If you're a small business owner, you’re likely on Instagram to get your business seen by the right people. But how do you actually grow your following with the right audience—people who are genuinely interested in what you sell and will actually buy from you?
This is one of the most common questions I get asked in my DMs, so, let's get into it...
Why More Followers Doesn’t Always Mean More Sales
Let’s start by flipping the script: More followers don’t automatically equal more sales.
Imagine you run a high street shop selling football merchandise. Your ideal customer? Football fans aged 18-25. But every week, a local knitting group of 80-year-old women stop by, filling up your shop.
Sure, your shop looks busy—but are you making sales? No. Because they’re not your ideal customer.
Instagram works the same way. You don’t just want any followers, you want the right followers, your ideal clients. Otherwise, you’ll end up with an audience that never engages, never buys, and actually hurts your Instagram reach (yep, the algorithm notices!) I have another blog all about figuring out who your ideal client it, check it out here.
So, let’s get your business in front of the right people using these five Instagram growth strategies:
5 Ways to Grow Your Instagram Audience the Right Way
1. Collaborations: Tap into Someone Else’s Audience
One of the most underused yet powerful Instagram strategies is collaborations.
A collab is when you partner with another business that shares your target audience. Think a wedding photographer teaming up with a florist or a personal trainer partnering with a nutrition coach.
✔️ You design a post together (Reel, carousel, etc)
✔️ One of you creates it and adds the other as a collaborator
✔️ The post appears on both of your profiles, doubling your exposure!
I did a collaboration last year that reached over 1,200 new people - just by tapping into someone else’s audience. So, ask yourself: Who could you collaborate with?
2. Hashtags: Yes, They Still Work!
There’s a lot of debate about hashtags, but let me be clear: they’re not dead.
I personally found (and became a repeat customer of) two small businesses through Instagram hashtags recently, and the posts I found were over a year old!
To make hashtags work for you:
✔ Think like your ideal client - what would they be searching for?
✔ Avoid banned hashtags (Google “Instagram banned hashtags checker” to find free tools)
Also, be sure to put your hashtags in the correct place which is in the caption! I explain more about that in this post.
3. Reels: Instagram’s Favourite Content Format
If you’re not using Reels yet, you’re missing out on massive reach. Instagram massively prioritises reels, primarily showing them to non followers making them one of the fastest ways to get discovered by new ideal clients. One of my mentor group members got 400 followers from one reel alone recently!
💡 Not sure what to post? Try B-Roll! B-Roll is just simple, everyday footage you layer with text, like pouring your morning coffee or packing an order. It’s easy to create and feels authentic, which is why audiences love it.
➡️ One of my most top-performing B-Roll Reels was just me walking with my daughter’s bike, it reached 248% more people than my previous Reels at that point! Why? Because it was relatable.
If you’re scared of showing up on camera face to face, start with B-Roll!
4. Humour: The Secret to Viral Engagement
Entertaining content isn't just for fun, it's a powerful marketing tool.
I started posting funny memes in January 2024 and quickly saw them become my top-performing content. My very first meme reached over 1,100 accounts and got 700+ views from hashtags alone! I now post entertaining content regularly, check out my most recent fun remix reel here
✔ Find or create memes and/or entertaining reels your ideal client will relate to
✔ Make them part of your content plan (I post at least one per week)
✔ Remix Reels - Remixing fun reels are such an easy way to create fun content!
People love sharing and engaging with humorous content, which boosts your reach and brings in new followers effortlessly.
5. Hooks: Stop the Scroll & Grab Attention
A hook is the first thing your viewer sees, it’s what makes people stop scrolling. It could be a text hook or a visual hook but either way, you want it to appear within the first 3 seconds of your post (so first slide of a carousel, first line of a caption or on screen within first 3 seconds of a reel)
Here are some examples:
👉 Text Hook: “I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but…”
👉 Visual Hook: Come in from the side of the screen, leave from the the other side (a tripod is a great tool to use for this, I use this one from Amazon)
But beware! A good hook must be followed by valuable content. If you use a clickbait hook and don’t deliver, people will unfollow.
Let’s Get Growing!
So, to recap—here’s what to focus on for real Instagram growth:
✔ Collaborations – Partner with like-minded businesses to double your reach
✔ Hashtags – Use them strategically to get discovered
✔ Reels – B-Roll is an easy way to start!
✔ Humour – Memes & fun remix reel boost engagement and get shared widely
✔ Hooks – Grab attention, but always follow up with value
Growth on Instagram isn’t about just getting more followers—it’s about getting the right followers. The ones who will actually engage, buy, and stick around.
So, which of these tips are you going to try first? Let me know in the comments or tag me on Instagram @amandahughes.uk - I’d love to see what you create!
About Me
👋 Hey, I’m Amanda! Instagram Growth Mentor, Apple Top 30 Podcaster & Amazon #1 Bestselling Author.
I help small business owners like you get seen & get sales on Instagram—without the overwhelm.
With 10+ years of experience running small businesses, I know what it’s like to juggle marketing, sales, and all the things. That’s why I’m obsessed with making Instagram simple, fun, and profitable for business owners just like you.
📩 Grab my FREE 30 Content Prompts here for instant content ideas!
📲 Let’s connect on Instagram → @amandahughes.uk
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