{"id":30811,"date":"2025-04-30T00:41:17","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T00:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/?p=30811"},"modified":"2025-05-02T17:26:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T17:26:40","slug":"increase-instagram-reach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rivaliq.com\/blog\/increase-instagram-reach\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Tips to Increase Instagram Reach"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no secret that Instagram is one of the biggest social media platforms out there. With an estimated 1.44 billion monthly active users, Instagram has become an essential digital marketing tool for connecting with your audience and improving brand awareness.<\/p>\n

But as the platform continues to evolve, keeping up and cutting through the noise can feel like a moving target. With countless companies on the platform, how do you stand out from the crowd and get more eyes on your brand? How do you boost your reach?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got some tips for you. Here are 11 strategies to increase your Instagram reach and expand your audience.<\/p>\n

What Is Instagram Reach?<\/h2>\n

First, it\u2019s important to emphasize that Instagram reach refers to the number of unique users who see your post. This is different from impressions, which is the total number of views on a post. A post that was viewed 10 times by one user, for instance, would have generated 10 impressions but only have a reach of one.<\/p>\n

\n \n<\/strong>Confused about all the different terms and metrics that Instagram uses? Our Ultimate Instagram Terms Glossary<\/a> breaks it all down for you.<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n

For companies concerned with growing their audience and maximizing brand awareness, Instagram reach is an essential metric to track since it lets you know how many different people are seeing your posts.<\/p>\n

As long as you have a business or creator account, Instagram will report your reach under Views<\/b> in your professional dashboard. You can see how many accounts you\u2019ve reached in a specific time period, as well as the reach of a particular post, video, Story, or Reel.<\/p>\n

To check out those numbers, simply navigate to your professional dashboard from your profile or click to view the insights on a specific post. Instagram has several guides on how to navigate to Insights on their Help Center<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can also see your Instagram performance data with an all-in-one social media analytics tool like Rival IQ, which displays not only your Instagram reach but plenty of other essential metrics through detailed and visual reports.<\/p>\n

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\n Start analyzing your brand's performance on Instagram with Rival IQ. <\/p>Get my free trial <\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/span><\/p>\n

11 Ways To Increase Instagram Reach<\/h2>\n

Instagram\u2019s algorithm<\/a>, or its system of rules, classifiers, and processes that determine what posts appear in each person\u2019s feeds, greatly affects your reach. This system is complex, but we do know that it strives to personalize the user experience by showing the most relevant and engaging posts based on each user\u2019s activity.<\/p>\n

So, what does that mean for brands looking to grow their reach on Instagram? The more users engage with your posts, the more the algorithm will present your content to relevant audiences. In other words, knowing your audience and delivering engaging content is essential. Try implementing these 11 strategies for increased Instagram reach.<\/p>\n

1. Post at the Right Time<\/h3>\n

While Instagram feeds are no longer organized chronologically, timing is still an essential part of getting seen.<\/p>\n

Instagram\u2019s algorithm tends to highlight new posts because they\u2019re considered more relevant. Posting new content when your following is most active also increases the chance that they\u2019ll see your post and interact with it. This jumpstarts a snowball effect where posts that earn high engagement quickly are deemed popular and served to more users by the platform.<\/p>\n

The best times to post will depend on your unique audience and industry. Luckily, you can easily find the days and times that your followers are most active using Instagram Insights. Plus, with Instagram\u2019s built-in scheduling tool, you can plan and schedule your posts directly within the app, making it easy to stay consistent and post at optimal times.<\/p>\n

To understand more about your industry and your competition\u2019s posting schedule, check out our insights into the best times to post on Instagram<\/a> for 14 key industries across North America.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

2. Experiment With Different Types of Posts<\/h3>\n

Instagram has come a long way since its inception. Once limited to just static single images, users now have a lot more options in terms of the types of posts they can share, including carousel posts, videos, Reels, Stories, and more.<\/p>\n

Try experimenting with these different types of posts to figure out what resonates with your audience the most. Even something as simple as adding music to your feed posts can make a difference. In fact, Instagram recommends it<\/a>. Photos and carousels with music are now eligible to appear in the Reels tab, allowing you to reach new audiences.<\/p>\n

Ask yourself: What kind of content gets the most eyes on your account? Which type of post tends to draw the most engagement? Why do you think that is?<\/p>\n

Tools like Rival IQ can help you go deeper by showing which post types are generating the most engagement, not just for your brand but for your competitors too. This kind of insight can reveal patterns you might not have noticed and help you fine-tune your content strategy.<\/p>\n

\"Post<\/p>\n

Maybe you\u2019ll find that your followers love to interact with and share the funny Reels you post. Or perhaps they\u2019re big fans of the aesthetically pleasing carousel posts of your products. Find out what works for you and adjust your social content strategy accordingly.<\/p>\n

Pro tip: <\/b>Want to test out new content? Instagram\u2019s Trial Reels feature<\/a> lets you share a Reel with non-followers first. If it performs well, you can publish it to your followers with a single tap or even set it to publish automatically. Trial Reels won\u2019t appear on your profile or in your followers\u2019 feeds unless you decide to share them later, giving you a low-pressure way to test what works.<\/em><\/p>\n

3. Get Smart With Hashtags<\/h3>\n

Hashtags are a great way to have your posts discovered by people outside of your following who may be interested in the kind of content you\u2019re posting.<\/p>\n

When it comes to your hashtag strategy<\/a>, prioritize quality over quantity. Though Instagram does let you put up to 30 hashtags per post and up to 10 hashtags per story, thoughtlessly stuffing your posts with hashtags is rarely an effective approach. Instead, focus on finding hashtags<\/a> that are relevant to your brand and generate high levels of engagement from your audience. You can try to mix and match different hashtags with various captions to see which one works best.<\/p>\n

There are also handy tools that make hashtag research much easier. Rival IQ\u2019s hashtag analytics<\/a> equip you with the data you need to identify the most engaging terms and track their effectiveness as you use them.<\/p>\n

\"Hashtag<\/p>\n

4. Reach multiple communities with Instagram Collabs<\/h3>\n

One of Instagram\u2019s features \u2014 Instagram Collabs \u2014 lets you expand your reach by having your posts be exposed to another user\u2019s community of followers. Collaborations in general have long been a popular strategy for reaching a new audience, but this feature makes doing so on Instagram a breeze by eliminating the clutter of duplicate posts.<\/p>\n

With Instagram Collabs, a single joint post is shared with each collaborator\u2019s follower base and lives on their profile grids with both accounts tagged at the top. The Collabs post also enjoys combined views, likes, and comments.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a><\/p>\n

As the original author of a post, you can invite up to 20 collaborators and have your post seen by those additional communities of followers. From partnering with other brands to collaborating with influencers or your customers, this feature opens up countless opportunities for increasing your Instagram reach.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

5. Encourage engagement with contests and giveaways<\/h3>\n

Another way your brand can expand its reach on Instagram is by hosting contests and giveaways. Engagement-focused contests can signal to the algorithm that your post is worth serving to others while also boosting your reach by good ol\u2019 word of mouth.<\/p>\n

Most effective Instagram contests or giveaways provide an incentive for people to interact with the post by having entries be tied to particular actions, especially those that\u2019ll get more eyes on your brand. Asking your audience to follow your page, tag a friend in the comments, or share the contest to their Story are some popular ways to do this.<\/p>\n

Laneige and La La Land\u2019s collaborative giveaway is a perfect example of how these kinds of posts can impact your Instagram performance. With more than 8K comments filled with tagged friends and 17K likes, this post had an engagement rate by follower that was nearly double the average engagement rate of Laneige\u2019s other posts this year (as of this writing).<\/p>\n

\"Laneige<\/p>\n

We also want to point out that Laneige and La La Land smartly utilized Instagram Collabs and made the giveaway a joint post to expand their reach even further. The insight here? Don\u2019t hesitate to combine several reach-boosting strategies to amplify their effect.<\/p>\n

6. Use interactive stickers on your Stories and Reels<\/h3>\n

Instagram\u2019s algorithm is designed to reward engagement. So, what better way to encourage your audience to engage with your posts than by leveraging the platform\u2019s interactive stickers?<\/p>\n

Available on both Stories and Reels, these stickers are designed to spark participation from viewers and, as a result, signal to the algorithm that your posts are engaging and should be served more prominently on users\u2019 feeds.<\/p>\n

\"Using<\/p>\n

Here are just some of the interactive stickers you can use:<\/p>\n