We’re diving deep into organic Instagram growth and my 2021 strategy that I use every single day. I’m going to be sharing my entire strategy for organic growth to reach more followers and for higher engagement on your account so you can grow your small business online. Today, I’m sharing my top 5 tips from my Instagram growth strategy with you! 

Instagram Reels are where it’s at! 

Honestly the first thing that’s helped with my organic growth this year is Instagram Reels. If you’re not seeing a lot of growth and you’re not on Instagram Reels, let me tell you that you’re missing out! This has been one of the biggest ways I’ve grown my account since August 2020 when Reels came out. I’ve gone from about 6,000 to 15k. I’ve personally seen a direct correlation to how often I share and engage on them and how my engagement and followers grow. And if you’re not sure how to get going with Instagram Reels, check out my Reels Tutorial! 

Personal Brands matter. 

Here’s the thing: people want REAL over perfect feeds. When you’re thinking of buying from a business or engaging with a brand, you want to know the person that’s running it. By showing up as yourself, your followers will feel more connected to you. Over the last year, I’ve focused on sharing myself and my personal life on Instagram more than before. I’ve found that the more I really make that shift, I’m getting more inquiries for my photography. They’re connecting with me first as a person and then wanting to work with me. It’s been really amazing to attract MY people this way! 

A side note: you don’t have to share EVERYTHING to have a personal brand. Find what you’re comfortable sharing about that will connect you with your audience and focus on sharing those topics. 

Consistency is KEY! 

The third thing that’s helped my Instagram growth strategy is being consistent. I know this can be hard, but I don’t think there’s a magic number of how much you share. I just think it matters that you show up consistently for those that you are connecting with. And honestly, it doesn’t have to be feed posts. I’m finding that I’m more likely to connect with profiles who post on Instagram stories more than in the feed. They stay in my mind more often and I go looking for them! Personally, I post 3-5 times in my feed (thanks to Later helping me pre-plan that content!) but again, just being consistent is key. 

Engage BACK with your audience

I’ve said this a thousand times, but seriously: Instagram is meant to be a social platform so ENGAGE with your followers! Make sure that you connect with your followers on a real level because we all want to connect with each other. Take the time to respond to direct messages and comments. And try voice memos for those DMs! It can be a great way to build a connection with your followers and easily answer your messages. It makes a huge difference if you sit down and respond to your comments too. People will want to engage with you because they know they’re going to connect with you! 

Have an end game! 

Growing your following and reaching more people is a great goal for Instagram. But, it shouldn’t be the end all, be all for you. Instagram is means to grow your audience but you need to have a plan for what you’re going to do with those followers. More followers doesn’t mean more business. That’s the most important thing to understand. You should still actively work to get them on your email list since you own that and they can hopefully become paying customers. At the end of the day, Instagram should be part of a well-rounded strategy to grow your business audience. 

Instagram is a GREAT place to connect with potential clients as a small business owner. With some effort and a plan, it can be an easy way to build your audience and future clients. I hope that these five tips help you develop a well-planned Instagram strategy for your own business!