Has Instagram Become Too Competitive for New Creators?

[janderalou]

With more than two billion monthly users, Instagram remains one of the biggest platforms for building a brand, promoting products, and reaching potential customers. At the same time, it seems much harder for new accounts to gain traction than it was a few years ago.

I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts.

• Are reels still the best way to grow?
• How important are hashtags today?
• Are you focusing more on engagement or follower count?
• Have you had better results with organic content or paid advertising?

Feel free to share your strategies, mistakes, and success stories.

 

[dessalynsmith]

I’ve been trying to launch a new visual art page over the last three months, and honestly, checking my insights is depressing. It feels like the algorithm actively hides new accounts unless you pay for boosts. Has Instagram just gotten too bloated for new creators to break through?

With more than two billion monthly users, Instagram remains one of the biggest platforms for building a brand, promoting products, and reaching potential customers. At the same time, it seems much harder for new accounts to gain traction than it was a few years ago.

I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts.

• Are reels still the best way to grow?
• How important are hashtags today?
• Are you focusing more on engagement or follower count?
• Have you had better results with organic content or paid advertising?

Feel free to share your strategies, mistakes, and success stories.

 

[leeannedrew]

I’ve been trying to launch a new visual art page over the last three months, and honestly, checking my insights is depressing. It feels like the algorithm actively hides new accounts unless you pay for boosts. Has Instagram just gotten too bloated for new creators to break through?

It’s definitely harder than it was in 2018, but it’s not impossible. The real problem is people are still trying to grow using 2018 strategies. Static photos and a wall of hashtags don’t do anything anymore.

 

[rosemariegrace]

It’s definitely harder than it was in 2018, but it’s not impossible. The real problem is people are still trying to grow using 2018 strategies. Static photos and a wall of hashtags don’t do anything anymore.

Agree with Leeanne. You can’t just post a pretty picture, drop 30 random tags, and expect 500 followers overnight. If you’re not making short-form video, you’re basically invisible to non-followers.

 

[dessalynsmith]

Agree with Leeanne. You can’t just post a pretty picture, drop 30 random tags, and expect 500 followers overnight. If you’re not making short-form video, you’re basically invisible to non-followers.

I’ve been posting Reels though! I spend hours editing short clips of my process, put trending audio over them, and they cap out at like 200 views. Half of those views are probably just me rewatching it.

 

[leeannedrew]

I’ve been posting Reels though! I spend hours editing short clips of my process, put trending audio over them, and they cap out at like 200 views. Half of those views are probably just me rewatching it.

Are you hooking people in the first two seconds? Trending audio helps a bit, but if the video opens with a slow fade-in or a boring setup, people swipe away instantly. Watch time and completion rate dictate if the algorithm pushes a Reel.

 

[rosemariegrace]

I’ve been posting Reels though! I spend hours editing short clips of my process, put trending audio over them, and they cap out at like 200 views. Half of those views are probably just me rewatching it.

Also, what does your text on screen look like? Most people scroll with the sound off on public transit or at work. If your Reel doesn't make sense visually in the first two seconds without sound, it's dead in the water.

 

[dessalynsmith]

Also, what does your text on screen look like? Most people scroll with the sound off on public transit or at work. If your Reel doesn't make sense visually in the first two seconds without sound, it's dead in the water.

That’s a fair point, I usually don't put text on the video itself, just in the caption. But what about hashtags? I keep hearing mixed things. Some creators say use 3 to 5 targeted ones, others say use all 30, and some say they’re completely useless now.

 

[leeannedrew]

That’s a fair point, I usually don't put text on the video itself, just in the caption. But what about hashtags? I keep hearing mixed things. Some creators say use 3 to 5 targeted ones, others say use all 30, and some say they’re completely useless now.

Hashtags aren't for growth anymore, they're for categorization. The algorithm uses them along with your caption text and audio to figure out who to show your content to. Think of them as SEO tags, not reach multipliers.

 

[rosemariegrace]

Hashtags aren't for growth anymore, they're for categorization. The algorithm uses them along with your caption text and audio to figure out who to show your content to. Think of them as SEO tags, not reach multipliers.

Exactly. SEO is way more important now. Putting actual keywords in your bio, your captions, and on-screen text does ten times more for discoverability than dumping 30 hashtags in the comments.

 

[rosemariegrace]

Exactly. SEO is way more important now. Putting actual keywords in your bio, your captions, and on-screen text does ten times more for discoverability than dumping 30 hashtags in the comments.

So if I’m an illustrator, I should literally write "digital illustration tips for beginners" directly in my caption and on-screen text?

 

[dessalynsmith]

Exactly. SEO is way more important now. Putting actual keywords in your bio, your captions, and on-screen text does ten times more for discoverability than dumping 30 hashtags in the comments.

So if I’m an illustrator, I should literally write "digital illustration tips for beginners" directly in my caption and on-screen text?

 

[rosemariegrace]

So if I’m an illustrator, I should literally write "digital illustration tips for beginners" directly in my caption and on-screen text?

Yes, 100%. Instagram reads screen text and transcribes audio now. It indexes all of that to serve your post to people who search those topics or watch similar content.

 

[rosemariegrace]

With more than two billion monthly users, Instagram remains one of the biggest platforms for building a brand, promoting products, and reaching potential customers. At the same time, it seems much harder for new accounts to gain traction than it was a few years ago.

I’m curious to hear everyone’s thoughts.

• Are reels still the best way to grow?
• How important are hashtags today?
• Are you focusing more on engagement or follower count?
• Have you had better results with organic content or paid advertising?

Feel free to share your strategies, mistakes, and success stories.

The biggest mistake I see new creators make is worrying about follower count over engagement. I run a niche pottery account with 2,400 followers, but my engagement rate is around 12%. I make actual sales from that.

 

[dessalynsmith]

The biggest mistake I see new creators make is worrying about follower count over engagement. I run a niche pottery account with 2,400 followers, but my engagement rate is around 12%. I make actual sales from that.

12% is wild! How are you building that kind of connection? I feel like I'm screaming into a void.

 

[leeannedrew]

12% is wild! How are you building that kind of connection? I feel like I'm screaming into a void.

DMs and Stories. Posts bring new people to your profile, but Stories and DMs turn casual viewers into actual community members. Every time someone comments on a Reel, I reply with a genuine question to start a conversation.

 

[rosemariegrace]

DMs and Stories. Posts bring new people to your profile, but Stories and DMs turn casual viewers into actual community members. Every time someone comments on a Reel, I reply with a genuine question to start a conversation.

Couldn't agree more. If someone takes ten seconds to comment on your post and you just reply with a single emoji, you missed an opportunity. Start a quick chat. People stay loyal to accounts where they feel heard.

 

[dessalynsmith]

12% is wild! How are you building that kind of connection? I feel like I'm screaming into a void.

What about paid ads though? Is it worth dropping like $20 to boost a well-performing post just to get the ball rolling?

 

[rosemariegrace]

What about paid ads though? Is it worth dropping like $20 to boost a well-performing post just to get the ball rolling?

Boosting posts for general followers is a money pit. The followers you gain from cheap boosts rarely interact with your future organic content, which actually hurts your engagement rate later on.

 

[leeannedrew]

Boosting posts for general followers is a money pit. The followers you gain from cheap boosts rarely interact with your future organic content, which actually hurts your engagement rate later on.

Spot on. Only use paid ads if you’re directing people to a specific landing page, a newsletter signup, or a product for sale. Never spend ad money just for vanity metrics.