How to grow an Instagram account from scratch is where almost every new profile starts: you've created the account, posted three times, and the counter shows 12 followers — all of them friends. The good news: Instagram now promotes new accounts itself through Reels — videos are shown to people who don't follow you, and a small profile can beat a big one. This guide covers how to set up your profile, how the Reels algorithm works, how to get Instagram followers for free and fast, when to pay for growth and how to make money on Instagram afterwards.
Quick summary: how to get followers on Instagram
- Set up first: a username and name with a niche keyword, a clear bio, 9–12 posts and 5–10 Reels before any promotion.
- Reels are the main growth source. The algorithm shows them to non-followers, so one video a day matters more than any paid method early on.
- Three algorithm signals: watch time, sends and likes — all measured per reach, not in absolute numbers.
- Free up to 1,000: Reels, Trial Reels, collabs, comments on big niche accounts, cross-posting from TikTok and Telegram.
- Paid after 1,000: boosting Reels from a few dollars a day and influencer shoutouts.
- Don't buy followers: bots drag down your reach and the algorithm stops showing your Reels.
Instagram growth stages: what to do at each level (chart labels in Russian)
How Instagram growth works
Instagram has several feeds, each with its own algorithm: the home feed shows posts from accounts you follow, while Reels and Explore show content from strangers. For growing from zero, Reels are what matters: it's the only format Instagram shows at scale to people who don't follow you.
Instagram head Adam Mosseri names three main ranking signals: watch time, sends per reach (how many viewers forwarded the video in DMs) and likes per reach. "Per reach" is the key: Instagram compares percentages, not totals, so a video from a 200-follower account can beat one from a million-follower account. Sends matter most for reaching non-followers; likes matter more for your existing followers.
Reels algorithm signals (chart labels in Russian)
One more rule: Instagram removes reposts and other people's clips from recommendations — only original content gets pushed. You can post a TikTok video, but without the watermark and ideally as your own version.
Step 1. Set up your profile before any promotion
Checklist: how to set up an Instagram profile (chart labels in Russian)
- Username — short, no digits or underscores, ideally with a niche keyword.
- Name — the second searchable field. Add value, not just a name: "Alex | media buying", "Maria | 10-minute recipes".
- Avatar — a face or logo in close-up: it's seen in a thumbnail-sized circle.
- Bio — 150 characters: who you help and how, plus a call to action ("DM me", "grab the guide via the link").
- Link — one link or a link-in-bio page: Telegram, website, affiliate offer.
- Highlights — 4–6 with covers: about, reviews, prices, FAQ.
- Content before ads — 9–12 posts and 5–10 Reels. An empty profile doesn't convert even from a great video.
If the account is brand new, use it like a regular person for the first 1–2 weeks: browse, like, reply to stories. Fresh accounts that immediately mass-follow and post get restricted.
Step 2. Your first 100 followers
The first hundred is the easiest and the most important: Reels reach the recommendations even at zero followers, but nobody follows an empty profile. Do this in week one:
- invite friends, colleagues and clients — personally, not with a post;
- put your Instagram link in Telegram, TikTok, YouTube and your email signature;
- post your first 5 Reels on one topic — the algorithm needs to learn who to show you to;
- follow 20–30 accounts in your niche and leave useful comments under their posts.
Step 3. How to get Instagram followers for free: from 100 to 1,000
Six free ways to get followers (chart labels in Russian)
Reels every day
One video a day is the norm for growth. The formula that works: a hook in the first 3 seconds (a question, a number, a bold claim), 7–30 seconds long, captions, a looping ending so people rewatch. Seven simple videos a week beat one perfect one. More on hooks and retention in how to get views on TikTok and Reels.
Trial Reels
Trial Reels show a video only to people who don't follow you. After a day you see the stats, and a winner can be shared with everyone. It's a free way to test ideas without risking your audience — use it for every new format.
Collabs
A collab post or Reel appears on both profiles at once and reaches both audiences. Find accounts your size in neighboring niches and offer to make one video together — the fastest free audience swap.
Comments on big accounts
A useful comment under a fresh post from a big account in your niche brings dozens of profile visits. It works if you write something substantive within minutes of publication, not "great post".
Keywords instead of 30 hashtags
Instagram search works on words in your username, name, bio and captions. Describe what the video is about in plain words and add 3–5 topical hashtags. Thirty hashtags in a row don't help.
Cross-posting from other platforms
If you have TikTok, YouTube or Telegram, invite people to Instagram and repost your videos. How such a funnel works — in moving traffic from TikTok to Telegram.
Stories every day
Stories don't bring new people but keep the ones who came: polls, questions, behind the scenes. An account that posts Reels but stays silent in stories loses followers as fast as it gains them.
Step 4. How to grow Instagram fast with paid methods
Paid methods make sense once you have content that retains people — otherwise you pay for followers who leave.
- Boosting Reels. The "Boost" button under a video runs ads from a few dollars a day. Boost only videos that already performed well organically — ads amplify results, they don't create them.
- Influencer shoutouts. A story mention from a 10–50K account in your niche costs from a few dozen dollars. Check engagement: story views should be at least 5–10% of followers.
- Targeted ads via Ads Manager. Full control over audiences and budget. How to set it up — in Facebook and Instagram ads from scratch.
- Giveaways. They spike followers, but half unfollow after the results. Give away something only your audience wants.
Why you shouldn't buy followers
Bought followers don't watch Reels, like or share. All three algorithm signals are measured per reach — the more dead followers, the worse your percentages and the less Instagram shows your videos. Advertisers also check accounts by engagement and spot fake followers at a glance. Just like on Telegram, buying followers is the fastest way to kill an account.
How to make money on Instagram
Ways to earn on Instagram and income benchmarks (chart labels in Russian)
- Sponsored posts. Buffer's market benchmarks: $10–100 per post at 1–10K followers, $100–500 at 10–50K, $500–5,000 at 50–500K. The price depends on niche, country and engagement.
- Affiliate links. A link in your bio and stories to an affiliate offer — a percentage or flat fee per sign-up or purchase. Works at any follower count. Where to find offers — in our affiliate program ranking.
- Gifts. From 500 followers, viewers can send stars under your Reels — about $0.01 per star.
- Subscriptions. From 10,000 followers you can open paid subscriptions to exclusive posts and stories.
- Your own product. Goods, services, consulting, courses — the highest revenue per follower.
- Traffic. For a media buyer Instagram is a traffic source: videos lead to Telegram or an offer. How it works — in UBT via Reels and Shorts and how to make money on a Telegram channel.
A 30-day plan
- Days 1–3: profile setup, 9 posts, account warm-up.
- Days 4–10: first 7 Reels on one topic, Instagram links on all your platforms, first 100 followers from your circle.
- Days 11–20: 1 Reel a day, stories daily, 2–3 Trial Reels a week, comments on big accounts.
- Days 21–30: first collab, stats review — which hooks and topics get sends — and a $5–10 boost on your best video.
New Reels funnels, case studies and tools — in our Telegram channel.
FAQ
How do I grow Instagram from scratch with no money?
Set up the profile, post Reels daily, test ideas with Trial Reels, collab with accounts your size and comment on big niche accounts. The first 1,000 followers usually take 1–3 months this way.
How many Reels should I post?
One a day is the working norm for growth. The minimum is 3–4 a week, or the algorithm can't learn your topic.
Why don't my Reels get views?
Usually a weak hook in the first 3 seconds, a video that's too long, a watermarked repost or mixed topics. Check retention in the video's insights: if people leave at second 2–3, the problem is the opening.
Do hashtags help?
A little: 3–5 topical ones. Keywords in your username, name and caption matter more — that's what Instagram search uses.
How do I get Instagram followers fast?
Fastest is a Reel that people send to friends, plus a small boost on it and collabs. Buying followers gives a number but kills reach.
How many followers do I need to make money?
Affiliate links work from day one, gifts from 500 followers, subscriptions from 10,000, and brands start buying shoutouts at 1,000–5,000 real followers.
Sources: Adam Mosseri's statements on Instagram ranking signals, Instagram Help Center, Buffer (sponsored post rates and monetization eligibility). Instagram's terms change — check the app.
