Okay, I’ll be honest. I ignored my Instagram account for almost two years. It sat around 340 followers, mostly friends and a few people I met at a conference back in 2019. Then in March last year, I decided to actually try growing it for a small candle-making side business my sister and I were running out of her garage. I made pretty much every mistake in this article before I figured out what worked, so a lot of what’s below comes from things that flopped, not just the wins.
Here’s the short version. It took about five months of inconsistent but persistent effort to go from 340 to somewhere around 2,900 followers. Not viral, not overnight, and honestly some months barely moved the needle at all. I remember one stretch in June where I posted four Reels and gained a grand total of 11 followers, which was genuinely demoralizing at the time. But a couple of things clicked eventually, and I’ll point them out as we go.
Growing an Instagram following isn’t really about luck or chasing trends blindly. It’s about understanding how the platform works and consistently giving people a reason to hit “follow.” Whether you’re a small business owner, content creator, or just someone who wants their posts to reach more people, the good news is that sustainable growth is achievable without buying followers or relying on gimmicks. (I tried a follower-for-follower app for about a week early on. More on why that was a waste of time later.)
This guide breaks down exactly how to get more followers on Instagram using strategies that actually line up with how the algorithm rewards content in 2026: genuine engagement, consistency, and value-driven content.
Why Growing Your Instagram Following Matters
Before we get into tactics, it’s worth understanding why follower growth is more than just a vanity metric. A larger, engaged following can mean:
- Increased brand visibility and trust
- More opportunities for partnerships and sponsorships
- Higher reach for your products, services, or message
- A stronger community around your content
That said, the goal shouldn’t just be more followers. It should be the right followers, meaning people who are genuinely interested in what you post, who engage with your content and actually stick around.
1. Optimize Your Instagram Profile First
Your profile is the first impression potential followers get, so before you focus on growth tactics, make sure your foundation is solid.
Craft a Clear, Keyword-Rich Bio
Your bio should instantly communicate who you are and what value you offer. Include relevant keywords naturally so your profile shows up in Instagram’s search results.
My first bio just said “candles garage-made, small batches.” Useless, honestly. I rewrote it after a friend pointed out you couldn’t tell if we shipped, what scents we did, or even what city we were in. The new version mentioned “hand-poured soy candles, Ohio, ships nationwide.” Nothing fancy, but people started actually messaging asking if we shipped to them, which had never happened before.
Use a Recognizable Profile Photo
Whether it’s a logo or a headshot, your profile photo should be clear, high-quality, and consistent with your brand identity.
Add a Strategic Link
Use your bio link (or a link-in-bio tool) to direct traffic to your website, latest content, or offers. I used Linktree for a while, then just switched to a plain link to our Etsy shop because honestly the extra click through Linktree seemed to lose people. Our shop visits went up a bit after I simplified it, though I never tracked it rigorously enough to say that for certain.
2. Post High-Quality, Value-Driven Content Consistently
Content quality is still the single biggest factor in Instagram growth. To get more followers on Instagram, your content needs to consistently deliver value, whether that’s entertainment, education, inspiration, or just plain usefulness.
Focus on a Content Niche
Accounts that post around a clear theme tend to attract more loyal followers than ones with scattered, unfocused content. Pick a niche you can consistently create content around. Early on I posted a random mix, candles, my dog, a trip to Cincinnati, whatever, and growth was basically flat. Once I narrowed it down to almost entirely candle-making process content (pouring, scent testing, packaging orders), things started moving, even if slowly at first.
Maintain a Consistent Posting Schedule
Posting regularly signals to the algorithm, and to your audience, that your account is active and reliable. Aim for a realistic, sustainable cadence rather than burning out after a week of daily posts. I tried posting daily for about nine days in April and completely burned out. The ninth post was genuinely just a blurry photo of a candle jar because I had nothing left to say. Three posts a week ended up being way more sustainable for us.
Prioritize Video Content
Reels and short-form video continue to get significant algorithmic favor because they drive longer watch times and higher shareability compared to static posts. A Reel of my sister pouring wax on a Tuesday afternoon in July, filmed on my phone propped against a coffee mug, got 47,000 views. By far our biggest one. I still don’t fully know why that one hit and others with better lighting and editing didn’t.
3. Master the Instagram Algorithm
Understanding how the Instagram algorithm works helps you create content that’s more likely to get shown to new, potential followers.
Encourage Meaningful Engagement
The algorithm prioritizes content that generates comments, shares, and saves over simple likes. Ask questions, invite opinions, or create content worth bookmarking.
Post When Your Audience Is Most Active
Check your Instagram Insights to see when your followers are online, and time your posts accordingly for maximum initial engagement.
Use Native Features
Instagram tends to favor content that uses its newest features, things like Reels, Stories interactive stickers, and Broadcast Channels, since it wants to promote adoption of these tools.
4. Use Hashtags and Keywords Strategically
Hashtags and keywords are still valuable for discoverability, as long as they’re used thoughtfully.
Mix Hashtag Sizes
Combine a few high-volume hashtags with niche, lower-competition ones. This balances visibility with realistic reach, since huge hashtags are often oversaturated. I used to slap #candles (which has millions of posts) on everything and wonder why nothing happened. Switching to smaller tags like #sojacandlemaker or #smallbatchcandles, alongside one or two bigger ones, actually got posts seen by people who left comments instead of just disappearing into the void.
Add Keywords to Captions and Alt Text
Instagram’s search functions increasingly rely on text recognition. Including relevant keywords in captions, alt text, and even on-screen text in videos can help your content surface in searches.
Quick note on that follower-for-follower app I mentioned earlier. I used it for about a week in April, gained maybe 60 followers, and within a month had lost most of them, plus our engagement rate tanked because none of those accounts actually cared about candles. Not worth it, even as a shortcut.
5. Leverage Instagram Reels for Explosive Reach
Reels are currently one of the most effective tools for reaching non-followers and turning them into followers.
Hook Viewers in the First Three Seconds
Attention spans are short. Open with a compelling visual, question, or statement that stops the scroll.
Keep It Native and Authentic
Overly polished, ad-like Reels tend to underperform compared to authentic, native-feeling content that fits naturally into people’s feeds.
Add Trending Audio Thoughtfully
Trending sounds can boost discoverability, but only use audio that actually fits your content. Forced trend-chasing tends to backfire.
6. Collaborate With Other Creators and Brands
Partnering with others exposes your account to a new, relevant audience.
Use the Collab Feature
Instagram’s native Collab feature lets a single post or Reel appear on both creators’ profiles, doubling potential reach.
Partner With Accounts in Your Niche
Look for creators or brands with a similar audience size and complementary (not identical) content for collaborations that actually benefit both sides.
7. Engage With Your Community, and Beyond
Growth isn’t just about posting. It’s about genuine interaction.
Reply to Every Comment and DM
Prompt, authentic responses build loyalty and signal to the algorithm that your content sparks conversation. I got kind of obsessive about this for a while, replying to comments within minutes, sometimes at like 11pm, which probably wasn’t great for my sleep. But a woman in Portland who I replied to about a scent question ended up ordering four candles and then tagged us in her own Story, which brought in maybe a dozen new followers I could actually trace back to that one conversation.
Engage With Other Accounts in Your Niche
Spend time commenting thoughtfully on posts from accounts with an audience similar to your target followers. This increases your visibility to potential new followers.
Use Stories to Build Connection
Polls, Q&As, and behind-the-scenes Stories humanize your brand and keep your existing audience engaged, which supports long-term retention.
8. Run Contests and Giveaways (The Right Way)
Contests can drive rapid follower growth when done thoughtfully.
Set Clear, Simple Entry Rules
Common entry requirements include following your account, liking the post, and tagging friends. Keep rules simple to maximize participation.
Choose Prizes Relevant to Your Niche
Offering a prize related to your content helps ensure you attract followers who are genuinely interested in your niche, not just freebie hunters.
9. Cross-Promote on Other Platforms
Don’t rely on Instagram alone to grow your Instagram following.
Share Instagram Content on Other Channels
Promote your Instagram profile through email newsletters, TikTok, YouTube, or a website to pull existing audiences over from other platforms.
Add Instagram Links to All Touchpoints
Include your Instagram handle in email signatures, business cards, and other marketing materials.
10. Analyze and Adjust Using Insights
Consistent growth takes ongoing analysis, not a “set it and forget it” approach.
Track Which Content Performs Best
Regularly review Instagram Insights to see which formats, topics, and posting times drive the most engagement and follower growth.
Double Down on What Works
Once you spot top-performing content patterns, create more content in that style rather than constantly starting from scratch.
11. Use Story Highlights to Convert Visitors Into Followers
When someone lands on your profile for the first time, Highlights are often what convince them to stick around and hit follow, or just scroll past.
Organize Highlights Around What New Visitors Want to Know
Think about the questions a first-time visitor has. For us that was things like “do you ship,” “what scents do you have,” and “what do the candles actually look like in person.” I built Highlights around those exact questions (Shipping, Scents, Behind the Scenes) and started noticing more profile visits turning into follows, though I’ll admit I never set up a clean way to measure that beyond just checking the follower count a few times a week.
Keep Highlight Covers Simple and Consistent
A matching set of covers makes your profile look more put together. Mine were mismatched for months (different fonts, random colors) before I finally sat down on a Sunday and redid them all in maybe twenty minutes. Small thing, but the profile looked a lot more legitimate afterward.
12. Repost and Feature User-Generated Content
Content from actual customers or fans tends to build trust faster than anything you post yourself.
Ask Customers to Tag You
We started adding a small card in every order that said “tag us, we repost our favorites,” and it worked better than I expected. Not everyone did it, maybe one in ten orders, but the ones who did often had friends comment and follow.
Give Credit and Make It Easy to Share
Always tag the original poster and get their okay before reposting. People are far more likely to keep engaging with your brand if they feel credited rather than used.
13. Write Captions That Actually Prompt Action
A strong photo or Reel can still underperform if the caption doesn’t give people a reason to comment, save, or follow.
End With a Clear, Specific Ask
Generic calls to action like “follow for more” tend to get ignored. Specific ones work better. On one post I asked “which scent should I make next, lavender or cedarwood” instead of just describing the candle, and it got more comments than almost anything else I’d posted that month.
Write Like You’re Talking to One Person
Captions that sound like a text to a friend tend to perform better than captions that sound like ad copy. I noticed this myself, the posts where I just wrote how I’d actually talk, typos and all, generally did better than the ones I tried to polish too much.
14. Try Instagram Live for Real-Time Connection
Going live isn’t for everyone, but it can build a level of trust that pre-recorded content struggles to match.
Start Small and Low-Pressure
My first Live was nerve-wracking and only had six people watching, one of whom was my mom. That’s normal. It gets easier, and even a small live audience tends to be made up of your most engaged potential followers.
Use Live for Q&As or Process Walkthroughs
Showing something in real time, like answering candle-making questions while actually pouring wax, tends to keep people watching longer than a scripted Reel would.
15. Study Accounts That Are Slightly Ahead of You
Rather than only looking at massive accounts with millions of followers, pay attention to accounts a bit further along than yours in the same niche.
Note What’s Working for Them Right Now
I followed a handful of other small candle makers, some with a few thousand more followers than us, and paid attention to what kind of posts got the most comments. It wasn’t about copying them, more just noticing patterns, like how often they posted process videos versus finished product shots.
Adapt, Don’t Copy
Use what you learn as inspiration for your own voice and content, not a template to duplicate. What worked for their audience won’t always translate directly, but it’s still useful information.
Common Mistakes That Slow Instagram Growth
Even with a solid strategy, certain habits can hold back your growth:
- Buying followers, which damages engagement rates and credibility
- Inconsistent posting, which reduces algorithmic favor
- Ignoring analytics, missing chances to refine your strategy
- Overusing hashtags irrelevant to your niche, which can reduce reach
- Neglecting engagement, treating Instagram as a one-way broadcast rather than a community
Final Thoughts: Sustainable Growth Takes Strategy and Patience
Learning how to get more followers on Instagram isn’t about finding a single hack. It’s about combining strong content, genuine engagement, algorithm awareness, and consistency over time. Focus on providing real value to a clearly defined audience, and prioritize meaningful interactions over vanity metrics.
Growth built this way tends to be more durable. The followers you gain are more likely to engage with your content, trust your brand, and stick around for the long haul. We’re still nowhere near “influencer” territory (last I checked we were at 3,140 followers), but our actual candle sales from Instagram traffic have grown more than the follower count itself, which honestly matters more to us than the number in the bio. Slow and a little messy beats fast and fake, at least from where I’m sitting.