How to Get More Followers on Instagram in 2025

Instagram is one of the most effective channels for small and medium businesses today, and with over 2 billion active users, its reach is one of the highest. In fact, research published in ScienceDirect revealed a direct relationship between the number of followers a brand has and brand credibility and sales conversions.

Building a community on Instagram now requires authentic engagement and content that’s strategic yet authentic. Here are the 10 best tips for growing on Instagram that actually work for 2025.

1. Optimize Your Instagram Profile for Discovery

Your profile is the window into your brand and business. A blank or confusing profile is an invitation to scroll past, as most decide within a fraction of a second if they’re going to follow an account or not.

• Include keywords in name and username: Search on Instagram is more like a search engine than ever; it indexes names and bios. So, relevant keywords in your name and username (@sunrisebakerynyc) matter.
• Craft a succinct, targeted bio: With 150 characters, use your bio to concisely communicate who you are, what you do, and for whom. A call-to-action and link are also great. E.g., “Plant-based skincare for sensitive skin. Clinically proven results. Shop below!”
• Complete your business profile: Make the switch to a Business or Creator account, complete your category, and turn on the contact buttons.
• Include Story highlights: Curate your best Stories into themed highlights that demonstrate who you are and what you offer for new followers to browse through.

Keyword optimization can highly increase profile search visibility. This simple adjustment can dramatically improve your discoverability without any additional effort or cost.

2. Master the Art of Instagram Reels

Short-form video is king in 2025, and Reels are your ticket to going viral on Instagram. A 2025 Sociality social trends report shows that Reels have up to 2.4x more engagement than traditional posts. Despite this, there’s still a major misconception among businesses regarding the ROI of short-form video, which is why taking this route now could land you the first-mover advantage.

• Stick to Short, Punchy Clips: Ideally between 7–15 seconds to keep completion rates up. This improves your chances with the algorithm, too.
• Strike the Right Balance: How-tos, tips, or “behind-the-scenes” shots are often more effective than product-based Reels.
• Use Trending Audio Wisely: Only jump on a trending audio if it fits your brand, or risk destroying your reputation for the sake of virality.
• Grab Attention in the First 3 Seconds: Whether it’s an eye-catching visual or an attention-grabbing statement, you want to make your audience hit pause on the scroll ASAP.
• Use Captions and On-Screen Text: A lot of people will have their video muted, so use on-screen text to make sure your point is getting across.

The platform’s algorithm gives major love to Reels, so mastering this format is key for any business that wants to expand its organic reach.

3. Use Hashtags Strategically (Not Just Popular Ones)

Hashtags are still an important discovery tool, but the tactic has moved well beyond simply cramming a bunch of trending hashtags onto a post. Intelligent use of hashtags involves research, experimentation, and an understanding of how your target audience searches.

• Popular vs. Niche Hashtags: Combine them for short-term and long-term reach.
• Language, not Jargon: Use hashtags that real people will actually search for.
• Review Performance: Measure how your hashtags are performing in Instagram Insights.
• Quantity: 10–15 per post; a mix of popular and niche.
• Own Your Brand: Create branded hashtags to use as content prompts for user-generated content.

It’s not about driving eyeballs—it’s about driving the right eyeballs. The ones that will engage with your content and follow your account.

4. Post Consistently with Strategic Timing

Consistency builds trust and keeps your brand top-of-mind for followers. Posting at random times or irregular intervals can have a negative impact on your reach and engagement. The Instagram algorithm also favors accounts that post regularly and sustain audience engagement over time.

• Find your Optimal Times: Look at Instagram Insights to determine when your followers are most active and engaged.
• Batch Create & Schedule: Plan posts in advance to ensure consistency without the last-minute stress or content gaps.
• Aim for 3-5 Posts Per Week: This frequency gives you enough content without overwhelming your audience.
• Plan for Content Themes: Recurring post types (Tutorial Tuesdays, BTS Fridays) help build anticipation.
• Use Scheduling Tools: Tools like Buffer or Later can help you keep your posting consistent even when you’re super busy.

An article by PopularPays indicates businesses posting 3-7 times per week grow their follower base 2.5x faster than those who post sporadically. Consistency isn’t just about frequency, it’s about reliability and forming habits with your audience.

5. Cross-Promote Your Content Across Platforms

Your audience probably isn’t on Instagram alone. Savvy brands know how to use their other accounts to attract more followers to Instagram. A June 2024 overview by Cphere notes that cross-channel promotion can lead to a 30 percent increase in user engagement. This approach multiplies your content’s reach without requiring additional creation time.

• Repurpose Content: Reels from Instagram → TikTok → YouTube Shorts → Pinterest with small alterations to tailor them for the new environment.
• Email: Include your best-performing posts in newsletters to motivate followers from your mailing list.
• Website: Embed your Instagram feed on your website and also add follow buttons in your navigation or footer.
• Link in bio: Cross-promote your Instagram username in your LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social network bios.
• Cross-Platform Stories: Sneak peeks of your Instagram content to your followers on other platforms.

Promoting your content cross-platform allows you to get the most out of the content you already make and to surface your Instagram account to those who otherwise may not have known it existed.

6. Collaborate with Influencers and Brands in Your Niche

Collaborations open your brand up to very relevant audiences who are already interested in your niche. Working with someone else allows you to piggyback on existing communities and leverage the trust influencers and other brands have with their audiences. All you have to do is find the right partners with a following who can relate to your ideal customer.

• Partner With Micro-Influencers: Creators in the 5k–50k follower range often have higher engagement and a lower cost of partnership.
• Brand Partnerships: Co-create Reels or host a cross-promotional campaign with a complementary brand in your industry.
• Guest Content Creation: Do an Instagram takeover or create content for your partner’s account.
• Collaborative Giveaways: Work with another brand to up the prize value and tap into both audiences.
• Long-term Relationships: Establish long-term partnerships with brands and creators for better results over time.

Influencer partnerships can have a high impact on raising brand awareness without relying on costly advertising. Collaborations are also often perceived as more authentic than traditional advertising efforts.

7. Engage Authentically with Your Community

Instagram values accounts that build authentic interactions and real relationships with their audience.  A Brand Bastion case study found that consistent social media responsiveness can increase purchase values by up to 49 percent, demonstrating the impact that a lack of responsiveness can have on your account’s growth and potential algorithmic performance.

• Reply Quickly and Thoughtfully: Engage with commenters by responding within 24 hours with personalized and meaningful responses.
• Ask Questions in Captions: End your captions with questions that encourage dialogue and responses from your followers.
• Use Interactive Story Features: Incorporate polls, Q&As, and quizzes in your Instagram Stories to increase engagement and gather audience insights.
• Acknowledge User Contributions: Reply to your audience for every tag, share, and mention to show them you value your community.
• Initiate Conversations in DMs: Don’t wait for your followers to message you first. Proactively reach out to thank them for sharing your post or leaving a comment.

Engagement is not just about the number of likes and comments but about creating meaningful connections that transform casual followers into loyal customers and brand advocates. The algorithm favors accounts that generate genuine conversations.

8. Leverage Location Tags for Local Discovery

Geographic targeting allows you to reach local audiences and also make the most of social networks’ location-based discovery features.

• Tag your location: This can be your business location, event venue, or even a popular local spot.
• Tag local events: Use location tags for conferences, festivals, or community events to reach attendees.
• Location-specific content: Create posts that cater to local culture or areas of interest.
• Local hashtags: Pair location tags with relevant local hashtags for maximum regional reach.

While this is particularly important for local businesses, an online-only business can also use location tags to target specific audiences or events. Instagram offers location-based features that add further avenues for discovery in addition to hashtags and search.

9. Run Strategic Giveaways and Contests

It’s no secret that most random giveaways will attract users who will follow and then unfollow once the giveaway is over. In order to front-run this, you want to create ones that attract your ideal buyer and bring them into your brand.

• Determine Goals: Decide if you want followers, email opt-ins, user-generated content, or just brand awareness.
• Team Up: Collaborate with a complementary business to cross-promote and enhance prize appeal.
• Engage Thoughtfully: Ask participants to share their reason for entering or how they’d use the product.
• Select Desirable Prizes: Offer products or services that your ideal audience truly desires.
• Include Legalese: Don’t forget the proper disclaimers with any type of contest or giveaway, and follow platform rules.

When planned right, this is one of the quickest ways to grow your brand’s following.

10. Share and Encourage User-Generated Content

User-generated content is a real form of social proof, providing you with constant sources of content inspiration. Sharing customers’ posts about your product or service not only helps build trust with potential followers, it can also lend clearer insight into how customers may perceive your brand.

• Create Branded Hashtags: Make a unique hashtag that’s easy to remember and ask customers to include it when they post about your brand.
• Spotlight Customer Posts: Regularly feature customer posts, reviews, and success stories in your content.
• Ask for Reviews and Tags: Encourage satisfied customers to share their experiences and tag your account in their posts.
• Launch UGC Campaigns: Create campaigns specifically asking customers to share their content related to your product or service.
• Credit and Thank the Creator: Always credit the original creator of the content and thank them for their contribution.

According to Movig, user-generated content receives up to 28 percent higher engagement than brand-generated content on social media platforms. This statistic underscores the power of authentic customer voices in building your Instagram presence.

Getting Started

Rather than trying to implement everything at once, focus on building a solid foundation first, then expanding your efforts as you gain momentum and see results.

Actions to take this week:

• Profile audit and Optimization: Update your bio with relevant keywords, change to a business account, and make sure your profile tells a story about what you offer and to whom you offer it.
• Post your first 5 reels: The easiest and most basic reels to start with are behind-the-scenes of your day or quick tips that you offer. Don’t stress about the quality, just start with value.
• Research 50 niche-relevant hashtags: Compile a list of both general and niche industry-specific hashtags that you can cycle throughout your posts.
• Establish a Posting schedule: Select 3-4 days per week that work best for you to post content – and be consistent with it!

Keep in mind that organic growth takes time and sustained effort. Use Instagram Insights to track your progress and tweak your strategy based on what resonates with your unique audience.