Every day, you see a new “hack” or a new “strategy” for Instagram. One person says to post five times a day. Another says to post once a week. One person says to use every hashtag you can. Another says to use just a few. It’s enough to make your head spin. How can you possibly know what to do when all the advice out there seems to be in conflict?
But what if you could simplify your entire approach to Instagram?
The truth is, you don’t need a hundred different strategies. You only need to know what works and, more importantly, what doesn’t. The secret to sustainable growth isn’t about doing more; it’s about focusing on the few actions that have the biggest impact.
This guide is your new rulebook. We’re going to break down the definitive Do This, Not This framework that will help you cut through the noise, avoid common mistakes, and build a powerful and engaged following for the long term.
Ready to get focused and start growing with purpose? Let’s dive in.
The Golden Rule of Hashtags
Hashtags are your secret weapon for getting discovered by a new audience on Instagram. But if you’re not using them strategically, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity for growth. This is the first and most important rule you need to understand about your hashtag strategy.
Do This: Switch Up Your Hashtags on Your Posts While Still Using All 30
Think of hashtags as a way to categorize your content and put it in front of the right people. When you switch up the hashtags on every post, you are telling the algorithm to show your content to a new and varied audience.
You are constantly reaching a wider group of people and testing to see what’s most effective for your niche. By using all 30 of the available hashtags, you are giving your post the maximum chance to be discovered.
Not This: Only Use a Few of the Same Hashtags Under Each Post
This is one of the most common mistakes creators make. Using the same few hashtags over and over again can actually hurt your reach. When you use the same tags, you are telling the algorithm to show your content to the same audience every single time.
You aren’t reaching new people, and you are hurting your chances of a post going viral. It also looks like you’re not putting in the effort to find new hashtags, which can signal to the algorithm that your content isn’t a top priority.
The Truth About Audience Engagement
Content is important, but a thriving community is the secret to a long-lasting brand. You can’t just post content and expect people to stick around. You have to show up for them, and this is where most creators get it wrong.
Do This: Show Up for Your Audience Each and Every Day
You need to show your audience that you value them. The pin recommends showing up for your audience each and every day. This doesn’t mean you need to post new content every day, but it does mean you need to be an active, present member of the community.
This could be as simple as responding to comments on your posts, replying to DMs, or engaging with the Stories of your most loyal followers. This consistent, low-effort engagement builds trust and loyalty, which is the foundation of a strong following.
Not This: Isolate Yourself and Ignore Your Audience
The biggest mistake you can make is to treat your Instagram account like a billboard. The pin recommends not isolating yourself and ignoring your audience. When you ignore your audience, you’re signaling to them that they don’t matter.
You’re telling them that you’re only there to post content and not to connect. This will eventually lead to a decline in engagement and a stagnant account. A one-sided relationship will never lead to a thriving community.
Your Growth Mindset
The final piece of the puzzle isn’t a tactic or a tool; it’s a mindset. If you’re focused on the wrong things, no amount of strategic planning will help you. Here’s what you need to focus on to achieve real, long-term growth.
Do This: Build a Strong Following and Connections
Your follower count is a vanity metric if you don’t have a real community behind it. A strong brand is built on powerful connections, not just numbers. When you build a strong following, you’re creating a loyal community that will engage with your content, share it with others, and support your business. This is the foundation of a successful brand.
Not This: Overly Focus on Numbers and Analytics
Don’t get lost in the weeds. The pin recommends not overly focusing on numbers and analytics. While analytics are important, obsessing over them can be a huge distraction from what really matters: creating great content and building a community.
Metrics like your follower count, your likes, and your saves can be misleading. A post that has a few hundred saves is more valuable than a post that has a few thousand likes, because it tells you that you’ve created a piece of content that people want to revisit. Focus on the metrics that matter, not the ones that feel good.
Your New Focus
You’ve made it to the end, and you’ve gotten past the biggest barrier to social media success: the overwhelming amount of conflicting information. You now have a clear, simple, and repeatable strategy that will turn your Instagram account into a powerful brand asset.
This isn’t about magical hacks; it’s about a complete mindset shift. You now know that the path to growth isn’t about doing more, but about focusing on the few actions that have the biggest impact.
You’ve learned the golden rule of hashtags, which is to switch them up and use all 30 to reach new audiences, and you’ve learned to avoid the common mistake of only using a few of the same hashtags under each post.
You’ve also learned that a thriving community is built on daily engagement, and that you should avoid isolating yourself from your audience. Finally, you’ve learned that your growth mindset should be focused on building a strong following and connections, and not just on vanity metrics like numbers and analytics.
This is the key to building a thriving, engaged community. It’s the difference between a fleeting moment and a powerful, lasting connection. When you follow these simple “Do this, Not this” rules, your Instagram account will no longer be a source of frustration; it will become a key part of your brand’s growth strategy.
Now that you have the playbook, your challenge is to put it to work. Don’t let your next post be a missed opportunity. Use this guide, and watch your engagement grow. What’s the one “Don’t” you’re going to stop doing today?