How to Follow Someone on Instagram: A Simple Method for Mobile and Desktop Devices

Those who are just getting started with the platform may find it a bit confusing and may need help. There are many new things to learn to be able to use it well. One of the most important ones is learning how to follow someone on Instagram.

This is key to getting access to good content and making the most out of everything this social network has to offer without breaking its policy. Without fans, using it is no fun. Read on to know all the details.

How to Follow Someone on Instagram Using Search

Adding someone to one’s fan list is super simple and can be done in eight easy steps without much help. Read on to learn all about them.

1. Open the app and log into the account.
2. Click the button in the shape of a magnifying glass. It is at the bottom of the app.
3. The screen will move to a new section. At the top of it, there is another magnifying glass with the word “Search” written next to it. Click there.
4. The software will suggest a few options for people to choose from. Tap them if they are of interest, or go to the next step.
5. To ensure that only people are shown, and not tags or places, click the “Accounts” tab.
6. Type the name of the account. As it is written, the app will suggest options.
7. Tap on it to enter and see it.
8. Click the “Follow” button to start seeing what they post on the feed.

Follow Someone on Instagram Using the “Discover People” Tab

IG includes a special section for those who need to see more content but are not sure where to find it. They review one’s interests and find matching accounts. This is how to follow someone on IG with that function.

1. Take a look at the bottom part of the screen and select the account icon.
2. At the upper part of the screen, there are three horizontal lines. Click them to see new options.
3. From the list, choose “Discover People”.
4. There will be many accounts there. Just pick the better ones and click the button next to them.

How to Follow Someone from the PC

Though this social network is designed to be used from the app, its site is complete and easy to use. These are the steps to follow someone on Instagram.

1. Go to instagram.com and sign in using the username and password.
2. On the right, there is a section with suggestions of people to be a fan of. If they seem interesting, just click the “Follow” button next to them.
3. Another option is to click the search bar at the top of the site and write the name of a user.
4. Tap the right option to see the account and click the “Follow” button next to the IG handle.

Follow Facebook Friends and Contacts

There are many places where one can find people who are worth Instagram following. Check out how to find them and add them below.

1. Open the app and log in.
2. Go to the profile section by clicking on the button with the pic at the bottom of the screen.
3. Click on the three vertical dots at the top of the page.
4. Tap on “Follow People”, and then select “Facebook Friends” to choose among the people on that social network. To pick from the phone list, simply tap on “Contacts” instead. To do this, the algorithm will consider email addresses, for example.

Instagram Followers vs the List: What Are They?

The difference between Instagram followers vs following may seem obvious to those who have some experience using the platform. But it may be new to somebody who is just getting started and is not familiar with this policy. Read on for a full definition of both.

Followers

This term refers to the person that is subscribed to another account. They have access to all the public content that the user shares, even if the account is private. They can see posts, stories, videos, and send private messages.

The List

Wondering what does the following mean on Instagram? In this case, it refers to the list of people who are subscribed to the account. They are the ones who receive all the published content on their feeds. They can receive DMs from the account, but they may not work the other way around.

What is the Following Ratio?

The following ratio can be obtained by comparing the number of fans of an account and the ones subscribe to. With this info, many will make assumptions about the quality of the account.

If one has a large Instagram following and is a fan of only a few selected profiles, then the ratio is very good. This is usually the case with influencers and celebrities.

Should I Care about the Following Ratio?

One should mind the following ratio depending on the circumstances. Those who have a personal account they use to share their lives with their friends should not worry much about it. Most people only have their profiles to stay in touch with loved ones and see how they are doing. This means they will not give a second look at the number of fans. But this is not the case for everyone.

Those who do business with the platform, on the other hand, are in a different situation. They will want to get many others to follow on Instagram. So, the first impression they give is very important. Having a decent following ratio will come in handy in this case to improve one’s reputation.

Which Is the Average Number of Followers on the Platform?

This will vary a lot depending on the type of user one is. One study claims that teenagers have, on average, 150 followers. But those who aim at being influencers should have much more. And celebrities like singers and movie stars are usually around a million.

Still, bear in mind that there is a cap on how many people one can follow on Instagram. This means that one account cannot be a fan of more than 7,500 others.

FAQ Section

Can You Secretly be a Fan of Someone?

This is not possible. The other person will always receive a notification when they have a new fan. The only possible solution to follow someone on IG is to manually search for their profile and check out their posts. Of course, this can only be done with public profiles. With private ones, there is no way around but to friend them and send them an alert.

When You Subscribe to Someone Do They Know?

Yes, they do. Every time someone gets a new fan, he receives an alert from the app, letting him know, and may even receive an email. This means that there is no way in which one can be a fan of another person without them knowing.

Do You Get Notified When Someone Screenshots You?

No, this does not happen. IG does not notify users to let them know that someone has taken a screenshot of their posts, texts, or stories. The only moment when this happens is when someone sends a disappearing image or video. If someone keeps a copy of that, then the user who sent it will know, though there will be no trace of that in one’s cookies.

How Do I Hide My IG List?

There is not a definite way to do this. One may hide his Instagram following by setting the profile to private. But this will only keep that information away from those who are not already following someone on Instagram. The ones who already do that will always have access to that media information.

Why Can’t I See Who Someone Follows on IG?

To see Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram following list of another user, he has to have a public account. This makes all his info available for everyone else to see in 2023. It is also possible to do this with private profiles, but only if the user is already a follower. In this case, he can also have access to the complete list and see the following ratio in-depth.

Does IG Notify When You Screen Record a Story in 2023?

No, it does not. The platform will never share alerts with users about screenshots or recordings, or save it in one’s cookies. This only happens in disappearing images sent in private, but never stories. The other person has no way of knowing if someone kept a copy. They can only know if one of the people that follow on Instagram saw the media story.

Final Tips to Make the Most out of the Process

Becoming a fan of someone is key on any social network, like Facebook and Twitter. And doing it on IG is super easy. It can be done from any device and in just seconds. When starting with this, just bear in mind the purpose of the business. In this way, it is easy to define what the ratio should be.

Have you had any problems when trying to subscribe to someone new? Let us know in the comments below!

Matt Robinson

Matt is an experienced technical writer and translator skilled in writing targeted texts for a variety of audiences. He has a diversified background, including social media management of various products. He is a data-driven strategist and a passionate story-teller. He posts about all social innovations and delivers high-quality research and content to our readers.