How to Increase Reach on Instagram

Seeing your Instagram reach sink can feel incredibly frustrating, but it's a completely solvable problem. You just need to adjust your strategy to align with what the platform and its users want to see right now. This guide walks you through tangible, up-to-date tactics to get your content in front of more people, grow your audience, and reignite your engagement.

Master Instagram Reels for Maximum Exposure

If you take only one piece of advice from this article, let it be this: prioritize Instagram Reels. The algorithm is heavily biased towards short-form video, making Reels the single most powerful tool for reaching new audiences. Simply put, Instagram shows Reels to people who don't follow you far more often than it shows them your feed posts or Stories. But posting any random video won't cut it. Your Reels need to be strategic.

Hook Viewers in the First Three Seconds

You have a tiny window to stop someone from scrolling. Your opening three seconds must be compelling, intriguing, or visually interesting. If you’re not grabbing attention immediately, you've already lost. Here are a few hook ideas that work:

• Start with a bold statement: "You're probably making these three mistakes with..."
• Ask a relatable question: "Do you ever feel like your content is going nowhere?"
• Show the final result first: If you're creating a recipe or a craft, show the beautiful finished product before you explain the process.
• Use intriguing text on screen: "This is the one marketing hack I wish I knew sooner."

Use Trending Audio the Smart Way

Using trending audio can give your Reel a significant boost, as Instagram often pushes content that uses popular sounds. However, don't just jump on a trend for the sake of it. Find a way to connect the audio to your niche or message in a creative way.

Here’s how to find what’s trending:

1. Scroll through your Reels feed and look for the little upward-facing arrow next to the audio name. That indicates a song is currently trending.
2. When creating a Reel, tap the 'Audio' button. Instagram will often suggest trending songs.
3. Follow accounts like @creators, who frequently post updates on trending sounds and effects.

When you use a trending sound, make sure it complements your visual content. A lip-sync audio might be perfect for a personality-driven brand, while an instrumental track could be better for a product demonstration.

Keep it Short, Sweet, and Rewatchable

While Reels can be up to 90 seconds, shorter is often better. The sweet spot for many creators is between 7 and 15 seconds. This length is short enough to hold attention and long enough for you to create a loop, which means people might watch it two or three times. Multiple watches signal to the algorithm that your content is highly engaging, which increases its reach.

Think about creating content with high "rewatch value," like quick tips, fast-paced transformations, or satisfying process videos. These formats encourage viewers to watch again to catch everything they missed the first time.

Revamp Your Hashtag Strategy

Hashtags are not dead, but how you should use them has changed. The goal is no longer to just use 30 of the biggest hashtags you can find. Today, it’s about using relevant hashtags that tell the algorithm exactly what your content is about and who it should be shown to.

Build a "Hashtag Stack"

A great hashtag strategy uses a mix of different types of hashtags. Think of it as a ladder. Start broad, get more specific, and finish with something that's uniquely yours. For a single post, a good mix would be:

• Broad or Popular Hashtags (3-5): These have hundreds of thousands or even millions of posts (e.g., #socialmediamarketing, #digitalart). You probably won't stay on these pages for long, but you can get a quick burst of initial visibility.
• Specific Niche Hashtags (5-10): These are more targeted to your community and have between 20,000 to 200,000 posts (e.g., #smallbusinessmarketingtips, #procreateillustration). This is where your ideal audience is most likely browsing.
• Hyper-Niche or Community Hashtags (5-10): These are super-specific to your corner of the internet (e.g., #austinwomeninbusiness, #freelancewriterlife). Your chances of being a top post here are much higher.
• Branded Hashtags (1-2): This is a hashtag specific to your business or a campaign you're running (e.g., #PostbaseTips). It's great for organizing your own content and encouraging user-generated content down the line.

Place Them Where You Want

Should hashtags go in the caption or the first comment? The honest answer is: it doesn't matter for reach. Instagram has confirmed that hashtags are effective in both places. This is a purely aesthetic choice. If you prefer a clean caption, tuck them in the first comment. If you want everything in one place, add them at the bottom of your caption.

Optimize Every Post for Engagement Signals

Reach is driven by engagement. When people like, comment, share, and - most importantly - save your content, it signals to Instagram that your post is valuable. The more signals a post gets, the more people Instagram will show it to. Focus on creating content that actively encourages these actions.

Create "Saveable" and "Shareable" Content

Before you post, ask yourself: "Why would someone save or share this?" People save content that is useful, educational, or inspirational. They share content that is relatable, funny, or helps them express their own identity.

Ideas for highly saveable content:

• Checklists or To-Do Lists: A list of steps for a specific process (e.g., "5 Steps to Your First Successful Ad Campaign").
• Quick Tutorials: A carousel post or Reel that teaches a simple skill quickly.
• Helpful Resources: "My Favorite Free Apps for Content Creation."
• Inspirational Quotes: Especially if they're well-designed and resonate with your audience's goals and pain points.

Write Captions That Start Conversations

Your caption is a huge opportunity to encourage comments. Don't just describe what's in the photo or video. Use it to speak directly to your audience. End your caption with a direct call-to-action or a question to prompt a response.

Avoid generic questions like "What do you think?" Instead, ask specific, low-effort questions. For example:

• Instead of: "What are your weekend plans?" try "Are you team relax at home or go out this weekend? 🛋️ or 💃?"
• Instead of: "Do you agree?" try "Which of these tips is your favorite? Tell me below! 👇"

This simple change makes it much easier for someone to respond quickly.

Post Consistently and at the Right Times

The algorithm favors accounts that post consistently. It shows that you are an active, reliable creator. Consistency doesn't mean you have to post daily. It means choosing a realistic schedule - whether it's three times a week or five times a week - and sticking to it. A predictable rhythm helps build momentum.

To maximize initial engagement on each post, it's best to publish when most of your followers are active. You don't need a third-party tool to find this out.

How to Find Your Peak Times:

1. Go to your profile and tap on your Professional Dashboard.
2. Tap on View All Insights.
3. Head over to the Total Followers section.
4. Scroll down to the bottom to find the Most Active Times chart. You can toggle between hours and days to see a detailed breakdown of when your audience is scrolling.

Use this as your starting point. Test posting right at the beginning of a peak activity window to give your content the best chance of being seen fresh.

Collaborate to Tap Into New Audiences

Collaborating with other creators or brands is one of the fastest ways to get your account in front of a new, targeted audience. Instagram's built-in "Invite Collaborator" feature makes this incredibly easy and effective.

When you add a collaborator to a post or Reel, it appears on both of your profiles and is shown to both of your audiences. You share the engagement (likes and comments) and effectively double your initial reach. Look for partners in complementary niches, not direct competitors. For example, a wedding photographer could collaborate with a florist, a personal trainer with a nutritionist, or a graphic designer with a copywriter.

Be Social on Social Media

Finally, remember that Instagram is a social network. The algorithm pays attention to how you interact with others, not just how others interact with you. Don't just post and ghost.

• Reply to all comments quickly, especially within the first hour of posting. This tells the algorithm your post is sparking conversation.
• Tag relevant accounts in your posts or Stories. When they share your content, it acts as a recommendation and drives traffic back to your page.
• Engage with other accounts in your niche. Spend 15-20 minutes a day leaving thoughtful comments on posts from brands you admire, potential clients, or your peers. This puts your profile in front of their followers and builds genuine relationships in your community.

Building reach happens one person at a time. The more you show up as an active and helpful member of your community, the more the platform will reward you with visibility.

Final Thoughts

Increasing your reach on Instagram boils down to a simple formula: deliver value through formats the algorithm loves (like Reels), engage your audience with compelling captions and content, and strengthen your community by being an active participant. Consistently apply these strategies, and you'll put your content in the best position to be seen by more people who will love what you do.

Planning and scheduling all of this content - especially short-form video for Reels - can feel like a full-time job. We created Postbase because we were tired of wrestling with outdated tools that weren't built for today's content. I find that our visual calendar is a game changer for seeing my entire strategy at a glance, and I can schedule Reels to publish automatically - no more push notifications. Plus, having a single inbox to answer all the comments and DMs makes it feel manageable to actually build that community you're working so hard for.