How to get more followers on Instagram: your first 1,000 real ones
Real followers come from two things: being shown to new people, and giving them a reason to stay. This plan covers both, using what Instagram itself has said about how it ranks posts, and the planner below shows when you will reach 1,000 at your current pace.
Road to 1,000 followers planner
Find out when you will reach 1,000 real followers at your current pace, and what weekly growth it takes to get there by a date you choose. Use your own numbers from Instagram insights.
Which posts grow your account?
For your last few posts, enter the follows each one brought (Instagram insights shows follows per post) and its reach. Follows per 1,000 accounts reached lets you compare posts of different sizes fairly.
Guides
Short, practical guides. Start with the one that matches your question.
Your first 1,000 followers
The plan, in the order that matters.
How Instagram ranks posts
Four surfaces, four sets of signals.
Read your insights
The numbers that show what is working.
Hashtags that help
The limits and how to pick tags.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to get 1,000 followers on Instagram?
It depends on your weekly net growth. At 15 net new followers a week, going from 180 to 1,000 takes about 55 weeks. Use the planner with your own numbers.
What is the fastest free way to get followers?
Original Reels. Instagram has said a new Reel is first shown to a small group of non-followers and more widely if they watch, share and engage.
How many hashtags should I use?
Instagram allows up to 30. A handful of specific tags that describe the post works better than many generic ones.
When can I see follower insights?
Instagram shows total follower insights, such as growth and locations, once a professional account has at least 100 followers.
Should I buy followers?
No. Instagram removes fake follows it finds. If you want to pay for growth, run ads that send people to your profile.
Ready to speed it up with ads?
When your profile converts visitors into followers, a small profile-visit ad can multiply it. We review Instagram accounts and ads at no cost.