How to Get More Instagram Followers in 2026

To get more Instagram followers in 2026, post original Reels that people watch to the end, like and send to friends, because Instagram's head Adam Mosseri has named watch time, likes and sends as the top ranking signals. Then make your profile easy to find in search, test ideas with trial reels, team up with other accounts through collabs, and post on a schedule you can keep. The same steps get you more likes too. New followers mostly come from people who do not follow you yet, so the goal is to earn recommendations.

How to grow on Instagram organically

Your followers see your posts in Feed and Stories. People who do not follow you find you through Reels, Explore and Search. Instagram says Explore and Reels are made up mostly of content from accounts the viewer does not follow. So if you want new followers, those are the places you need to show up.

Instagram's own explanation of ranking says that for Reels, the most important predictions are how likely someone is to reshare a reel, watch it all the way through, like it, and go to the audio page. For Explore, it names likes, saves and shares. In January 2025 Mosseri summed it up: the three signals that matter most are watch time, likes and sends. He added that likes count slightly more with followers, while sends count slightly more with people who do not follow you yet.

1. Make Reels that are your own

Originality is not just good advice on Instagram. It is a rule for recommendations. Instagram says that when it finds identical copies of a recent piece of content, it recommends only the original, not the copies. Accounts that keep posting other people's content without changing it in a meaningful way can stop being recommended at all. Content that has been changed in a real way, such as a meme, a parody compilation or a video with your own new voiceover, is not treated as a copy.

Instagram also says it shows less of reels that are low-resolution, carry a watermark from another app, are muted, have borders, are mostly text, or have already been posted on Instagram. If you film for several apps, export a clean version without the watermark.

• Put the most interesting moment in the first second or two.
• Keep it as short as the idea allows. A reel people finish beats a long one they leave.
• Use your own footage, voice or commentary. React to trends rather than re-posting them.
• Ask yourself before posting: would someone send this to a friend?

2. Test new ideas with trial reels

Trial reels let eligible creators show a reel to non-followers first. You turn on the Trial toggle before sharing. Your followers do not see it in Feed or the Reels tab, though a few may still come across it, for example if someone sends it to them. About 24 hours after posting you can see views, likes, comments and shares. You can then share it with everyone in one tap, or let Instagram share it automatically if it performs well on views in its first 72 hours.

This is useful when you want to try a new format or topic without risking a flop in front of your current audience. Instagram does not list the eligibility rules on its announcement page. If you do not see the Trial toggle, check the Instagram Help Center for your account type.

3. Make your profile easy to find

Instagram says the text someone types into Search is by far the most important signal for search results. It matches that text against usernames, bios, captions, hashtags and places. Its own tips are simple:

1. 1Use a related name. Pick a handle or profile name connected to what you post, and include the name people already know you by.
2. 2Write a keyword bio. Say who you are and what your profile is about in plain words. If you have a physical location, add it so local people can find you.
3. 3Put keywords in captions. Write keywords and hashtags in the caption itself, not in the comments, so the post can show up in Search.

Fancy fonts can make a bio stand out, but search may not match styled letters. Keep your name and main keywords in normal text and use styled text only for accents. For wording ideas, see our Instagram bio ideas.

4. Collaborate with other accounts

A collab post appears on more than one account, so it can reach both audiences at once. Pick partners whose followers would genuinely like your content: a local business, a creator in a nearby niche, or a friend with a similar style. A collab with a mismatched account may bring views, but rarely followers who stay. If your audience is in one country, our guide to growing a local audience covers how to find local partners.

5. Use carousels and Stories for the people you have

Reels are mainly for reaching new people. Carousels and Stories help you keep the followers you win. A carousel with a useful checklist or step-by-step tips gives people a reason to save or share it. Stories are shown to your followers, ranked by things like how often they view and reply to you, so polls, questions and replies help keep that connection. For a side-by-side look, see Instagram Reels vs posts.

6. Post consistently and stay in good standing

Instagram has not published an ideal number of posts per week. A steady schedule you can keep for months is better than a burst followed by silence, because each post is another chance to be tested with new viewers. Check when your followers are online with our guide to the best time to post on Instagram.

Also check Account Status in your settings now and then. Instagram says Account Status is the best way to see whether your account and content can be recommended, and that if an account repeatedly breaks its rules, none of its posts will be eligible for recommendation for a period of time. If you think a decision is wrong, you can ask for a review from there. If your numbers dropped suddenly, read why your Instagram reach might be down and our guide to the Instagram shadowban.

How to grow an Instagram account from zero

With no followers, every view comes from people who do not know you yet, so the steps above matter even more. A few things help at the very start:

1. 1Switch to a professional account. Instagram lets you switch to a Creator or Business account in Settings. It gives you the professional dashboard and Insights, so you can see which posts people watch and send. If your account is private, read each screen carefully before you confirm so you know what the switch changes.
2. 2Pick one clear topic. Decide what your account is about and say it in your name and bio. People follow when they can tell what they will get next.
3. 3Post a handful of Reels before judging. One reel tells you very little. Post several on the same theme, then check Insights to see which ones held attention.
4. 4Start with people you know. Share your profile with friends, customers or your other social accounts. A few real followers who interact help your first posts get going.

Once you have a small base, keep an eye on who leaves as well as who arrives. Our guide on why you are losing followers explains the usual causes.

How to get more likes on Instagram

Likes come from the same things that bring followers. Mosseri has said likes count slightly more with people who already follow you, so the quickest wins are posts made for your current audience: answers to their questions, behind-the-scenes Stories, and carousels they want to keep. Ask a simple question in the caption to invite a reaction, and reply to comments early.

Hashtags can help people find a post through search, but they will not rescue a weak one. See do hashtags still work for how to use them now, and what a good engagement rate on Instagram looks like so you can judge your numbers fairly.

Do bought followers help?

Bought followers can make a new profile look less empty when people land on it. Be aware that Meta's spam policy, which covers Instagram, says you should not buy or sell engagement such as likes, views or follows. Bought followers are also unlikely to keep watching, liking and sending your Reels the way people who chose to follow you do, so they do little for the signals that get you recommended. If you still choose to buy Instagram followers from Folzora, treat it as a small first boost for an account that already posts good content, never a replacement for it. Our guide on whether it is safe to buy Instagram followers covers the risks.