How to Go Viral on Instagram: Tips and Best Practices for 2025

Going viral is the fastest way to break into influencer territory on Instagram. Users can easily 100x their follower counts on a single post if it happens to go viral. Haliey Welch, better known as “Hawk Tuah Girl”, is a recent example; after a clip of her went viral in June 2024, she amassed over 1m followers in one month on Instagram alone!

However, that instance was pure coincidence. Welch didn’t plan on going viral. Many viral moments share that authenticity. So, is it even possible to go viral intentionally?

The answer is yes. However, it takes a lot of time and effort. As Lionel Messi once said, “it took me 17 years and 114 days to become an overnight success”. Would-be influencers must be prepared to build their accounts slowly for a long time before breaking through.

Let’s show you how. In this guide, we’re going to tell you how to go viral on Instagram without followers, with 10+ valuable best practices you can count on.

The Core Principles Behind Instagram Virality

You need to know what “going viral” really means if you want to succeed. After all, it’s a whole lot more than gaining lots of views.

Generally, viral content is characterized as gaining over 1m views within a few days. If you want to know how to go viral on Instagram Reels specifically, we can say that viral Reels are those which reach about 7.5x more people than the creator has followers.

This happens because of:

• Algorithm alignment - Instagram pushes content it believes people want. Virality happens when your post aligns with how the algorithm measures engagement:
  • Strong early engagement - likes, comments, shares, and saves signal quality.
  • High watch time - the longer people watch, the more Instagram boosts.
  • Shares & saves - these are actually weighted more heavily as signs of real value than likes.
• Emotional triggers - viral content usually evokes a strong, quick emotional reaction. That could be:
  • Relatability
  • Surprise
  • Humor
  • Inspiration
  • Controversy
• Cultural relevance - virality is all about the now. That means viral content tends to tap into trends, news cycles, seasonal events, or memes (and even sounds).
• Format & hook - the first moments are everything in viral content. There’s always an element that grabs viewers straight away, usually within the first three seconds. You’ll also probably notice things like bold visuals and text overlays, too.
• Utility - viral content is content that people share, so it has to contain something of value. That could be:
  • Entertaining - something funny or engaging
  • Useful - think tips, hacks, guides, templates
  • Status-enhancing - posting makes them seem in-the-know
• Consistency - virality is a numbers game. Most creators who go viral actually have thousands of posts that didn’t. In short, more attempts equals more chances to break through.

Post Reels With Strong Hooks in the First 3 Seconds

Did you know that the average Instagram users’ attention span is just 8 seconds? That’s just for sustained interest. You actually have just 3 seconds maximum to make a scroller stick around. You need to start strong.

Start with:

• A bold statement
• An unexpected visual
• A quick problem-solution setup

You can think of the Reel’s opening like a movie trailer. You want to give people a reason to watch while withholding some kind of payoff until later.

Don’t forget, high retention and repeat plays are powerful signals to Instagram that your content deserves wider distribution.

Use Trending Sounds and Remix Culture Wisely

Music and trending sounds are central to Instagram Reels culture. In fact, studies show that Reels containing trending audios see 29% higher engagement rates on average. Not only does it give a sense of familiarity, it also dramatically increases the chances of your content being discovered as users often browse by sound.

However, going viral on Instagram Reels isn’t all about hopping on trends. It’s also about putting your mark on them. Feel free to remix formats and audios in a way that reflects your brand voice or niche community. This way, you:

1. Keep your content fresh and authentic
2. Benefit from the algorithm’s preference for trending sounds

Write Captions That Spark Curiosity or Conversation

Creators often overlook captions when trying to go viral. However, this is a mistake. Great captions aren’t just there to describe a video, but to compel viewers.

Importantly, a top-tier caption can often drive comments, which Instagram’s algorithm values highly as a top performance metric. Plus, captions that encourage followers to share their perspective create community engagement, which is exactly what pushes a post into wider feeds.

Some ideas for unbeatable captions:

• Pose a question
• Invite a debate
• Tease insights
• Drop a hot take
• Leave an open-ended question

Pair a conversation-starting caption with a sharable Reel/image and you’ve got a recipe for exponential growth!

Collaborate With Creators Through Instagram Collabs

Want a shortcut to virality? The closest thing could be the Instagram Collab feature. This allows two creators to share the same post. Double the reach, double the engagement.

This is a fantastic way to expose your content to followers who may have never come across it otherwise. Plus, collabs also provide a certain degree of credibility - if someone they follow trusts you, they will, too.

However, don’t necessarily try and collaborate with anyone. It has to feel authentic. So, we recommend choosing collaborators with aligned values and styles as much as possible. Collaborating on celebrity giveaways is another great way to keep followers excited!

Post Consistently at Peak Audience Hours

There’s a lot of conflicting “science” on when the best time to post on Instagram is. However, there are two things on which everyone agrees: you have to post consistently and you have to post when your audience will be most likely to see it.

Here’s a quick breakdown of how often and when to post for max engagement:

• Consistency - contrary to popular belief, you don’t necessarily need to post everyday. Studies show that posting (on your feed, that is, not necessarily including Stories) just 2-3 per week is the sweet spot. Businesses who did this saw much higher engagement rates.
• Peak post times - most studies agree that posting on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesday, or Thursdays is best, preferably between 10am and 2-4pm. However, this can vary a lot depending on your audience.

Bear in mind that these benchmarks are just guides. We recommend doing thorough audience research to find out exactly when your audience is most active on the platform.

One-off virals are possible. However, it’s usually careful, sustainable growth that creates the conditions for virality.

Encourage Shares, Saves, and Comments Naturally

Instagram favors posts that users engage with through likes, shares, and saves. However, begging for likes isn’t the answer. The real secret is to encourage interaction naturally. That’s why it’s so important to create content that’s:

• Useful
• Relatable
• Though-provoking

Also consider how different content types get engaged with:

• Infographics/tips/hacks/recipes - tend to get saved
• Funny/shocking/relatable posts - tend to get shared

Whatever your content, you can always end with a gentle prompt, too, like “what do you think?” This can help to drive meaningful comments, another key player in algorithm boosting.

Turn Followers Into Contributors With UGC Challenges

One of the best ways to multiply your reach exponentially (beyond even your own followers) is to incorporate UGC. That’s User-Generated Content. UGC works like this:

1. Launch a branded challenge or prompt followers to create content around a theme.
2. Followers participate in the challenge or create related content.
3. Exponential numbers of their followers discover your brand.

Users love this. Not only does it give them a sense of participation, it also strengthens your sense of community. Highlighting and reposting UGC also builds trust and encourages even more participation.

The key is to come up with the right UGC challenge, which can take some serious ideation! High-performing examples include:

• Starbucks’ Red Cup Content
• Gymshark’s #Gymshark66
• Apple’s #ShotOniPhone

Leverage Carousels for Educational or Storytelling Content

Instagram Carousels are sadly often slept on. Even though statistics show they’re a powerful tool when done right. For instance, Carousel posts actually have:

1. A higher-than-average 1.92% engagement rate
2. 2x more comments on average

This could be down to the fact that Carousels (swipe-through posts) lend themselves well to storytelling and payoff-building. You’ll often see things like step-by-step guides and recipes in a Carousel format.

These types of content naturally drive engagement, especially saves and shares. Plus, they clearly keep people engaged for longer, which is a great signal for the algorithm.

Top tips on how to go viral on Instagram with Carousels:

1. Use bold visuals
2. Keep text digestible
3. Aim for 10 slides

Optimize Hashtags and Geo-Tags for Discoverability

Many influencers and businesses mistakenly think that Instagram has evolved beyond hashtags. However, that’s not wholly true. Certainly, the algorithm takes a lot more factors into account than it used to, but hashtags and geo-tags still play an important role.

Here’s why:

• Hashtags - a smart mix of niche and broader hashtags helps your content surface in feeds where it’s most likely to resonate.
• Geo-tags - people love seeing content that’s related to things near them, especially when tied to trending locations or events.

The key is to be strategic. Don’t spam. Choose tags that actually align with your content and target audience so users aren’t disappointed by the content itself.

There are many great resources for generating the perfect hashtags to go viral on Instagram. Our top picks are Sistrix and Ahrefs, but there are plenty others.

Repurpose Viral Posts Across Stories, Reels, and Other Platforms

If you’re lucky enough to go viral, don’t let the momentum die. One viral moment is no guarantee of sustainable success. The best way to keep the candle burning is to repurpose content.

This means reframing content for different formats. For example, you could:

• Share your viral Reel in Stories with interactive stickers to drive even more engagement
• Break down a carousel into bite-sized Stories or re-edit it into a Reel
• Cross-post to platforms like TikTok, YouTube Shorts, or even X/Twitter

This ensures you’re not relying on a single platform for traction.

There’s one vital tip to keep in mind with repurposing: you have to add new value. Don’t simply copy and paste content. Make sure it sits well in its new format and serves the audience there!

The Technical Side of Going Viral

Creativity is the soul of content, but technical details are the engine that moves it forward. Don’t overlook the technical aspects involved in going viral on Instagram. Those aspects include:

• Video dimensions - optimizing dimensions and resolution for Reels and Stories.
• Subtitles - adding clear, digestible text overlays increases engagement.
• Captions - strong captions that don’t just describe but draw viewers in.
• Editing - keeping videos moving along quickly to avoid attention drop-offs.
• Lighting - studies show that images and videos with great lighting perform better.
• Metadata - using relevant hashtags, geo-tags, and keyword-rich alt text.

Virality is all about creating content that’s easy to find and easy to watch. These technical foundations will put you in the best position to spread your message.

How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Viral Growth

Going viral on Instagram is a worthwhile business goal and a super exciting feeling. However, it’s easy to stumble and easy to give up when things don’t go right. Newcomers tend to make several major mistakes when learning how to go viral on Instagram overnight.

Here are the main ones to avoid:

1. Chasing trends - you don’t have to jump on every trend you come across. Ones that resonate, and secure new followers, are ones that actually align with your brand. Remember, long-term trust beats short-term visibility.
2. Neglecting your existing audience - pursue new followers, but never at the expense of existing ones. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck in a hamster wheel of gaining followers and losing followers. Authenticity is key.
3. Overproducing - the fastest way to burn out. Virality doesn’t come down to posting 5+ times a day. It’s about producing the right content at the right time.
4. Chasing vanity metrics - a million views is an amazing feeling, but it won’t help if they’re not the right audience. Far better to balance reach with resonance and find people who actually care about your goals.

How to Turn Viral Moments Into Lasting Growth

Virality creates a surge of attention, which is great. However, if you really want to increase Instagram followers, you need to think carefully about what you do next.

Here are four tips that will help you turn a viral moment into long-lasting and sustainable Instagram growth:

1. Make following easy - you don’t just want people to view once and move on. You want them to follow. To do this, pin strong posts, optimize your bio, and highlight significant Reels that reflect your brand.
2. Nurture engagement - engagement is more important than views. The best way to increase Instagram engagement is to get stuck in: respond to comments and DMs to convert casual viewers into fans.
3. Create related content - take note of what works. If a particular Reel outperforms others by miles, find out why and replicate it without simply duplicating content.
4. Deepen relationships - don’t let followers sit and watch. Guide them into deeper channels like email lists or communities.

The Future of Virality on Instagram Beyond 2025

The truth is, virality on Instagram is changing. Social media algorithms are evolving to improve user experiences. Just as hashtags no longer dictate success, the processes top brands use today might not always work.

Here are the aspects we think will dictate virality on Instagram in the years to come:

• Personalization - people are becoming tired of mass trends and more interested in niche communities. Instagram’s algorithm will likely get much better at surfacing content tailored to micro-interests. That means creators who can balance broad appeal with niche relevance are in a fantastic position.
• Interactivity - formats are likely to become more immersive, especially with the rise of AI. We expect AR effects and AI editing, and even tighter shopping integrations, to characterize the future of social media success.
• Repurposing - audiences are fragmenting. People are honing in on social media platforms that suit them best, and new platforms will probably emerge in the next decade. Being able to effectively repurpose content to succeed on other platforms will hugely cut time spent on content and increase chances of going viral.

Conclusion

There’s a lot of misunderstanding around how to go viral on Instagram. Behind the mystery, however, there are clear steps any brand or influencer can take to increase their chances of success. These tips won’t necessarily guarantee you’ll hit the headlines tomorrow, but they can put you in a much better position to grow.

Steady, sustainable growth is the best strategy you have for virality on Instagram, not hoping for a one-off success. The first step in that strategy is an extensive social media audit. This will tell you exactly where you’re succeeding and where you can improve.

Influize is a trusted social media consultant service and digital marketing agency. Our experts have years of experience taking brands from a handful of followers to thousands through proven, replicable strategies.