Instagram growth is a lot harder than it seems. You post once in a while and get a few followers, but you never really get the growth you had hoped.
Why?
We asked growth experts how to get 1k followers on Instagram in 5 minutes using their best strategies. While most agreed that unless you go viral, five minutes is a short time to get this many followers, they did share their top strategies for growing an Instagram account fast.
12 Strategies to Get 1k Followers On Instagram ASAP
1. Start Reaching Out to Accounts With Low Followers
Most people on Instagram want recognition and to have new people follow them. Just like you, people are trying to grow their accounts, and you can leverage this “want” to your advantage. Let’s assume that you have an account about pressure washing where you share your tips with the world.
You could:
- Search #pressurewashing
- Reach out to accounts with less than 200 followers
- Offer any tips or advice you can, or just make small talk
If you recognize small creators, they’ll often follow you and will help you grow an awesome community together.
2. Buy Shoutouts from Influencers
Influencers are for sale. We said it. Most influencers want to make money from their following, and if you have the budget for it, you can pay them for shoutouts. Your goal is to do a few things:
- Identify influencers in your niche
- Reach out to them to ask if they would do a shoutout of promo post
- Rinse and repeat
You can also use a marketplace to find these influencers, such as Fiverr or Collabstr.
3. Buy Them 💸
If you really only have five minutes to grow an Instagram account, your best option is to buy followers from a reputable source. You want to vet the service provider prior to spending any money by making sure they:
- Offer 100% real followers
- Don’t ask for your account login details
You’ll find reputable sellers that sell 1k followers for $12 – $30.
4. Post at the Right Time 🕗
When is your target audience online? If you post in the middle of the night, by the time your followers check their Instagram, they may be bombarded with dozens of other posts and overlook the ones you make.
How can you avoid this posting trap?
Post at strategic times.
We’ve found that the best times to post are usually:
- 9am – 2pm
- 11am on Friday
Experiment with your posting time to find the right choice for your audience. Weekday and weekend ideal posting times will vary.
5. Use Ads
Instagram will happily sell you ad space to get followers, and you can target:
- Demographics
- Locations
- Interests
- More
You can start your ad campaign for a few dollars a day and set a budget to prevent being overcharged.
💡 Tip: Be sure that your ad has clear messaging and attention-grabbing images to make them more clickable.
6. Play the Controversy Game
Want to get people’s attention? Be controversial.
Controversial content sells. It’s easy to go viral if you’re pushing boundaries or taking different perspectives. But be careful – this can be a slippery slope. It’s important to be respectful of others, adhere to the platform’s guidelines and avoid going off of the deep end.
If you’re too controversial, you risk losing followers and may potentially get your account banned if you break the rules.
One way to play it safe is to take a different stance on a hot-topic issue in your niche. Share your opinion and why you feel this way. Back up your thoughts with stunning photos or video and a thoughtful caption.
7. Engage with People
One proven way to generate buzz around your profile and content is to engage with people. Start conversations. Comment on videos and photos. You’ll be surprised by how many followers you receive just because you engaged with someone else’s content.
While you’re at it, make sure that you’re also replying to comments from your own followers and building a community on Instagram. If you build relationships with your followers, they’ll be more likely to share your content whenever you post it and tell their friends about your account.
A group of loyal followers sharing your content can easily land you 1k new followers in just a few minutes.
8. Focus on Geo-Tagging
If you want to get followers fast, you need to make your content discoverable. Geo-tagging is a great way to do that.
Thanks to the geo-tagging feature, people can find your posts just by looking at the map.
So, the next time you’re at a notable location, tag it in your post. You’ll gain local followers who may share your content, which will attract even more followers.
How do you add location tags?
Step #1: Upload your photo or video.
Step #2: Edit your content.
Step #3: Tap Add location on the final page to tag your location.
9. Use the Right Hashtags
Yes, hashtags are still relevant, and yes, they can help you get tons of followers fast if you use the right ones.
Hashtags make your content more discoverable by other users and may boost your chances of getting on the Explore Page and going viral.
We recommend using a mix of niche and popular hasthtags to reach a much wider audience.
How do you find the right hashtags for your posts?
- Use tools like Hashtagify or Hootsuite
- Check the Explore Page for ideas
- Use Instagram’s hashtag autocomplete feature to find relevant tags
- Check the competition to see which tags they’re using
Remember – don’t go overboard with hashtags. A handful is enough to let Instagram know what your post is about and help others find your content.
10. Run Contests or Giveaways
The simplest way to get 1k followers in five minutes is to go viral. And what better way to do that than by running a contest or giveaway?
If you’re giving away something people really want, they’ll be more than happy to follow you and share your content to enter your contest. Each time they share your post, you increase your reach and the likelihood of getting more followers.
With the right contest, you can easily get 1k followers in minutes, especially if you can promote it to a large audience.
But if you’re going to run a contest, keep these few things in mind:
- Make sure you’re giving away something people want. The more valuable the prize, the better.
- Make sure that your prize fits into your budget.
- Adhere to Instagram’s guidelines and policies for contests.
- Make sure that you actually choose a winner and send them their prize. If no one ever wins your contests, people will eventually catch on and stop following you.
11. Don’t Keep Your Account Private
Is your account private? Other Instagram users won’t be able to find your profile organically if you don’t have a public account.
If your goal is to get a thousand followers fast, then you need to make sure that you set your account to public if it’s currently private.
Here’s how:👇
Step #1: Open your Instagram profile and tap the three dots to access your account settings.
Step #2: Tap on Account, then disable the Private Account option.
Once your account is public, you can easily start posting new content that attracts new followers.
12. Collab with Other Influencers 🤝
One of the best ways to get followers fast is to collab with other influencers that have big followings. Instagram now lets you collaborate with up to five other people on a post, so you can expand your reach enormously by taking advantage of this feature.
Each time you post a collaborative post, it gets shared in your own feed and the feed of everyone you partnered with. If each collaborator has tens of thousands of followers, you can easily hit your goal of getting 1k followers in five minutes just from this tactic alone.
How do you find influencers to collaborate with? Start with your niche. Look for creators who share a similar audience but aren’t necessarily direct competitors. Collaborating with competitors is fine, too, but these influencers may not be as open to a partnership as others.
Can You Sell to 1k Followers?
Many Instagrammers make the mistake of assuming that you can only sell to a huge following, but that’s not the case. You can absolutely sell to 1k followers if you have a high engagement rate.
In fact, the more engaged your audience is, the more valuable your account becomes. You can make sales through affiliate marketing, brand deals and direct sales on your own website.
Does Instagram Pay You for Posting When You Have 1k Followers?
Instagram does not pay influencers directly. No matter how many followers you have, the platform will never pay you for posting. However, brands may choose to pay you for posting through brand sponsorships or deals. Depending on your niche, brands may pay up to $100 per sponsored post if you have 1,000 followers.