No matter how many times we say that marketing is not just Instagram, we know that for most small business owners, Instagram is the marketing platform of choice. But as much time as we can only guess people spend on it, we need to ask—is everyone growing their Instagram? Or do we just see more and more people complaining about the algorithm, how much content they need to create, and that they can’t stay consistent? If you fall into the latter, this post is for you. We’re going to cover exactly what you need to do to get more Instagram followers this year.

In this post, we’re going to cover:

• Why followers actually matter (and why they’re not just a vanity metric…kind of)
• Strategies for how to grow your Instagram following
• How to use AI and Enji to make the process easier
• Why it’s important to attract the right followers and track your growth

Why Instagram Followers Actually Matter

First, let’s talk about the goal to “get more Instagram followers this year”. It’s easy to think that followers are just a “vanity metric” that doesn’t really impact your business, but here’s the reality: your follower count is often the first thing people check when they come across your profile. So while it definitely isn’t the most important thing (and you definitely don’t need 10,000 followers to have a profitable business), a higher follower count can (and will) make your brand look more credible and trustworthy. Basically, it’s a form of social proof. 

Plus, adding new followers means you’re constantly introducing fresh faces to the top of your marketing funnel. The more people who find you, the more potential customers you have down the line. So yes, followers matter—but it’s about quality, not just quantity.

Tactics to Grow Your Instagram Following

We are sure you’ve tried to get more Instagram followers before (because let’s be honest—who hasn't?). In our experience (as small business marketers for over a decade now), here are some tried-and-true tactics to help you attract more followers (the right way):

1. Consistent Posting 

Oof. We felt that eye roll through the screen. But it’s true—consistency is one of the most important things when it comes to growing your Instagram following. Regular posting keeps your audience engaged and shows that you’re active, which is more likely to attract new followers. It’s not enough to get someone to just find your profile, you need them to want to stick around too!

If you need a little help with this, that’s where Enji’s Social Media Scheduler comes in handy. Our scheduler allows you to plan and schedule your posts in advance, so you can see your posting schedule “at a glance” and be honest with yourself about where there are holes.

2. Collaborations (using the Collaborator feature)

Not gonna lie, this is probably one of the best things Instagram has come out with. Adding someone as a collaborator on a piece of content is a fantastic way to reach a broader audience (someone else’s audience!). You can partner with influencers, brands, or other businesses that share a similar target audience. Then, by teaming up, you expose your brand to their followers and gain access to a whole new group of potential customers.

A little tip? Make sure your collaborator content feels genuine and aligns with your brand. The goal is to attract followers who are genuinely interested in what you offer.

3. Engagement

It might sound obvious, but being social on social media is kind of important. Take the time to engage with your followers by responding to comments, liking their posts, and even reaching out and chatting in the DMs. But also with people who don’t follow you! The more you interact with others, the more likely they are to check out your profile and follow you back. It’s called “social” media for a reason. Show up, engage, and build real connections with your audience.

Here is a tactic we use to engage with accounts who aren’t followers! Click into or swipe up on pieces of content to see who has seen the story or liked a post or reel and figure out who isn’t a follower (when you click over to their profile, look for whether the blue button under their profile says “follow” or “follow back”). If it says “follow”, the account doesn’t follow you—and that is your extra clue to engage.

4. Contests and Giveaways 

If you are hoping for a boost of new followers quickly, running a contest or giveaway is often a great idea. Who doesn’t love the chance to win something for free? Just be careful when choosing the prize. The goal is always to attract the right people who are genuinely interested in your brand (not just people who want a free Amazon gift card).

Pro-tip: You can plan your giveaway quickly with Enji’s giveaway marketing campaign template! Simply pick the template, select the date you want the giveaway to start, and Enji will recommend the tasks you need to do in order to get your giveaway started. Plus, there is a place to track your results.

5. Hashtags

Even in 2024, hashtags can still help you get found by new people. While users are not necessarily searching for them anymore, Instagram uses hashtags to help categorize your content and make it searchable to users who don’t already follow you. How many hashtags should you use on Instagram? The “official” advice from Meta is to use about 5-8 per post, but honestly? Do your own experiment and test using 5-8 really targeted hashtags for a month vs. a bigger mix for another month. 

6. Use AI to Get It Done Faster

Remember the days when we only had to worry about quality? They’re over. Now you need both quality and quantity to get seen by potential customers. But as a small business owner already wearing multiple hats, you’re going to need help. That’s why we added an AI Copywriter to our marketing suite. Our AI can help you create captions in seconds (read this for the best practices when using an AI caption writer). Plus, it learns your brand voice. 

How does this help you grow your Instagram following? If writing captions has stood in your way of being consistent, using an AI copywriter to get over that hump will help you get content created and consistently scheduled.

Prioritize Growing the Right Followers

It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers, but having thousands of followers means nothing if they’re not genuinely interested in your business. Focus on attracting followers who are likely to become customers, clients, or brand advocates. These are the people who will hopefully engage with your content, share your posts, and ultimately help you grow your business.

That means definitely no buying followers. Ever.

Track Your KPIs to Measure Success

Finally, as with any marketing effort, it’s super important to track your progress and see what’s working. Here are some Instagram insights (KPIs or key performance indicators) to keep an eye on:

• Follower Growth Rate: How quickly are you gaining new followers over time?
• Engagement Rate: How many likes, comments, shares, and saves are your posts getting?
• Reach and Impressions: How many people are seeing your posts, and how often are they seeing them?
• Profile Visits and Clicks: How many people are visiting your profile, and how many are clicking on your website link or contact buttons?

By tracking these KPIs, you can see which tactics are driving the most growth and adjust your strategy accordingly. Plus, our KPI Dashboard will keep track of these numbers automatically for you so you can see them at a quick glance.

Get More Instagram Followers This Year

Growing your Instagram following doesn’t have to be complicated or super time-consuming. You just need to be extremely intentional about the limited marketing time you have (most small business owners only have 1-2 hours per week!). Ready to start growing your Instagram the right way? Let Enji’s marketing tools and AI-powered features help you create an Instagram strategy that works for you! Start your free trial.