Instagram reach is an important metric that shows how successful your content has been in drawing attention, whether from your followers or non-followers.
However, it’s not easy to achieve high reach, and you need to employ certain strategies to boost it. Unfortunately, Instagram algorithm changes can sometimes contribute to lower reach.
But don’t panic! The question of how to reach more people on Instagram has been addressed.
Just take some time and read this blog to find out how.
What is Instagram reach? How is it different from impressions?
Instagram reach refers to the total number of unique accounts that have seen your content at least once.
Instagram account reach check
Impressions, on the other hand, represent the total number of times your content has been displayed, regardless of whether it was seen by the same user multiple times.
Both reach and impressions (available on Instagram Insights) are important metrics to track your content’s performance on Instagram.
A quick reminder:
- On Instagram insights, you can check the accounts reached by Content Type (Reels or Posts) and Source (Followers or Non-followers).
- This feature is ONLY available for professional accounts (Business or creators).
- Reach will always be lower than or equal to impressions. Since impressions count every time your content is displayed, it can’t be higher than the total number of unique viewers.
Does Instagram reach REALLY matter?
Well, before jumping to “how to get more reach on Instagram”, let’s find out if you TRULY need it or not.
If your goal is to build brand awareness and grow IG followers organically, reach is important.
However, for measuring engagement and fostering brand loyalty: Reach is less important compared to metrics like likes, comments, shares, and saves.
And, for those looking to drive website traffic or conversions: Reach is somewhat relevant but not the primary focus. Here, metrics like link clicks and website visits become more important.
How does reach on Instagram work?
To expand your reach on Instagram, it’s helpful to know how this metric works.
You’ve probably heard of the Instagram algorithm, haven’t you?
It plays a crucial role in your Instagram reach-by influencing how often and to whom your content is shown. Let’s see how Instagram ranks content:
- Based on factors like engagement (likes, comments, shares, saves, and more), relevance to users’ interests, and account activity (consistency).
The higher your content ranks, the more likely it is to be seen by a wider audience, thus increasing your reach.
So, how those Non-followers reach you?
If the algorithm identifies your content as relevant and engaging to a broader audience based on its signals, it can be featured on the Explore page.
- The algorithm prioritizes posts that receive high engagement early on. This means getting likes, comments, and shares within the first few hours of posting can significantly impact your reach.
- And, the algorithm favors accounts that consistently post engaging content.
Remember, Instagram doesn’t have a single algorithm, but multiple algorithms for different parts-Feed, Stories, Reels, Explore, and more. So, each part needs its own strategy.
How to reach more people on Instagram?
Here are the most effective tips to grow your reach on Instagram:
How to grow Instagram reach for feed?
Instagram feed algorithm focuses on interactions you have with accounts and the content itself.
It favors posts you’ve liked and commented on, posts from accounts you interact with frequently, and content similar to what you’ve engaged with previously.
Here’s how you can draw more people to your posts:
#1. Post consistently
Aim for regular posting to stay top-of-mind and avoid getting buried by other content. It’s not recommended to post every day.
You need to have an Instagram content calendar that specifies how often you should post on IG.
#2. Create engaging content
Clear but not simple! You should create posts that trigger likes, comments, saves, and shares. That means:
- Shareable content: It’s funny, educational, or helpful and solves a problem (like infographics).
- Diverse formats: Try different types of posts like Carousels or single images.
- Clear CTA: Ask your followers to like, comment, save, or share your content.
- High-quality: Use clear, well-lit photos and videos that are visually appealing and capture attention.
Creating both Instagram and user-loved content requires time and expertise. Why don’t you leave it to AiGrow’s dedicated Instagram experts and take care of your business goals?
#3. Engage with your followers
Simply, respond to comments, ask questions, and run polls to encourage interaction.
#4. Use hashtags to increase reach on Instagram
One useful method to increase your reach is adding a mix of broad and niche hashtags (Around 3-5 hashtags). Don’t forget to include keywords in your hashtags.
Learn more: How to use hashtags for Instagram growth?
#5. Add keywords to your caption
Have you ever heard of Instagram SEO? It’s all about keywords and letting them in your profile.
Using relevant keywords in captions helps Instagram understand your content, making it more likely to appear in searches and reach people interested in those topics
So, naturally, include words and phrases related to your post’s topic in your caption. But Do Not stuff keywords.
#6. Ask your followers to add you to their favorites
A hidden Instagram trick to boost your reach is adding accounts to Favorites. It’s for personal accounts and sits at the top of your feed.
Note that posts from favorite accounts will appear higher in the feed.
Here’s how to add accounts to your favorites:
- Open your feed, tap on Instagram at the top, and then open the menu.
- Tap on “Favorites” and then click on “Add Favorites.”
- Choose your favorite accounts and tap Confirm Favorites.
How to increase reach on Instagram Reels?
First off, let’s see how Reels algorithm works:
On Instagram Reels, popular posts are more likely to be seen.
If lots of people like and watch a Reel, it’s more likely to show up in other users’ feeds, especially if it matches their interests.
In addition to likes and shares, factors like watch time and completion rate determine a reel’s popularity.
Also, if someone often likes or watches videos with a certain sound or topic, they’ll see more Reels like that.
Now, it’s easier to increase your Reels’ reach:
Be short: The shorter your Reel is, the more likely it will be watched completely by non-followers.
Leverage trends: Use trending sounds and effects, only if they’re related to your brand or message.
Don’t miss longer Reels: Keep your longer Reels for your existing followers to create valuable content.
Create high-quality Reels: I want to give you a checklist for high-quality Reels:
Clear visuals, creative editing, good sound quality, relevance to your audience’s interests, and engaging (storytelling, humor, uniqueness, interactivity, and reliability).
How to reach more people on Instagram stories?
Instagram stories algorithm is simple: the more stories you view from a certain account, the higher in your stories feed they will appear.
However, other forms of engagement such as liking, replying to stickers, and tapping forward or backward play more important roles.
Would you like me to join you on Instagram story reach boosters?
#1. Post consistently
Wanna stay at the top of your followers’ minds? Then, post at least multiple stories a day. However, avoid bombarding!
#2. Use interactive stickers
Polls, Quizzes, Add Yours, Emoji Sliders, Countdowns, Links, and other stickers scale up your IG story engagement. Do NOT miss them!
#3. Tell stories in Stories!
Use a beginning, middle, and end to your stories or spark curiosity and keep viewers wanting to see what happens next.
Feeling short of Instagram story ideas? Just click the link!
#4. Add texts to your stories
This is a smart trick I really like! Because it makes users stop and read the whole story and if they can’t finish it, they’ll back to the story!
#5. Respond to replies & comments
Responding to stories is how your followers reach out to you directly. So, take advantage of this opportunity to build a strong connection with them and encourage their continued interaction.
How to reach more people on Instagram (non-followers)
Instagram Search Bar and Explore Page are two channels where you can reach non-followers.
The search bar is like Google, where you can find stuff by typing keywords. But the Explore Page? It’s like a VIP club showcasing the Instagram algorithms’ beloved content! Getting featured there is tough, though.
Wanna learn how to increase Instagram reach organically on the Search Bar and Explore page? Keep reading!
#1. Use Instagram SEO
For content writers, keywords are like spices to chefs. You gotta sprinkle them everywhere for flavor!
Want to show up in the Search bar? Just add these flavor boosters to your account: in your content, alt-text, bio, captions, and hashtags.
I’ve already made a whole post about Instagram SEO that you gotta check out! Highly recommend giving it a read!
#2. Leverage “suggested post” feature
When you’ve scrolled through all new posts from people you follow, Instagram might recommend posts it thinks you’ll like based on the following factors:
- how many and how quickly other people are liking, commenting, sharing, and saving a post,
- A person’s interaction history with the person who posted,
- Other posts a person has liked or commented on.
But if you want your content to show up in Suggested Posts, you should make sure both your account and content are Eligible.
Hopefully, you can check your eligibility within the app. Here’s how:
- Go to your profile, tap three lines at the top right corner, and open Settings and Privacy.
2. scroll down to “More info and support”, and click on Account Status” to see if you have done any action against Community Guidelines or Recommendation Guidelines.
#3. Collaborate with others
You partner with other relevant accounts for collaborations like posts, Reels, or joint stories. This taps into their audience and potentially exposes your content to new viewers.
It’s a win-win game, isn’t it?
#4. Use geotags
Geotags help reach more people by making your content discoverable in searches for specific locations.
When you tag your location, your post appears in feeds and the Explore pages of users interested in that area, expanding your reach beyond just your followers.
So, use geotags strategically, tagging relevant locations like businesses, landmarks, or events related to your content, to attract a more targeted audience.
#5. Run targeted ads
If you’re going to increase reach on Instagram for a business, Instagram Ads are worth it.
Running targeted ads on Instagram allows you to reach a highly specific audience beyond your followers.
By defining demographics, interests, and online behavior, you can tailor your ad to resonate with potential customers who are most likely to be interested in your product, service, or message.
This targeted approach allows you to expand your reach efficiently, connect with relevant non-followers, and potentially drive conversions or brand awareness.
#6. Use Remix tools
Remix is one of Instagram’s features to help you reach more people. It allows users to create new content by combining their own video with an existing Reel.
For example, remixing a trending video (relevant) with yours (something new, funny, or insightful) will bring new viewers to you. Don’t forget to tag the original creator.
You can remix Reels, feed videos, and posts in case the author has allowed on it.
To give permission, head over to Settings and Privacy-How others can interact with you-Sharing and remixes.
#7. Cross-promote your content
Who would even question the effectiveness of cross-promotion for reaching non-followers? I bet nobody!
Sharing your last IG post on LinkedIn, creating a teaser video on TikTok that directs viewers to your Instagram profile, or adding a link to your Instagram profile in your YouTube video description are all great ideas to cross-promote.
But hey, don’t forget to select platforms where your target audience is active.
#8. Monitor your insights
As I mentioned earlier, you can check your Instagram reach within the Insights feature.
This data gives you valuable insights into changing or keeping your existing strategy.
For instance, if the gap between reach by followers vs. non-followers is significant, you need to focus on expanding your reach beyond your current following.
Bonus tip:
Getting help from an Instagram growth service like AiGrow along the path is both saving time and energy.
Using hashtags and location tags to find the right audience, as well as creating and scheduling awesome content might seem tough, but not to us!
Wrapping Up
In this blog, I explored how to reach more people on Instagram through post types and follower engagement.
While each content type on Instagram likely has different ranking factors, it’s important to be aware of this, not necessarily pay sole attention to it.
But the most important thing is to create content for users, not algorithms. Creating engaging and informative content using features like Remix, collaborating with other creators, and adding relevant keywords to your profile can help increase your reach.
And finally, to see if your efforts are going well, check Insights. It can help you understand your audience and determine if your strategy needs adjustments.
FAQs
Here are a few FAQs regarding our topic: How to get more Instagram reach.
How do you increase your reach on Instagram?
By using the right keywords and hashtags, geotags, short Reels with trending audio, collab, and remix features, and cross-promoting your content you can grow your IG reach.
Why is my reach so low on Instagram?
In addition to reasons like irrelevant content or hashtags, low engagement, and inconsistent posting, factors like Instagram algorithm changes, increased competition, or even technical issues can lead to your reach drop.
How often should I post on Instagram to maximize my reach?
The frequency depends on your niche, audience, and content type. The more important thing is to keep consistency and schedule your posts ahead of time.
