According to research, over 50% of Instagram accounts have less than 1,000 followers, followed by 1,001 to 10,000, at 38%. Only 1.94% have anything close to 100,000 followers, and even fewer accounts fall in the millions of followers, standing at only 0.27%. With this in mind, you need to know how to get followers on Instagram without following back.
Instagram is a visual board with over 1.22 billion people using it every month, and your business could absolutely benefit from the exposure. Now the trick lies in actually amassing the followers, and truth be told, following everyone who follows you is not it. Understandably, you would think following back is the right thing to do.
However, did you know that Instagram limits the number of accounts you can follow to 7,500? That’s not a lot for anyone or business that wants thousands, if not millions, of followers. This essentially places you in a predicament.
How do you get followers, who may also want to be followed back, without following them back? In this blog post, we will offer advice that’ll help you increase your follower count without following anyone back.
Use Relevant Hashtags
The most popular way to increase your Instagram followers is by using hashtags. Hashtags are how people on Instagram find and discover content and accounts that match their interests. When you use relevant hashtags in your posts, you make it easier for people interested in what you’re posting about to find you.
You can use up to 30 hashtags on each of your posts, and we recommend using all 30 tags whenever possible. To find the best hashtags for your account, try using a mix of popular general hashtags and more specific niche-related hashtags that describe what your business does. You can also use hashtag research tools like Keyhole or Hashtagify to see how popular specific hashtags are and find related tags.
When you use hashtags in your posts, make sure they’re relevant to the image or video you’re sharing and that they don’t look spammy. A good rule of thumb is to use a mix of one-word, general hashtags (like #nature) and more specific, long-tail keywords (like #wildlifephotography).
Also, avoid using the same set of hashtags on every single post. Mix it up, so your content looks natural. Here’s an example of how to use hashtags in your posts.
Let’s say you run a travel company that specializes in eco-friendly trips. For one of your Instagram posts, you could include the following hashtags:
#travelcompany
#ecotravel
#sustainabletravel
#adventuretravel
#naturelovers
#travelgram
#wanderlust
#exploremore
Doing this makes it more likely that people searching for any of these terms will come across your post, and if they’re interested in what you’re offering, they may decide to follow you.
Run a Contest or Giveaway
People love free stuff, so running a contest or giveaway is a great way to get more Instagram followers without following anyone back.
When you run a contest, all you need to do is require that people follow your account and then tag a certain number of friends in the comments section of the contest post. This ensures brand exposure to new people who may not have heard of you before.
To make your contest even more effective, consider partnering with another business or influencer in your industry who has a similar target audience. This will help you reach an even wider group of potential customers or clients. For example, if you sell eco-friendly home goods, you could partner with an eco-friendly lifestyle blogger for your contest.
Make sure to promote your contest or giveaway on all of your other social media channels and your website (if you have one). This will help you reach an even wider audience and increase your chances of getting more followers.
Geotag Your Posts
When you geotag your location, it makes it easier for people searching for that location to find your photos. For example, let’s say you run a bakery in Los Angeles. If someone searches for #losangeles on Instagram, all of the photos that have been tagged with that location will come up – and if you’ve geotagged your photos, yours will be included in the mix.
This is an incredible strategy for how to get more followers on Instagram. Now, to geotag your photos, simply click on the “Add Location” button when you’re posting a new photo and type in the location you want to tag. You can also geotag your photos after posting them by going into the “Edit” section of the app and adding the location there.
That said, there are a few things to keep in mind if you decide to use this method. First, only geotag locations that are relevant to your business. Second, don’t go overboard with the number of locations you tag – one or two should be sufficient.
Finally, ensure you’re only tagging locations that you’re actually familiar with—there’s nothing worse than seeing a photo tagged in the wrong location!
Post High-Quality Photos
If you’ve been wondering how to get followers on Instagram fast, posting high-quality photos is the answer. This means photos that are well-lit, in focus, and interesting. Boring, blurry, or dark photos will not catch anyone’s eye—and if people don’t stop to look at your photos, they’re not going to follow you.
It’s also imperative to post photos relevant to your brand and target audience. If you’re a fashion blogger, for example, people will be more interested in following you if they see photos of stylish outfits than if they see photos of your breakfast.
Think about what kind of content will appeal to the people you want to reach, and then make sure your photos reflect that. You can do a few other things to make sure your photos are as high-quality as possible. For starters, use natural light whenever possible, which will help your photos look bright and clear.
Avoid using too many filters as much as possible as they can also make your photos look unnatural and fake. We get it! Instagram filters are there for a reason, and they make everything pop but do it moderately.
Engage With Other Users
To get more Instagram followers, you need to engage other users. This means liking and commenting on their photos, as well as responding to any comments you receive on your photos. When you engage with other users, it not only gets your name out there but also helps to create a sense of community.
People are more likely to follow someone who seems friendly and approachable than someone who doesn’t interact with anyone. Even better, when you’re commenting on other people’s photos, make sure to leave thoughtful, insightful comments—don’t just post something generic like “nice pic!” Take the time to say something that’ll actually add value to the conversation.
Post Consistently
Most people who wonder how to get 1000 followers on Instagram have no idea that inconsistency is one of the few things failing them. Hitting the 1000 follower mark is the hardest, so posting consistently means keeping your followers interested and having a chance of attracting more followers.
Now, this doesn’t mean you need to be posting every single hour of the day, but it does mean that you should be posting regularly—at least once or twice a day.
When people see that you’re active and regularly sharing new content, they’ll be more likely to follow you. If your account is inactive for long periods of time, most will lose interest and move on.
If you can’t commit to posting multiple times a day, try scheduling your posts in advance so that your content is still being published even when you’re not around to post it yourself.
Buy Instagram Likes
If you want to get more Instagram followers, consider buying Instagram likes. This is a method often used by businesses and influencers who want to give their account a boost. This strategy helps to increase your visibility and make your account look more popular.
When people see that your account has a lot of likes, they’re going to get curious why so many people like your posts that they’ll start exploring your account. This is where you capitalize on FOMO because people don’t like missing out on anything.
Case in point, this increases the chances of these users following you. Just make sure you’re buying likes from a reputable source so that you don’t end up getting scammed. There are many scammers on the internet that may be after your money, but reputable and professional sites like stormlikes.com offer legitimate likes from real people.
Use the FLC Loop
The FLC Loop is a simple strategy that you can use to get more followers on Instagram. FLC stands for “Follow, Like, Comment,” and the loop goes like this:
- Follow accounts in your target market or who have interests similar to yours
- Like some of their photos
- Leave thoughtful comments on a few of their posts
Then, most people will reciprocate and do the same to you. So if you follow, like, and comment on other people’s photos, you’re likely to get followers, likes, and comments back. Their followers will see your interaction, and some will follow you as well.
How to Get Followers On Instagram Without Following Anyone
There you have it! This is by far some of the best advice you’ll find on how to get followers on Instagram without following back. Remember to be patient, consistent, and authentic in your interactions, and you’ll see the numbers go up.
If you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends. Also, be sure to check out our other blog post on how to thrive on social media.
