How To Build a Social Media Following: 11 Ways To Get Fans

Finding success on social media isn’t as simple as posting aesthetic photos or going viral for a funny video. On the contrary, creators take their time to build an online presence, which is really challenging to do. There’s so much to think about — your top competitors, the latest trends to follow, platform algorithm changes, and so on. That’s why new brand owners and influencers rack their brains about how to build a social media following.

Gaining new fans and building your online community can be difficult. But with the right adjustments to your social media strategy, it’s possible to do it sustainably. Today, we’re teaching you how to build a genuine following on Instagram with 11 tried-and-tested tips. Let’s jump right in!

Why Is It Important for a Brand To Boost Social Media Followers?

Having a large following on your social media channels has plenty of benefits. First and foremost, a big online fanbase means you get to reach more people when you post content. This boosts awareness about your brand, what you stand for, and the offerings you provide. Plus, having a sizeable audience means your influence on the platform is more significant, too!

And because you can reach tons of followers, you also increase the chances of your content driving engagement and conversions. That means being able to drive traffic to your website or sell more of your business’s products.

A large fanbase on your social media accounts also serves as social proof that your brand is trustworthy and reputable. No brand can amass such a huge, loyal following without credibility and adding value to their followers’ lives, right? It also shows new potential fans and customers that your brand is worth supporting, leading to more conversions and followers.

When you boost social media followers and get a large following, you also open the doors for more partnership opportunities. Many brands look for accounts with a big audience when choosing creators and businesses to collaborate with. With a sizeable following, your page will definitely be on your radar.

Essentially, the more followers you have on your social media profiles, the easier it is to be successful online. So, knowing how to grow social media followers and crafting strategies to do so is a must for any brand.

How To Get More Followers on Social Media: 11 Tips and Content Ideas

No one gets real, authentic followers overnight. To grow your social media following effectively and sustainably, you need to roll up your sleeves and put in the work. It may take a while to rack up a large, solid fanbase. But once you do, your brand will reap many benefits, from a good reputation to high engagement and conversion rates.

Do you want to boost your social media presence and build a community of fans who love your brand? Here are some tips and content ideas on how to get more followers on social media — specifically, Instagram.

1. Post High-Quality, Valuable Content That Improves Your Audience’s Lives

People follow Instagram accounts that add value to their lives. These pages might post content that adds to their knowledge, whether it’s cooking tips or travel guides and advice. So, it’s a good idea to niche down on specific expertise and share insightful content within that sphere.

When people see you as a thought leader and expert who helps improve their lives, you become more credible. The more value people get out of your content, the more likely they are to follow your page. Plus, people are more inclined to share these kinds of posts on their social media profiles, expanding your reach.

What is “valuable” to your target audience depends on what they’re looking for within your niche. For example, if you run a fitness brand, consider posting workout routines, meal prep tips, and gym equipment recommendations. If you’re passionate about personal development, think of content focused on life advice, relationship anecdotes, motivational quotes, and more.

2. Experiment With Different Aesthetic Styles on Your Feed

There’s no denying that Instagram is all about visual content. So, nailing your aesthetic is key to gaining more followers. Experiment with different color palettes and design elements until you find the right aesthetic for your brand. With a beautiful feed that’s interesting to look at, you’ll have no trouble attracting fans who love your content.

But don’t feel the need to limit yourself to one aesthetic style, even if it’s been working for you. Try to be diverse and experiment with different aesthetics that fit your brand.

Shift between earthy minimalism and bright, vibrant colors to keep fans on their toes. If you’re a fashion influencer, be a chameleon and post about different styles, from Barbiecore to the clean girl look. If you run a food account, see how your audience feels about sleek food photography or homey, rustic styling. The key is to be versatile but still cohesive in your branding.

Posting content in varying styles keeps it fresh and attracts diverse audiences. This allows you to reel in more followers even if their aesthetic preferences differ.

3. Write Compelling, Impactful Captions

Captions can help strengthen your post’s storytelling by adding context to your photos and videos. It’s also a chance to dive deeper into the thoughts and opinions you want to express. This helps create a stronger, more emotional connection with people who see your content. If your captions are well-written and moving enough, it might even earn you more followers.

Well-thought-out captions increase post-dwell time since they entice people to stick around and see what you have to say. They also drive engagement for your posts, specifically when users want to post a comment in response to your caption. And the very best captions might even boost shareability, allowing you to reach more and more people.

Here are a few engaging caption ideas you might want to incorporate into your Instagram posts:

• Personal success stories that tug at the heart and evoke emotion
• Funny, witty one-liners that are sure to make potential followers laugh
• Information on a product you’re featuring in your photo or video
• Thought-provoking questions that can drive comments

4. Use Trending Hashtags Related To Your Niche

Using hashtags in your captions is a terrific way to boost your visibility on the Instagram platform. With the right tags, the algorithm pushes your post out to the feeds of people interested in your niche. If your content becomes popular, it may appear on the Explore page, reaching even more people. This boost in reach helps you potentially gain tons of new followers who stumble upon your posts.

Hashtags are an awesome tool for attracting targeted followers to your page. You can be strategic with your tags to ensure that your content reaches the right people. Do your research on tags that are relevant to your target audience and are trending in your niche. Then, add a mix of popular and niche hashtags to your posts’ captions.

5. Engage With Users Commenting on Your Content

Whenever you have the time, engage with those interacting with your posts. Reply to comments — especially the meaningful ones that open the door for fun conversation with your audience. This is an awesome way to foster a deeper, stronger relationship with your fanbase.

Also, if potential followers see that you interact with your fans, they may be more inclined to follow you. Everyone wants to feel valued, even by the brands and creators they follow on social media channels. If you show people you care about engaging with your community, it may entice them to follow your page.

Plus, replying to comments also drives engagement for your posts. And the higher your engagement metrics, the higher the Instagram algorithm will rank your content on the feed. That means more people will end up seeing your content, which is always a plus!

When you converse with your audience, think of thoughtful responses and be your most authentic self. No one likes spammy comments posted just for the sake of it. Thank people for their feedback, ask them meaningful questions, and respond to the ones they post for you. The more interesting your replies, the more you can capture people’s attention and reel in more followers.

6. Maintain a Content Calendar To Stay on Top of Your Posts

One golden rule for getting more Instagram followers is to post content regularly. Consistent content shows anyone who stumbles upon your page that your brand is active on the platform. It tells them that you care about putting out high-quality content, giving them more reason to follow you.

Plus, the more regularly you post, the higher the chances of people discovering your content one way or another. That means more opportunities to win over new followers.

The secret to posting consistently is to draw up a social media content calendar. This tool helps you plan all your upcoming content and when to post it. Aside from scheduling, a content calendar also lets you see your content distribution at a glance. This allows you to plan your content roll-out efficiently and in a way that makes sense. That way, you can always stay on top of your content and never miss a post.

7. Localize Your Content To Attract Followers From a Specific Area

Some businesses need to make an impact online within their local community. These include those with physical establishments, like neighborhood restaurants and shops.

Are you wondering how to grow your social media following within a specific geographical location? For that, you’ll need to master the art of hyperlocal social media marketing.

Localizing your content is the key to attracting followers in a specific city or region. Your content ideas must be relevant to these people’s lifestyles, events, cultures, and interests. That way, there’s more reason for them to like your brand and follow your Instagram page.

Here are some ways to localize your content and potentially gain more followers from a specific local community:

• Add references to that location’s culture to spruce up your posts. Feature design elements closely associated with your target location, such as maple leaves for Canada. And in your captions, include colloquialisms and expressions people in that city like to use.
• Use location tags on your posts so that people in that area can easily see your content.
• Collaborate with influencers from that city.
• Offer promotions and discounts exclusively for people in that area.

8. Increase Social Media Followers by Running a Giveaway

One fun way to increase social media followers is by hosting a giveaway. This is an excellent way to generate buzz and excitement for your brand while rewarding loyal fans for their support.

The concept of a giveaway is simple. Announce that you’re giving away a cool prize to one lucky winner. It can be anything from free products from your brand to some discounts and gift cards. Then, post a set of simple mechanics for people to follow if they want to join the giveaway. Finally, choose a winner from the list of eligible participants who will get the prize all to themselves!

Are you wondering how to build a following on social media with a simple giveaway? The key here is to strategically craft your mechanics in a way that will get you more followers. Ask people who want to join the giveaway to follow your page for a chance to win. Consider asking them to tag friends in the comments to boost your post’s visibility, leading to even more followers!

9. Make Fun, Lighthearted Content Celebrating Quirky Holidays

Show off your brand’s light, fun personality by making content celebrating cute, quirky holidays! These can be popular ones, like Valentine’s Day and Halloween, or niche holidays, like National Dog Day and Girlfriends’ Day. 

Content about these modern celebrations shows people that you’re fun and don’t always take yourself too seriously. Greet your audience on these days with endearing feed posts. Use trending hashtags people might be using to commemorate these holidays, too. By leveraging these trending topics to boost discoverability, you can attract new followers looking for charming brands to follow!

10. Speak Up and Raise Awareness About Social Issues

According to Sprout Social, 67% of consumers think brands should use their online platforms to raise awareness about important issues. The same data shows that 47% of people want brands to actively start conversations about these social issues.

Making a social impact by speaking up about pressing issues is a great way to show your brand’s values online. It tells your fanbase and potential followers that you’re more than just a brand—you care about the world, too. Humanizing your brand in this way increases positive sentiment, which may result in you amassing more fans.

Choose social issues you’re passionate about and think of ways to give a voice to those issues with your platform. It can be anything you want, from mental health awareness to LGBTQ+ inclusivity to calls for a ceasefire during wartime. Educate your followers about these issues and show them how they can help, too. It may be a controversial move, but it’s a terrific way to attract like-minded people to your community of followers.

11. Influencer Campaigns: How To Grow a Social Media Presence With Strategic Collabs

Collaborating with an influencer is a strategic move that can help you expand your reach and gain more followers. From product demos to influencer takeovers, influencer-led posts are awesome for boosting your following. Are you wondering how to grow your social media presence with the help of a content creator? Here’s how it works.

When you get an influencer to post sponsored content featuring your brand, you increase your exposure to their audience. That means a huge group of people may see your brand for the first time. And with the creator’s influence and positive word-of-mouth about your brand, they might get their followers to support your page.

And That’s How To Build a Social Media Following on IG Successfully!

Growing and building a following on any social media platform is difficult. But with our tips above, getting more fans who love your brand might be a bit easier on Instagram. Incorporate at least some of these tips into your overall social media strategy and see fast, sustainable follower growth.

Knowing how to build a social media following with your content plans and engagement strategies is one thing. But investing in services that can help you grow your account fast is a whole different ball game. 

One such service is Path Social. Our service uses AI to assess your profile and find your target audience on Instagram. Then, we use our top-notch promotional strategies to get your content on those people’s feeds. This boosts brand awareness, increases engagement, and, most importantly, gives you more followers. Try our growth service today and build a bigger, more solid community on Instagram!