---
title: "Instagram Publishes Growth Advice"
description: "If you’ve ever searched “how do I get more followers on Instagram,” you’ve seen the same recycled tips: post more, make Reels, engage in the comments. This week, Instagram decided to take on the role of teacher and publish its own “FAQ” on follower growth."
section: Marketing Notes
author: Sneeze It
published: 2025-09-16T18:02:56.000Z
url: https://www.sneeze.it/blog/instagram-publishes-growth-advice
tags: ["social-media", "instagram"]
---

# Instagram Publishes Growth Advice

_If you’ve ever searched “how do I get more followers on Instagram,” you’ve seen the same recycled tips: post more, make Reels, engage in the comments. This week, Instagram decided to take on the role of teacher and publish its own “FAQ” on follower growth._

If you’ve ever searched “how do I get more followers on Instagram,” you’ve seen the same recycled tips: post more, make Reels, engage in the comments. This week, Instagram decided to take on the role of teacher and publish its own “FAQ” on follower growth.

On the surface, it appears to be friendly guidance. Underneath, it’s a carefully disguised sales pitch—for Instagram’s ad inventory and feature adoption.

### **What Instagram Is Really Saying** ![💬](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4ac.svg)![📱](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4f1.svg)

Instagram’s advice boils down to this:

- **Make Reels. Lots of them.** The FAQ explicitly states that creators who post 10+ Reels per month experience the fastest follower growth.
- **Engage.** Comments and likes tell the algorithm who to show your content to.
- **Experiment with format.** Try carousels, photos, and humor—but video wins.
- **Consistency is king.** Keep posting; don’t stop.

Notice a pattern? Every recommendation aligns with Instagram’s corporate priorities:

1.  **Push Reels** because they compete directly with TikTok.
2.  **Drive engagement** because more time on the platform = more ad impressions.
3.  **Post frequently** because fresh content keeps users hooked.

It’s not bad advice. It’s just advice that serves *them* first.

### **Should Brands Follow This?** ![🤔](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f914.svg)

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: yes and no.

- **Yes**, because Instagram controls the distribution. If you want to reach, you play by their rules. Reels and engagement *do* increase visibility.
- **No**, because followers’ ≠ revenue. A million views on a Reel doesn’t mean a single sale unless you’ve built a system behind it (CRM, retargeting, email capture, actual offers).

Blindly following Instagram’s playbook creates content farms, not businesses.

### **Will This Equal Revenue for Your Brand?** ![📈](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4c8.svg)

Not unless you connect the dots. Here’s why:

- **Reels build awareness.** They’re top-of-funnel, not conversions.
- **Engagement builds algorithmic trust.** But “likes” don’t pay the bills.
- **Consistency creates visibility.** But visibility without a funnel is noise.

Revenue comes when you tie visibility to a pipeline:

- Capture leads with offers in your bio, ads, or DMs.
- Retarget viewers with paid campaigns.
- Track which content actually drives sales, not just views.

Without that, you’re just entertaining people on Instagram’s dime.

![Illustration for Instagram Publishes Growth Advice](/blog/media/f8a9bc6c8d59992eda2603af.webp)

### **The Brutal Truth** ![⚡](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/26a1.svg)![🚨](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f6a8.svg)

Instagram’s recommendations are self-serving. They want more content, more Reels, more time on the platform—because that’s how *they* make money.

For your brand, the playbook is different:

- Utilize Instagram’s guidelines to increase visibility.
- But don’t mistake followers for growth.
- Revenue requires systems outside the app.

If you treat Instagram as your business model, you’re building on rented land. If you treat it as just one weapon in your arsenal—feeding data into your CRM, retargeting campaigns, and long-term brand strategy—you’ll win.

The choice is yours. Make it count. Growth demands it. ![📈](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4c8.svg)![🏆](https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f3c6.svg)