How to Increase Instagram Reach

Getting your content seen on Instagram can feel like an uphill battle against a constantly changing algorithm. A post that gets amazing reach one day might fall flat the next, a frustration every creator and marketer knows well. This guide breaks down effective, proven strategies to intentionally expand your Instagram reach, connect with a wider audience, and build a more engaged community.

Go All-In on Instagram Reels

There's no way around it: if you want to increase your reach on Instagram right now, you need to create Reels. Instagram is heavily prioritizing short-form video to compete with TikTok, and the algorithm is actively pushing Reels content to new audiences through the Reels feed, Explore page, and even in the main feed. This is your single biggest opportunity for organic discovery.

Use Trending Audio and Sounds

Trending audio is like a distribution shortcut. When you use a sound that's currently popular, the algorithm is more likely to show your Reel to people who have recently engaged with other videos using that same audio. It's a powerful way to tap into an existing trend and get seen by new eyes.

How to find trending audio:

• Look for the arrow: When scrolling the Reels feed, look for an upward-pointing arrow next to the audio name at the bottom of the screen. This indicates the sound is currently trending.
• Check the audio library: When creating a Reel, tap the 'Audio' icon. Instagram often curates trending and recommended songs right at the top.
• Follow trend-spotting accounts: Many creators dedicate their content to highlighting new trending sounds as soon as they emerge. Following a few of these accounts can keep you ahead of the curve.

Create High-Value, Sharable Content

A trending sound alone won’t make your Reel go viral, the video content needs to be compelling on its own. Your goal is to create content that provides so much value that people feel compelled to either save it for later or share it with a friend. These actions are huge positive signals to the algorithm.

Examples of high-value Reels:

• Quick Tutorials: Show someone how to do something in 30 seconds. This could be a recipe, a makeup technique, a simple workout, or a software tip.
• Behind-the-Scenes: Show the process of how you create your products, pack an order, or set up for an event. People are naturally curious about what goes on in the background.
• Relatable Humor: Create funny skits or use lip-sync audio that speaks directly to the pains or joys of your target audience. Relatability drives shares.
• Inspirational or Aspirational Minivlogs: Pack a quick "day in the life" or a motivational message into a fast-paced, visually appealing Reel.

Get Smart with Your Hashtag Strategy

Just adding 30 random, popular hashtags to your post is an outdated strategy. Today, it’s all about relevance and intent. A smart hashtag strategy helps Instagram understand what your post is about, who it’s for, and show it to people who are actually interested in that topic. Simply put, good hashtags categorize your content for the algorithm.

Build a "Hashtag Ladder"

Don’t just use giant hashtags with millions of posts like #marketing or #fitness. Your content will instantly get buried. Instead, build a "ladder" of hashtags with varying degrees of popularity. A mix of large, medium, and small niche hashtags gives you the best chance of showing up in searches and being seen by the right audience.

A good mix might look something like this:

• 3-5 Popular Hashtags (500k – 2M+ posts): These have a wide reach but are very competitive. Think of them as lottery tickets.
• 5-10 Medium Hashtags (80k – 500k posts): These are more specific and give you a better chance to be seen without getting lost in the noise.
• 10-15 Niche Hashtags (<,80k posts): This is where the magic happens. These are hyper-specific tags that attract a highly targeted and engaged audience. You have a much better shot at ranking in the "Top" section for these.

For example, a freelance graphic designer might use popular tags like #graphicdesign, medium tags like #brandingdesigner or #logoinspiration, and niche tags like #sandiegodesigner or #freelancedesignlife.

Where to Place Your Hashtags

People debate whether hashtags should go in the caption or the first comment. In reality, Instagram has confirmed it makes no difference to the algorithm, both are equally effective for reach. The choice is aesthetic. Putting them in the caption is faster, while hiding them in the first comment provides a cleaner look.

Make Engagement a Top Priority

Instagram wants to see that you are an active member of the community, not just a broadcaster. The more time you spend genuinely interacting on the platform, the more favorably the algorithm will treat your content. Engagement isn't just a byproduct of reach, it's a driver of it.

Respond to Comments and DMs Quickly

When someone takes the time to leave a comment or send you a message, respond as soon as you can. Quick replies, especially within the first hour of posting, signal to the algorithm that your content is kicking off conversations. Try to respond with more than just an emoji, ask a follow-up question to keep the conversation going. The more comments on your post, the more the algorithm recognizes it as high-quality content worth showing to more people.

Spark Conversations in Your Captions

Don't just describe your photo or video, use your captions to start a conversation. Ending your caption with a specific, engaging call-to-action (CTA) can dramatically increase your comments. Instead of a generic "leave a comment," try something like:

• "Which of these 3 tips was most surprising to you?"
• "What's the one thing you're struggling with when it comes to [your topic]?"
• "Share your favorite emoji to describe this vibe."

Proactively Engage in Your Niche

Don't just wait for engagement to come to you - go out and find it. Spend 15-20 minutes each day engaging with other accounts in your industry or niche. This means finding accounts your target audience follows and leaving genuine, thoughtful comments on their posts. This not only builds relationships with other creators but also makes your profile visible to their active followers.

Optimize How and When You Post

Being strategic about what you post and when you post can make a significant difference in its initial momentum, which directly impacts its overall reach.

Find Your Audience's Peak Active Times

Posting when most of your followers are online gives your content the best chance to get that initial burst of engagement. You can find this data directly in your Instagram Insights.

How to find your best posting times:

1. Go to your Profile and tap on your Professional Dashboard.
2. Scroll to Account Insights and tap "See All."
3. Tap on Total Followers.
4. Scroll down to the bottom to find the Most Active Times chart, where you can see a breakdown by day and hour.

Try posting 30-60 minutes before your peak times to give the algorithm time to index and start showing your content just as people are opening the app.

Prioritize Saves and Shares with Your Content Format

As mentioned earlier, saves and shares are extremely powerful metrics that tell Instagram your content is valuable. You can strategically create content formats that encourage this behavior.

• Carousel Posts: These are perfect for "listicles," step-by-step guides, info-dumps, or tips. They keep users on your post longer as they swipe through, and they are highly savable.
• Infographics and Cheatsheets: Any easily digestible, useful graphic is a magnet for saves. People love saving content that makes a complex topic simple.
• Meme and Relatable Quote Graphics: While seemingly simple, relatable content is one of the most shared formats on the platform. If you make someone feel seen, they'll want to share that feeling.

Use the Instagram Collab Feature

If you're creating a post with another brand or creator, use Instagram’s "Collab" feature. This allows the post to appear on both of your profiles simultaneously, collecting likes and comments in one place. It's an incredibly simple way to instantly tap into another creator’s audience and double your potential reach on a single post.

Final Thoughts

Increasing your Instagram reach isn't about finding a single 'hack' but about consistently applying a smart, well-rounded strategy. By focusing on creating high-value Reels, engaging genuinely with your community, using relevant hashtags, and creating content that encourages saves and shares, you provide the algorithm with every signal it needs to show your content to a broader audience.

Executing all of this advice consistently can feel like a lot to juggle, which is precisely why we created our social media platform. At Postbase, we focused on making it incredibly simple to plan all your content on a visual calendar, schedule everything from Reels to Carousels ahead of time, and manage all your Instagram comments and DMs in one unified inbox. Instead of wrestling with a clunky tool, you can focus on creativity, knowing your content will reliably publish where and when it's supposed to. We designed it to be the true partner in your growth you've been looking for.