If you’re frustrated with how your Instagram post reach has dropped lately, you’re not alone.

Here are a few tips to help your content get more attention and work better with the algorithm so more people actually see it.

How Instagram Decides Who Sees Your Post first

• Past Engagement – People who like, comment, share, or DM you often see your posts first.

• Content Popularity – Saves and shares are the strongest signals for broader reach.

• Post Type & Watch Time – Reels and carousels with longer viewing time perform best.

• Timeliness – Posting when your audience is active boosts visibility.

• SEO Optimization – Keywords in captions, hashtags, and alt-text help you show up in search and Explore.

  
  

Why Some People See You First

Instagram tests posts with a small group of your most engaged followers. If they share, save, or DM it, the algorithm pushes it to a wider audience via Explore and suggested feeds.

What Service Businesses Should Do to Get Reach on Instagram

1. Post Reels or carousels designed for saves and shares (tips, checklists, FAQs).

2. Use keywords and location tags for search and Explore visibility.

3. Post during peak follower activity.

4. Reply fast to comments and DMs—early engagement matters.

   
   

Now here's what you won't learn anywhere else. If you have all of the above checked off, you still have to get people to want to read and engage with your post-including the caption below the image, if you want more reach. Here's some inside info on how to get the algorithms to work and entice your target audience to read.

Ask yourself these questions before you post:

1. Topic relevance-does it fit under one of your content pillars? Consistency is an important factor for a brand on social.

2. Keywords-do you have relevant keywords from the post in your captions?

3. Signature-do you have a signature that has keywords about what you do and who your audience is?

4. Sub heads-have you separated your thoughts with subheads for easy scanning?

5. Hashtags-do you have hashtags that match the keywords in your caption and are not dead or banned?

6. Alt-text-have you used alt-text to add more keywords in your description?

7. Authenticity-did you speak your words in voice to text in your caption to sound more like yourself?

8. POV-did you use second person point of view (the word "you") to sound like you’re talking to one person?

9. Purpose-what will your reader get for reading the post-have you considered "what's in it for them?"

10. Emojis-you gotta use em’ if you want reach-just a few will do, and you can use the squares for bullet points if you want to keep a professional look.

11. Simplicity-do you cover only one question, topic, or solution in the post?

12. White space-do you have a double space between paragraphs/sentences?

13. Clarity-do you use one thought per sentence. One concept per paragraph.

14. Objective-what do you want from this post? Do you know what you want people to do?

15. Metric-have you considered which metrics matter? How will you measure post success?

16. Consistency-do you post at the same time on the same day(s) for consistency? Your audience and the algorithm like to know when to hear from you.

17. Format-do you have the right format for the content? (photo, infographic, reel, carousel)

18. Persistence-do you suck it up and post even when you don’t feel like it?

19. Repurpose potential-how will you determine whether you can repurpose this topic later?

20. Image-if you used an image, did you do it right? (you have a hook to give your reader context)

21. Headline-have you used a headline analyzer to rate your hook/headline effectiveness - how will you know if it will stop the scroll?

22. Text alignment- Is your text readable and is there a hierarchical structure to your text? (Headlines are always larger than paragraph text)

23. Name-did you put your Instagram handle clearly on the post? (it makes it easier for the algorithms and your audience to recognize you)

24. Page numbers-if the post is a carousel, did you number the pages? (people want to know how many slides they'll have to view)

25. CTA-do you have 1-2 clear calls to action? (one should be "follow me" if you want to grow your account, and the other should reflect a marketing goal)

26. Do you have a signature? Not many businesses do, but it's important for a new viewer to know something about your business and what you do-it can mean the difference between scrolling by and visiting your profile-my personal favorite metric)

Instagram post reach follows relevance and engagement. Share practical, save-worthy content, and your best followers will trigger the algorithm to send it to more people.

Most business owners don’t realize how much goes into creating content that gets engagement and reach, and also makes people trust you as an expert. That’s why you need someone who understands more than just posting—someone who knows how social media supports your business goals and how to track what’s working (and what’s not) with real data.

I’m Antonia, founder of Crush Your Social Co. I help professional service businesses become recognized thought leaders—both in their local community and online—through consistent branding and distinctive messaging that sets them apart as the obvious go-to choice in their industry. Want to start positioning yourself as the trusted authority clients can’t ignore? Follow me on Instagram or LinkedIn, and download my free guide, “The Expert Authority Social Media Blueprint,” to put your expertise front and center."