How to Build a Community on Instagram in 2023

Simple steps for building meaningful relationships so that you can get clients/patients and targeted followers on Instagram.

If you have seen the movie The Field of Dreams, you know the saying:

“If you build it, they will come.”

But that’s not how Instagram works. If you build it, they will not always come. 😉  You have to bring people into your field of dreams!

Imagine attending an in-person networking event and only standing against the wall. You don’t go out and introduce yourself to a single person. Would that grow your business? What if you continue going to more and more networking events and employ the same strategy of standing against the wall? Would THAT grow your business? No way!

If that sounds crazy, then consider this: the anecdote above is the equivalent of continuing to post more and more and more without actually stopping to interact with other accounts (the “social” in social media)!

Here are a few simple steps for growing your community and getting more engagement on Instagram:

Easy button:

Your Instagram Insights will tell you when your audience is online. Also, schedulers like Planoly or Later will tell you your optimal posting times. These suggested times are great, but they’re not as effective if you’re not on Instagram during that time, too.

This is why auto-posting isn’t my preferred strategy. However, if using auto-post is the ONLY way you’ll get content out, then go for it. But even taking five minutes to engage with others around the time you post can pay dividends!

Why does autopost or “posting and ghosting” affect your reach?

Instagram is a business that wants you to spend time on their app. If you log off as soon as you post or autopost, what’s the incentive to show your posts to more people?

Optimize the Time You Spend on Instagram with these tips:

One of the biggest mistakes is focusing on MORE content instead of RELATIONSHIPS.

Step 1:

Before you post, spend a few minutes liking, commenting on, and sharing posts and Reels on your home feed.

(Your home feed is what shows when you open up the app and you’re scrolling.)

Why?

This tells the algorithm that you are active, which can help your content get more reach.

Step 2:

Respond to or like any comments from previous posts.

Bonus Tip: The first time you reply to someone’s comment, don’t “like” their comment too. That way, the next time you post, you can “like” the comment even if you’ve already replied. This gives them a NEW notification, which encourages them to come back to comment on MORE of your content!

Step 3:

If you’re an online-only business, pick a “no-brainer” hashtag that your ideal client or patient would follow like:

#PMDD
#mealprep
#emptynester
(or whatever makes sense for your business)

If you’re a brick-and-mortar business or if you only work with a local market, then pick a local/regional hashtag, like:

#raleighmoms
#pasadenalocal
#gulfbreezefl

Head to this hashtag’s “Recent” tab (not “Top”) and tap on what stands out to you and start commenting and sharing.

How do you know what to say?

Talk like a normal human. 😉 

You wouldn’t walk up to somebody in a coffee shop and say, “Hey, do you want to get married?” You would say, “Oh, that’s my favorite coffee order, too.” Try to find common ground and then go from there.

And if you can’t think of something to say or if it feels disingenuous, move on. This shouldn’t take a ton of time.

Common Pitfall: Make sure you aren’t only interacting with your peers and that you are also interacting with potential CLIENTS. 

Example: If you’re a health coach, interact with potential ideal clients, not other health coaches. (Unless they have a complementary business and there’s an opportunity for collaboration.)

Hack- Online Business:

If you’re online only, don’t overlook engaging LOCALLY even if you serve people anywhere.

Why?

Let’s say I am hiring a health coach and have narrowed it down to three. They are all amazing and equal, except one of them is closer or local to me geographically. That will almost always put them in the front spot.

Hack- Local Business:

If you are a brick-and-mortar business or if you only work with a local market and you aren’t finding much in local hashtags, then try this:

Google business in your area that could be a possible referral source. Example: If you’re a prenatal and pediatric chiropractor, Google “newborn photographers in Gulf Breeze.” If they have an Instagram account, it’s usually listed on their website. Build a list of these and keep it handy!

Other places to look:

• local Chamber of Commerce Instagram page
• Instagram page run by your city or town
• mom, travel, food, etc. blogs or influencers
• Fit4Mom, Stroller Strides, Stroller Warriors local chapter
• local newspapers, magazines, or news station pages

Take it to the next level:

Instead of only commenting on other people’s posts, share the post to your story and tag (@ mention) them. (You have to tag them because they won’t get a notification otherwise.)

When you do this, that account will typically reshare to THEIR Stories, bringing more eyes back to YOUR account!

Bonus tip:

Create a story highlight with all of your referrals and/or local favorites.

Reply to these target accounts Stories:

This is my personal favorite. When you reply to someone’s story, it goes directly to their DM inbox aka GOLD for creating authentic connections.

I’m not talking about skeevy “Hey girl! I’ve partnered with this amazing company!” MLM messages. Go back to the coffee shop example- talk to them like a NORMAL human!

If you think that seems creepy, then remember two things: 1) Everyone wants more engagement. You are helping them achieve that goal. 2) If they didn’t want people they don’t know commenting or DMing, they wouldn’t have a public account.

Check out this Reel for other ideas on how to start conversations naturally in your DMs.

Business to consumer versus business to business:

If you are business to business, meaning your ideal client is another business, then engaging with them is a lot easier since they will likely be a public account.

If you are business to consumer, however, it can get a little tricky. If you’re a prenatal chiropractor it’s not like you will be trolling Instagram for pregnant women to comment on their stuff. 😉 This is where complementary, referral sources and local business accounts come in handy. The only thing better than one audience is two! So if you’re sharing the love and they reciprocate, then you’re getting in front of your target consumer by default if they’re following that account.

I cannot stress enough how important implementing these community-growing tips are for your success.

Even two comments or shares a day will pay dividends!

Want a step-by-step engagement checklist broken down by type of business? Click here!