Do you want to know why most people struggle to get the results they want on Instagram?

It's because of a lack of priorities.

Here's the thing...

There's a lot of information out there about how to grow on Instagram.

There's no shortage of tips, strategies, and techniques all claiming to be the one thing you need to finally start seeing results on Instagram.

And maybe I'm responsible for spreading some of this as well as my past content has focused on some of them.

But the fact is, most of them are vastly over-exaggerated.

Hashtags? They can help but aren't worth spending too much time on.

Feed layout? Waste of time.

Engagement groups? Are people seriously still using that in 2024?

Engaging with other accounts? Helpful for accounts struggling to hit that first 1k or 2k mark. Not so much for everyone else.

Collaborations and shoutouts? They help to put your name out there and to bring in a quick wave of new followers but what happens when the post dies down?

Now I'm not saying you need to cut all these out of your Instagram strategy. Some of them like engaging, collabs and shoutouts do have a place.

But... they shouldn't be your focus.

The Pareto principle and how it applies to Instagram growth.

Have you heard of the Pareto principle?

It specifies that 80% of results come from 20% of the causes.

This also means that the remaining 20% of results come from 80% of the causes.

When you relate this to Instagram growth...

Hashtags, feed layouts, and collabs are the 80% that bring in only 20% of the results.

Is that really where you want to be spending all your time? Hopefully not!

Your goal should be to find the 20% that drives the most results and focus on that.

What you should focus on for better results on Instagram.

The 20% that drives the 80% of results that you're looking for can be summed up in one word.

CONTENT.

This is what people will ultimately follow you for.

This is what will propel your account to that 10k mark and beyond.

This is what will showcase your credibility and build your authority.

This is what directly impacts the other parts of the puzzle and how effective they will be for you.

If you can keep working on your content and stick with it for an unreasonable amount of time, you'll get the results you want.

The problem though is that the topic of creating better content is also probably the most wide when it comes to understanding how to grow on Instagram.

Not only are there multiple content formats and different ways to get results with them...

Different creators use the same content formats for different goals and can get varying results.

So there isn't just one answer to the question: "How do I create content that gets results on Instagram?"

However here are some tips you can start using today to get better results with your content regardless of the strategy you're currently using.

How to get better results with your content on Instagram.

1. Post more

When I joined Instagram, posting daily was highly recommended...

However, things have done a 180 now and it seems most people are constantly talking against posting daily in their content.

This is B.S though.

Yes, posting daily can be difficult - especially when you don't have the right strategy in place.

But... if you're really serious about seeing results with your content and growing your audience then it's your best bet.

This is because of point 2 which we'll cover below.

I've already covered the importance of posting more and the many benefits it brings in an old newsletter where I spoke about the whole "quality or quantity" debate.

​Here's the link to that if you want to check it out.​

2. Experiment/test everything

You need to constantly be testing things out and experimenting on your Instagram account.

Test out different content types...

Test out all the different content formats...

Test out different content pillars...

You should be testing all this to see which does well and which doesn't.

This is due to the fact that you need to know what kind of content your audience resonates with and wants to see more of.

Success always leaves clues, part of your job when posting on Instagram is to find those clues.

Once you do, you need to double down on what’s working and cut out what's not working.

So how do you find those clues?

3. Watch your insights

I said at the start of this newsletter that hashtags, feed layouts, and collabs were overrated.

Want to know what's seriously underrated though?

Checking your insights every week.

We already covered why it's important to post more and do some experimentation with your content. The reason for that is so you can go into your insights and check the results.

Go to your insights and click on "content you shared"

Using the controls in the top left, rank your posts based on reach or followers gained.

Look at the posts that are bringing in the best results for you on these two metrics.

Ask yourself these two questions:

• "What do these posts have in common?"
• "How can I create more of these posts?"

4. Expand your timeframe & stay consistent

"Stay consistent"

That's one of the most common pieces of social media advice given.

And I'm not here to bash it or say that it's wrong.

It's absolutely on point, that's why everyone and their mom keeps saying it.

It's just that important.

Everything else fails if you don't have this piece of the puzzle.

Rome wasn't built in a day - cliche but true.

Even if you have the best content strategy, you won't get results if you quit after a few weeks or sometimes even months.

Because while you may see posts of people gaining 100k followers in a few months, this isn't the norm. Most accounts will take years.

So rather than just telling you to stay consistent, I'd rather tell you to expand your time frame for results.

Whatever time you think it'll take you to hit your follower growth goal whether that's 10K followers, 100k followers, or even more, double it.

This will stop you from being disappointed if you don't hit that goal.

And if you do, you'll have just achieved your goal in half the time you thought it would take.

I'll leave you with this image to drive things home even more!

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Happy new month!

Niyo

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P.S.: My upcoming ebook, The Content Creation Blueprint is launching in a few weeks.

It'll teach you all you need to know about creating content that gets results and actually grows your audience on Instagram in 11 easy-to-follow chapters spread over 80 pages.

Since you're a part of my email list, you'll also qualify for 3 exclusive bonuses and a 50% discount when it drops. Keep your eye on your inbox for more information coming soon!