My Instagram account started off a real weird way. I wanted to cash in on the growing YouTube hype and as a result wanted to practice taking videos of me and not making a fool of myself. So, I wanted a platform where I could judge what people thought of my videos and I chose Instagram for it!

What’s the most important thing that you need when you want people to judge your shitty videos?

You guessed it!

Followers.

However, just a side note- if you want to be an influencer, Instagram is the holy-grail starting point. In fact, in this post on 7 Influencer Marketing Campaigns That Went Viral, you’ll find most of the campaigns (if not all) were actually on Instagram!

Related: Instagram is the best breeding ground for superstar category of entrepreneurs. Knowing what type of entrepreneur you are can help you choose the right type of business and social media platform before you start.

The Instagram Experiment of Gaining Followers and Engagement

Simple enough. I needed more followers. But the real problem was that I had no clue as to how to get it. As such began round 2 of my social media research.

As always, I found most posts on the Internet just reiterated the basics- create a bio, post nice images, and wait 150 years to get your first 1k followers.

Fortunately, I was already introduced to the world of code and bots. So, I did some digging and found a very popular bot known as Instagress, which you need to pay to use. Now, there is quite a lot of discussion on whether you should use bots or not and many people consider its use practically evil.

Bots in Social Media Including Instagram

Also, Instagress has stopped functioning after Instagram “requested” it to close its operations (sounds more like a threatened to sue, than request, if you ask me!). Anyways, even though Instagress has stopped functioning, there are several other bots just like it with similar features.

Anyhow, what I did in Instagram has nothing to do with bots.

The reason why I mentioned bots here, is because I want to talk about their primary functions. The main function of Instagress and the like bots are that they like and comment on a huge number of pictures relevant to your niche all throughout the day, even when you sleep.

Neil Patel found that when you like 100 pictures in Instagram, you get an average of 6 followers. So, imagine how many followers a bot would bring you with more than 6K likes and 1000 comments every week.

Now, as I mentioned I already had an experience of how easy a little code can make it for you to manage your social media accounts.

As such I Googled “Instagram liking code”, and found a result at Joeldare.com.

Here’s the code listed at the website-

const next = document.querySelector(‘a.coreSpriteRightPaginationArrow’);
function doSomething(random) {
const like = document.querySelector(‘article > div.eo2As > section.ltpMr.Slqrh > span.fr66n > button’);
if(like){
console.log(‘clickn’);
like.click();
}
next.click();
console.log(‘waiting for ‘+random+’ milisecondsn’);
}
(function loop() {
var min = 4000; // min 4 seconds
var max = 9000; // max 9 seconds
var random = Math.floor(Math.random() * (+max – +min)) + +min;
setTimeout(function() {
doSomething(random);
loop();
}, random);
}());

So, basically all you need to do is open Instagram, and search for any hashtags relevant to your niche such as #quotes, #business, #contentmarketing and go to the “Most Recent” section and click on an image.

Then enter this code into Google Chrome’s developer console and hit enter. The code will like the picture you have opened and move to the next picture and go on.

Remember that the operation of the code is set pretty fast and needs to be observed or else you may cross the limits.

That way you will be detected by Instagram.

The 4000 in the code signifies the minimum time that the code will wait before liking the picture and moving on to the next picture. The 9000 signifies the maximum time.

Gain Followers In Instagram Using This Hack

Since, I want to get done with the process relatively quickly I have set this time gap. Feel free to increase the time limit, if you so desire. But don’t reduce the time gap.

By experimentation, I have found that this is the lowest time difference that prevents Instagram from finding out that you are gaming their system.

Further you shouldn’t spend more than 30 minutes running the code in a day, or in terms of like count – 360 is the maximum number of pictures, you can like in one day.

Or else, Instagram’s algorithm will find out something is wrong with your account.

How Instagram Manages to Slow You Down From Attaining Your Goals!

In Instagram, the process of gaining more followers and engagement is somewhat more difficult than that of Twitter.

(However, I got a cheat-sheet on boosting your Twitter follower count and making money via Twitter, made by experts, themselves!)

This is because, Instagram has much more restriction on using these Instagram follower hacks!

Sometimes, when the code loads the next images, Instagram creates an error which directs you to a page which says “Sorry, this page isn’t available”. During these times, you need to again repeat the process. This can piss you off if it keeps on happening.

As such, when you try this code at Instagram, it may look like a time-consuming strategy. But, take it from me- it isn’t.

I open Instagram and run this code in the background, whenever I am doing something on my PC. Sometimes, I check on the code whether the error page has turned up or not. If it has, then I just repeat this process, which hardly takes some seconds and get back to my work.

A Word of Warning

When you use the modified code in Instagram, do not like more than 360 images. It is dangerous and Instagram may lock you out from liking pictures for one or two days. Using the code within the limit is well and good; however, if you try to overuse it and fasten the process, Instagram may lock you out from liking pictures for some days.

Also don’t try the trick of opening this code on several browsers and liking several hashtags at the same time using this code, as a way to fasten this process.

This will get you a one-way ticket to getting shadow-banned or banned from liking anymore pictures. I tried this strategy, so believe me when I say, Instagram will notice it.

Other Hacks to Gain Instagram Followers

Optimize your profile

Use a clear profile picture, an informative bio with keywords, and a link to your website or a relevant landing page.

Post high-quality, engaging content

Share visually stunning images, catchy captions, and utilize storytelling to connect with your audience.

Use relevant hashtags

Research popular and niche-specific hashtags to increase your content’s visibility and reach a larger audience.

Engage with your audience

Respond to comments, like and comment on other users’ posts, and follow relevant accounts to build relationships.

Utilize Instagram Stories

Share behind-the-scenes content, polls, and interactive stickers to keep your audience engaged and interested.

Post consistently

Maintain a regular posting schedule to keep your followers engaged and attract new ones.

Collaborate with influencers

Partner with influencers in your niche to increase your brand’s exposure and credibility.

Run giveaways and contests

Encourage user-generated content and increase engagement by hosting giveaways or contests that require users to follow, like, or share your content.

Use Instagram Reels

Create and share short, engaging videos using Instagram’s Reels feature to reach new audiences.

Analyze your performance

Use Instagram Insights to track your account’s performance, identify your top-performing content, and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Promote your account on other platforms

Cross-promote your Instagram account on other social media platforms, your website, and email marketing to increase your reach.

Other small but relevant Instagram Hacks to Gain Followers

Use geotags: Add location tags to your posts and stories to increase visibility and attract local followers.
Schedule your posts for peak times: Post during the hours when your audience is most active to increase engagement and reach.
Utilize Instagram Guides: Create and share guides to showcase your expertise and provide valuable information to your followers.
Participate in relevant community discussions: Join Instagram communities, group chats, and discussions in your niche to increase visibility and attract like-minded followers.
Use Instagram Live: Go live to connect with your audience in real-time, answer questions, and share updates.
Create Instagram Highlights: Curate and showcase your best content in highlights on your profile for new followers to discover.
Share user-generated content: Repost content created by your followers to show appreciation and encourage more user-generated content.
Utilize IGTV: Share long-form videos on IGTV to provide in-depth information, tutorials, or interviews.
Experiment with different content formats: Try carousels, videos, and various post layouts to keep your content fresh and engaging.
Optimize your captions: Include relevant keywords, emojis, and calls to action to boost engagement and reach.
Follow the latest trends: Stay up-to-date with current Instagram trends and participate in viral challenges or content themes to stay relevant.
Collaborate with other businesses: Partner with complementary businesses in your niche to cross-promote each other’s accounts and expand your reach.
Monitor your competitors: Keep an eye on your competitors’ strategies and learn from their successes and failures to refine your approach.
Utilize Instagram Ads: Invest in targeted Instagram advertising to reach a larger audience and attract new followers.

Wrapping it up

A lot of people frown upon the use of bots and codes. However what I did was a conclusive experiment, on how you can build your follower base rapidly without spending much time on social media.

I have tried to experiment on the various risks and hurdles of using codes in social media, so that you don’t have to face them and can rise to have thousands of followers very fast.

I started this experiment several weeks ago and by spending just 5 minutes everyday on my social media accounts I made around 1200 followers in Instagram in just 9 weeks.

However, after the experiment got over I deleted my account and have created a new account which I will use for another experiment. So follow my new Instagram account for details on the experiment which I shall upload soon enough.

Read Next:

Now it’s your turn. Which is your favorite bot in social media? Do you know of any other codes to rock social media? If so, share it in the comments!

For any queries or help with your startup, feel free to book a free consultation with us. You may also check out our list of services if you need any help with your business efforts.