Getting more reach on Instagram starts when more unique people see the post
Instagram impressions are the number of times your post was seen.
Table of contents
Instagram reach is the number of unique people who view your posts.
Instagram's algorithm monitors your followers' activity and shows content they engage with.
Instagram impressions are the number of times your post was seen.
- Reach counts unique people.
- Impressions count every time the post was seen.
- The algorithm shows content people engage with.
What you can try now: Count unique people, then compare that with how many times the post was seen.
Instagram Reels see 36% more reach than other post types.
Instagram creators with 500 to 2,000 followers reached 292 people via in-feed posts, 114 people via Instagram Stories, and 1,600 people via Instagram Reels.
Creators with 2,000 to 10,000 followers reached 3,400 people via Instagram Reels.
- 292 people via in-feed posts at 500 to 2,000 followers.
- 114 people via Stories in that same range.
- 1,600 people via Reels in that same range.
What you can try now: Post the idea as a Reel when the goal is more people.
Get rid of the introductory words and get right to the point.
People are having a marathon in their Instagram Reels tab.
Cut an opening like "hey people" and start on the point.
- No hello before the point.
- The Reels tab is a fast scroll.
- Start where the point already is.
What you can try now: Cut the hello and start the Reel at the point.
The beginning of your Carousel has to be a hook.
The entire post has to be like a story stitched together.
You can add up to ten photos or videos in one post.
- A hook on the first frame.
- A story across the frames.
- Up to ten photos or videos.
What you can try now: Open the carousel on the hook and keep the frames as one story.
Instagram Stories are still crucial in reaching your existing followers.
The more people interact with your Stories, the higher the chance of the Instagram algorithm pushing your Stories at the top to your followers.
Reply in DMs, answer a poll, ask a question, or tap a sticker.
- A reply in DMs.
- An answer to a poll.
- A tap on a sticker.
What you can try now: Reply, vote, or tap the sticker so the Story stays at the top for followers.
Collaborating with other creators who share your values taps a new audience.
Collaborating with other creators in the same space who share your values is the easiest way to tap into a new audience.
The easiest way to tap into a new audience is a creator in the same space.
- Same space.
- Shared values.
- A second audience that does not follow you yet.
What you can try now: Publish with a creator in the same space who shares your values.
They recommend using three to five relevant hashtags for distribution.
The sole purpose of hashtags is to help you become more visible when Instagram users actively search for hashtags you've used.
Any more won't bring you any increase in distribution.
- Three to five relevant hashtags.
- Hashtags people already search.
- More than that does not raise distribution.
What you can try now: Use three to five hashtags people already search.
Instagram has guided creators not to post Instagram Reels with a watermark.
Post the Reel without a watermark from another app.
A watermark from another app is the mark to leave off.
- Instagram has guided creators away from watermarked Reels.
- Export a clean file.
- The other app's mark stays off the Reel.
What you can try now: Export the Reel without a watermark from another app.
Add keywords to both your Instagram username and your name.
Add keywords to your Instagram username and name.
The username and the name are the two places those keywords go.
- A keyword in the username.
- A keyword in the name.
- Search can match the words you put there.
What you can try now: Put a search keyword in the username and in the name.
Using Instagram's trending audio and topics can boost your Instagram reach significantly.
Trending audio is one of the inputs that can raise how many unique people see the Reel.
Instagram's trending audio and topics are the pair to use.
- Trending audio.
- A topic people are already watching.
- A boost to how many unique people see the Reel.
What you can try now: Use trending audio on the next Reel.
Your audience might be online at a different time than you expect.
Take a breather for at least a couple of hours before you upload another Instagram Story after a decline in Story views.
Or 24 hours if you wish, after Story views have dropped.
- The audience hour may not be your hour.
- A couple of hours between Stories after a drop.
- 24 hours is the longer pause.
What you can try now: Post at the hour your audience is actually online.