Targets are how Upleap figures out who to engage with. Choose the right ones, and you’ll be seen by the kind of people who are more likely to follow, interact, and actually care about what you’re posting. Choose the wrong ones, and you’ll just be wasting time.

Start by thinking like your audience

You know your niche. Now think about which accounts your future followers are already following. That’s where you want to show up.

• A freelance designer? Try branding studios, creative agencies, or portfolio review pages.

• Selling vintage clothes? Look at slow fashion bloggers, curated thrift shops, or sustainable fashion influencers.

• Running a pet account? Add popular breed-specific pages, training coaches, or local pet groomers.

If the account doesn’t feel aligned, skip it. Remember the golden rule: You’re not just targeting for numbers, you’re targeting for fit.

Stay in the middle when it comes to size

Too small, and the system runs out of people to engage with rather soon. Too big, and you end up buried in a sea of bots and ghost followers.

• Below 20k: Expect to update often. These accounts run out fast.

• Above 250k: Feels promising, but you’re usually dealing with low engagement and low visibility.

The sweet spot is usually between 20k and 250k. Enough activity to be useful, not so much that you get lost in the crowd.

Avoid accounts Upleap can’t interact with

Private profiles and verified accounts are out of bounds. Upleap can’t see who follows them, so they’re not helpful as targets. Keep it simple and stick with public accounts that post often and have visible engagement.

Good targets to begin with

Here are four types of targets that usually deliver strong results:

• Competitors in your space – Their audience already cares about your type of content

• Brands that complement yours – Not competition, but likely speaking to the same kind of people

• Creators with a niche following – Smaller influencers or content creators with active comment sections

• Hashtags that reflect your niche – Not general trends, but hashtags tied to your audience’s habits, lifestyle, or location

The takeaway

You don’t need a giant list. Just start with the right few. Look for mid-sized public accounts that make sense for your niche, skip the unreachables, and tweak along the way. The better your targeting, the better Upleap works.

P.S. Try our integrated Targeting Suggestions feature for a quick start!