Instagram Content Strategy

When to Activate

Use this skill when:

• Creating Instagram Reels, Stories, carousels, or feed posts
• Developing an Instagram content strategy or calendar
• Optimizing an Instagram profile for growth or conversion
• Planning visual content and grid aesthetics
• Advising on Instagram SEO and discoverability
• Building an Instagram-first brand presence

First Questions

Before creating Instagram content, clarify:

1. Is this a personal brand, business, or creator account?
2. What is the primary goal? (Brand awareness, sales, community, traffic)
3. Who is the target audience? (Demographics, interests, which accounts they follow)
4. What are the 3-5 content pillars for this account?
5. What content formats are currently performing best?
6. Is there an existing aesthetic or brand guide?
7. What products or services (if any) need to be promoted?

Core Rules

1. Reels are the growth engine. They get 2-3x the reach of static posts. Prioritize them.
2. Carousels are the engagement engine. They generate the most saves and shares.
3. Stories are the relationship engine. They build intimacy and trust with existing followers.
4. Feed posts are the credibility engine. They define your brand identity when people visit your profile.
5. Post for saves and shares, not just likes. These are the strongest algorithm signals.
6. Consistency in visual identity matters. A cohesive look builds brand recognition.
7. Caption length is rising. Long, valuable captions paired with visual content outperform short captions.
8. Instagram is a search engine now. Use keywords in captions, bio, alt text, and on-screen text.

Reels Strategy

Algorithm Signals for Reels

1. Watch time and completion rate — The single most important metric
2. Replays — Signals high value or entertainment
3. Shares to DMs and Stories — Strongest distribution signal
4. Saves — Signals reference-worthy content
5. Comments — Conversation signals
6. Audio usage — Trending audio gets a discovery boost

Hook Techniques (First 1-3 Seconds)

• Pattern interrupt: Unexpected visual or movement
• Text hook on screen: Bold statement visible immediately
• Direct address: "Stop scrolling if you [identifier]"
• Before/after reveal: Show the "after" first to create curiosity
• Counter-intuitive statement: Challenge an assumption immediately
• Question overlay: Pose a question the viewer needs answered

Reel Structure

0-1s:   Visual hook + text hook (stop the scroll)
1-3s:   Context/setup (why they should keep watching)
3-15s:  Value delivery (tips, story, demonstration)
15-30s: Payoff or CTA
Last 1s: Loop point (seamless transition back to start increases replays)

Reel Best Practices

• Optimal length: 7-15 seconds for maximum completion rate, 30-60 seconds for depth
• Use trending audio but don't force-fit — relevance matters
• Add captions/subtitles — 85% of video is watched without sound
• Film vertically (9:16 ratio, 1080x1920)
• Use native Instagram editing features — the algorithm favors native content
• Post Reels to your feed AND the Reels tab
• Add 3-5 relevant hashtags in the caption

Carousel Post Strategy

Carousels are Instagram's highest-save format. They also benefit from the algorithm re-showing them to followers who didn't swipe on first view.

Carousel Structure

Slide 1: The Cover

• Bold, clear headline that promises value
• High contrast, readable at thumbnail size
• Must work as a standalone feed image
• Do NOT put "Swipe" — the carousel indicator does that

Slides 2-8: Value Slides

• One point per slide
• Large text, minimal words (30-50 per slide)
• Consistent design template
• Use visual hierarchy: headline, supporting text, icon/image
• Even-numbered slides tend to get higher engagement (natural stopping points)

Slide 9-10: CTA Slide

• Summarize key takeaways
• "Save this for later" (drives saves)
• "Share with someone who needs this" (drives shares)
• "Follow @handle for more [topic]"

Design Specifications

• 1080x1350 px (4:5 portrait) — maximum feed real estate
• Maximum 10 slides
• Consistent brand colors and fonts
• Sans-serif fonts for readability on mobile
• High contrast between text and background

Stories Strategy

Stories are for your existing audience. They build depth, trust, and daily habit.

Story Content Types

1. Behind-the-scenes — Process, workspace, daily life
2. Polls and questions — Interactive, drives replies
3. Quick tips — Bite-sized value, branded templates
4. Product/service showcases — Casual, authentic demonstrations
5. User-generated content — Reshare customer content and testimonials
6. Day-in-the-life — Personal, relatable, humanizing
7. Countdowns — For launches, events, announcements
8. Quizzes — Educational and entertaining

Stories Best Practices

• Post 3-7 Stories per day for optimal visibility
• Use interactive stickers (polls, questions, quizzes, sliders) — they boost engagement signals
• Add location and hashtag stickers for discoverability
• Use the "Add Yours" sticker to create shareable trends
• Design Stories in 1080x1920 (9:16) — keep key content in the center safe zone
• First and last Story of the day matter most — hook and CTA positions
• Link stickers for driving traffic (available to all accounts)
• Save evergreen Stories to Highlights, organized by topic

Highlights Strategy

• Create 5-7 Highlight categories maximum
• Custom Highlight covers that match brand aesthetic
• Categories to consider: About, Services, Testimonials, FAQ, Behind the Scenes, Tips
• Keep Highlights current — remove outdated content quarterly

Feed Aesthetic and Grid Planning

Grid Approaches

1. Color-consistent: Same filter or color palette across all posts
2. Alternating pattern: Alternate between content types (quote, photo, carousel)
3. Row storytelling: Each row of 3 tells a mini-story
4. Checkerboard: Alternate between two visual styles
5. Minimalist: Clean backgrounds, consistent spacing

Planning Tools Approach

• Plan 9-12 posts ahead to visualize the grid
• Ensure visual variety within brand consistency
• Balance content types: Reels, carousels, single images
• Pin your 3 best posts to the top of your grid

Instagram SEO

Instagram is increasingly a search platform. Optimize for discovery:

Caption SEO

• Include primary keywords in the first line of your caption
• Use natural language, not keyword stuffing
• Write captions that answer questions your audience is searching for
• 150-300 word captions perform well for engagement and SEO

Profile SEO

• Username: Include your niche keyword if possible
• Name field: Include your primary keyword (searchable)
• Bio: Include secondary keywords naturally
• Category: Choose the most accurate business category

Alt Text

• Add custom alt text to every image (Edit > Alt Text)
• Describe the image AND include relevant keywords
• This helps both SEO and accessibility

Hashtag Strategy

• Use 5-15 hashtags per post (the days of 30 hashtags are over)
• Mix of sizes: 2-3 large (1M+), 3-5 medium (100K-1M), 3-5 niche (<100K)
• Place hashtags in the caption, not the first comment (Instagram has confirmed this)
• Create and track a brand hashtag
• Rotate hashtag sets — don't use identical sets repeatedly
• Research hashtags by checking Recent posts to ensure relevance

Collaboration Features

• Collab posts: Co-author posts with another account. The post appears on both feeds and combines engagement. Extremely powerful for growth.
• Remix: Remix Reels from other creators to add your perspective.
• Branded content tags: For sponsored partnerships, use the Paid Partnership label.
• Instagram Guides: Curate posts, products, or places into themed collections.
• Close Friends: Use for exclusive content, beta testing, or VIP community tiers.

Shopping Tags

For e-commerce accounts:

• Tag products in feed posts, Reels, and Stories
• Create a curated Instagram Shop with collections
• Use product stickers in Stories
• Live Shopping for real-time demonstrations and sales
• Product launch features for building anticipation

Content Pillars for Instagram

Every account should have 3-5 content pillars. Example for a fitness brand:

Pillar	% of Content	Format	Goal
Workout tutorials	30%	Reels	Value + saves
Transformation stories	20%	Carousels	Social proof
Nutrition tips	20%	Carousels + Reels	Value + shares
Behind the scenes	15%	Stories + Reels	Connection
Product features	15%	Reels + feed posts	Conversion

Analytics That Matter

Metric	What It Means	Good Benchmark
Reach rate	% of followers who see your post	20-40% (varies by size)
Save rate	Saves / Reach	2-5%
Share rate	Shares / Reach	1-3%
Reel plays vs followers	Discovery multiplier	2-10x follower count
Story completion rate	% who watch all Stories	60-80%
Profile visits from content	Curiosity/interest	Upward trend
Follower growth rate	Account momentum	2-5% monthly

Posting Frequency and Timing

Format	Recommended Frequency
Reels	4-7 per week
Carousels	2-3 per week
Single feed images	1-2 per week
Stories	Daily, 3-7 per day

Best times (general — test your own in Insights):

• Weekdays: 7-9 AM, 12-1 PM, 6-8 PM (audience's timezone)
• Highest engagement days: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
• Weekends: 10 AM - 12 PM

Quality Gate

Before posting, verify:

• Is the visual high quality and on-brand?
• Does the first frame (Reels) or cover slide (carousel) stop the scroll?
• Are captions optimized with keywords and value?
• Are 5-15 relevant hashtags included?
• Is custom alt text added?
• For Reels: are subtitles/captions included?
• Does the content invite saves or shares (not just likes)?
• Is there a clear CTA (save, share, comment, link in bio)?
• Does this post fit within the content pillar plan?
• Has the grid layout been checked for visual cohesion?