Instagram

Instagram was founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, who launched the photo-sharing app in 2010. It grew to millions of users within its first year, which attracted Facebook's attention and ultimately led to the acquisition.

Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 for approximately one billion dollars, a figure that stunned the tech industry at the time since Instagram had no revenue. The deal is now widely regarded as one of the most valuable acquisitions in tech history, as Instagram became a cornerstone of what is now Meta's business.

Yes — the official @instagram account has amassed well over 685 million followers, placing it among the very top accounts on the platform it operates. Only a small number of individual celebrity accounts come close to rivaling it in total follower count.

Accounts at the Mega tier — especially platform and brand accounts — almost always see engagement rates that sit well below the category median, and @instagram is a textbook example. The vast majority of its followers are passive, having followed for discovery or by default rather than out of personal connection to a single creator's voice.

The @instagram account functions as the platform's editorial and marketing voice, publishing creator spotlights, feature announcements, campaign content, and cultural moments. Recent posts have highlighted musicians like J Balvin and Ryan Castro, actors like Millie Bobby Brown, and everyday creators being showcased through initiatives like #InTheMoment.

Instagram's team discovers creators organically by monitoring high-quality, on-trend content and participation in official campaign hashtags like #MakeTheReelYou, #InTheMoment, and #ShareBlackStories. There is no formal application process; the account essentially curates what its own algorithm and editorial team surface as exemplary or culturally resonant.

#ShareBlackStories is Instagram's ongoing initiative to spotlight and amplify content created by Black creators across the platform. It sits alongside other creator-equity campaigns and reflects Instagram's stated commitment to representation and platform diversity.

Instagram runs several recurring hashtag campaigns designed to encourage specific styles of content creation, including #InTheMoment for candid real-life photography, #MakeTheReelYou for short-form video, #ShareBlackStories for amplifying Black voices, and #CloseFreindsOnly tied to its intimate sharing feature. These campaigns help the platform surface and reward content that demonstrates its core features.

Yes — Instagram maintains an official presence on both YouTube and TikTok in addition to its main account. The YouTube channel leans into creator tutorials and inspiration, while the TikTok account mirrors the discovery-and-trend-spotting angle of the main platform, though both have far smaller audiences than the flagship Instagram account.

The account regularly spotlights a mix of global superstars and emerging creators, with recent features including Colombian reggaeton star J Balvin, rapper Ryan Castro, and Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown alongside her partner Louis Partridge. It also highlights under-the-radar creators to reinforce the idea that Instagram is a platform for everyday creativity, not just celebrity.