How to get more followers on Instagram
What Instagram itself says brings new people to an account, and what gets an account pushed down.
First brand read free. No filming.
On this page
The short answer
New followers come from reaching people who do not follow you yet, and Instagram says the three signals that matter most are watch time, likes and sends, with sends slightly more important for reaching new people. Post original reels people watch to the end and send to friends, test ideas with Trial Reels, and avoid watermarked or reposted content and bought followers, which lose reach.
Updated
Grow it the way Instagram ranks
- 01
Make reels people send
Sends per reach is one of the three numbers Instagram’s head says to watch, and it weighs more for people who do not follow you. Make the reel someone forwards to a friend.
- 02
Hold them to the end
Instagram predicts whether someone will watch a reel all the way through. Open with the point and keep it as short as the idea.
- 03
Post only what you made
When the same content exists twice, Instagram recommends only the original, and accounts that repost others’ content 10 or more times in 30 days lose recommendations.
- 04
Test with Trial Reels
Trial Reels go to non-followers first. You see results in about a day and can share the winners with your followers. They need a professional account.
- 05
Watch three numbers
Average watch time, likes per reach and sends per reach. Make more of the posts that top them.
What loses reach
Watermarks and borders
Instagram makes low-resolution or watermarked reels, muted reels and reels with borders less visible.
Reposting others
Reposts of content you did not create or materially change lose recommendations and get a label crediting the original creator.
Bought followers and likes
Instagram removes inauthentic likes, follows and comments from accounts using growth apps, and repeat use can get an account limited or disabled.
Breaking the guidelines
An account that repeatedly breaks the Recommendation Guidelines has none of its posts recommended for a period of time.
The sources
Every claim is from Instagram or its head, read on 7 October 2026. Popular figures such as “a send is worth 3 to 5 likes” appear only on third-party blogs, so this guide leaves them out.
Adam Mosseri on ranking signals
“The top three signals… are watch time, likes and sends”; sends are slightly more important for unconnected content.
Source: instagram.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- Watch time, likes per reach, sends per reach
- Source
- Head of Instagram, via Social Media Today
- Date
- 22 January 2025
Instagram Ranking Explained
Reels predict reshares, watching to the end, likes and audio page visits; watermarked, low-resolution or bordered reels are less visible.
Source: about.instagram.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- How Feed, Reels and Explore rank
- Source
- Date
- 31 May 2023
Recommendations and originality
Only the original is recommended; accounts reposting 10+ times in 30 days lose recommendations.
Source: creators.instagram.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- The originality rules
- Source
- Instagram for Creators
- Date
- 30 April 2024
Trial Reels
Shown to non-followers first; results after about 24 hours.
Source: creators.instagram.com, read Invalid Date
- Says
- Testing reels on new audiences
- Source
- Instagram for Creators
- Date
- 10 December 2024
Read next
Your questions, answered
Short answers to what people ask next.
Reach people who do not follow you yet with original reels they watch to the end and send to friends. Instagram says watch time, likes and sends matter most, and sends weigh more for new audiences.
Reels Instagram shows to non-followers first, so you can test an idea without your followers seeing it. Results come in about 24 hours and you can then share it to followers. They need a professional account.
No. Instagram recommends only the original, and accounts that repost content they did not create 10 or more times in 30 days lose recommendations.
No. Instagram removes inauthentic follows and likes from accounts using growth apps, and repeat use can get an account limited or disabled. Bought followers also drag down your engagement rate.
Often enough to test ideas and keep the winners, at a pace you can hold. Instagram ranks each post on how people respond to it, so a better reel beats an extra one.
Percify reads your brand, picks formats already proven in your niche and makes an original short video for you every day, then posts the ones you approve, so you test more ideas without filming each one.