How to grow your Instagram audience
Growing your Instagram audience requires a mix of stories, strategic hashtags, and a profile that converts visitors into followers. Here's how to make each element work.
Social Media Fundamentals
4 min read
Table of contents
Defining a social media strategy
Implementing a strategy
Company page fundamentals
Growing your audience
Design templates
Leveraging your employees
Social media analytics
LinkedIn Ads
Google My Business
Bonus: Website basics
Use stories and reels consistently
Instagram Stories are the easiest way to stay visible on the platform. They're casual, real-time, and disappear after 24 hours — which means they don't need to be perfect. Post daily or near-daily: quick updates, behind-the-scenes moments, polls, or questions.
One in three business stories leads to a direct message. That's a direct line of communication that most B2B firms underuse. A Belgian consultancy posting a quick story about a project milestone might get a DM from a prospect who's been following silently.
Reels get strong organic reach. Short videos — a quick tip, a team introduction, a before-and-after — are rewarded by Instagram's algorithm because the platform is actively promoting video content. If you haven't tried Reels yet, start with a simple 15-second tip filmed on your phone.
Organise your highlights
Story Highlights extend the life of your best stories permanently on your profile. Use them to group content that new visitors would find useful: "About us," "Services," "Client results," "Tips," or "Team."
Design simple, branded cover images using Canva to keep your profile looking polished. Well-organised highlights tell visitors exactly what your page offers before they scroll a single post.
Use hashtags to reach new audiences
Hashtags make your posts discoverable beyond your followers. Aim for 10-15 hashtags per post, mixing broad industry tags with niche-specific ones. A Belgian IT consultancy might use #ITConsulting alongside #BelgianTech and #CybersecurityTips.
Post your hashtags as the first comment if you prefer a clean caption. This doesn't reduce their effectiveness — it just keeps your caption focused on your message.
Create a branded hashtag for your company and include it in your bio. When clients or followers use it, you can repost their content as social proof — a tactic we covered in the Instagram fundamentals chapter.
Complete your profile
Your profile is your first impression. Make every element count: a clear profile photo (your logo), a 150-character bio that explains what you do and who you help, a link to your website (or a Linktr.ee for multiple links), and keywords in your username and name fields to improve searchability.
A florist in Ghent who uses "GhentFlowers" in their name field will appear in searches that "Bloemen Van Belle" alone wouldn't capture.
Run contests to accelerate growth
Instagram contests drive quick audience growth when done right. Ask participants to follow your account, like the post, and tag a friend. Partner with complementary businesses to reach each other's audiences.
Choose a prize relevant to your business so you attract the right followers, not just freebie hunters. A skincare brand giving away their own products will attract interested prospects. A random iPhone giveaway won't.
Cross-promote from your website
Embed your Instagram feed on your website or blog. This drives website visitors to your Instagram and keeps your site visually dynamic. Every website visitor is a potential follower — make the path from your site to your Instagram as short as possible.
