Part of the fun of having an Instagram account is getting lots of people to want to follow you. While it’s easy to set up an account, what makes the difference in getting lots of followers is taking interesting shots and making sure that people stay interested in what you have to share.

The very successful Instagram accounts are often those that stick to a particular theme. For example, a food lover might only post pics of food, while a travel write – unsurprisingly – will post shots of amazing scenes from around the world. There might be someone who has a really cute pet and only posts photos of that pet.

Many of the most followed accounts are those belonging to celebrities – Kim Kardashian, Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry are all high up on the list. There are some celebrities who have become much more famous than they might have done because of Instagram. For instance have you ever looked at the photos of Dan Bilzerian on Instagram? They may not be to everyone’s taste – in many of the shots there are lots of nearly naked girls with poker player Dan – but they definitely give a glimpse into the unbelievably opulent lifestyle that he now leads, thanks to his success at the poker tables over the years. In fact, his Instagram fame is one of the reasons that Dan now stars in the latest bgo TV ad, alongside actor Troy Verner, who has been the famous face of bgo for well over a year now.

Your Instagram account might not end up in bringing you fame and fortune, but by following the tips you should at least get more followers – and learn how to keep them following you.

• Choose a theme – as mentioned above the most successful accounts usually don’t stray too far from their chosen theme.
• Follow a schedule. Audiences like to know what they’re going to get from the accounts they are following. If you post every day, your followers will expect to see something every day. If you post weekly, they’ll expect that. Keep your followers loyal by sticking to a regular posting rhythm.
• Add variety. Avoid becoming repetitive. You can have a chosen theme without your posts becoming dull. Think around your main subject and see how you can vary the images you use. You can add variety by posting fan pics too – if you get any!
• Hashtag with care. A couple of descriptive hashtags are more effective than a big long list of generalised ones. Many hashtags per photo indicate to some Instagram users that you’re trying too hard to increase the number of people who follow you.
• Interact with your followers. If people take the time to post comments about your images, it’s nice to acknowledge them. You may not have time to respond to each one individually, but take time to ‘talk’ to your audience, so they know you appreciate their comments.

Your goal of having an Instagram account may not be about enlisting legions of followers – perhaps you just want to share special moments with friends and family in an easy and digestible format. The most important thing is to make sure you have fun with your Instagram account – that’s what it’s all about, after all.