1. Get clear on why people should follow you
Before tactics, answer this (even just for yourself):
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Do you educate, entertain, inspire, or sell?
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What problem do you solve or vibe do you give?
If your content doesn’t fit at least one of those, it won’t stick.
2. Optimize for attention (first 2 seconds matter)
People scroll FAST.
For Reels:
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Start with movement or a bold statement
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No slow intros, no logos first
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Add text on screen immediately (most people watch on mute)
Examples:
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❌ “Hey guys, today I want to talk about…”
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✅ “3 mistakes killing your Instagram growth”
3. Post content Instagram pushes
Right now, priority goes roughly like this:
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Reels
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Carousels (swipe posts)
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Stories
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Single images
If you’re posting only photos, you’re playing on hard mode.
4. Use simple content formulas (don’t reinvent the wheel)
Rotate between these:
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Tips / How-to (save-worthy)
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Before vs After
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Mistakes to avoid
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Myth vs Truth
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Behind the scenes
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Personal story with a lesson
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Trends (but adapt them to your niche)
Consistency > creativity.
5. Make captions work for you
You don’t need essays, but you do need structure:
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Hook (first line) → stop the scroll
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Value or story → why this matters
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Call to action → “Save this”, “Comment 👇”, “Share with a friend”
IG cares about saves, shares, comments.
6. Use hashtags & timing smartly (not spammy)
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5–10 relevant hashtags > 30 random ones
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Mix: small + medium + niche-specific
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Post when your audience is active (check Insights)
7. Engage like a human, not a billboard
Growth loves interaction:
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Reply to every comment (especially in the first hour)
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Comment on similar creators’ posts
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Use polls, questions, sliders in Stories
Instagram rewards accounts that act social.
8. Audit what already works
Once a week, check:
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Which posts got the most saves/shares?
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Which ones got comments?
Make more of that, not random new stuff.
9. Be patient—but consistent
Most accounts don’t “blow up.”
They grow because they show up 3–5 times a week and improve 1% each post.