Social media is one of the most powerful tools when it comes to boosting your business and getting the word out. While platforms such as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have dwindled in their popularity, Instagram continues to be one of the most powerful platforms out there. Whether you want to grow your business, build a personal brand or connect with an audience all around the world, there are so many options open to you when you put in the effort. However, changing algorithms, rising competition and ever-evolving trends mean it’s harder than ever to stand out.
While you used to be able to just post beautiful photos and they could be seen by the right people, it’s much more challenging now. This is why we’ve put together a guide into how you can improve your Instagram reach and engagement in 2025 and hopefully build a winning brand in no time.
Photo by Tofros.com: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-holding-black-smartphone-389734/
- Understanding Instagram’s Algorithm
As mentioned above, you used to be able to share photos and it would just show up chronologically in your followers’ feeds from when it was posted. Nowadays? It’s not so easy. Instead, you need to keep a close eye on your content, what your followers are interested in and what they’re engaging with. The algorithm in 2025 prioritises relevance, recency, engagement and user relationships that means posts that are timely, engaging, and resonate with your target audience will naturally perform better.
Each section of Instagram, whether it be your Feed, Stories, Reels, and Explore, has its own algorithm so you need to be aware of this. While they are different, they all share core principles so you can have a strategy to try and tap into this. Factors like how much time someone spends on your content, likes, comments, shares, and saves all send signals to Instagram that your post is valuable and will be more likely to push it out.
You need to work with the algorithm, not against it, so your focus needs to be on consistent engagement and content that encourages interaction. Make posts that people will like and want more of, feeding into their interests.
- Optimise Your Profile for Maximum Engagement
Before someone decides to follow you, they’ll check out your profile to see if it looks worth it. If they find you’re not posting often or that your content is very chaotic, they’re unlikely to want to see more as they don’t know what they’re getting. Remember that first impressions matter, so making your profile optimised is key. Some of the main areas you need to focus on include:
Username and handle: Make them memorable and searchable. Have keywords in your username if you can and ensure people will know what you are by your name.
Profile picture: Use a high-quality logo or clear personal photo. If you have a plain grey icon it removes any trustworthiness and makes you look like a bot.
Bio: Clearly state what you do and what value you offer. Use keywords and emojis to break up text and be informative without being fluffy. You can add links here too. Add a personal touch or call to action (CTA), e.g. “DM me for collabs” or “Tag #MyBrandLook”
Link: Use tools like Linktree or Beacons to showcase multiple links, including your website, newsletter, or product page. This can help encourage people to follow you on other platforms and increase your reach elsewhere.
Story Highlights: Curate past stories into categorised highlights so people can flick through them. Think of them as your Instagram portfolio and somewhere you can really show off your offerings. You can create pretty icons on sites like Canva to make your look even more uniformed and easy to look through. Categories could include Testimonials, FAQs, Behind the Scenes, Press Features and more.
A professional and well-organised profile builds trust and makes it easier for potential followers to understand who you are and why they should follow you. It’s basically your store front and the place people will decide if you’re someone they want to work with, engage with or buy from in the future.
- Crafting Content That Captures Attention
At the end of the day, content is still key when it comes to creating an Instagram following. You need high-quality images and video that will make people stop scrolling and either like, comment or share. Competition is extremely fierce so you need to stand out and show people why you’re worth it. Some of the top tips for creating content that resonates includes:
Use strong visuals: Bright images, consistent editing, and eye-catching compositions are all great for creating posts that people will want to see. Consider keeping a consistent aesthetic through all of your content so it has a streamlined feel that people can instantly recognise as a post from you.
Tell a story: Captions that evoke emotion or tell a short story drive better engagement than those that are just an emoji or one word. Not only do they draw the reader in and have them get to know you better, but they also encourage people to stay on your content for longer while they read, which can cause Instagram to promote your content further.
Use carousel posts: These encourage users to swipe through, increasing time spent on your post. The longer people spend on your posts, the more chances there are of Instagram pushing your content out to other people.
Post educational or value-based content: Tutorials, tips, how-to guides, and behind-the-scenes posts perform well as people want to share them with friends and save them to reference back to later.
Use calls to action (CTAs): Ask users to comment, share, or save. E.g., “Which look would you wear?”, “Save this tip for later!” This offers additional value to your posts and makes people more likely to engage. Use the first line of your caption or the first slide of your carousel as a hook, for example “3 mistakes you’re making with your skincare routine…” or “Before and after: Our biggest brand transformation yet.”
Great content doesn’t just look good, it gives users a reason to come back. You want to get as much engagement as possible and by having content that resonates, attracts and provides value, you can do just that.
- Strategic Posting: Timing and Frequency
Posting at the right time can dramatically improve your visibility, so this is definitely something to keep in mind when working on your strategy. While Instagram’s algorithm is no longer strictly chronological, recency still matters and will be more likely to show on feeds.
Some of the best practices for timing includes:
- Check your analytics: Use Instagram Insights to see when your audience is most active, posting at these times to catch them when they are scrolling through.
- Consistency beats frequency: It’s better to post 3 times a week consistently than 7 times sporadically. Have your followers know when to expect content from you and show Instagram that you are serious about posting regularly.
- Use scheduling tools: Platforms like Later, Planoly, or Meta’s Creator Studio allow you to plan posts in advance and maintain consistency. This can help if you have days when you can’t post, or if you are someone who prefers to get everything scheduled out in one go, to be drip fed into the feed.
Test different posting times and monitor which ones generate the most engagement and work best. Your audience’s peak hours might not be the same as general trends, so while recommendations can offer advice, it’s down to you to figure out what is best for those that follow you.
- Leveraging Instagram Stories and Reels
While posts used to be the most important thing on Instagram, 2025 is well beyond this. Instead, you need to focus on Stories and Reels just as much as feed posts, if not more. Stories appear at the top of user’s feeds and encourage direct interaction through polls, questions and stickers. They help you to stay in their minds as they can interact and see content from you every day. Use interactive features and add location tags and hashtags for better discoverability. Post throughout the day to stay at the front of the Story queue and use them to tease new content, run countdowns and get followers to vote on upcoming content ideas.
Reels have the highest organic reach of any Instagram format. They are pushed to non-followers through the Reels and Explore tabs. When creating a reel use a trending sound (but be sure to add value), keep it short and snappy, use on-screen text and hook readers in the first three seconds. Be sure to also include a CTA at the end so people follow or sign up for a newsletter.
- Collaborate with Influencers and Brands
Collaborations can supercharge your growth by introducing you to new audiences and people that might not see you otherwise. They also add credibility, create fresh content with your brand, and provide networking opportunities.
Types of Collaborations:
- Influencer Collabs: Partner with micro or nano influencers (1K–100K followers) for cost-effective engagement and niche targeting.
- Brand Partnerships: Co-create content, giveaways, or sponsored posts with brands that share your target audience.
- Collab Posts: Use Instagram’s built-in “Invite Collaborator” tool so one post appears on both feeds—doubling exposure.
- User-Generated Content (UGC): Encourage followers to create and tag content using your product or brand hashtag.
Check out their engagement rate, audience demographics and ensure their values align with yours for a successful collaboration.
7. Analyzing Your Performance: Tools and Tips
To grow well, you need to understand what’s working for you and what doesn’t. To do this, keep an eye on your performance, adjusting your strategy to help improve your performance. Some of the main metrics you need to keep an eye on include your reach, so how many unique users saw your post, the total number of impressions you receive, and your engagement rate (likes, comments, shares, saves and new followers.) You should look at what people save and share and compare with other content that perhaps doesn’t do so well, so you can work out what to do going forward. Some tools you can use to help include:
Instagram Insights (built-in for Business and Creator accounts)
Meta Business Suite: Advanced reporting and scheduling
Later Analytics: Visual data tracking and post performance
Notion or Google Sheets: Build a custom tracker to measure specific goals
Ninjalytics or HypeAuditor: Analyze competitor and influencer metrics
Don’t get too obsessed with things like likes, instead focus on meaningful interactions such as comments or shares and keep posting organic, long-term content that your audience loves.
8. Take Action: Improve Your Instagram Reach Now
So now you know how to boost your Instagram reach, what can you do to implement it? Start by auditing and updating your profile, then plan your content pillars. Create one carousel post, one reel with a trending audio and an interactive story. Comment on 10 niche accounts and follow 10 new people, then at the end of the week review your analytics. See what’s working and what you can take into the next week or change going forward.
Instagram’s reach is about so much more than beautiful photos and even understanding the algorithm isn’t enough alone. Instead, you need to create value for your audience that they will really want to see and engage with. Be sure to post regularly, keep your strategy consistent and identify your niche. By doing these things, you put yourself in the best position for success both in the short and long term. Focus on creating connections and being authentic and you will see momentum build as you go. Once you’ve got a strategy, you’ll soon see results that will pay off. When you have a loyal following you can sign up for campaigns such as those on Blogger Tuesday and make additional money this way. Find out more on our website.
