How do I get more followers on Instagram?

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world. Whether you’re an influencer, entrepreneur or brand, more followers on Instagram means more visibility and impact. But how do you attract followers without letting your account get bogged down in inactivity? In this blog, you’ll learn effective strategies to naturally and strategically gain more Instagram followers.

Optimize your Instagram profile

Your Instagram profile is your digital business card. New visitors decide within seconds whether to follow you or not. Therefore, it is essential that your profile is professionally and attractively designed. Here are some important optimizations with examples to improve your profile immediately.

Choose a recognizable username

Your username is one of the first things people see on Instagram. Choose a name that is easy to remember and type.

✅ Keep it simple and short

• Bad example: xx_FitnessFreak_987xx (too complicated and hard to remember)
• Good example: FitMetSophie (short, sweet and clear)

✅ Make sure it is relevant to your brand or niche

• If you are a fashion blogger, choose something like StyleMetEmma instead of a generic name like Emma123
• A personal trainer may choose a name such as CoachMikeNL to make it immediately clear what he does

✅ Use the same name on other social media for consistency

• If you are also active on TikTok, YouTube or Twitter, try to use the same username. This creates recognition and makes it easier for people to find you.

Write a catchy bio

Your bio should make it clear at a glance who you are and why people should follow you.

✅ Briefly and powerfully describe who you are and what you do

• Bad example: Hou van reizen, eten en Netflix 🍕✈️ (too general and not targeted)
• Good example: 👗 Modeblogger | Deel stylingtips & trends 🌟 Volg voor dagelijkse outfitinspiratie!

✅ Include a clear call-to-action

• Link to your website: 👇 Download mijn gratis e-book over Instagram groei!
• Promote your shop: 🛍️ Shop de nieuwste collecties hier: [link]
• Encourage interaction: 📩 DM voor samenwerkingen of vragen!

✅ Use emojis to make your bio clear and attractive

• Emojis attract attention and make text visually appealing. Use them to emphasize important points.
• For a fitness coach: 💪 Personal Trainer | 📍 Amsterdam | 📆 Boek een gratis intake via de link!

Use a professional profile picture and attractive highlight covers

Your profile picture and highlights give your account a professional look and help reinforce your brand identity.

✅ Choose a clear profile picture

• Bad example: a blurry or dark photo, or an image that says little about your brand
• Good example: a clear and sharp image of yourself (for a personal brand) or a recognizable logo (for a business)

✅ Make sure the colors and style match your brand identity

• If you are a minimalist fashion blogger, opt for a clean, monochromatic style.
• If you run an upbeat lifestyle blog, use playful colors that reflect your brand.

✅ Make use of highlight covers that showcase your most important content

• Use icons or visually appealing images to make your Highlights look organized and professional.
• Good highlight categories:
  • ⭐ About Me – Introduce Yourself
  • 🎥 Behind the Scenes – Show how you create content
  • 🛍️ Shop – Promote your products
  • ❤️ Reviews – Collect feedback from customers or followers

By optimizing your profile in this way, you increase the likelihood that new visitors will follow you.

How do you get your first 1,000 followers on Instagram?

Getting your first 1,000 followers on Instagram is often the hardest part of your growth. In the beginning, your account still has little social proof power, which means people are less likely to follow you. Once you reach the first 1,000 followers, your growth will usually be faster because your account seems more trustworthy and attractive to new followers. But how do you get there?

✅ Provide a strong foundation

• Optimize your profile with a recognizable name, professional profile picture and catchy bio.
• Create a visually appealing feed that immediately shows what your account is about.
• Consistently use the same colors, filters and fonts to create a recognizable look.

✅ Post regularly and strategically

• Place at least 3-5 times a week to stay visible.
• Use Instagram Reels, as they have a wider reach than regular posts.
• Experiment with different types of content, such as carousels, informative posts and behind-the-scenes images.

✅ Use hashtags and location tags smartly

• Choose 10-15 relevant hashtags that fit your niche and target audience.
• Use a mix of popular and less competitive hashtags to be found better.
• Add a geotag to your posts to attract local followers.

✅ Be active and social

• Respond to comments and DMs to encourage interaction.
• Like and respond to posts from accounts in your niche to make yourself visible.
• Follow accounts that have similar interests and engage in conversations.

✅ Collaborate and engage in cross-promotion

• Ask friends, colleagues or existing followers to share your content.
• Collaborate with micro-influencers or other small accounts in your niche.
• Participate in Instagram lives or wins to increase your reach.

✅ Consider a small boost with purchased followers or likes

• In the beginning, it can be difficult to build credibility. A starting boost with a small number of purchased followers and likes can help create an attractive profile faster.
• Make sure you only buy followers from trusted sources like SocialKings so you maintain real engagement.

The first 1,000 followers are always the hardest to get, but if you stay consistent and use smart strategies, your growth will accelerate. Once you reach this goal, Instagram will show your content more often and your organic growth will accelerate.

How do you grow from 1,000 to 10,000 followers on Instagram?

Once you reach the first 1,000 followers, it becomes easier to grow to 10,000 followers. Instagram sees your account as more trustworthy and will show your content to new people more often. Still, you need a strong strategy to reach that next stage of growth. Here are some proven methods to grow from 1,000 to 10,000 followers faster.

1. Create valuable and shareable content

Your content should not only be beautiful, but also add value for your followers. The more people save or share your posts, the more often Instagram will recommend them to others.

✅ Focus on educational or inspirational posts

• Share tips, how-to’s or lists that people want to save.
• Motivate or inspire your followers with quotes and personal stories.
• Create carousel posts in which you explain valuable information step by step.

✅ Create content that can go viral

• Use trending sounds and formats in Instagram Reels.
• Respond to current trends or seasonal topics.
• Post controversial or challenging statements that elicit responses.

2. Increase your visibility with Instagram Reels and Stories

Instagram pushes short videos, so make smart use of this to reach more people.

✅ Post at least 3-5 Reels per week

• Use trending music and sounds.
• Keep your videos short (5-10 seconds) and straight to the point.
• Add subtitles so people can follow your video even without sound.

✅ Use Instagram Stories to increase engagement

• Ask questions or use polls to encourage interaction.
• Post sneak peeks or behind-the-scenes content to build rapport with your followers.
• Use stickers such as “Ask me something” or quizzes to increase interaction.

3. Build a strong community

An engaged community helps you grow faster because Instagram rewards interaction with more visibility.

✅ Encourage responses and conversations

• Ask a question in your caption to provoke discussions.
• Respond to all comments and start conversations in your DMs.
• Actively like and respond to your followers’ posts.

✅ Collaborate with other creators in your niche

• Do Instagram Lives with other influencers or entrepreneurs.
• Organize joint wins or shoutout collaborations.
• Create collaborative content such as Reels or carousel posts.

4. Make smart use of Instagram features and SEO

Instagram is increasingly focused on search functionality, which means you need to optimize your content for Instagram SEO.

✅ Use search-friendly captions and hashtags

• Add keywords in your bio and captions (e.g., “social media tips,” “fashion trends,” “healthy recipes”).
• Use 10-15 strategic hashtags per post, with a mix of popular and niche hashtags.

✅ Pin your most important posts to the top of your profile

• Pin your most popular or valuable posts so new visitors see relevant content immediately.
• These could be your best performing Reels, carousels or an introductory post.

5. Consider boosting with paid ads or purchased engagement

If you want to grow faster, you can use a small budget for ads or give a starting boost with purchased engagement.

✅ Instagram Ads

• Promote your best-performing posts or Reels for extra reach.
• Target your ads to a specific audience that matches your content.

✅ Purchased followers and likes as a starting boost

• A boost in followers or likes can help create social proof, getting more people to follow you organically.
• Choose reliable services like SocialKings to ensure your engagement remains natural.

Growing from 1,000 to 10,000 followers on Instagram requires a smart strategy and consistent effort. By creating valuable and shareable content, using Instagram Reels and Stories smartly, actively interacting with your community, and making the most of Instagram’s SEO and features, you can steadily grow your account.

Advertising on Instagram: A Fast Path to More Followers and Engagement

Advertising on Instagram is one of the most powerful ways to quickly expand your reach and generate more followers, customers or engagement. Instagram offers extensive advertising options that allow you to target specific audiences and ensure that your content reaches exactly the right people.

Why use Instagram Ads?

Instagram has more than one billion monthly active users worldwide. This means there is always a potential audience for your content or brand. Moreover, Instagram Ads offers the ability to:

• Show your content to users who are not yet following you
• Targeted advertising based on age, location, interests and behavior
• Get results quickly by generating more reach and engagement immediately
• Drive more traffic to your website or shop
• Increase your brand awareness and authority in your niche

What types of Instagram Ads can you use?

✅ 1. Feed Ads
These are sponsored posts that appear among the normal content in users’ Instagram feed. They look like regular posts, but have a “Sponsored” label and include a call-to-action button (e.g., “Shop,” “More Info,” “Register”).

📌 Example:
An online clothing store can create a carousel feed ad with multiple photos of a new clothing collection, including a link to the online store.

✅ 2. Story Ads
These full-screen ads appear between users’ stories and last up to 15 seconds (or longer if it’s a video). Stories are powerful because they get the viewer’s full attention.

📌 Example:
A fitness coach offering an online exercise program can create a short video ad in Stories explaining how to get fitter in 30 days, with a swipe-up link to his website.

✅ 3. Reels Ads
Instagram Reels are short videos that can get huge reach, especially if you advertise them. Reels ads appear among organic Reels and can help attract new followers quickly.

📌 Example:
A food blogger can create a Reels ad in which she prepares a quick and healthy meal within 15 seconds, with a call-to-action such as “Follow me for more recipes!”

✅ 4. Explore Ads
These ads appear on Instagram’s “Explore” page and help you become visible to users who are actively looking for new content.

📌 Example:
A travel company can use a beautiful image of a tropical destination as an Explore ad, with the text “Book your dream vacation now!” and a direct link to the booking page.

✅ 5. Shopping Ads
If you sell products, you can use Instagram Shopping Ads. These ads let users directly view and purchase products without leaving Instagram.

📌 Example:
A jewelry brand can create a sponsored post in which each product is tagged, allowing users to click directly on a ring or necklace and purchase it in the online store.

How do you set up effective Instagram Ads?

If you want to use Instagram Ads successfully, it is important to use a smart strategy. Here are the key steps:

1️⃣ Define your goal

• Want more followers? Then choose an ad campaign focused on “Brand Awareness” or “Engagement.”
• Want to sell more? Then choose “Conversions” or “Store traffic.”
• Want more website visits? Then choose “Traffic.”

2️⃣ Determine your target audience

• Target based on demographics such as age, location and gender.
• Use interest-based targeting (e.g., fashion, fitness, technology, travel).
• Create a “Lookalike Audience” of your existing followers or customers to reach people who have similar interests.

3️⃣ Create attractive visuals and videos

• Use high-quality images and videos that grab attention.
• Add a strong call-to-action, such as “Swipe up,” “Shop now” or “Follow us!”
• Keep your text short and sweet because users scroll quickly.

4️⃣ Test and optimize your ads

• Try different versions of your ad (A/B testing) to see which performs best.
• Monitor your metrics (click rate, cost per conversion, engagement).
• Adjust your ads based on performance to maximize your ROI.

How much does advertising on Instagram cost?

The cost of Instagram ads varies and depends on factors such as target audience, competition and ad format. On average, the cost per click (CPC) is between €0.10 and €2.00 and the cost per 1,000 impressions (CPM) is between €1.50 and €10.00.

💡 Tip: Start with a small budget of €5 to €10 per day and scale up once you see what works well.

Combining Ads and Organic Growth

Advertising can help you get followers faster, but it’s even more effective if you combine it with a strong organic strategy.

✔️ Post valuable content regularly so that new followers stick around.
✔️ Use Instagram Stories and Reels to actively engage your followers.
✔️ Collaborate with influencers or other accounts in your niche for extra visibility.

Instagram Ads are a powerful tool to accelerate your growth and bring your content to the right audience. By making smart use of the various ad options and focusing on strong visuals, targeting and optimization, you can effectively grow your Instagram account.

Want help setting up a successful ad campaign or want to know how to combine paid advertising with other growth strategies? Let me know and I’ll be happy to help! 🚀

How do you measure and improve the effectiveness of your Instagram ads?

Advertising on Instagram can be a powerful strategy to gain more followers and engagement, but without proper analysis and optimization, your ads can cost money without many results. Therefore, it is essential to know how to measure and optimize the performance of your ads.

1. Use Instagram Insights and Facebook Ads Manager

Instagram offers built-in analytics tools that allow you to track how your ads are performing. Through Instagram Insights and Facebook Ads Manager, you get detailed statistics on reach, clicks, conversions and engagement.

Important statistics to keep an eye on:

• Reach and impressions – How many people saw your ad.
• Click rate (CTR) – The percentage of people who click on your ad.
• Cost per click (CPC) – How much you pay per click on your ad.
• Cost per conversion (CPA) – How much you pay for a desired action, such as a purchase or subscription.
• Engagement rate – How many people interact with your ad (likes, comments, shares).

2. Test and optimize your ads (A/B Testing).

Not every ad performs equally well. That’s why it’s smart to test different variations to see which produces the best results.

Effective A/B testing strategies:

• Test different visuals – Compare an ad with a photo versus an ad with a video.
• Test different texts – See which CTA (Call to Action) works better, for example, “Shop now” versus “Discover more.”
• Test different audiences – For example, target a broad audience versus a specific niche.
• Test different ad formats – For example, a Story ad versus a Feed ad.

By continuously testing small changes and measuring which variant performs better, you can use your ad budget more effectively.

3. Retargeting: Reach people who have already shown interest

Retargeting is a powerful strategy that lets you show ads to people who have previously interacted with your content, website or previous ads.

How retargeting helps you:

• Target your ads to people who have visited your Instagram profile but do not yet follow it.
• Show specific ads to users who have viewed your shop but haven’t bought anything.
• Use custom audiences in Facebook Ads Manager to show ads to people who have liked or saved your previous posts.

A concrete example: If you run a fashion store and someone has visited your web shop without buying anything, you can show a retargeting ad with a special discount code to still convince them.

4. Analyze and scale up your successful ads

Once you see which ads are performing well, it’s time to scale them up. This means allocating more budget to your best-performing ads to get even more results.

Strategies to scale successful ads:

• Increase budget gradually – Don’t double your ad budget all at once, but increase it incrementally.
• Expand your audience – Use “Lookalike Audiences” to reach similar users who may be interested in your content.
• Extend the run time of a successful ad – Run ads that perform well longer for maximum impact.

Measuring and optimizing your Instagram ads is crucial to making effective use of your ad budget. By analyzing statistics, running A/B tests, applying retargeting and scaling successful ads, you can significantly improve your results.

Want to get started optimizing your Instagram ads right away? Analyze your running campaigns today and apply these strategies to generate more followers, engagement and conversions! 🚀

Buying Followers on Instagram: A Smart Start Boost or Risk?

In addition to organic growth and ads, some Instagram users choose to buy followers to give their account a quick boost. This can be an effective strategy to create social proof, especially if you are just starting out and want to make your profile look more appealing to potential followers. After all, people are more likely to follow an account that already seems popular.

Why do people choose to buy followers?

It’s no secret that gaining the first 1,000 followers is the hardest part. When you’re just starting a new Instagram account, your profile seems empty and less trustworthy, making potential followers more likely to drop out. By giving a starting boost with purchased followers, you make your account appear more credible right away, which can help to:

• Attract organic followers faster, because people are more likely to follow an account that is already popular.
• Influence the Instagram algorithm, giving your posts more visibility.
• Get more collaboration opportunities with brands and companies, as many companies only collaborate with accounts that already have a large reach.
• Increase your engagement and interaction rate when combined with real likes and comments.

How do you buy followers securely?

Not all purchased followers are the same. Some services provide inactive or bot accounts, which can hurt your engagement. This can cause Instagram to limit your reach, actually decreasing your organic growth. To avoid this, it is important to only buy followers through trusted platforms such as SocialKings, where you get real and quality followers.

At SocialKings, you can choose from different packages depending on how many followers you need to boost your account. For example:

• 500 followers – Perfect for new accounts who are just starting out and want to build a base.
• 1000 followers – An ideal amount to establish credibility and drive faster organic growth.
• 5,000 followers – Suitable for influencers and companies who want to showcase a larger reach immediately.
• 10,000+ followers – Helps to instantly unlock the “Swipe up” feature in Instagram Stories, which is useful for promotions and sales.

The best strategy: combining purchased followers with organic growth

While buying followers can be a smart move to grow your profile faster, it’s important to combine it with a strong content strategy and engagement. This means:

• Regularly post valuable and engaging content, such as Reels, Stories and carousel posts.
• Actively interact with your followers by responding to comments and DMs.
• Using Instagram Ads to increase your visibility and engagement.
• Collaborate with influencers or other accounts to further expand your reach.

A common tactic is to buy a small amount of followers first and then invest in Instagram Ads and strategic collaborations. This makes your account seem trustworthy and the algorithm will show your content more often to new, real followers.

Conclusion

Buying followers can be a smart move if you want a quick boost and want to make your profile more attractive to new followers. However, it is important to do this the right way by buying only quality followers and combining this with a strong content strategy and active engagement.

Want to start growing your Instagram account right away? Check out SocialKings’ packages and find out which option best suits your growth goals. 🚀