The first thing that made a huge difference was shifting my perspective on Instagram's role in my business. While it's our main social media platform, it's not our main marketing focus - instead, it forms part of a much larger picture. My following has grown not through typical growth strategies like creating viral content or posting multiple times a day, but through word-of-mouth, brand collaborations, customer service, and genuinely enjoying direct engagement with our audience.

For all the solopreneurs reading this - I get it. For many years, I was exactly like you, juggling all the roles within a quickly growing business. Even now, with a small team supporting me, I still personally manage all our marketing, from weekly newsletters to podcast content, website updates, and social media. When you send me a DM or write a comment, that's me replying, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Shifting Your Perspective

I post three times per week, at the same time: Tuesday 6pm, Thursday 6pm, Sunday 10am. Having this structure really helps me maintain consistency, and the algorithm seems to like it too. This doesn't mean I'm spending hours creating content - it means I've built a method that's sustainable for my business and life.

1. Consistent Posting Schedule

My posts are loosely based around one weekly theme, often tied to that week's podcast episode. This makes sure I'm offering value in a bite-sized way that respects people's attention spans whilst creating a natural connection between my different platforms. It also makes content planning significantly simpler - I'm not starting from scratch each time.

2. Weekly Themes

My Simple Strategy

My posts tend to be carousels, so the first image draws attention and encourages interaction. I've created cohesion in the designs of my carousels, so they're recognisable, unique to me and reflective of my brand. It also makes it super simple for me to create each post - I use Canva for the designs, and a mixture of photos from our library of images and the occasional new set of photos if we need something very specific.

3. Making Them Interesting

4. The Call to Action

Each post has one singular call to action. Sometimes it's asking people to comment a specific word below to receive a link to listen to the podcast or receive something of genuine value. I use Manychat to automate this, so everyone receives the link instantly - no manual sending required, which is helpful for managing engagement without it taking over my day.

5. Being Realistic About Capacity

Because I need to keep Instagram quick at the moment, my main strategy and focus is engagement with my current audience rather than aggressive growth tactics. When I have time in a few months, I'll switch to a growth strategy, for which I will bring in Reels. But for the time being, I'm being realistic about the capacity I have, and I'm making it work in the best way possible, rather than feeling stretched thin and not maintaining consistency.

I see this as successful, given everything that's going on. If you have time and want to focus on growth, then short reels (less than 60 seconds) are important, including strong opening messages and a clear reason why people will want to watch. But if you're in a season where that's not realistic, know that carousels and single images still work beautifully.

Beyond the practical posting strategy, here are the principles that have made Instagram manageable and genuinely enjoyable for me:

Being real and sharing aspects of your day-to-day matters more than perfection. You don't need to remove all professionalism, but sharing a bit of yourself creates genuine connections. Your audience wants to see the person behind the business, not a perfectly polished facade.

Authenticity Above All

The Key Principles That Make It Work

This doesn't mean posting every day - I post three times per week - plus the occasional story - I don't get overly worried about posting more than that. The key is finding a consistent schedule that works for you while maintaining quality. Consistency is about showing up regularly, not perfectly.

Realistic Consistency

If someone takes the time to comment or send a DM, whenever I can I make time to reply. It doesn't need to be lengthy, but acknowledging their effort matters. This is where real connection happens, and where Instagram becomes more than just a broadcasting platform.

Genuine Engagement

Strong Bio Focus

Your bio is so important - it's where interested people decide whether to follow you. Make it clear, inviting and focused on your target audience. Think of it as your shop window - what do you want people to understand about you immediately?

The Bigger Picture

The most important thing I've learned? Instagram works best when it supports rather than dominates your marketing strategy. It's about finding the balance between adding value for your audience, without creating overwhelm for you.

Social media should feel like a helpful tool in your business, not another source of pressure. It should work with your energy and capacity. And it should connect you with the right people, not just chase vanity metrics that don't translate to business growth.

If you'd like to explore these strategies in more detail, I discuss all of this and more in the podcast episode "My Personal Guide to Instagram." You'll find additional insights about:

Want to Dive Deeper?

Instagram should feel like a helpful tool in your business, not another source of pressure.