Did you know that Instagram is the second most downloaded app in the world (right after Tik-Tok), with over one billion active users? In fact, the number of Instagram users has increased by over 100 million in just the past year. With such a massive audience, it's no wonder that Instagram has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses, influencers, and celebrities alike. One of the key metrics that determines the success of an Instagram account is the number of followers it has. "Why Instagram followers are important" is a question that has been asked countless times by those looking to grow their presence on the platform.

Seemingly a very obvious question with an obvious answer. The thing is, a lot of people argue that rather than a large following, getting a great number of engagements takes the top place in the ranking of IG metrics. Considering everything though, having a large Instagram following can be extremely beneficial for various reasons. Firstly, it can increase your visibility to the first impressions (people that come across your profile for the first time), making it easier for people to want to interact with your content in one way or another. Daily interaction the account gets is especially important for businesses and influencers who rely on their Instagram accounts to generate leads, sales, and collaborations. 

Additionally, having a large following can increase your credibility and social proof, making you more attractive to potential clients and collaborators. Lastly, it can help you build a community of loyal followers who engage with your content and help spread the word about your brand or account. Now that we've somewhat established why Instagram followers are important, let's move on to the question of how to get more Instagram followers in 2023. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, several different strategies have been proven to be quite effective.

Optimizing Your Profile To The Max 

The first step towards getting more Instagram followers is to optimize your profile. In other words, making your profile more attractive, whether it's the way you arrange your feed, the colors and hues of the filters you put on your pictures, whether you put a thumbnail on your pinned Story, if you pin Story at all. All of such things should come together to give you a cohesive aesthetic. Optimizing your page means using a clear and recognizable profile picture, writing a bio that accurately represents your brand or personality, including a link to your website or other social media accounts. You can use relevant keywords and hashtags in your bio as well.

Another thing to consider here is to change things up after a period of time. You absolutely have to change the profile picture unless you are a huge brand like Coca-Cola for instance. Even then, such brands change their picture in the case of a rebranding, to support a serious social cause or during holidays. If you don't want the change to be too frequent you can use Instagram ribbon options to demonstrate awareness or enhance celebratory spirit.

Create High Quality Content

Once your profile is optimized, the next step is to create high-quality content that is both visually appealing and engaging. This can include anything from photos and videos to Instagram Story and reels. To stand out from the crowd, it's important to find your niche and create content that resonates with your target audience. Say, you know your niche. But it's not something super specific or unique. There are many others with similar field of operation (whatever it might be). 

What you can do in this case, is to for instance, choose one filter that you put on all your content with which everyone can recognize you and your brand. The same applies to using one hashtag that you always use, or perhaps taking a picture from a certain angle, arranging your feed in a unique way where every other picture is the same or shot from the same angle. The ideas can be endless. The main thing is to create an iconic brand unique to you.

After you've created a content that offers something new to the audience, it's time to focus on the technical things when it comes to getting more Instagram followers. One of the most effective techniques is using Instagram's built-in features, such as hashtags, geotags, and the explore page. 

Hashtags and Geotags 

When it comes to getting more Instagram followers in 2023, using hashtags and geotags can be incredibly powerful tools. Hashtags are words or phrases that are preceded by the pound symbol (#), specifically created to allow users to categorize and search for targeted content. Geotags, on the other hand, are location-based tags that allow users to tag the specific location of their post or find posts that have been tagged under the location.

Using hashtags and geotags strategically can help you reach a wider audience and increase your visibility. For example, if you're a food blogger, using popular food-related hashtags like #foodie, #foodstagram, or #yum can help your content appear in the search results when people are looking for food-related content globally. On the other hand, in case of the local businesses, using the names of the popular local dishes as hashtags increases the chance of getting their business out there for locals or tourists visiting the place of their residence. Geotags work in the similar fashion, helping you reach people in your area who might be interested in your products or services. Especially useful during touristic seasons.

It's important to note, however, that not all hashtags and geotags are created equal. Using irrelevant or overused hashtags can actually hurt your chances of being seen by the right audience, as your content may get lost in a sea of other posts. To avoid this, do some research on the hashtags and geotags that are most relevant to your niche and aim to use a mix of both popular and niche-specific tags. Do not skip over this step if you are startup, as there are more chances of small businesses getting swallowed up by bigger brands.

Another way to use hashtags and geotags strategically is to create your own branded hashtags. This can help you build a community around your brand specifically, and encourage your followers to share their own content using your hashtag. For instance, if you're a fitness influencer, you might create a branded hashtag like #FitFam or #SweatSquad, and encourage your followers to use it when they share their workout photos or videos. 

The Explore Page 

If your posts are featured on the Explore page, it automatically acquires the potential to reach to millions of people who are not yet following you. The Explore page on Instagram is the place everyone wants to end up on. The Explore page is a section of the app that allows users to discover new content based on their interests and recent activity on the platform. When you scroll through the page, you'll see a mix of posts from accounts that you don't follow, but that Instagram thinks you might be interested in. Getting your content on the Explore page can be incredibly beneficial for reaching a wider audience and gaining new followers. Here are some tips for increasing your chances of getting on there:

• Using relevant hashtags in your posts can help Instagram categorize your content and show it to users who are interested in the topic. Try to use a mix of popular and niche-specific hashtags to maximize your reach.
• Instagram's algorithm prioritizes high-quality content that is likely to engage users. Focus on creating visually appealing posts that are both informative and entertaining.
• Responding to comments and feedback you are getting, engaging with other users' content. All these can help increase your visibility on the platform and make it more likely that your content will be featured on the Explore page. Remember, every interaction counts.
• Instagram's algorithm favors accounts that use a variety of its features, such as Reels, IGTV, and Stories. Try to incorporate these features into your content strategy to increase your chances of getting on the Explore page.
• Instagram is constantly evolving, and staying on top of the latest trends can help you create content that resonates with a wide range of audience. Keep an eye on what's popular within or outside your niche, and try to incorporate those trends into your content where appropriate.

Collaborating and Retaining 

Another way to get more followers is by collaborating with other Instagram users within your niche or related fields. This can include anything from guest posting on each other's accounts to hosting joint giveaways and challenges. By collaborating with others, you can tap into their audience and potentially gain new followers who are interested in content similar to yours. Of course, collaborating with big names and influencers is what you should ultimately aim for. But you can't go from zero to hundred in a single jump. If you text Cardi B for a collaboration and you have less than 100K followers, it's most likely you will be ignored. Choose your allies wisely, you will get up there eventually.

How Do You Retain Your Followers? 

There's no point in gaining new followers if they quickly lose the interest and unfollow you. One way to keep your followers engaged is by posting consistently and on a regular basis. This can help you build a relationship with your followers and keep them coming back for more. Another way to keep your followers fully engaged is to maximize using Instagram's interactive features, such as polls, quizzes, and question boxes. By asking your followers questions and encouraging them to engage with your content, you can create a sense of community and keep them invested in your account.

If you have noticed, we have mentioned creating some sort of emotional bond with your followers to make sure they stay loyal to you. Well yeah, that's the baseline. Think about the celebrities that have a loyal fanbase after not putting out anything new for years. Why is that? It's because during the time they were active, they have managed to create a sense of community within a certain group of people. It might be translated into a high value of a certain brand. Whatever it is, you have to do it too.

Staying Trendy, Staying Relevant 

It's super important to follow the latest trends and stay up-to-date with what's happening on Instagram and in the digital world in general. This means keeping an eye on the latest features and updates, as well as the most popular hashtags and happenings. When you stay ahead of the curve, you can continue to grow your Instagram following and keep your content fresh and exciting for the audiences.

One trend that has been on the rise in recent years is the use of Instagram reels. Reels are short, entertaining videos that can be used to showcase your personality, skills, or products in a dynamic way. By creating reels that are both entertaining and informative, you can potentially reach a wider audience and gain new followers who are interested in your content. Here are some tips for creating engaging reels:

• Reels are all about creativity and humor, so try to come up with a unique, fun or funny ideas that will capture your audience's attention and keep their focus on you until the end.
• Adding music to your Reels can help set the tone and create a mood for your video. Choose a popular or trending song to maximize your reach.
• Reels are limited to 15 seconds, so make sure your content is intentional, concise and to the point.
• Adding text overlays to your Reels can help emphasize key points and make your content more accessible to users who prefer to watch videos with the sound off. Or those with disabilities.
• Promoting your Reels on your feed, Stories, and other social media channels can help increase their visibility and reach a wider audience.

Another trend that is worth keeping an eye on is the use of Instagram influencers. Influencers are individuals who have built a large following on Instagram and are often paid to promote products or services. We've already talked about how you should to approach such collaborations. Find an influencer within your local area with somewhat similar following count and your chances of a successful agreement will increase tenfold.

Conclusion

In conclusion, getting more Instagram followers in 2023 requires a combination of optimization, high-quality content, and strategic use of Instagram's features. With the tips discussed above, you will definitely be able to increase your visibility, build a loyal following, and achieve success on the platform. However, it's important to remember that getting more followers is only half the battle. To truly succeed on Instagram, you must also focus on retaining your followers and keeping them engaged with your content. With that, you can build a thriving community of loyal fans, invested in your brand and eager to see what you'll come out with next.