5 Simple Ways To Get More Instagram Followers (for Actors)

One of the biggest questions I’m asked is…

“How can I get more Instagram followers?”

There’s no quick way to get (real) Instagram followers, but here are 5 simple things you can do to grow your Instagram account.

1. Comment & Like Strategically

Take out a piece of paper and write down 5-10 Instagram accounts that have the same audience as your account (fellow voice actors, musical theatre actors, industry publications for actors, a similar web series, etc). 

Choose one account from your list to start with and spend 5 minutes a day engaging with that account's followers by liking their posts and leaving thoughtful (non-spammy) comments. Many of these accounts will return the favor on your posts or follow you. Anyone who views their post will see your comment and may click over to your account to have a look! 

You can do the same daily exercise for any hashtags your audience uses.  You can like and comment on Instagram posts using those hashtags to build an engaged, like-minded audience: 

2. For goodness sake, make your account public!

I know this sounds obvious but I'm always shocked how many actors have private Instagram accounts for their acting career! It's very hard to grow a following with a private account. Switching your account to 'public' is the first step to audience growth. If you're struggling with finding a balance between your public career and private life, THIS article will help. 

3. Use Instagram Stories!

Using Instagram stories lets you stay top-of-mind with your followers and gives you the chance to be recommended by Instagram. The better your stories are, the higher your chances are Instagram will add your account to the recommended stories at the top of the explore tab! Adding Hashtag and Location Stickers to your stories (see photo) can also help you show up in search for those specific places and conversations. 

4. Beat the algorithm!

Instagram (like Facebook) uses an algorithm that determines which posts are shown in the newsfeed. The more engagement (likes, comments, etc) you get on your posts, the more exposure you'll get to your followers AND people who don’t already follow you.

Posting at the best time of day for your followers can help you maximize your likes on your post. If you have an Instagram business account you can see the best times to post in your Audience insights here:

Remember, social media is more like a telephone than a television. It's about conversation not broadcasting! If you make your posts a conversation you'll get more engagement. Ask your followers questions in your posts/videos and tell them to leave a comment with their answer. Or ask a question and say ❤ if you agree (or double tap if you agree). Don't forget to check your comments and respond/like them so your audience knows you're listening. 

5. Use (the right) Hashtags

Using hashtags strategically is one of the fastest ways to gain exposure and grow your following on Instagram. What type of content do you post regularly. What topics do you post about? Your actorlife? Hiking? Fitness? Healthy eating? Dogs? Game of Thrones? Each of these topics have hashtags that are associated with them (and a built-in audience that uses them).  By using relevant hashtags on your posts you will attract more people who like what you like and do what you do. If you don't have a plan for your posts on Instagram this will show you how. 

Now that you have 5 ways to grow your Instagram following, let's talk about what NOT to do!

Never ever, ever, ever, ever buy followers (they are all fake accounts...no matter what the website tells you). I know fast followers can be tempting, but it's super easy to spot an account with fake followers because you'll have lots of fans, but no engagement. Remember: People work with actors they know, like and trust. If you buy fake followers that trust factor goes right out the window. 

A big follower count is less important than attracting the RIGHT followers. These 5 steps will help you do just that! 

Before you go, be sure to grab my (totally free) Ultimate Social Media Checklist for Actors that will have you rockin’ your social media for your acting career in no time. Enjoy!

See you on social,