How I Grew to 26k Followers in a Niche I Actually Care About

Tips on How to Grow Your Page

Fast forward to now—I’ve got over 26,000 followers, a growing Etsy shop, a newsletter, and a band of my own. No fake hacks. No bots. Just showing up, being real, and building a community around what I love.

Here’s exactly what worked for me:

1. Follow the right people (but don’t be spammy about it)

Yes, I followed people to grow—but strategically. Every week, I’d follow about 10-15 accounts who were clearly into the same niche: Tool fans, alt music pages, nu metal creators, etc. People who already cared about the stuff I was posting.

I kept it super slow and intentional. I’d follow maybe 10-15 accounts a week that felt like they’d genuinely vibe with my page. Not hundreds. Not bots. Just real people who seemed like they’d get what I was doing. It’s important not to follow more than this! Some of them will follow you back, but if you follow a bunch you will quickly get banned on instagram.

🗣 Engage When It Feels Natural

If someone posted something cool—an outfit, a band meme, a live show clip—I’d drop a like or a comment. No forced energy, no copy/paste comments. Just showing up as a fellow fan.

No mass-following. No weird bots. No desperation. Just thoughtful engagement with people I’d actually want in my community. A little goes a long way. Think of another page that posts in your niche, and chat with them like you would if you saw someone in public that was wearing your favorite band tee!

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