01
The short answer
To track Instagram follower changes over time, save follower data from one date and compare it with follower data from a later date.
First export → save snapshot → later export → compare snapshots → review gained and lost followers.
A single export tells you the current state of that snapshot. Two exports let you measure change between those points.
02
Start with a baseline snapshot
The first export becomes your baseline. It gives you a reference point for the follower relationships that existed at that time.
You do not need to wait for a problem before creating a baseline. Saving a snapshot now gives you something useful to compare against later.
If you still need the data, follow how to download your Instagram followers and following list.
03
Add a newer snapshot from the same profile
Request a fresh Instagram export later and use the follower data from the same profile.
The newer export becomes your second snapshot. The time between the two snapshots defines the period you are measuring.
Snapshot comparisons only make sense when both exports belong to the same Instagram profile.
04
Compare gained and lost followers
Once you have two follower snapshots, compare the account records in the older set with the newer set.
- Gained follower: present in the newer snapshot but not the older one.
- Lost follower: present in the older snapshot but not the newer one.
- Unchanged follower: present in both snapshots.
This is different from checking who does not follow you back right now. For that distinction, see how to see who doesn’t follow you back and how to identify actual unfollowers between snapshots.
05
Choose a useful tracking interval
There is no single correct schedule. The right interval depends on how much detail you want and how often your account changes.
- Monthly: useful for broad, low-maintenance trend tracking.
- Weekly: gives a narrower window for more active accounts.
- Before and after a campaign: useful when you want to compare a specific period.
- Occasional: enough if you only want periodic check-ins.
Shorter intervals narrow the period in which a change happened, but they still do not create live monitoring.
07
Understand what snapshot tracking can and cannot tell you
Snapshot comparison can show that a follower relationship appeared or disappeared between two exports.
It cannot tell you the exact moment of the change, why the person changed the relationship or what happened between snapshots that was not captured in either export.
Social Janitor does not monitor your Instagram account live. It only compares the export snapshots you choose to import.
Explore example results, then read how unfollower comparisons work for the next level of detail.
06
Track follower changes with Social Janitor
Social Janitor can save snapshots from your Instagram exports and compare later snapshots from the same profile.
Instead of manually matching usernames across files, you can review gained and lost follower relationships between two imported points in time. The same workspace also keeps your current Mutual, Following only and Followers only lists available for review.
Open the free preview with your current Instagram export. A later export can then be compared against that starting point.