Bigfollow•10. Juli 2025•

The number that reveals more than your follower counter

When we talk about success on Instagram, most of us stare at a single number: the number of followers. We get excited about every new subscriber and annoyed about every one that leaves. But what if I told you that there is a much smarter and more meaningful number to measure your success? This is where the question comes in: What is the Instagram follower growth rate?

You may have heard this term before, especially in connection with Instagram key figures or KPIsand thought it was just complicated marketing stuff. But don't worry! The Growth rateas it is called in English, is a super simple tool that anyone can understand and use.

In this article, we'll explain what this rate is, why it's so important and how you can easily calculate it yourself. calculate and how you can use them to really boost your growth on Instagram.

Simply explained: What is the follower growth rate?

Imagine you are driving from Altdorf to Zurich by car. Your follower count is like the distance you've already covered - let's say 50 kilometers. That's a nice number, but it doesn't tell you anything about how fast you're driving.

The Instagram follower growth rate is exactly that: your speedometer! It shows you how fast your account is currently growing.

Quite official it measures the percentage growth of your subscribers in a certain period of time, for example within a month. Instead of just saying "I got 100 new followers this month", you say "My account grew by 5 % this month". That's a huge difference, and we'll look at why now.

Why this number is more important than your pure follower count

An account with 100,000 followers that gains 100 new followers a month is practically stagnating. Its growth is tiny. However, an account with 2,000 followers that gains 100 new followers per month grows by a strong 5 %!

So your growth rate tells you:

• Whether your strategy works: If your rate increases, you're doing something right! Your content is well received.
• What content brings growth: Do you have a high rate in the month in which you posted a lot of reels? Then you know what to do.
• How healthy your account is: Steady, positive growth is a great sign for the algorithm and for potential cooperation partners.

It is one of the most important Instagram key figures for an honest Analysis your performance.

How to calculate your growth rate (don't be afraid of math!)

This may sound complicated, but it's really easy. You only need two numbers and a calculator (your cell phone will do).

The simple formula:

(New followers in a period / followers at the beginning of the period) * 100 = Your growth rate in %

A step-by-step example: Clara's pottery

Clara has a small Instagram account for her handmade ceramics. She wants to show her Growth rate for June calculate.

1. Collect numbers:
   • followers on June 1: 1,000
   • followers on June 30: 1,150
   • New followers in June: 1,150 - 1,000 = 150 new followers
2. Insert into the formula:
   • (150 / 1'000) * 100
3. Calculate:
   • 0,15 * 100 = 15 %

Result: Clara's account grew by an impressive 15 % in June! That's a fantastic Statisticsthat motivates them.

Where can I find the numbers? A look at your Instagram Insights

To increase your growth rate calculateof course you need to know how many followers you have gained. You can easily find this information in your Statisticsthe so-called "Instagram Insights".

This requires a professional account (Creator or Business), which is free and easy to set up.

1. Go to your profile and tap on "Professional dashboard«.
2. Tap on "View account insights«.
3. Go to the "Total number of followers«.
4. Here you can adjust the time period (e.g. "Past 90 days" or the last month) and see exactly how many followers you have gained and lost in total (Instagram shows you the net number). This number is the "new followers" number for your calculation.

What is a 'good' growth rate? (Benchmarks & Targets)

That is the big question! Of course, there is no universal answer, but there are guidelines from the industry. According to various analyses, as often published by marketing platforms such as HubSpot published, the following values are often used as a guide:

• 1 - 3 % per month: Solid, healthy growth for most established accounts.
• 3 - 6 % per month: A very good growth rate. You're doing a lot of things right!
• Over 6 % per month: An excellent rate, often driven by viral content.

Important note: Smaller accounts often grow much faster in percentage terms! For Clara's account with 1,000 followers, 15 % is great, but achievable. For an account with 1 million followers, 15 % growth in one month (i.e. 150,000 new followers) would be almost impossible without huge viral hype.

How to step on the gas: 5 tips to increase your growth rate

Your growth rate is low or you simply want more? No problem! Here are 5 simple strategies:

1. Focus on reels: Reels are the No. 1 reach booster on Instagram. They are much more likely to be played out to non-followers than normal posts. More reels = more visibility = more potential new followers.
2. The right hashtag strategy: Use a mixture of large, medium and small, specific niche hashtags. This way you will be discovered by people who are interested in your topic.
3. Be super-social: Reply to every comment, respond to DMs and - most importantly - interact with other accounts in your niche. Comment, like and be present!
4. Cooperations: Team up with other accounts that have a similar size and target group. Make a joint live video or introduce yourselves in each other's stories. This is one of the most effective methods for quickly gaining new, suitable followers.
5. Analyze your best posts: Check your Insights to see which posts had the most reach and the most interactions. What was the topic? What format was it? Do more of what works!

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Should I calculate my growth rate weekly or monthly?

A monthly calculation makes the most sense for most accounts. It balances out daily or weekly fluctuations and gives you a much more stable and meaningful trend for your Analysis. Measuring weekly can quickly become frustrating if nothing happens for a few days.

My growth rate is negative. What should I do?

Don't panic! It happens to everyone. A negative growth rate means that you have lost more followers than you have gained. This is an important signal. Analyze what happened during this period. Did you post less? Did you change your topic? Was your content perhaps less appealing? Use it as an opportunity to rethink your strategy and try something new.

Do lost followers also count in the analysis?

Yes, if you look in your Instagram Insights, the Statistics for «Total number of followers» already shows the net change. This means that the «unfollows» have already been deducted from the new followers. So you always calculate with the number that Instagram shows you there.

Conclusion: Grow smarter, not just taller

Now you know, what the Instagram follower growth rate isIt is your speedometer, your most important compass that shows you whether you are on the right track. It is one of the most important Instagram key figuresbecause it measures momentum and the effectiveness of your work.

Instead of just staring at the large, static number of followers, you should take a few minutes once a month to look at your Growth rate to calculate. It reveals the truth about your success and helps you to make the right decisions for the future. It's not just about growing taller, it's about growing smarter.

The Instagram follower growth rate is a key performance indicator (KPI) that measures the percentage increase in followers over a certain period of time (e.g. per month). It is calculated using the formula (new followers / followers at the beginning) * 100. This statistic is more important than the pure follower count, as it shows the current growth and success of the content strategy.

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