from workforce members
• Your and your staff’ electronic mail signature
• Bios on different social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube
• Networking occasions and webinars (Use your profile’s Instagram QR code for in-person occasions)

Cross-promotion will aid you enhance the likelihood of being in entrance of related customers on Instagram. Current followers from different social media platforms possible already know you and the form of content material you create — they’re high quality followers; those who’re probably to get pleasure from and interact together with your Instagram posts.

4. Put up 3–5 occasions per week for constant progress

Relating to rising on Instagram, frequency does matter. Buffer’s knowledge reveals that posting 3–5 occasions per week is the candy spot for attain and follower progress in 2026.

We analyzed over two million Instagram posts and located that accounts posting 3–5 occasions per week:

• Develop their followers 2× quicker than accounts posting 1–2 occasions
• See 12% extra attain per publish on common

That’s a giant payoff for only one or two additional posts every week.

Each publish you share is one other likelihood to achieve new audiences

Keep in mind, posting 3 times every week for 3 months will train you greater than planning for 3 weeks. In order for you a shot at that golden ticket to virality, it’s a must to enter the lottery as usually as you possibly can.

For those who’re in a position to share extra usually — say 6–9 occasions weekly — that’s even higher for progress. But when your time or artistic vitality is restricted, aiming for 3–5 high-quality posts per week is a good, sustainable objective.

A wiser strategy to create extra content material sustainably

As creators or entrepreneurs, we regularly make the idea that every one of our followers have seen each single piece of content material we create, however in actuality, solely a small portion of our viewers will see a selected publish.

So do not be shy to repurpose present content material. This doesn’t simply imply repurposing content material you’ve posted on different channels (although that could be a nice possibility, in case you’re not doing that already), but in addition throughout the similar platform. Don’t be afraid of tweaking content material that carried out effectively and sharing it once more.

Some examples might be to show a sequence of Instagram Tales right into a reel or an insightful caption right into a poignant video. Right here’s an ideal instance of the latter from @stanforcreators:

Keep in line with a content material calendar and batching

One other good strategy to stick with constant posting (on any platform) is to create a content material calendar — a doc sharing precisely what it’s worthwhile to publish and when. For those who’ve created and scheduled posts to exit prematurely, you aren’t counting on inspiration alone to stay to your posting schedule.

If you wish to degree up even additional, attempt blocking out time to create your posts in batches. Content material batching is the tactic of making social media posts in bulk so you possibly can add them to your content material calendar. Your future self will thanks. As an alternative of manually posting the posts in your content material calendar, use Instagram scheduling instruments like Buffer to automate the method.

You’ll be able to’t be in every single place on a regular basis

To construct a scalable system to develop on Instagram, it’s a must to work smarter. To maintain up with my posting frequency, I exploit Buffer to batch-create content material forward of time and provides myself an extended content material runway.

My content material autopublishes once I’m offline, so I can unplug and recharge whereas progress continues within the background. I also can analyze my Instagram posts to trace what’s touchdown, schedule posts on a number of platforms, reply to feedback, and crosspost to TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube, and extra — all from one dashboard.

5. Discover your finest occasions to publish on Instagram

Posting when your followers are on-line provides your content material a greater shot at extra attain. Extra attain means extra probabilities to draw new followers.

In line with our evaluation of over two million Instagram posts, one of the best occasions to publish on Instagram are Thursday at 9 a.m., Wednesday at 12 p.m., and Wednesday at 6 p.m.

If you wish to dig deep into the numbers and the way we arrived at these occasions, take a look at our YouTube video:

If you wish to perceive when your followers are on-line, Instagram insights can let you know that in 4 easy steps:

1. Open your Instagram app and navigate to insights utilizing the hamburger menu (the three horizontal strains) in your account. For those who’re on Instagram net, simply click on on Dashboard.
2. Click on on Complete followers in case you’re on the Instagram app or choose Account in case you’re on the net.
3. Scroll right down to the underside of this web page and search for Most energetic occasions to know when your Instagram followers are on-line. You’ll be capable to toggle between hours for daily of the week or take a look at particular days.

Need to take it up a notch? Use Buffer’s analytics to find out one of the best occasions to publish, one of the best sorts of posts, and one of the best publish frequency — multi function tab.

Buffer makes use of knowledge out of your earlier posts and followers’ exercise and organizes the numbers in a approach that’s straightforward to know.

Together with the time, additionally think about when your Instagram posts could be extra related logically.

A step-by-step video recipe will carry out higher after working hours when individuals prepare dinner. Then again, espresso store Instagram Tales would possibly do higher on the 2 p.m. stoop.

Experiment with posting occasions to find out while you attain new audiences (and acquire new followers).

6. Write compelling captions

It’s attractive to stint on Instagram captions while you’ve toiled to create the right carousel or video. However Instagram captions maintain extra weight than you suppose: They will both nudge somebody to observe you or scroll previous you with out wanting.

Plus, the longer somebody lingers on a publish — significantly a reel — is a robust sign to the Instagram algorithm that your content material holds worth. So give of us one thing to learn.

For instance, wellness model Cosmix doesn’t merely write, “store on our web site!” on its Instagram posts. It defined the components used, how Cosmix merchandise assist particular points, and mentions the research that again up these claims.

Writing the right Instagram caption is about understanding your viewers and the context of your publish. For those who’re writing an academic publish, it is smart to have an extended caption. However while you’re sharing an aesthetic product picture, shorter is sweeter.

Equally, additionally take into consideration captions primarily based on content material codecs: Instagram Tales want a shorter caption (or textual content on media) as a result of your followers view them rapidly, however carousel posts would possibly want extra context.

If arising with captions isn’t your forte, attempt Buffer’s AI assistant to generate a tough first draft in seconds.

For those who want extra inspiration, Buffer additionally has a free template library that can assist you scour by means of a whole lot of concepts on your captions and posts. You too can filter them primarily based on publish kind (scorching take, opinion, promotion, and so forth.), objective, format, and creator kind (particular person vs. enterprise).

Everytime you’re in a artistic stoop about what to publish and how one can write a fascinating caption, simply go to the template library and scroll till you discover one thing fascinating you should use.

Nail your call-to-action

What motion are you hoping somebody takes after consuming your content material? What is the worth being delivered in the long run? Possibly you need them to take heed to a podcast episode. Possibly you are crowdsourcing concepts, or perhaps you are asking for his or her opinion on one thing.

Listed here are a couple of examples:

• Which tip was most useful?
• Agree or disagree?
• Need a half two?

Invite your group in and create house for considerate motion.

Individuals usually seek for related key phrases, hashtags, and areas to search out the kind of content material they’re in search of. For those who rank for these searches, you expose your Instagram content material to potential followers.

Key phrases

Use key phrases associated to your publish (with out stuffing them). Consider the phrases and phrases your viewers may be utilizing to seek for the kind of content material you’re creating. Instagram picks up key phrases from captions, visuals, and hashtags — so use the related key phrases in all these locations.

How do you discover the related key phrases?

Run a seek for the phrases you suppose your viewers would possibly use and see which key phrases different manufacturers are utilizing. Instagram will even fill in associated phrases while you seek for a broad key phrase, similar to on Google.

Hashtags

What number of hashtags do you have to use? Instagram recommends utilizing 3–5 related hashtags with each publish. Combine fashionable and area of interest hashtags to extend your possibilities of rating on the Discover web page when somebody searches for the hashtags in your area of interest. This may let you benefit from Instagram hashtags with out cluttering your posts.

How do you discover related hashtags?

You’ll be able to search area of interest hashtags to search out fashionable Instagram hashtags associated to your posts. You too can use hashtag mills like Buffer’s free hashtag generator to search out related hashtags.

Merely share what your publish is about, click on on Generate hashtags, and Buffer will share a listing of hashtags you should use.

Buffer also can aid you curate a listing of hashtags and arrange them into teams utilizing the hashtag supervisor. For instance, make a gaggle of product-specific hashtags and one other for area of interest or industry-specific hashtags. Choose out of your pre-saved teams on Buffer and add hashtags to your scheduled Instagram posts with one click on.

Location

For native discovery, add in a geotag as effectively. Tagging your metropolis, neighborhood, or occasion house helps Instagram floor your publish to individuals searching that location — a easy step that may land your content material on the Discover web page for close by customers. This may also assist your content material floor in followers’ Associates Maps.

8. Perceive your analytics

Repeatedly checking your Instagram analytics is essential to understanding what’s serving to you get extra followers on Instagram.

You would possibly discover that your viewers responds finest to entertaining reels, however academic posts work finest as carousels. Possibly you uncover Instagram giveaways are finest for engagement, however they don’t aid you acquire followers. Watch intently for these patterns and evolve your content material technique as you go.

Instagram has native analytics on its app, however they’re fairly restricted. You’ll be able to’t see your particular person posts’ efficiency in a single window to research them aspect by aspect, nor are you able to handpick metrics essential to you.

It’s higher to make use of a third-party instrument like Buffer’s analytics to get all the information at a look and even make customized experiences for stakeholders.

Which metric is a very powerful to trace?

It relies on your Instagram targets and technique. For instance, in case you’re testing a brand new hashtag, realizing the variety of new followers is extra essential than monitoring likes out of your present followers. However in case you’re experimenting with posting occasions, keeping track of impressions is extra essential.

I prefer to concentrate on actual performs, saves, shares, and follower sources. This protects a lot time by displaying me the place to double down as a substitute of making content material simply to fill the feed.

9. Collaborate with Instagram creators or different small companies

This can be a private favourite of mine, and one of many quickest methods to develop on Instagram: Put up collaboration content material. That may appear like a co-created carousel or a reel, story takeovers, and tagging one another, joint giveaways, or shared assets. The chances are infinite.

Instagram collab posts with different creators through influencer advertising and marketing or partnerships with small companies are a win-win as a result of they expose each events to potential Instagram followers.

The vital bit is guaranteeing you associate with an organization or creator who aligns together with your values and whose followers’ demographics and pursuits overlap together with your audience.

For instance, the interval tracker app, Flo, collaborated with Charity Ekezie and created a paid Instagram publish to focus on the corporate’s social initiative to supply premium options totally free in nations like Ethiopia and Haiti.

These posts are proven on each accounts — which means all followers of your creator associate will see the shared publish (and, by extension, your Instagram profile and small enterprise).

If influencers with over 100 thousand followers are out of your funds, run a micro-influencer marketing campaign. Smaller creators usually have a tightly-knit group that trusts their suggestions.

How you can discover these influencers? You’ll be able to undergo a handbook Google search or search utilizing hashtags and key phrases on Instagram. A wiser method is to make use of influencer discovery instruments like Modash to save lots of time and discover related creators.

You needn’t prohibit your self to partnering with particular person creators. You too can kind partnerships with different small companies. Check out how LinkedIn and Headspace collaborated to create a publish about recovering from job loss.

Collaborating on Instagram does not solely imply making a shared publish, both. You might additionally:

• Go dwell with a creator
• Do an Instagram account takeover
• Repost Instagram content material from an influencer’s profile to your Instagram Tales
• Put up movies created by them natively in your model account (with permission)

10. Experiment with several types of Instagram posts

It has been a very long time since Instagram was simply a photograph app. The platform has launched many codecs, together with short-form video content material like reels, tales, and carousel posts.

Every now and then, I prefer to publish one thing sudden. Testing totally different codecs provides you the house to experiment and be taught, and gives recent insights into what resonates extra together with your viewers.

Which kind of posts will aid you get probably the most attain?

Buffer’s evaluation discovered Instagram Reels get 36% extra attain than different publish varieties.

How you can construct your reels muscle groups

Creating reels can really feel like a heavier elevate in case you’re not tremendous comfy in entrance of the digicam, but it surely’s a muscle you construct over time.

Listed here are some pretty straightforward concepts:

• Document a bunch of movies all through the day, such as you on a stroll, ingesting espresso, working in your laptop computer, socializing, and sew them along with a compelling voice-over that tells a narrative.
• Attempt filming a speaking head video with easy-to-follow suggestions, plus captions and enjoyable sound results.
• Seize a quiet second of you sitting in a single place, perhaps simply having fun with a cup of espresso, and add a query as textual content overlay, after which broaden in captions. 

The extra you movie, the extra comfy you get with the method, and that in flip sparks much more inspiration on your subsequent video.

Keep in mind, attain isn’t the identical as engagement

Our analysis — the identical one which discovered reels get probably the most attain — additionally discovered that carousels get 12% extra engagement than different content material codecs.

The hook issues greater than the aesthetic

To extend engagement, your first slide ought to hook individuals in with a hard-hitting fact or tackle an issue that your viewers is actively attempting to unravel. For instance, as a substitute of “Suggestions for creators,” attempt one thing like, “In case your reels don’t get views, do that.”

Don’t sleep on Instagram Dwell

Going Dwell sends a push notification to followers, locations you first within the tales row, and allows you to reply questions in actual time. Attempt a fifteen-minute Q&A, a product unboxing, or co-host a Dwell with a creator in your area of interest to faucet into their viewers, too.

🥡 Takeaway: Experiment with all content material codecs of Instagram to test which publish kind is finest for what sort of content material. As an example, reels may be finest for entertaining bite-sized content material and getting extra Instagram followers. Carousels may be finest for in-depth academic content material and retaining your present followers engaged.

Social media is a two-way road. Each single interplay — whether or not that’s through interactive Instagram tales or responding to their feedback — places you on somebody’s radar. It is a portal to extra publicity and a chance to construct an actual group.

Keep in mind, getting extra Instagram followers isn’t nearly including new followers; it’s additionally about sustaining your follower depend. You don’t need to lose your present group since you’re unresponsive. Participating together with your viewers reveals that you just care about them, take their suggestions severely, and imagine in reciprocity. These actual relationships result in actual progress.

Our analysis discovered that replying to your Instagram feedback can increase engagement by 21%. So, make investments early. Take note of significant conversations in your individual feedback and make an effort to interact with posts from others in your area of interest. Once they see you supporting them, they will usually come again and help you.

The yogurt model Chobani is an efficient instance. They reply to nearly each remark they obtain.

Responding to each remark may be unrealistic when you begin receiving 1000’s of them (good drawback to have), however do your finest to reply to as many queries as doable.

Buffer’s Neighborhood characteristic makes it straightforward to reply to all feedback from all of your platforms, proper there on the Buffer dashboard. You’ll be able to arrange notifications, filter and type your feedback, and even create a brand new publish from a reply.

Present up in tales and use engagement instruments

Tales are the place belief builds. Individuals admire lived experiences that give them a peek into an issue you solved, a lesson you discovered, or a chapter of life you survived.

I host a podcast referred to as The Lavender Repair, and I usually use story polls to know what matters my viewers is most interested by, hyperlink a sticker to a brand new episode, or share an informal behind-the-scenes second from certainly one of my recording classes.

12. Keep away from shopping for followers

It’s tempting to purchase Instagram followers to inflate your follower quantity. But it surely’s price remembering that pretend followers aren’t going to work together together with your Instagram profile.

They’ll both be bots or pretend accounts — not actual Instagram followers (and undoubtedly not related ones). So your follower depend would possibly soar, however your engagement charge will plummet.

Pretend Instagram followers additionally damage your credibility. Potential collaborators and your viewers will in the end get suspicious of the mismatch between your variety of followers and engagement charge. This may make your viewers lose belief in you and hurt your private model in the long run.

If that wasn’t sufficient, the Instagram algorithm additionally pushes posts with genuine engagement. The platform would possibly penalize you for disguising pretend accounts as actual followers.

13. Get verified on Instagram

Having the coveted blue checkmark subsequent to your Instagram account is a badge of instantaneous credibility. It helps you stand out in search outcomes, avoids impersonation, and even get larger engagement charges.

In case your goal is to extend your Instagram progress charge, getting verified will undoubtedly assist.

However how do you get verified on Instagram? Don’t be concerned in case you’re not well-known — the blue test is not completely reserved for public figures.

The best approach is to purchase a subscription by means of your Instagram profile. (There are particular eligibility necessities it’s a must to meet, like adhering to Meta’s minimal exercise necessities, however that should not be exhausting.)

Getting extra followers on Instagram isn’t a one-time affair

With these 13 suggestions beneath your belt, you’re actually extra geared up to get extra followers on Instagram.

But it surely isn’t a one-and-done deal. Sustaining Instagram progress requires usually publishing high-quality content material and staying on prime of your social media technique.

It’s time-consuming and laborious to handle the planning, posting, participating, and monitoring manually. Having an all-in-one instrument — like Buffer — permits you to do all of that beneath one roof. Don’t take simply my phrase for it: Get began totally free as we speak and see for your self.

FAQ about getting extra followers on Instagram

How can I get my first 1,000 followers rapidly however organically on Instagram?

Deal with content material that individuals need to share. Put up quick, participating reels, use clear key phrases and a handful of related hashtags, and add robust calls to motion in your captions. Touch upon posts in your area of interest, reply to each remark you obtain, and cross-promote your deal with on different platforms. A gentle posting schedule —made simpler with a instrument like Buffer — helps you present up within the feed extra usually and attain new individuals quicker.

What’s the 5-3-1 rule on Instagram, and does it work?

The 5-3-1 rule is a each day engagement behavior: like 5 posts, go away three considerate feedback, and observe one new, related account. The objective is to spark real conversations so extra individuals take a look at your profile and observe you again. It’s easy, free, and a great way to construct group — so long as your interactions keep genuine and on-topic.

How usually ought to I publish if I need to develop my follower depend?

Most accounts see regular progress after they share round three to 5 high-quality posts per week and some tales in between. Combine codecs — reels for attain and carousels for deeper engagement. Examine your Instagram Insights (or Buffer analytics) to be taught when your viewers is on-line, then stick with a schedule you possibly can sustain with long-term.

Extra Instagram assets