New Instagram account: how to get your first followers and when to start with support

You get your first followers on a new Instagram account by first completing your profile, publishing a few of your own posts and Reels, and only then reaching out to people who know you. More followers come mainly through Reels, which Instagram shows to people who are not yet following you. Paid support makes sense to consider only for a profile that has something to attract people with.

What should you set up on your profile before your first post?

Before you invite anyone, it must be clear at first glance from your profile who you are and what you will publish. A person who opens your profile makes a decision within a few seconds based on the photo, name, bio, and first posts.

1. Username: short, easy to remember, and ideally the same as on your website or other networks. Avoid random numbers and underscores.
2. Profile picture: a face or logo that is readable even in the small circle next to a comment.
3. Name in your profile: in addition to your name, you can also add what you do (for example, "Hairdressing Brno" or "Home Baking | recipes") so people can recognize you more easily.
4. Bio: in one or two sentences, explain who you will be useful to and how, and add what a person should do next. You can find detailed instructions in the article how to write a bio on Instagram.
5. Link: website, online store, booking, or another channel where you want to direct people.
6. Account type: in the settings, you can switch your account to professional (creator or business). Some features, such as test Reels, are according to Instagram only available for professional accounts. Verify the exact steps for switching in the app's help section.
7. Security: enable two-factor authentication and do not share your password or verification codes with anyone.

Instagram in its Creator Tips recommends keeping your bio, profile picture, and Story highlights (that is, permanently pinned selections from stories) current so people can quickly recognize you (Instagram for Creators: profile, status as of November 2026).

What posts should you publish first on a new account?

First, publish a few posts that together show what your profile will be about: who you are, what you offer, and what kind of content people can expect next. Few people will start following an empty or nearly empty profile, even if they know you.

Instagram does not specify a mandatory number of posts to start with. A practical guideline is to have at least six to nine posts before reaching out to people you know, for example:

• Introduction: who you are and why you are creating this profile, ideally a short video featuring your face or your business.
• Content samples: two to four posts in exactly the style you want to do long-term (tutorials, work samples, behind-the-scenes, reviews).
• Reels: at least two to three short vertical videos. Reels (short videos in full-screen format) are Instagram's format for discovering new creators.
• Helpful post: advice, tip or answer to a frequently asked question that people like to save or share.

Why do reels and original content matter on a new account?

According to Instagram's explanation of content ranking, Reels predominantly display content from accounts that the viewer does not follow, so everyone has a chance to find their audience. Conversely, Instagram shows fewer Reels with watermarks from another application or in low resolution (Instagram Ranking Explained, status as of November 2026).

Originality is equally important. If an account publishes mostly borrowed Reels, photos or carousels that you did not create or substantially edit, Instagram may not recommend it to a new audience (Original Content Guidelines, as of November 2026). For a new account, this means: create and shoot your own content, do not copy videos from others.

For Reels, Instagram recommends, for example, surprising the viewer with a punchline or reveal at the end, showing your own perspective on current topics and displaying your personality (Level Up with Instagram Reels). For feed posts, Instagram recommends a vertical 4:5 format and location tagging, which helps people find your post.

How to reach your first followers from your circle?

Your first followers are usually people who already know you: friends, family, colleagues, existing customers or fans from other channels. Reach out to them personally and tell them what they will find on your profile, instead of making a general call to 'follow me'.

1. Send a personal message to people for whom the content could be useful, and send them a link to your profile with one sentence about what it will be about.
2. Add a link to your Instagram everywhere you are already visible: website, email signature, other social networks, business cards, receipts or QR code in your business.
3. Reach out in your field: follow and meaningfully comment on accounts that genuinely interest you. A short substantive comment is seen more than a like.
4. Arrange your first collaboration: a joint post or mutual mention with someone who has a similarly targeted audience (a colleague in your field, a local business, an association).
5. Respond to every comment and message. Instagram recommends that creators be active in comments and show the community that you are listening to them.

What to avoid: groups for exchanging likes and follows, mass following and unfollowing (follow/unfollow) and contests for money in exchange for follows. Meta's Community Standards, which apply to Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads, prohibit the sale, purchase or exchange of interactions, such as likes, shares, views or follows, as well as offering money or its equivalent in exchange for interactions (Meta: Spam, status as of November 2026).

What might a plan for the first four weeks look like?

A sensible plan for a beginner spreads the work over four weeks: first your profile and initial content, then reaching out to your circle, then establishing a regular rhythm and finally evaluating your progress. Instagram does not set a mandatory publishing frequency, so choose a pace that you can maintain long-term.

Week	What to do	What to focus on
1.	Set up your profile, security and publish 6–9 posts including Reels	To make it clear from your profile who you are and what you offer
2.	Reach out to your circle, add links from your website and other channels, 2–3 new Reels	First reactions, responding to comments and messages
3.	Maintain your chosen rhythm, comment in your field, arrange your first collaboration	Which types of posts people save and share
4.	Review your statistics and adjust your plan for the next month	Reach among people who don't follow you and new followers from your content

If you want to know how many hashtags to use or exactly when to publish, take general 'rules of thumb' with a grain of salt. Instagram does not provide an official ideal time or number of hashtags for everyone. You can find the right time from your profile statistics once you have data from several weeks.

How do you know that a new profile is growing in the right direction?

This is best shown by your profile statistics: whether your reach is growing, how much of it comes from people who don't follow you yet, and how many new followers came from specific posts. The number of followers alone at the beginning doesn't tell you much.

• Reach is the number of accounts that have seen your post.
• Saving and sharing indicate that people found your content useful or interesting.
• New followers from your post show which type of content persuades people.

How to find and interpret individual metrics is described in the article how to read statistics on Instagram. If you suspect your content is no longer being recommended, Instagram advises checking Account Status, where you can see if your account is eligible for recommendations.

When should you consider paid social proof support?

Paid support is worth considering only when the profile has several weeks of original content and you want it not to appear empty on first visit. Social proof is a phenomenon where people assess a profile's credibility based partly on how many followers it already has.

It is important to know what such a purchase means:

• Platform rules: Meta's Community Standards do not permit the purchase or sale of followers, likes and views (Meta Community Standardsthey do not engage with your content, they do not make purchases, they do not guarantee reach or audience interest and they will not replace good posts. terms and conditions clause 3.3.
• What bought followers do not do: do not engage with your content, do not buy, do not guarantee reach or audience interest, and will not replace good posts.
• Engagement ratio: engagement rate is the ratio of reactions (likes, comments, saves) to the number of followers. When the number of followers grows without engagement, this ratio worsens.
• Monetization and verification: If you are considering support, start with a reasonably small amount that matches your profile size. How to plan this is discussed in the article

. A password is never required when placing an order. How many followers to purchase initially. Your account password is never requested for an order.

When paid promotion makes sense and when it does not?

It does not make sense for an empty or weak profile, when you want to meet monetization or verification conditions, when your account has already received a warning or restriction, and when you are expecting sales or audience reactions.

If you are considering support, you can find information about the service on the page followers on Instagram and current prices in price list. However, the foundation for growing a new account remains original content, a well-developed profile and people you reach out to yourself.