How to Get More People to See Your Instagram Posts

Posting on Instagram can sometimes feel like you're shouting into an empty room - you craft beautiful images and thoughtful captions, but only a small fraction of your audience ever sees them. If you’re tired of seeing low reach and engagement, you're in the right place. This guide gives you actionable strategies to work with Instagram's algorithm, create content people genuinely want to see, and actually grow your reach.

Work With the Algorithm, Not Against It

First, let's clear up a common misconception: Instagram doesn't "hide" your posts. It simply prioritizes what it thinks each individual user will find most interesting. The goal of the algorithm is to keep people on the app longer by showing them content they are likely to interact with. Your job is to send positive signals that your content is worth showing to more people.

While the exact formula is a closely guarded secret, these are the main signals that matter:

• Engagement: This is the big one. Likes are good, but comments, shares, and especially saves are golden. These actions tell Instagram that your content is valuable enough to interact with or come back to later.
• Relationships: The algorithm shows content from accounts that users interact with regularly. If someone frequently comments on your posts or you engage in DMs, they are more likely to see your future content on their feed.
• Relevance: Instagram analyzes the content you engage with, the hashtags you follow, and the accounts you interact with to determine your interests. It then shows you posts that align with those interests.
• Recency: Newer posts are generally given priority over older ones. This is why timing your posts effectively continues to be important.

Every strategy that follows is designed to send strong signals in these categories, convincing Instagram your content deserves a front-row seat on people’s feeds.

Create Content People Actually Want to Save & Share

While a "like" is a quick thumbs-up, a "save" is a signal that your content is so valuable, the user wants to refer to it again. A "share" means your content resonated so much that they wanted to show it to their friends. These two actions are powerful indicators for the algorithm and a core part of getting more eyes on your posts.

So, how do you create 'save-able' and 'share-able' content?

Ideas for Save-Worthy Content:

Think "utility and education." Does your post help, teach, or inspire someone to do something? If so, they're likely to save it.

• Tutorials and How-Tos: A carousel post showing "5 Steps to Brew the Perfect Pour-Over Coffee" or a Reel demonstrating a quick graphic design trick.
• Checklists and Lists: "The Ultimate Packing Checklist for a Weekend Getaway" or "10 Free Tools Every Small Business Owner Needs."
• Infographics: Visually break down a complex topic in your industry. For example, a personal trainer could create an infographic on the different types of protein.
• Valuable Tips & Tricks: A simple text-graphic post that shares a useful tip. For a financial advisor, this could be "3 Overlooked Tax Deductions You Might Qualify For."

Always include a direct call-to-action in your caption, like "Tap the bookmark icon to save this for your next project!"

Ideas for Share-Worthy Content:

Shareable content usually pulls at emotional or humorous heartstrings. It's often about identity and connection.

• Relatable Memes and Humor: Create or share memes that perfectly capture an inside joke or common struggle within your niche. A software developer account sharing a meme about a bug on a Friday afternoon will get a lot of shares from other developers.
• Inspirational Quotes: A well-designed quote graphic that resonates with your audience’s goals and aspirations can travel far. Make sure it aligns with your brand's voice.
• Strong Opinions or Myth-Busting: Posting about a common misconception in your industry and explaining the truth can get people talking and sharing, especially if it sparks a healthy debate.
• Community Highlights: Highlighting a customer's success or sharing user-generated content connects with your community and makes both the creator and their followers want to share.

The Right Hashtags Are a Game-Changer

Hashtags aren't just for decoration, they're the primary way Instagram categorizes your content and makes it discoverable to people who don't follow you yet. But simply adding 30 of the most popular tags won't get you very far. The key is to use a mix of relevant hashtags with varying levels of competition.

Think of it as the "Hashtag Ladder" strategy. You want a blend of tags that gives you a chance to be seen by different audience sizes.

How to Build Your Hashtag Ladder:

1. Popular/Broad Tags (over 500k posts): These get huge traffic, but your post will disappear quickly. Use 2-3 of these to get a quick initial boost. For a fitness coach, this might be #fitnessmotivation or #workout.
2. Niche/Specific Tags (50k - 500k posts): This is your sweet spot. These tags have a healthily engaged audience but are less competitive. You have a real chance of ranking in the "Top posts" section here. For our fitness coach, this could be #kettlebellworkouts or #homeworkoutideas. Use 10-15 of these.
3. Hyper-Niche/Community Tags (under 50k posts): These are highly targeted tags related to your location, specific community, or unique offering. Exposure is smaller, but the audience is much more relevant and engaged. Examples might be #denverpersonaltrainer or #postpartumfitnessjourney. Use 5-7 of these.
4. Branded Tags (unique to you): Create 1-2 hashtags just for your brand, like #YourBrandWorkouts. It helps categorize your content and encourages user-generated content over time.

Searching for hashtags directly in the Instagram app is the best way to see their current size. Test different combinations in your posts and review your Post Insights to see which hashtag sets are driving the most reach.

Leverage Every Format Instagram Offers

Instagram isn't just a photo-sharing app anymore. It's a suite of content tools, and the algorithm rewards creators who use the different features on the platform. Each format has a unique purpose and helps you reach different segments of your audience.

• Reels: The Reach Engine. Instagram is heavily pushing Reels, and it's by far the best tool for reaching people who don't follow you yet. The algorithm actively serves Reels to new audiences based on their interests. Aim for short, entertaining, or educational video content with trending audio to maximize your visibility.
• Stories: Nurture Your Community. Stories are perfect for building deeper relationships with your existing followers. Use interactive stickers like polls, quizzes, and Q&As to start conversations. This tells the algorithm that people are actively engaging with you, which helps your feed posts get more ranking power.
• Carousel Posts: Maximize Dwell Time. Carousels are king for engagement. When a user swipes through multiple slides, they spend more time on your post. This "dwell time" is a strong positive signal. Use carousels to tell a story, share a step-by-step guide, or present a collection of tips.
• Single Image Posts: For High-Impact Visuals. The classic single-image post still has its place, especially for strong, high-quality photography, announcements, or quote graphics that make a quick impact.

A balanced strategy that includes a mix of these formats will give you the best shot at reaching new people while also deepening your connection with current followers.

Team Up to Go Further with Collaborations

One of the fastest ways to get your content in front of a new, relevant audience is by borrowing someone else's. Partnering with other creators or brands in your niche exposes your account to a group of people who are already interested in what you are talking about.

How to Use Collaborations Effectively:

• Use the Instagram Collab Feature: This is a simple but powerful tool. When you create a feed post or Reel, you can invite a "collaborator." If they accept, the post will appear on both of your profiles, shared to both of your audiences, and collecting engagement (likes, comments) in one place. It's an easy win-win for both accounts.
• Engage in 'Soft' Shoutouts: You don't always need a formal partnership. Regularly share and tag other creators' content that you admire in your Stories. More often than not, they will notice and return the favor, giving you a quick shoutout to their followers.
• Promote Your Instagram Everywhere Else: Your Instagram reach strategy shouldn't live only on Instagram. Cross-promote your handle on your other marketing channels. Add a link to your Instagram profile in your email signature, feature it on your website header, and remind your subscribers on other social networks like TikTok or X to follow you on Instagram for exclusive content.

Final Thoughts

Getting more people to see your Instagram posts isn't about finding a single secret hack, it's about consistently applying a smart strategy. By focusing on creating valuable, save-worthy content, using a thoughtful hashtag strategy, engaging with your community, and using all the formats available on the platform, you'll send all the right signals to the algorithm and start seeing your reach grow.

We know that consistently planning, creating, and scheduling all of this content, especially video, can be a massive challenge. That's why we built Postbase from the ground up to handle the fast-paced reality of social media today. With a beautiful visual calendar, rock-solid scheduling for Reels and short-form video that actually works, and a unified inbox for all your comments, our goal is to help you put your strategy into action without the daily chaos.