4 Tips to Grow Your Instagram Au Naturel
march 19, 2025
Category: Education
4 tips to grow your instagram au naturel
showing up on social doesn’t have to feel like an unpaid internship.
Let’s be real—Instagram can feel like a full-time job. The algorithm plays games (is it reels or carousel posts that perform best!?), your engagement can fluctuate as much as the stock market, and let’s not even talk about the pressure to post literally all the time. But here’s the thing, growing your Instagram naturally doesn’t have to involve chasing numbers, stressing out about the latest trends, or following rigid formulas. It’s about finding a strategy that feels good, works for you, and actually connects with your audience.
You might be thinking yeah Bri that sounds great, but how do I do that? Well, sit back and let me tell ya.
Change Your Mindset
Too many creators and business owners are out here trying to “hack” the Instagram algorithm like it’s the Da Vinci Code, but let’s be honest—that’s not the whole picture. Sure, knowing how content gets pushed out is helpful, but real, sustainable growth comes down to how you show up, what you create, and the relationships you build.
Step one? Shift your mindset. Instead of obsessing over numbers, focus on value—what are you bringing to your audience? How are you making their day better, easier, or more inspired? The second you stop treating Instagram like a numbers game and start using it as a tool for connection, everything shifts.
Now here is ONE little caveat. If you have valuable content to share, consider approaching it in two different formats. For example, a reel and a carousel. Then check out the stats. I know, I know. Don’t hate me but just do a quick little experiment to see which TYPES of content are performing better because, at the end of the day, you are still trying to grow your business just don’t let your mental health suffer because of it. Okay?
find a rhythm that works for you
One of the biggest struggles with social media? Staying consistent. But listen—consistency doesn’t mean posting every single day like some kind of content robot. It means finding a rhythm that works for you and doesn’t make you want to throw your phone across the room.
Instead of forcing yourself to post just to post, think about how Instagram can truly work for you. Maybe that means batch-creating content, repurposing what you already have, or setting some much-needed boundaries to protect your energy.
With alllll that being said, I’m saying to find a rhythm that works for you not never post at all. Here’s the cold hard truth, if you never post you won’t build an audience so treat Instagram like you would any other client. You show up for them and you provide them with your knowledge, but you still have other clients and tasks to tend to, too! Instagram shouldn’t take over your biz, but rather serve as a tool to help grow your business (and remember it’s not the ONLY one!). Come up with a realistic plan of how many posts or reels you can commit to per week and stick to it so your audience can know what to expect from you.
At the end of the day, social media should feel fun, not like an unpaid internship.
show up authentically
Perfectly curated, overly polished feeds? Snooze. People want real. They want to see you—the human behind the brand, the journey behind the work, and the personality behind the posts.
Someone once said, “You don’t need to impress your followers, you just need to build trust with them!” Trust comes from showing up unfiltered. After all, you’re looking to build connection, not come across as the prettiest, skinniest, most perfect human to ever exist.
So what’s the secret sauce to building an engaged audience? Be yourself. Share what makes you unique—whether that’s your creative process, behind-the-scenes moments, or even the hard-earned lessons you’ve learned along the way.
The more you lean into what feels natural, the easier content creation becomes (and the more your people will connect with you!). Try to tune out what everrrryone else is doing, and just follow your gut. I know, I know. Easier said than done.
design still matters
While you want to create an authentic presence and share real content, design still matters. This MIGHT feel counterintuitive to my previous point but just hang in there with me for a second. Whether we like it or not (I’m personally a fan because, ya know, designer), Instagram is a scroll-fast, tap-faster kind of place and with that, the visuals still matter. Your content needs to grab attention quickly.
If I’ve learned anything in my decade of posting on Instagram for my business, it’s that the posts that give people VALUE are the ones that “perform” the best. People don’t really care to see what I ate for breakfast. Yeah, sure, bits and pieces of that are fine, but what they genuinely care about…what I can do for them. Be selfless with your content, and the results will follow. You might be wondering, okay cool, but how do I share that valuable content? Beautiful, easy-to-read posts.
The posts that stand out are going to be eye-catching, clear, and compelling at, you guessed it, a quick glance. Whether you’re using bold text, a juicy question, or an image that pops, your visual should stop the scroll and make people want to see more. And if you’re not sure where to start, consider using a template (customized to your brand of course!).
make instagram work for you—not the other way
At the end of the day, Instagram should be a tool for growth—not a stress-inducing chore. Whether you’re here to build a brand, connect with a community, or share your passion, the key is to approach it on your terms.
Prioritize value over vanity metrics. Look at pieces of content that are bringing results to your business, and share more of that. It might not be your most liked post BUT it will be the one that’s driving profits for your biz. Create in a way that feels sustainable. Set boundaries so you don’t burn out. Show up as your real, unapologetic self—because that’s what people connect with.
There’s no magic formula, no secret code to crack—but when you take a thoughtful, intentional approach, growth happens naturally.
get off the never-ending hamster wheel of content creation
It’s time to stop overthinking that pesky algorithm and get back to running the parts of your business you really love. Our Instagram carousel templates are here to do your marketing work for you, saving you precious time and energy we KNOW is crucial to running a successful biz.
And let me just say you’re not alone here! Even as a designer, I find myself needing a template like ours to pull from so that I can quickly plug and play to serve the information I need to my audience without overthinking the rest.
