How To Grow Your Instagram Audience

Instagram has improved how Reels are ranked and recommended to users. The goal is to show the right Reels to the right people at the right time. These changes, fully launched in April 2024, make Reels more personalized, relevant, and timely. This helps creators of all sizes grow by reaching new audiences.

How Reels Are Recommended

• Instagram uses signals like watch time, likes, shares, comments, and audience-matching (people with similar interests) to predict what you’ll enjoy.
• When you post a Reel, it’s shown to followers and a small group of non-followers. If it performs well (gets engagement), it’s shown to larger audiences, leveling the playing field for creators regardless of follower count.

Key Trends in Engagement

• People are spending more time watching Reels, with global video time growing by double digits in late 2024.
• Reels are being shared more than 4.5 billion times daily across Instagram and Facebook.
• Recommendations help creators reach new audiences and grow faster, especially if their Reels resonate with viewers.

Tips for Creators to Succeed

1. Post Regularly: Consistent posting increases your chances of reaching new people.
2. Create Standalone Content: Make Reels that make sense to people who don’t know you. Use a strong hook in the first 3 seconds.
3. Use Audio: Adding audio to Reels (or even photos/carousels) makes them more engaging and shareable.
4. Experiment: Try new ideas and learn from what works. Use trial Reels to test content with non-followers before sharing widely.
5. Embrace Unpredictability: Recommendations can be volatile, but they give all creators a fair shot at reaching new audiences.

Takeaway These changes make it easier for creators to grow by reaching non-followers. By creating engaging, shareable Reels and posting consistently, you can take advantage of Instagram’s recommendation system to expand your audience.

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