Everyone dreams of starting an Instagram account, getting thousands upon thousands of followers, and turning their passion into profit. 

But when you actually get started, you realize there are SO many things that go into content creation — it’s easy to be overwhelmed. 

Thankfully, growing on Instagram isn’t as complicated as it might seem. 

When you break things down, you’ll find that there are 4 phases every successful Instagram account goes through. 

Once you know about these phases and what to do in each one, growing on Instagram becomes straightforward. 

That’s why today, I’m going over the best Instagram growth strategies for 2026, and what you need to do in each one. 

It’s not going to be easy (all good things take time and effort). 

But this is a proven framework for growing on Instagram and starting to make money on the platform.

Phase #1: The Foundations

Selecting a Niche

Technically, you can pick any niche under the sun for your account. 

But if you’re serious about growing an account (and eventually making money), you HAVE to be strategic about your niche choice. 

There are four things to weigh when picking a profitable niche: 

• Passion (don’t overweigh this, but the more passionate you are about something, the easier it’ll be for you to pump out content.)
• Expertise (you don’t have to be the best in the world at it, but you should be better than the average person.)
• Pain (how many people struggle with the problem you’re helping with? The more people there are, the higher the potential for making money is.) 
• Market (how many people will pay to fix the problem? How tough is the competition? Is there a way to niche down and target a more specific group of people?) 

Write down a bunch of niches you’re interested in, then weigh them using these four factors. Pick the one with the strongest overall score. 

To learn more about how to do this, read my full guide here. 

Audience Research

Audience research is about becoming crystal clear on who exactly your content is for. 

Before you make your first reel, ask yourself: 

• Who am I trying to help? Describe the exact type of person you want to attract and their age, lifestyle, and goals.
• What problems are they dealing with every day? The best content solves a pain point your audience already feels.
• What do they dream about achieving? Growth comes from making content that moves people toward a clear outcome.
• What frustrates them about the current solutions out there? This helps you create content that feels fresh and different.
• What kind of language do they use? Speak the way they speak so your content feels familiar and relatable.
• Why should they listen to you? Identify the angle, story, or experience that makes your voice the right one for them.

Once you answer all these, you’ll not only have a clear target audience, but you’ll also know which Instagram business works best for them. 

Setting Up Your Account

I’m sure you’re ready to get out there and start creating content. But first! Setting up your account. 

This is a technical step that nobody enjoys (but everyone must do properly). Here’s what to look out for: 

• Username – choose something easy to spell and remember. Avoid numbers or symbols. Ideally, use your name or your niche + name so people can find you easily. Your username should be instantly readable when someone glances at it mid-scroll. 
• Profile Picture – pick a photo where your face is bright, centered, and easy to see. Accounts with real faces build trust faster. Use a tight crop, because most people will only see your picture in a tiny circle. Skip logos unless you’re a brand.
• Bio – say who you help and what outcome you help them achieve. Use line breaks and emojis to make it skimmable, and keep it simple and benefit-focused. Add a short CTA like “Free guide soon!”
• Creator Account – go to Settings → Account → Switch to Professional → Creator. This unlocks analytics, scheduling, and monetization features. It also helps Instagram categorize you correctly.
• Account Category – choose something that matches your niche (e.g., Digital Creator, Fitness Coach, Photographer). This helps Instagram recommend your content to the right audience.
• Contact – enable email or DM buttons so brands can reach out later. It makes your page look more legitimate. Even if you aren’t planning to work with brands right away, having a contact button signal professionalism. 
• Link in Bio – use Linktree, Notion, or a simple temporary page. Even if you have nothing to sell yet, it shows you’re a serious creator. You can update this link later when you start monetizing.

Do all that, and you’re ready for the next phase.

Phase #2: Getting Views

Topic Research

The fastest way to grow on Instagram is to find out what your target audience already watches. 

Too many new creators post whatever they want, without researching what their audience wants. 

The good news is that it’s not hard to figure out what your target audience already watches. Here’s how: 

1. Open Instagram search
2. Type in a keyword related to your niche
3. Watch the viral content, and take notes

Repeat this for several keywords, and you should have a strong idea of what content your target audience responds to. 

Looking for quick ideas to get started? Check out my article on 17 Instagram Content ideas. 

Video Quality

You don’t need a DSLR camera for content creation. 

But if your footage looks like it was filmed with a calculator, something needs to be done. 

Having extremely high-quality footage doesn’t guarantee success, but having poor video quality almost guarantees failure. So here are some settings/tricks to improve your video quality: 

• Adjust Your Phone’s Settings – modern smartphones are usually set up well by default. But if you notice a lack of quality, go to your camera settings and look for your resolution (1080p works, but you can use 4k if you want extra crisp footage) and FPS (frames-per-second, 30 is standard, but you can bump to 60 for extra-smooth and slow-motion footage). 
• Don’t Shoot in the Dark – most smartphone cameras struggle in the dark. Make sure you video yourself in a well-lit room (or outdoors). Shooting during golden hour also gives you dramatic colors that are super catchy. 
• Don’t Zoom/Crop – zooming and cropping your video kills quality. Try as much as possible to get the framing right while recording. 
• Upload at Highest Quality – before clicking “publish” on Instagram, click on “Advanced Settings,” and make sure “Upload at Highest Quality” is ticked. 

Do these, and your video quality won’t hold you back. 

Hooks

Hooks are the MOST important part of every reel. 

If you can’t grab someone’s attention in the first 3 seconds of your reel, they’ll scroll right past. 

No matter how helpful your reel is, if your hook is weak, it just won’t get the views you want. 

The good news is that making strong hooks isn’t rocket science. Here are some ways you can catch people’s attention immediately: 

• Create Curiosity – say something unexpected, controversial, or bold enough to make people stop and think. 
• Call Out Your Audience – when people hear themselves being referenced, they pay attention (ex: “If your turkey always comes out dry, this is for you.”)
• Promise a Solution – tell viewers exactly what they’ll get if they keep watching.
• Use Visuals – movements, props, interesting footage… make sure to use the most catchy video in your hook to stop people from scrolling. 
• Straight to the Point – make sure your hooks have absolutely ZERO fluff.

If you’d like more concrete hook ideas, check out my viral hook formula, so you’ll never run out of ideas (I also included 27 hooks you can use right now in there). 

Posting Time / Frequency

Post every day. 

If you’re serious about growth, this is one of the fastest ways to do it. 

Posting every day not only puts more content out for your target audience to find you, but it also teaches you what works and what doesn’t very quickly. 

If you only post 3x a week, it’ll take months before you learn what your audience actually wants. 

I’m not saying you should ignore quality. But the most effective way to grow on Instagram is the right mix of both content quality AND quantity, so post every day. 

If you’re wondering what time you should post, the research isn’t super conclusive, but you can read more about that here. 

Phase #3: Getting Followers

Content Types / Allocation

If you’re focused on growth, your content should be 80% reels and 20% carousels. 

If you already have a big following and want to keep them happy, go for 60% reels and 40% carousels. 

Reels are hands-down the most popular and effective way to get followers on Instagram today. But carousels are great for engaging with your existing audience, so don’t leave that out. 

Single-photo posts are okay if you want to have a bit of fun. But in terms of growing on Instagram, they’re not effective anymore. 

That’s just one way to get more followers on Instagram, which I talk about more (and 11 other ways) in my full guide. 

Mistakes to Avoid

I see new creators making so many mistakes that kill their growth. 

Mistakes like: 

• Being Afraid to Copy – don’t be afraid to copy viral ideas. As long as you add your own twist, it’s 100% okay to steal ideas on Instagram. 
• Being Unoriginal – on the flip side, don’t just copy viral ideas, sprinkle in some original ideas as well, because authenticity builds a loyal following. 
• Not Answering Comments – you’re trying to build a loyal audience, not just pad your follower numbers. Engage with everyone who comments and shoots you a dm. 
• Not Using Tools – Instagram has a bunch of insights for creators, like how many people watched past the first 3 seconds (shows how strong your hook is), average view durations (shows how engaging your content was), and even audience active times (so you’ll know when to post). 
• Being Impatient – success takes time. I see so many creators make a few reels and then give up when they don’t see instant results. Stay patient, keep pumping out high-quality content, and you should see growth. 

Check my guide on how to get 1k followers for more info on these mistakes. 

Using AI

One of the secrets of getting followers is using AI for help. 

There are so many great AI tools that you can use to:

• Suggest new content ideas
• Find viral content in your niche
• Help writing hooks that work
• Making your reels more engaging
• Help edit your videos
• Etc. 

One of my favorite uses for AI is to talk to it like it’s an Instagram coach. 

Ask it what it thinks about your ideas, your hook, your call-to-action, etc. But don’t just take its word. Talk to it like you would a person, tell it why you don’t like its ideas, and probe it for stronger ideas. 

Not sure which AI tools to use? I wrote all about that here. 

Audience Quality

If your goal is to make money on Instagram, audience quality matters 10x more than follower count. 

1,000 loyal followers who look up to you are so much more valuable than 100,000 people who see you as just “another creator.” 

Not only will they buy your product, but they’ll even buy another brand’s product if you recommend it. 

To build a quality audience, you can: 

• Be Vulnerable & Real – share your true story, struggles, wins, and why you do what you do to help people connect on a deeper level.
• Show Up Consistently – post regularly, even if your content isn’t perfect, to build trust over time.
• Engage Authentically – reply to comments like you’re talking to a friend; ask questions and start real conversations.
• Provide Value – teach, solve problems, or give insights that your audience can use immediately.
• Build Trust – keep showing up and delivering value so your audience sees you as reliable and trustworthy.

Quality audience beats follower counts every single time. If you’d like to learn more, read my post about follower quality vs quantity. 

Phase #4: Monetization

Brand Deals

Brand deals don’t fall from the sky. 

If you want them, you have to work for them intentionally. So many new creators have this idea that once you reach x number of followers, brands will come knocking at your door. But that’s not always true. 

Instead, be intentional by: 

• Posting Non-Sponsored Products – feature products that you use, even if you aren’t sponsored. Use these reels in your portfolio, so potential brands see what working with you might look like. 
• Making a Media Kit – a media kit shows that you’re professional and ready to work with brands. So make one that includes an about you, your audience insights, content examples, services, etc. 
• Reaching Out to Brands – don’t wait for brands to come to you, reach out to them. It’s harder for brands to find creators than it is for creators to find brands. So send out a simple pitch to a brand that you love, and you might just score a deal. 

But before you reach out to that brand, read my full guide on getting brand deals first. 

Sponsorships

Let’s say a brand reaches out to you and asks you the dreaded question: 

“What are your rates?” 

If you haven’t prepared for this, this question can be nerve-wracking. How do you price yourself fairly without scaring brands away? 

The simplest formula is to charge 1% for every 1,000 followers you have per post. 

If you have 15,000 followers, you can charge $150 per post. 

Use that as a benchmark, then you can negotiate from there depending on what the brand is asking for, which I go much deeper into in my sponsored post pricing guide. 

Selling Products

Whether you want to offer coaching sessions, sell a digital product, or even sell physical products, the key is to build trust first before pushing your product. 

One mistake I see is when creators hold back on Instagram because they want to push people to their paid products. 

Instead, overdeliver on Instagram. Show people the best of what you have. So that when people are ready to spend on a more structured approach, you’re the first person they’ll go to. 

Ready to Grow on Instagram?

Growing on Instagram might seem overwhelming. 

So take it one phase at a time, you’ll eventually reach the monetization stage, start making money, quit your day job, and make a living off of Instagram. 

But the truth is…

If you don’t do all four stages properly, you could end up pouring hours and hours into Instagram without making a penny. 

You can’t just rely on online information either. Every niche is different, so what works for one person might not work for you. 

That’s why you should join our community! 

In it, we provide you with: 

• 1-on-1 Coaching Calls – whether you’re in phase 1 or phase 4, we’ll help you with personalized strategies you can use to grow as quickly as possible. 
• Viral Techniques – we share all the latest viral techniques creators are using today (not old, outdated strategies like using hashtags)
• Template Library – a bunch of content templates you can use so you never run out of ideas. 
• Community – a community with the same goals as you. See others’ progress, be inspired, and share strategies with like-minded people. 

And so much more! 

So sign up for a complimentary viral strategy call, and get your Instagram career up and running today by clicking the link below.