Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms today, with over 1 billion monthly active users. For content creators and businesses, Instagram presents a huge opportunity to grow an audience and make an impact.

However, with so many people using Instagram, competition is fierce and it can be challenging to stand out. Everyone seems to be sharing the same generic growth tips – use trending sounds, post Reels, have a consistent schedule. But in reality, there are some underrated Instagram strategies that could supercharge your growth and help you build a loyal following in 2023.

In this extensive blog post, we’ll break down 5 underrated Instagram growth strategies. I will explain how you gained over 60,000 new Instagram followers this year alone using smarter, unconventional tactics beyond the usual Instagram tips.

1. Focus on Creating Original, High-Quality Content

The first growth strategy that i want to highlight is focusing your efforts on creating original, high-quality content rather than trying to go viral with trendy Reels using popular sounds.

Many Instagram experts emphasize chasing trends and using viral sounds in Reels as the key to growth. Their advice is to analyze how many Reels already use a particular sound to determine if it's worth hopping on the trend.

This approach has some downsides:

• It can seem inauthentic if the trends don't align with your brand.
• There's no guarantee that a sound will actually help you go viral. You might waste time overanalyzing sounds.
• Trendy sounds often get removed from Instagram for copyright reasons, which can break your Reel if you relied on that sound.
• Music copyright issues can also prevent your Reels from being viewed in certain countries.

Instead focusing your energy on creating high-quality, original content that provides real value for your audience. Here are some benefits of this approach:

• You can establish a more authentic brand. Original content allows you to stay true to your unique voice rather than following fleeting trends.
• You can build a deeper connection with your audience. Lengthier original videos allow you to share more detailed value, stories and personality.
• You have full control over the content. You don't have to worry about copyright issues or sounds being removed.
• You can still get great reach. You can gained tens of thousands of views on original Reels up to 1.5 minutes long.

The key is to provide value through education, entertainment or inspiration. Think of your Reels as short YouTube videos and take the time to create useful, binge-worthy content. This helps nurture your audience and keeps people coming back.

Balance your original content with the occasional trendy Reel when it authentically fits your brand. But avoid making trendy content your sole focus. Spend more time developing original ideas and let your unique perspective shine through.

2. Incorporate More Instagram Carousels

Another underutilized Instagram format to experiment with is the photo carousel post.

It's easy to forget about carousels when Instagram pushes Reels so heavily these days. But carousels have some unique advantages:

• Carousels feel more interactive than Reels, with the ability to swipe through at your own pace.
• Data shows that many users still want to see more static photo content on Instagram.
• They provide another opportunity to engage your audience.

In particular, I recommend casual, behind-the-scenes style carousels over more formal graphic heavy carousels.

For example, if one of your Reels gains lots of new followers, make a carousel post introducing yourself and your content pillars. Ask followers to introduce themselves in the comments to spark engagement.

You can also share funny outtakes or a photo dump of behind-the-scenes moments to show more personality. These authentic insights help strengthen your connection with your audience.

The key with carousels is to keep the captions brief and impactful. Don’t overload them with long blocks of text. Use the images to tell the story on their own or convey your main point.

Experiment to see which carousel content resonates most with your audience. Try a mix of both casual carousels and more informative graphical carousels if they align with your brand.

3. Analyze Your Instagram Analytics to Guide Your Content

One of the most valuable tools to improve your Instagram strategy is right at your fingertips – Instagram analytics.

Your Instagram insights data shows you exactly which types of content perform best for your audience. You can use this information to shape a data-backed content strategy.

For example, your Instagram analytics may reveal:

• Your highest reaching posts – so you can make more of that content
• Your most engaging posts – showing what resonates with your audience
• Your most shared posts – indicating highly sharable content
• Insights into your audience demographics and interests

Review your analytics regularly to stay on top of the latest trends with your audience. Look for patterns in your top performing content to identify strengths to build on.

If certain types of posts consistently underperform, it may be a sign to move away from that content or test new approaches. Always let the data guide your strategy.

An excellent analytics platform like Dash Hudson makes it easy to analyze your Instagram performance. Dash Hudson’s Instagram analytics include:

• Customizable dashboards so you can view key metrics.
• Performance analysis on Reels, carousels, and Stories.
• Engagement insights on your best content.
• Metrics on how you rank against competitors.

platforms like Dash Hudson help uncover the hidden insights in your data to take the guesswork out of optimizing your Instagram.

4. Dedicate More Focus to Instagram Stories

Many creators overlook the importance of Instagram Stories for growth. But cultivating your Instagram Stories strategy can help strengthen your connection with your audience.

The mindset around Stories is often just to post ephemeral behind-the-scenes content. But your followers crave that insider view into your daily life. Stories are your chance to give your audience VIP access.

So how can you use Stories for growth? Here are some ideas:

• Post 2-3 times per day to stay top of mind with your audience. Share a mix of professional and personal updates.
• Add interactive elements like polls, Q&As and emoji sliders to encourage responses. Put these near the bottom right of your Stories for easy access.
• Respond to DMs from your Stories. This boosts your visibility in the Instagram algorithm, helping you reach more followers.
• Offer a more raw, authentic look at your life compared to your curated Instagram feed. Let your personality shine.
• Promote other content like IGTV videos or new feed posts to drive traffic.

The more engaging your Stories, the more reach potential they have. Treat your Stories as a way to cultivate a community that knows, likes and trusts you. This helps convert passive followers into engaged brand advocates.

5. Research Your Target Audience’s Needs

The most crucial Instagram strategy is also the most overlooked – actually researching your target audience's needs and interests.

It's easy to fall into the trap of creating the content you want to make rather than what your audience wants to consume. But viewer-focused content tailored to your ideal audience is key.

Say the owner is passionate about serving authentic French pastries and Italian espresso. But the restaurant is located in a small rural town, where the target audience is more blue-collar workers interested in no-frills comfort food.

In this case, the owner's passion for exotic coffees and pastries would likely flop. The people in that town don't have an appetite for those things. Instead, she'll have more success serving the tried-and-true fare her locals crave - burgers, fries, sandwiches, regular coffee.

This example demonstrates the need to truly know your audience. Create content that resonates with their interests, not just yours. Here are some tips:

• Research your audience demographics like location, age, gender, income level, education, interests and pain points.
• Analyze audience feedback and engagement to see what content they respond to best.
• Run audience surveys or polls to get direct input on what they want to see.
• Study competitors catering to your audience to analyze their content strategies.
• Examine audience search trends to identify high-demand topics and questions.
• Talk to your audience and ask questions in your content to better understand them.

Constantly gather intel on your audience as their interests evolve over time. Let their needs and preferences guide your content above all else.

It's fine to start creating content you're personally passionate about. But if you want to grow, you need to shape your content for your audience. Give them what they want, and they'll eagerly follow you, engage and share your posts.

Key Takeaways

There you have it – five underrated Instagram strategies to accelerate your growth in 2023 revealed by me. Here are some key takeaways:

• Prioritize original, high-quality content. Avoid falling into the trap of chasing temporary Instagram trends.
• Test out Instagram carousels. Find creative ways to integrate more photo content to change up your profile.
• Analyze your analytics to double down on what works and improve upon what doesn't.
• Maximize your Instagram Stories as a tool to foster deeper connections with your most engaged followers.
• Research your target audience to ensure you're creating content tailored specifically to their interests.

What underrated Instagram strategies have worked for you? Share your best tips in the comments!