Picking up followers on Instagram can be tricky, especially for new users. The lack of social proof makes it hard for rookies to grab the attention of neutral followers. A great way to get over the initial struggles is to have already established creators give you shoutouts on Instagram. What is a shoutout on Instagram? A shoutout occurs when a popular Instagram user shares your Instagram @handle with their following in a post. While this method can be effective for follower growth, getting a shoutout can be challenging. Here are some tips that can help you get a shoutout on Instagram.

Get shoutouts from Instagrammers with similar interests

When reaching out to creators for shoutouts, you want someone who will get your account in front of the right audience. It is important that you and the person you reach out to have similar audiences. It is pointless to promote yourself in front of an audience that won’t have an interest in following you.

Four accounts which post travel photos, getting a shoutout from an influencer in the fashion industry won’t be of much help. Their followers are interested in clothes, not travel photographies; ergo, they probably won’t be tempted to follow you. Almost everyone on Instagram knows this. That’s why accounts in the same niche always help each other out by interacting in their posts.

Look at the example above. Living_Europe and Living_Destinations are both travel-based Instagram accounts, and they give each other shoutouts in the comment section through @mentions. Two accounts in the same niche helping each other out by giving mentions – this is how collaborations on Instagram work the best.

Find accounts who are about your size

If you’re going to have success with your shoutout strategy, you need to be realistic and objective about your goals. Is Cristiano Ronaldo going to give you a shoutout when he has 138 million Instagram followers? No. Not even if you’re his biggest fan that reposts, comments, likes, and interacts with every one of his posts. The best thing to do is think clearly about your options. It is known that on Instagram, users with similar audiences get along just great. For instance:

If you have 50,000 followers and they have 60,000 followers; both of you will benefit by exchanging shoutouts.

If they have 60,000 followers and you have about 1,000 followers; they won’t have an incentive to work with you, because they won’t benefit from the relationship.

If you want to have a better success rate using this approach, it’s better to search out accounts that are about your size. If you, however, want to appeal to bigger names on Instagram, but you don’t have a big enough following; you should consider purchasing Instagram followers to get on their level.

Show some love first

Reaching out to an Instagram influencer is difficult. Sending random messages asking them to give you a shoutout will probably not work. You have to endure the grind in order to have a chance to get noticed by the big shots. 40 doesn’t need help being successful, but his Instagram grows every time he @mentions any of his friends:

The path toward building a relationship with an influencer is paved with a lot of obstacles, but going the extra mile will get you the results. Here’s how you can appeal to successful Instagram influencers:

Follow them, and occasionally like and comment on their post

Repost some of their content

Share and interact with their Instagram Stories

Give them shoutouts

Once you show them some love, they are more likely to accept your request and you will have a better chance of getting a shoutout. When you give shoutouts of your own, make sure to show your genuine enthusiasm for sharing their message.

Reach out to them privately

Once you have identified a good prospective candidate for a shoutout partner, you should resist the urge to ask them for shoutouts in the comment section of their posts. This appears spammy, and chances are you will get ignored. Instead, try to get their email address and reach out to them directly. Many of them to feature their email addresses in their bio:

If you can’t get their email address, reach out to them privately by using Instagram’s direct messages. If you have already shown your support by engaging with their posts, they will be more likely to respond to you.

Consider buying shoutouts

There are services and Instagram users that specialize in selling shoutouts. These services build your following, and then charge to give you shoutouts from their followers for a certain amount of time. This method may be expensive, but it is indeed effective and can help you in many ways:

Social proof : When other influencers check out your account, they will decide in a couple of seconds if you are worthy for a shoutout exchange or not. The first thing they notice is your social proof . Meaning that if they see that you are legit and have your followers passionately engaging with your posts by giving you comments, and a lot of likes; they might just think you are good enough for a shoutout collaboration.

Organic growth : The more engagements you receive on Instagram, the bigger your organic growth is. Both the Instagram algorithm and the users lLike accounts with lots of engagement. When people see that your posts receive a lot of engagement, they are more likely to interact with your content as well; thus, improving your organic growth.

Credibility : Buying Instagram followers or engagements will improve your reputation on the platform. When neutral users check out your account and they see that you have a large following, they will be tempted to follow you as well.

Instagram success is measured by the number of followers and level of engagement your account has, that’s why investing in these services is always a good idea. Even buying Instagram followers alone can get you shoutouts.

Tips for buying Instagram shoutouts

You should check whether the account you are buying shoutouts from is actively posting other content on their profile. If the account posts shoutouts every hour, then their followers will already be tired by the constant shoutouts, and instead of shoutouts you will be getting spam. This will decrease your chances of attracting new followers to your account.

Will they reach your target audience?

When choosing an account to work with, don’t be afraid to ask a couple of questions that will aid your shoutout campaign:

Is their account within your niche?

Are their followers targeted to your location?

Do they offer a free trial ?

Are their followers high-quality?

It is important that you know that you’re getting your money’s worth. Quality providers usually have good customer service that will address your every concern.

By asking the right questions you’ll make a better decision regarding your purchase.

Check their follower-to-likes ratio

You should also check the follower-to-likes ratio of an account before buying shoutouts. Accounts with a low likes-to-followers ratio signal a low rate of engagement from their followers. For example, if an account has 10,000 followers on their profile, but they average 40-50 likes per post; you know there’s something fishy going on there. These are the types of users that spam other users and offer nothing of actual significance.

Watch out for scammers!

When buying shoutouts you should be aware of scammers. There are certain providers that offer too much for cheap prices. These providers are often scammers looking to swindle unsuspecting victims. Here’s how you can avoid such an encounter:

Check out their website

Try their customer support

Read client reviews

Read professional reviews

Check out our reviews of some of the best Instagram follower providers in order to make sure you’re making the right decision.

Combine for better results

Having a lot of followers that engage with your posts is the dream. If you play it smart, and engage with the right accounts, you can live that dream. When you decide to invest in your Instagram account, here’s what I suggest you do:

Combine services : Quality providers offer both followers and engagements on Instagram. In order to achieve the optimal effect, you should consider buying both followers and engagements on Instagram. This combination will make your Instagram account more balanced, and add a lot of positive social proof.

Quality only : I can’t stress this enough – never go for the cheaper solution! Scammers can cause irreversible damage to your reputation, and could even get your Instagram account banned. Reliable providers are the only ones which will truly help you get it to your desired outcome.

Growing your following on Instagram is no walk in the park. By making use of these tips, you will be able to get shoutouts and boost your visibility, organic growth, and, ultimately, your following. If you’re interested in learning more ways to boost your following on Instagram, check out our guide on the best ways you can get more Instagram followers.