Have you noticed how hard it is to gain new followers on Instagram these days?
That’s because we live in a world of interest media instead of social media. The algorithm shows people what they want to see, whether or not they follow the account. So the “follow” action means less and less.
If I’m scrolling and Instagram is going to show me your content again anyway because I watched the Reel, stayed on the post, or liked it, why would I stop and go follow you?
I don’t follow people much anymore, and I bet you don’t either.
So yes, follows mean less than they used to. But they’re still worth getting. Followers show growth on your account, and they still help with viewership and distribution.
The one line that started working for me
The Broke Agent account had been stagnant for a while. Recently, I started adding a simple CTA at the end of my captions, and I’m gaining followers again.
Here’s what that looks like:
- “Follow @thebrokeagent for more real estate humor.”
- “Follow @thebrokeagent for nonstop real estate humor and marketing tips.”
- “Follow @thebrokeagent for the most accurate takes in real estate.”
I put this at the end of the caption, not the beginning, so it doesn’t interfere with the actual messaging of the post.
What it does is give people another place to click when they come across the post while scrolling the Reels tab. More importantly, it tells them exactly what the account is about and gives them a reason to follow.
It’s basically saying, “Hey, you just came across this piece of content. If you liked it, here’s what you’ll get more of if you follow me.”
It works for hyperlocal posts, too
Katie Day does this at the end of every single caption on her hyperlocal account, Houston Unlocked. She ends with:
👉 Follow @houston.unlocked for more Houston news & development updates like these!
Simple, but it gives someone who just discovered her content a clear reason to actually hit follow. Katie recently broke down the entire content strategy that grew her account to 45,000 followers in 18 months.
So try adding a simple “follow for ___” CTA to the end of your captions, or actually say it at the end of your Reel. Don’t just say “follow me.” Tell them why they should follow you and what they’re going to get if they do.
Bonus: Use “follow me” to tee up part 2
If you’re running a signature series like “Ranking the best Italian restaurants in Tucson” or “Comparing the best walkable neighborhoods in Seattle,” put a “follow for part 2” CTA in your caption and pin it in your comments.
That tells the audience there’s more of that content coming and gives them a reason to follow, so they don’t miss it.
If you’re getting views but not the followers, leads, or engagement you want, that’s exactly the kind of thing we fix inside BAMx. Join the community for content audits where we go through your IG, figure out what you should be posting, and whether your profile is actually optimized to turn views into followers. Come join us in BAMx.
