STOP using these Instagram Strategies in 2023 if you want to grow

The content you’re making might not be helping you grow on Instagram, and I don’t want that for you…. Look, Instagram has been around for over 10 years now, so obviously some of the growth strategies that used to work back in the day are not gonna be applicable anymore. But even beyond that, in the past several months we’ve seen some changes to how Instagram recommends content to users, what the culture of Instagram is like - and more. So all of these changes should really be considered when it comes to creating your content. So let me get you up to date so that you can adjust your Instagram content strategy to be as effective as possible.

The Outdated Strategy: only following trends on Reels

The Updated Strategy: it’s about balance

Since Reels were released in August 2020, things have changed…like, a lot! In fact, I recently gained almost 10K new followers on Instagram through a few strategic moves with my Reels strategy.

So, what did I do? Well, I focused on creating valuable original content. I call this my "YouTube-ification" strategy, which I talked about in detail on a previous Podcast episode we dropped in February called, Ultimate Guide to TikTok in 2023 - so give that a listen if you want more detailed information about this strategy. My TikTok strategy is pretty similar to my Reels strategy, but there is a key difference. I try to balance trendy content with these “mini YouTube” videos I am referring to.

I think it would be helpful to talk about my most popular Reels from the last month or so that are bringing me new followers. First up, there's a 2022 income report Reel. I will have this Reel linked in the show notes if you want to take a quick look at it. In this Reel, I got super transparent with how much I earned each month in 2022. I also followed up this one with another income-related Reel all about my specific revenue streams. This was a trend, and when you hit these at the right time with the right content, they can be really great for reach.

The other one I wanted to talk about is my "Why You Need to Get on YouTube" Reel. This was more substantial, original content - all about why you need to start leaning into YouTube. Part of why this got the reach that it did is because my income videos were doing so well. But if you want to convert new viewers into followers, it’s important that you have follow-up content that’s actually helpful to them. If all I did was post the same income report again and again, it would probably get good views, but how is that going to help grow a community? Or establish my expertise? That’s why you need to pair the content that could go viral (which is usually more trendy, highly visual, and based on trending audios) with more substantial content that actually provides value.

It’s just like having a balanced diet - trendy reels are like candy. It’s tasty, but you don’t only eat candy - you gotta pair it with more nutritious stuff. My personal balance right now is probably 3:2 substantial to trendy - and I think that’s a good balance.

The Outdated Strategy: hyper-focusing on hashtags

The Updated Strategy: 3-5 specific tags is good enough

Do you remember when everyone on Instagram was using as many hashtags as possible? You are able to use up to 30 hashtags, and everyone was pushing to use every last one. Beyond that, everyone was obsessed with having a list of 100s of different hashtags for their different content pillars. Did anyone have a note in their Notes App full of hashtag (you know your girl did!) But nowadays, things are quite different.

Instagram introduced Reels, which has certainly changed the game. But more importantly, they've updated their recommendations algorithm. It's become more sophisticated than it used to be, and users are finding new content on their Explore page through this algorithm, rather than through browsing hashtags. I truly feel like hashtags were really a part of the blogger era of Instagram.

So, where does that leave us with hashtags? Well, hashtags used to be the primary way to get your content discovered by new followers. But now, it's more about using 3-5 specific hashtags that are relevant to each post, and not stressing about it too much. Think about hashtags in terms of SEO, rather than trying to use "trending" hashtags. It's less about people browsing hashtags and more about telling the Instagram algorithm what your content is about.

There are also other ways to incorporate SEO into your post. You can use the Topics feature on Reels to indicate what your content is about. This has the same effect as using hashtags. And don’t forget to think about using keywords naturally in your caption. This can also help tell the Instagram algorithm what your content is about.

The Outdated Strategy: trying to make your grid magazine-perfect

The Updated Strategy: treating your Reels covers like YouTube thumbnails

Another trademark of the blogger era of Instagram is curating the perfect grid and don’t get me wrong, a core part of Instagram’s culture is curation and aesthetics… but it's crucial that we don't let our aesthetic priorities outweigh our strategic priorities. Let me just say that again, don't let our aesthetic priorities outweigh our strategic priorities.

Now, one trend that's been gaining popularity is adding cutesy covers to your reels to maintain your perfect "grid aesthetic". But here's the thing - that's not always the best strategy. I think this could actually hurt your growth. Let me explain.

As I was creating my own reels, I realized that adding covers that aren't accurate to the reel can actually lead to a lot of disappointment for the viewer. They'll click on the reel expecting one thing, but get something completely different. Something else I have noticed from even my own experience is when you find a creator you like after finding their Reel just scrolling and going to their profile, but all of their Reels have these unrelated, image Reel covers with no indication of what the Reel is even about. I don’t have time to click open each Reel and see if it’s something I want to watch, so I just click out (and honestly, they usually don’t get my follow).

So, what have I done instead to fix these two problems? Well, I make my Reels covers in Photoshop (you could easily use Canva or whatever tool you prefer). I use my own brand font every time, and I add my Lightroom preset (which, in case you didn’t know - I am one of those girlies who still loves to use presets on both my Instagram and YouTube channel Thumbnails, and you can grab my exact presets in my shop, www.katiesteckly.com/shop). But most importantly, I try to make my covers accurate to the reel to avoid clickbait, and I also try to make them enticing and a bit of a teaser.

The bottom line is, while a perfect grid might be visually appealing, it's important to prioritize strategy above all else. So, next time you're creating a reel, think about what will actually entice your viewers and accurately portray what they'll see in the reel.

The Outdated Strategy: trying to “Beat the Algorithm”

The Updated Strategy: creating content based on your audience

Let’s be real. Who among us has said in the past, that they are trying to “beat the algorithm” on Instagram? Don’t be shy, I know you did it too!

But here's why that's not the right mentality to have.

Instagram wants to show good content to its users, content that will keep them on the app, and they also want creators to reach their audiences, because creator satisfaction is a big part of what ensures there are even people making content worth opening the Instagram app for. So, the algorithm wants to help you, not hinder you. So we really need to get it out of our head that Instagram is “out to get us” - trust me, they want their creators to be successful!

And also, we're just approaching things the wrong way if we're thinking about the algorithm all the time, instead of thinking of our audiences. When you focus on the algorithm, you get caught up in things like aggressively posting every single day, using a million hashtags, or using all 10 slides of the carousel because it will "keep the user on your post longer", or any other silly trick or hack you've heard (that honestly doesn’t even work!)

You're better off posting genuinely good quality content instead and thinking about your audience's preferences. Too many people think about Instagram as a machine where if you press the right buttons; views and followers will start coming out. But in reality, you're creating content for actual other people.

Think about what you like to consume on Instagram, what brings you the most value, and why. Is it carousels that are needlessly 10 slides long? No, probably not. Use what you like to consume to guide your creation process, instead of a list of hacks. Create content for audiences, not algorithms.

Remember, Instagram wants to help you, not hinder you. So, focus on creating great content that your audience will love, and the algorithm will take care of itself.

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I hope you found this episode enlightening. While it's important to know what not to do on Instagram, I wanted to go beyond that and give you actionable tips on what you should be doing instead. Remember, Instagram is constantly changing, but by focusing on creating valuable, original content and engaging with your audience, you can continue to grow your following and succeed on the platform. If you take away one thing from this episode, I think it should be to always remember that you are creating content for people. Avoid creating content for the algorithm or to make more money, because if you focus on creating good, valuable content - the growth and monetization will come too. Also, don’t forget to shoot us a quick email at hello@katiesteckly.com with your questions if you want them to be featured in future episodes. Thank you so much for listening, and I will catch you in the next episode.