How to Reach Non-Followers on Instagram Reels

Creating an amazing Instagram Reel is one thing, but getting it seen by people who don’t follow you is the real objective. If you feel like you're putting great content into a void, you aren’t alone. This guide gives you a clear, actionable game plan to push your Reels beyond your current audience and onto the explore pages of thousands of potential new followers.

First, Let's Understand How the Reels Algorithm Thinks

Before you can make the algorithm work for you, you need to understand its primary goal: keeping users on the app for as long as possible. To do this, Instagram's algorithm acts like a curator, trying to find the perfect content for each individual user. It measures countless signals to decide if your Reel is entertaining enough to show to a wider audience, but it mostly boils down to a few core factors:

• Viewer Engagement: Is your Reel getting likes, comments, shares, and saves? More importantly, are people watching it all the way through? Even better, are they watching it more than once? High watch time and replays are massive indicators of good content.
• Relevancy and Context: The algorithm scans everything to figure out what your Reel is about. This includes the audio you use, the visuals, hashtags, the text on the screen, and the keywords in your caption. It then tries to match your Reel with users who have shown interest in those topics before.
• Creator Activity: Are you posting consistently? Do you engage with trends? Are you an active contributor to the platform? Instagram tends to reward creators who consistently provide value to its users.

Your job isn't to "hack" the algorithm, but to create Reels that naturally send positive signals in these three areas. When you do that, Instagram gets the message that your content is worth pushing to people who haven't discovered you yet.

Seven Proven Strategies to Create Reels That Reach New Audiences

Now that you understand the "why," let’s get into the "how." Here are seven strategies to build into your creation process to maximize your reach to non-followers.

1. Grab Attention Immediately with a Strong Hook

You have less than three seconds to convince someone to stop scrolling. If the first couple of seconds of your Reel are slow or confusing, viewers will move on without a second thought, telling the algorithm your content isn’t engaging. Your hook is the most important part of your video.

A good hook does one of two things: it creates curiosity or it states the value upfront. Here are some examples:

• Bold Statements: "You're probably calculating your marketing ROI all wrong."
• Intriguing Questions: "What if you could plan a month of content in just an hour?"
• Visual Intrigue: Start with a surprising or aesthetically pleasing visual, like a sped-up process or a satisfying transition, with text that explains what's happening.
• "Before and After" Setups: Show the final outcome at the very beginning, then rewind to show how you got there.

Get straight to the point. No long intros, no company logos. Just pure, attention-grabbing content that promises the viewer they're about to see something helpful or interesting.

2. Use Trending Audio the Right Way

Using trending audio doesn't automatically make your Reel go viral, but it is a powerful discoverability tool. When a sound or song is trending, Instagram actively pushes content using that audio to more users. Think of it like a hashtag - it gives the algorithm a category to place your content in.

The trick isn't just to use a trending sound, but to use it in a way that feels relevant to your niche. Slapping a trending song on a completely unrelated video won't have the same effect. Instead, find a way to adapt the trend to your industry or audience.

How to spot and use trends effectively:

• Look for the Arrow: When scrolling through Reels, you’ll see a little diagonal arrow next to the audio name on videos that are using trending songs.
• Save Sounds Proactively: When you hear an audio you like or see a trend performing well, save the sound. Build a library of potential audios so you’re ready when inspiration strikes.
• Add Your Own Spin: Ask yourself, "How can my brand/niche participate in this trend?" If it's a lip-sync sound about a relatable work frustration, how does that apply to your customers or field? Connect the dots for your audience.

3. Leverage SEO with Smart Keywords and Hashtags

Instagram is a visual search engine. Users are no longer just scrolling, they're actively searching for tutorials, tips, product reviews, and inspiration using the search bar. This is your chance to get discovered based on what your content is about.

The algorithm doesn’t just read your caption and hashtags, it reads the text on your screen and even transcribes the audio from your voiceovers. You need to use relevant keywords everywhere you can.

A simple Instagram SEO strategy:

• On-Screen Text: Clearly state what the video is about (e.g., "3 Lightroom Editing Tips").
• Spoken Words: Verbally mention your topics and keywords in the video. The automatic captions will pick them up.
• Caption: Expand on your video's topic using a few descriptive sentences at the start of your caption. For instance, "Here are my top three Lightroom tips for making your photos look professional. The exposure adjustment tip is a game-changer."
• Hashtags: Use a combination of 5-8 relevant hashtags that describe your content and target audience. Mix broad, specific, and hyper-specific tags. For a Reel about home organization hacks, you could use:
  • Broad: #homeorganization, #decluttering
  • Specific: #kitchenorganizationhacks, #smallspaceorganization
  • Hyper-specific: #pantryorganizationideas, #diyhomestorage

4. Provide Actionable Value, Not Just a Sales Pitch

People follow accounts that benefit them in some way. Non-followers have no existing brand loyalty to you, so your content needs to provide immediate and undeniable value. They should walk away feeling like they just learned something, felt inspired, or were entertained. Every Reel you create should aim to serve one of these purposes:

• Educate: Share quick tips, tutorials, easy-to-follow how-tos, industry myths busted, or common mistakes to avoid. This positions you as an expert.
• Inspire: Show behind-the-scenes glimpses, client testimonials, a success story, or your brand's mission. This builds a human connection.
• Entertain: Use humor, tell a relatable story, participate in a funny trend, or create visually satisfying content. This makes your brand memorable and likable.

Keep your direct sales pitches for your Stories or product-focused posts. Your Reels are for attracting a new audience by consistently offering them value first.

5. Get the Technical Details Right

Low-quality content gets deprioritized by the algorithm. Before you post, run through a quick technical checklist to give your Reel the best chance of performing well:

• Use High-Quality Video: Shoot in good lighting and ensure your video is crisp and in focus. Avoid blurry or pixelated footage.
• Ditch the Watermark: Instagram has explicitly stated that it will deprioritize content that contains visible watermarks from other platforms (like TikTok). Upload a clean, watermark-free version of your video.
• Design for Sound-Off Viewing: The majority of users watch Reels without sound. Use clear, easy-to-read on-screen text or captions to convey your message.
• Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA): Ending with a CTA encourages engagement. Instead of just “Follow me,” try prompts that boost signals, like “Save this guide for later,” “Share this with a fellow designer,” or “Comment your favorite tip below.”

6. Partner Up with Collaborators

Instagram’s Collabs feature is one of the most direct ways to get in front of a new audience. When you invite another account to be a collaborator on your Reel, it shows up on both of your profiles and is served to a mix of both of your audiences.

Look for creators or brands in your niche that aren't direct competitors but share a similar target audience. A wedding photographer could collab with a floral designer, or a financial advisor could collab with a real estate agent. The key is to find partners whose content complements your own.

7. Aim for Strategic Consistency

You’ve probably heard "consistency is key," but that doesn't mean you need to post a Reel every single day. The algorithm cares more about quality than sheer quantity. Posting one high-value, well-edited Reel per day is far more effective than posting three rushed, low-effort ones.

Strategic consistency is about finding a sustainable pace that allows you to create your best work without burning out. Aim for 3-5 high-quality Reels per week. This signals to Instagram that you are an active and reliable contributor, but it also gives you the breathing room to create content that’s genuinely worth sharing.

The Work Isn't Over After You Hit "Publish"

The first hour after your Reel goes live is a telling period for the algorithm. High initial engagement from your existing followers can create the momentum needed to push it onto the Explore Page. To help it along:

• Share it to Your Story: This is a simple way to make sure your most dedicated followers see it immediately. Use an engaging sticker or text overlay to encourage them to tap through.
• Respond to Comments Promptly: When you reply to comments, especially in the first hour, you double your comment count and signal to Instagram that a conversation is happening. This social proof can help boost your Reel's visibility.

Final Thoughts

Reaching non-followers on Reels isn't about one viral trick, it's about building a consistent strategy that centers on providing value. When you craft your Reels with strong hooks, leverage SEO and trends, and focus on educating, inspiring, or entertaining, the algorithm recognizes your content as something worth showing to a broader audience.

Staying on top of this strategy can feel like a lot to juggle, especially when it comes to consistently planning and posting high-quality video. That's why building a clear content workflow is so important. To stay organized here, we use a single visual calendar in Postbase to map out and schedule all our short-form video content - Reels, Shorts, and TikToks - in one place. Having a reliable system keeps us consistent without the last-minute scramble, making it much easier to focus on what matters: creating great content.