Sure, you can get a ton of followers by uploading posts and Instagram stories consistently and posting content that is properly branded and hashtagged. Yeah, interacting with your followers and your following is important–but it’s so much more than that.

This is what influencers do to get tons of followers.

1. Show people who you are. Make your page something worth seeing. 

As a person and as a brand, make your page as personable as possible. Post selfies. Show that you’re real. Even if you’re a brand, still show some faces! People want to know who’s behind the brand. Make highlights if you feel that you want them on your page, and if you make them – make em pretty!

2. Interact! Collaborate! Engage! 

Reply to the comments people leave on your photos and comment on other people’s photos! Think about collaborating with people who might have bigger followings but a similar audience. It shows that you’re active and willing to engage and work with other people.

3. Use hashtags and location tags…in your stories.

Yeah, that’s obvious, but did you think to put hashtags and location tags in your stories? If you do that, your content will still appear on the explore page and someone will see it one way or another. If you’re afraid that your followers will see how many hashtags you use, you can mess around with the features – make the font smaller or the same color as the background – to hide them if need be.

4. Promote your Instagram page outside of Instagram.

Cross-promote! Share your Instagram page on other platforms – Twitter, Facebook, your personal blog or website – just so that it’s there. You just want to put yourself outside of Instagram. Though it costs some money, creating ads to promote your page might be worth it.