r/InstagramEmpire

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Open Instagram.

Watch one reel.

Then another.

Read comments.

Send one to a friend.

Suddenly an hour disappears.

Then I realize I never actually created the content I opened Instagram to make.

some times I will try and hop on trends and copy viral trends, and I try make this the bulk of my content, because I’m not really sure yet what I’d do for original content?

I wondered if anyone else had started doing original content and this had worked better for them?

A lot of people send me their instagram to review… and tbh it’s kinda frustrating to see

because most of them clearly don’t know what they’re doing, but still ask “why am i not getting followers or views?

talking from 10+ years on instagram and other platforms… instagram is literally the easiest place to blow up right now. people just suck at using it , it’s not your niche , your page just looks bad. be honest, would YOU follow your own account?

fix your profile first. clean pfp, clear bio, pinned posts that actually show what you do. if your page looks dead, no one’s following even if a reel pops

then content… reels matter but not your boring repetitive “idea” posts. make it attractive, fast, strong hook. give people a reason to stop.

and when something works stop changing everything. double down on it. same style, same format, run it again and again until it dies then repeat again

that’s literally how pages grow

And I wrote a full step-by-step guid just comment "GUIDE" and I'll send it to you

I would like to gain as a model and do more content honestly 🥹 but I do not know a lot about the algorithm

I run an AI visual art video account and I’ve noticed a repeated audience pattern.

When I post AI/fantasy-style reels, the reach often becomes concentrated in one specific country/region, even when the visuals, text, and music are European, French, or travel-oriented.

I also tested a new account. AI-style video posts attracted early engagement from the same region, while ordinary travel photos did not show the same pattern.

I’m not criticizing any country or users — I’m trying to understand whether Instagram’s recommendation system may test AI/fantasy content differently depending on early engagement signals.

Has anyone else noticed unusual country distribution with AI art videos, fantasy reels, trial reels, or new accounts?

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The actual recording takes me 20 minutes.

Editing takes another hour.

Then I keep changing the hook.

Rewrite the caption.

Watch the reel one last time.

By the time I'm ready to post, I've spent more time thinking than creating.

I'm starting to wonder if I'm overcomplicating everything or if this is just normal for creators now.

Not talking about creator accounts, I mean small businesses. For example, let’s say you review and sell board games and give away one of your best games randomly. Sounds like it’d attract people who are actually into board games, right? The only requirements are to follow the account and repost the post, pretty standard giveaway stuff.

But does it really work like that anymore? My guess is you still get a bunch of ppl who just want free stuff. They follow, wait for the winner, then disappear or become lurkers. Doesn’t seem that different from other low quality growth tricks. Also not even sure how IG looks at these giveaways nowadays.

Anyone here run one recently for a business account? Did it bring engaged followers and maybe even customers or was it just a temporary follower bump? Or maybe giveaways are completely forbidden on IG?

Back in 2023–2024, Instagram felt like a completely different platform.

Across multiple accounts, I generated over 50M+ views and gained 100K+ followers using strategies that genuinely worked at the time.

Fast forward to 2026...

The same playbook doesn't work anymore.

Algorithms have evolved, policies are much stricter, account suspensions are more common, and even small mistakes can have serious consequences.

That's why I've been taking time to rethink, learn, and build something new instead of chasing what worked in the past.

For now, I'm staying in safe territory—but this isn't the end.

I'll be back. Smarter. Stronger. 🚀

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I know ads have always been part of Instagram, but lately it feels like every few posts there's another sponsored post or suggested content.

Sometimes I'll open the app just to catch up with people I follow, and within a minute I've already seen multiple ads and accounts I've never interacted with before.

I'm not against recommendations because I've found some great creators through them, but it feels like my actual following feed keeps getting buried.

Maybe it's just my feed, but Instagram feels more focused on showing me new content than content from people I intentionally followed.

Has anyone else noticed this recently, or is your feed still mostly made up of people you actually follow?

Even when I post consistently, engagement seems way more unpredictable than it used to be. Some posts barely reach my followers, Stories get fewer views, and it feels like the algorithm changes every other week.

I feel like a lot of creators have started judging every post based on whether it goes viral or not.

A reel gets 8k views and people call it a flop.

A post gets a few hundred likes and suddenly they think something is wrong with their account.

A few years ago, those same numbers would've made a lot of people happy.

It seems like expectations keep getting higher while satisfaction keeps getting lower.

I wonder how much of that is because we're constantly comparing ourselves to creators posting million-view screenshots every day.

Has anyone else noticed that Instagram has changed what people consider "good" performance, or am I overthinking it?

For anyone knowledgeable with Instagram, algorithm content and digital marketing I decided a year ago to start digital marketing. I purchased a course to learn how to monetize online, sales psychology, how to create content, website, Amazon, affiliate marketing, UGC etc..

I had an old Instagram that was - I want to say about 15 years old, that I never used. I used it when I first made it for a little bit and had some random followers based on some of my interests like healthy eating and lifestyle, etc..

I decided to start using this Instagram as my digital marketing content creation page. I’ve gone through the course. I’ve talked to coaches. I’ve talked to fellow peers in digital marketing. I’ve copied strategies, recreated, successful content, and I’ve posted three times a day switched up my bio switched up the way I worded things. I’ve done all the things- I am telling you it’s been a long year.

I’ve probably gained 20 followers. The most views I’ve gotten are 1000 or so on a few posts. The most likes I’ve gotten were 65 on a post but nothing more. My stories never gets views. I never get enough engagement.

I’ve done paid ads as well.

Every day I am learning on what New I can do and implement. I’ve been very eager,I’ve put in a lot of effort to no success. I have started using Threads and TikTok with brand new accounts, and Threads and TikTok have seemed to takeoff a little bit more than the Instagram.

Something tells me it’s because the account is so old and I still have those old followers because if I’m literally mimicking everything, my coaches and everyone else is telling me to do but I’m not finding success. I highly doubt it’s something I’m doing or it’s me.

Can anyone tell me their experience, recommendations? I would really love some encouragement because I’m trying to build a business to set myself up financially and build my life back.

Thank you so much! 🫶

1. Heartbreak, relationships, and emotional resilience.
2. Personal branding, reputation, and how people position themselves online.

They're different niches, but I think they overlap because both are ultimately about identity, perception, and how you build your life.

From a follower and monetization perspective, would you follow someone who covers both, or would it make the brand feel unfocused?

Have you seen creators successfully combine these topics, or is it generally better to keep them separate?

How can I increase my product's followers on instagram? What type of content would be a good idea?
Currently we have 30 followers on instagram. For tech folks on instagram does fancy posts not work?