How do you get 1K followers on Instagram in 5 minutes

Well, this looks clickbaity, doesn’t it?

When I first saw this question on Quora, my first reaction was, “How delusional (or as Gen Z would say, delulu) do you have to be to think you can get 1,000 followers in 5 minutes?”

But then it hit me — it’s actually not impossible.

So, here we are.

I’m breaking down 3 legal (and effective) ways to make this happen.

1] Get shoutout from a big influencer

That’s the best way to get thousands of followers under 5 minutes

Back when I worked with a well-known educator, my Instagram account was private with barely 200 followers.

After I proofread his book, he was impressed.

As a kind gesture, shared a thank-you note for me on his story.

And bam! Within 2–3 minutes, my notifications exploded with 800 follow requests.

This strategy never fails.

Think about it — if you’re a new boutique and someone like Alia Bhatt gives you a shoutout in her story, you won’t just get followers, you’ll get lakhs of them in no time.

Influencer mentions are the ultimate hack. Try it!

2] Giveaway

What’s something people love more than anything? Freebies.

Giveaways are a sureshot way to attract attention — and followers.

Here’s how it works:

If you’re a new brand, post a giveaway with an irresistible offer like this:

“One lucky person who comments and follows my page in the next 5 minutes will get the latest iPhone.”

Sounds gimmicky, right?

But, you’ll hit that 1,000-follower mark faster than you can imagine.

People love free stuff. Use that to your advantage.

3] Newsjack a Viral Moment

Jump on a trending news story or cultural event and make it your own.

Every year there are at least 5–6 big events that everyone talks about
Eg. farmer protest, USA election, Mahakumbh

For example, during the latest Mahakumbh, IIT Baba went viral and had everyone talking.

Done right, newsjacking is a golden ticket.

Disclaimer:

These ideas can get you followers in minutes.

But here’s the thing — prepping for them takes time.

You’ll need 1 day to a week to pull it off.

Why?

Because influencers have schedules, and your shoutout has to fit in.

Giveaways require actual prizes (like an iPhone), which you’ll need to get first.

And trending news content? That takes creativity, timing, and effort to hit the mark.

The success might look instant, but behind the scenes, there’s a lot of hustle to make it happen.