Wouldn’t it be amazing if Instagram handed you a cheat sheet on what exactly you should post, and how often you should post it in order to grow? They might not have given you the blueprint for growth but they certainly told Rachel Reichenbach. Long story short, Instagram’s team reached out to Rachel asking her if she wanted advice on growing her account. If you’re reading this thinking “um… hello? I want to speak to Instagram about growing my account too,” you’re not alone. Although I have no clue how this happened to Rachel, she did us all a huge favor by documenting everything this Instagram team member told her on her blog. In today’s episode, I’ll be breaking this coveted information down into bite-size pieces. So without further ado, here’s what you should post on IG for Maximum growth (according to IG).

What You Should Post on IG for Maximum Growth According to IG

A word of warning before you read on–I’m not going to lie, what Instagram suggests you post for maximum growth is a lot. But before you panic thinking you have to post a huge load of content, remember that the purpose of this episode is to make this information more manageable for you. So yes, Instagram does suggest posting a ton of content. But the tips I dive into will make the process seem a little less daunting.

What You Should Post on IG According to IG

Let’s rip the bandaid off and start with what IG expects you to post every single week…

• 3 in feed posts per week (this includes static, carousels, reels, and IGTV)
• 8-10 stories per week (averaging 2 per day)
• 4-7 reels per week
• 1-3 IGTV per week

Deep breath everyone… before you start freaking out, here are my takeaways from Rachel’s conversation with Instagram and how you can make this posting schedule more manageable.

Takeaway #1: Use All of IG’s Features

Not so surprisingly, Instagram will reward users who use all the features that IG has available. So how can you make this work for the monstrous amount of content they expect you to post for maximum growth?

In Feed Posts

Look, the big numbers here are the 4-7 reels per week and 1-3 IGTVs. By posting 3 of those 4-7 reels to your feed, you’ve already met IG’s 3 in feed post quota. What’s more, utilizing Instagram’s live feature could help you fulfill the 1-3 IGTV per week requirement, as lives can easily be saved as IGTVs.

Instagram Stories

If you’re a creator, business owner, or coach, showing up on stories daily will not be an issue for you. But don’t forget to use story features like polls, question boxes, and quizzes. This will drive engagement and increase story views. Remember, Instagram rewards users who take advantage of what IG has to offer.

However, I’d take your Instagram story strategy a step further by making a point of showing your face on stories every single day. It’s no secret that people are looking for connection in 2021. Showing your face on stories will give your audience that sense of closeness and intimacy. And before you start panicking about getting “camera ready,” I suggest showing up on stories whether you have makeup on or not. The theme of 2021 is authenticity and candidness. People are not looking for perfection. So show up without makeup, show up as you are, and talk to your audience like you’re talking to a friend.

Live Rooms

It was only a matter of time before IG released its answer to Clubhouse. Live rooms are another great way to adopt and adapt to one of Instagram’s latest features. Essentially, live rooms allow creators to go live with up to 4 people (total) at once. Although there’s so much more we can learn about live rooms, I will be personally setting out to use them consistently since I know that Instagram rewards early adopters of their features. Just don’t forget to save it to your feed as an IGTV post!

Reels

I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it a hundred more–reels are all the rage! Instagram is really rewarding creators who utilize reels consistently. But I understand if you’re feeling completely overwhelmed by the need to create 4-7 reels per week. Personally, I started off slow by posting one reel per week. And as I got more comfortable, I starting posting more reels consistently. The important thing is to just start. And if you need a little more motivation to hop on the reels train, posting reels consistently has allowed me to grow by over 10k followers in a week.

Takeaway #2: No Reels, No Rewards

Speaking of reels, an important piece of information from Rachel’s conversation with Instagram is just how important a part reels will play in the overall performance of all your content. So not only will reels help you grow and reach new people but if you’re being consistent with them, they’ll have a positive impact on the performance of the rest of your content. According to Rachel, “reels are the cheat code to success on Instagram right now.” 

Personally speaking, since I started posting reels consistently, I’ve noticed that my other content like story views and my reach on static posts have improved dramatically. On the other hand, people who have not adopted reels saw a massive dip in engagement on their posts. Once the reels feature isn’t so new a few months from now, it will likely be downgraded to normal weight. So if you are not posting one reel a week, the algorithm is going to punish all your posts.

Takeaway #3: Why Consistency Matters (More Than You Think)

You can’t just show up every day for one week and then go off the Instagram app for weeks at a time while expecting consistent growth. You need to set yourself up for success and start posting consistently. Through Rachel’s conversation with Instagram, it seemed like this piece of advice was a life raft for those who thought Instagram’s posting demands were unrealistic. If you can’t post a reel every single day or if you can’t show up on stories twice daily, be consistent with when you show up. 

So for example, if you only want to post 3 times per week, make a strict schedule and stick to it. Whether you’re posting a reel on Mondays, then a static photo to your feed on Wednesdays, and a reel on Fridays, post those same types of posts at the same time every single week on the same days that you’re posting them. By staying consistent, you will be rewarded by Instagram.

Why Batching Content is Your Secret Weapon for Maximum Growth on IG

I’m not going to sugarcoat it–posting on Instagram for maximum growth is a full-time job and a half. Between shareable static posts, value-packed captions, reels, IGTVs, stories, and now live rooms… posting on Instagram isn’t as easy as it once was. In a way, this is a great thing since Instagram demands value-driven, entertaining, and useful content. So start by creating a strategic content calendar, batch your content in advance, and start posting as consistently as possible. Stop flying by the seat of your pants and create content for the future. That way, you’ll never stress out over posting on Instagram again–no matter how much IG demands of you.

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RELEVANT LINKS:

Rachel’s blog post: https://rainylune.com/blogs/blog/why-your-instagram-engagement-kinda-sucks-right-now

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