Ready to level up your Instagram organically and meaningfully? The days of random hashtags and overly polished and edited pics are on the way out — now, it’s all about vibing with your audience. Staying fresh and relatable is the name of the game, and trends are shifting (folks are flexing on audio and UGC [user-generated content]). Insta’s algorithm is now focused on what’s getting mad engagement, so quit lurking and start creating content that makes people react.
We shared the hottest organic growth strategies with you in 2021, and it’s all still relevant and helpful (so go read that guide first). As with all social media platforms over time, the algorithm and user behavior have evolved, so we’re here to tell you the 10 newest ways to boost your Insta presence organically. It’s time to turn your Instagram from basic to viral — let’s go!
1. Content Repurposing Across Platforms
If you’re already posting on TikTok or YouTube, bring it over to Instagram. At first, you can simply repost what you’re creating elsewhere, but pay attention to what hits and what flops, so you can begin to adjust accordingly.
This isn’t about laziness; this is about targeting users across different social media ecosystems to increase your organic reach. It’s also an opportunity to point those other platforms to your Insta if that’s where you’re currently focusing on growing.
Did you know that there are now tools like OpusClip that can turn one long video (like maybe something you posted on YouTube) and turn it into tons of short clips, and even add captions automatically? It’s not free, but neither is your time, so focus on tools that help distribute your content on various platforms creatively.
2. Embrace Reels and Short-Form Video
Instagram has shifted toward promoting short and engaging videos, and the more engagement on a post, the more it puts it in front of other (new) people. Reels have become even more central to any organic Insta strategy, and the shorter it is, the sweeter.
Capture attention faster by peppering in ultra concise content like 5-7 second videos, but be sure to use trending sounds and engaging content to make your bite-sized information perform well.
Above all, think about how you consume content on Instagram and how it has changed in recent years — most of us stayed on our FYP (For You Page) and scrolled through stills and video, but now, more people pop open Reels and just scroll. And scroll and scroll and scroll. We all do it. So if you want to be seen, you have to be where the eyeballs are.
3. Leverage AI to Grow Quickly, Right Now
Naturally, we’re biased because we ARE an AI platform focused on exploding your growth, but we’re not the only amazing tool that should be in your toolbox:
- Create and design content with Canva, which has templates and AI-powered visual design options, so the bots can step in and make suggestions. For your copy, AI writing tools like Copy.ai and Jasper can help get your captions right, your descriptions polished, and improve engagement levels of your posts. Lately.ai actually analyzes your Insta posts to craft tailored copy and recommend content strategies to expand your audience.
Also, think about tools like Lumen5 that can take your blog posts or still content and turn it into video content that matches your aesthetic. You might also try your hand at text-to-video tools like Invideo AI that creates content based on a simple prompt. These tools are fire, but they don’t replace your existing quality content creation, perhaps just supplement with AI-created videos here and there. - Audience engagement can be automated now — Manychat is a chatbot for DMs that allows you to respond to common inquiries automatically and nurture relationships, so your growth booms even when you’re asleep. Nitreo automates some of your engagement tasks, such as liking posts and following/unfollowing users.
Hootsuite and Buffer now offer AI-powered scheduling and analytics so you always know the best time to post, and performance analytics tells you how to optimize your future content. Pallyy does the same but offers competitor analytics as well, which can help speed up your growth. - Analytics have come a long way, now that AI’s involved. We’ve mentioned the post scheduling feature that AI has improved, but analytics are now much easier to digest and implement.
Take for example Iconosquare — going beyond optimal posting times, they focus on in-depth insights into audience behavior and post performance. Phlanx also offers analytics, but they include influencer insights, which can be really helpful, as does Social Blade, which focuses on tracking your competitors. - AI helps identify other influencers to collaborate with, like Heepsy, which identifies and analyzes micro-influencers who are in your niche, or Influencity, which finds influencers to match your brand. Manually searching for collab opportunities is old school when AI can point you to exactly who should be your next partner.
There’s a lot more going on out there with AI and it improves Insta growth daily, so keep your eyes open for trends and tools because your competitor is doing the same.
4. Find Your Vibe: Going Niche Is the Key to Your Glow-Up
Look, creators have tried for years to appeal to anyone and everyone, and that’s just not where it’s at anymore. Top creators are finding success by focusing on ultra-specific niches and tailoring all content to a well-defined audience.
Think of it as fishing — you cast a wide net and you may get some extra followers, but cast a smaller net with extra juicy bait and you’ll attract more loyal catches. The algorithm is leaning more toward curation, so niche influencers are thriving.
It can be hard to narrow things down, but think about any negative comments you’ve received — how can you show up less in their feeds? You can’t be all things to all people, it’s just not memorable.
Imagine you meet a real estate agent at an event and they say “Hi, I’m Sally Realtor, I help anyone in Dallas buy or sell a home.” You already forgot her name, didn’t you? If they had said, “Hi, I’m Josef, I help first-time home buyers interested in new construction.” You’ll remember that three years from now when your friend wants a new construction home. Niche. You get it.
5. Enhance Your Hashtag Game
The hashtag game has changed over the years, and can be the key to being discoverable (or banned if done incorrectly, tbh). Balance between popular and niche-specific hashtags, and avoid banned or overused tags to help boost your visibility.
There once was a platform-wide rule that if you used 12-15 hashtags that were extremely specific to your content, you’d grow organically, but there is no more hard and fast rule because of how the algorithm treats niche content. What might work right now for a dermatologist who is myth busting, may not work for an author making book recommendations. Tapping into analytics and being willing to experiment is required these days.
We’ve handcrafted an entire guide about using hashtags to promote your growth — it’s worth the read, so bookmark it for later.
6. Collabs with Micro-Influencers
Reaching out to @TheRock and hoping he’ll do a collab with you is not only reaching for the stars, it’s a waste of time because the algorithm might not even reward that.
Connecting with micro-influencers is becoming an effective method for organic growth, as they typically have more loyal and engaged niche audiences that align closely with very specific brands.
So if you’re a new Austin taco journalist (yes, that’s a thing thanks to @MandoRayo), you’re going to be tempted to try to collaborate with big dawgs like @HotOnes, @ATasteOfKoko, or even the @Statesman, but you’re more likely to find success with fellow taco enthusiasts and taco truck or restaurant owners. Building your audience this way strengthens the loyalty among new and existing followers and boosts your credibility these days.
7. Gettin’ Into That UGC
Community building is the key to organic Insta growth, and one way to do that effectively is by encouraging UGC (user-generated content). This is when you ask your audience to share posts using your specific hashtags, run challenges or contests, and reshare their content.
Some creators and brands incentivize participation with giveaways or mentions, but the idea is to make your audience feel like part of your community and part of your brand’s story. It builds more authentic engagement and amplifies your reach.
8. Interactive Engagement = Gains
Stories, polls, quizzes, and interactive stickers are creative ways to keep your followers connected and engaged. Improving engagement levels is the focus of any organic growth strategy, so keeping folks clicking is a strong way to get that done.
Now central to gettin’ gains, engagement points are done well through live polls within Stories, but also by hosting live Q&A sessions. Instagram rewards creators that keep folks engaged on the platform, so let it reward you.
9. Have You Considered Accessibility?
Because we’re talking about broadening your organic reach, it would be a crime not to mention accessibility. It’s almost like a hack that most people ignore that can expand your audience overnight.
Make sure you have alt text and closed captions to make sure videos are digestible even without sound. Plenty of people with audio processing challenges will skip past anything they can’t read, so invite them in and diversify your audience while you’re at it!
Something that takes so little effort on your part can make such a huge difference in reaching people who might otherwise miss out on your glorious content. Plus, enough people watch Reels on mute at work — don’t miss out on their engagement, either.
10. Sustainability and Ethics Are Even More Important Now
Audiences are now drawn to authentic brands, especially those with an environmental or social mission, so if there is any of that to be captured by your content, put it front and center. If you’re posting math memes, there might not be an angle, but if you’re posting GRWM content, fighting fast fashion or animal testing practices is completely relevant and worth diving into if it aligns with your brand vibe.
Showcasing any of these efforts through Reels, Stories, and Lives can help you grow organically by boosting consumer trust in and loyalty to your brand.
You’ve now got the blueprint to go viral organically, so go try new things and watch your feed pop off. It’s all about keeping it real, getting creative, and vibing with your audience. Remember: It’s not about perfection, it’s about connection. Let’s make this your year on the ’gram.
