quorlasocial/playbooks/instagram.md
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Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 5.5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
2026-10-19 13:02:29 -04:00

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Instagram playbook

Review and update this every quarter — platforms change. Last reviewed: Oct 2026.

What each format is for

Format Job Notes
Reels Reach new people Main growth lever. Original footage beats reposted/watermarked clips.
Carousels Saves, shares, depth Teach something, before/after, "5 ways to…", menus, product details.
Static posts Announcements, offers Use sparingly — lowest reach.
Stories Existing followers, conversion Polls, Q&A, behind-the-scenes, link stickers, daily presence.
Collab posts Borrow another audience Co-post with local creators/partner businesses.
Trial Reels Test ideas on non-followers Use to test hooks before posting to the main grid.

Reel rules

  • Hook in the first 1–2 seconds — on-screen text + motion. State the payoff, don't build up.
  • 7–30 s for most local businesses; longer only if retention holds.
  • Always add on-screen captions (most people watch muted).
  • Vertical 9:16, 1080×1920, safe zones clear of text at top/bottom.
  • Trending audio helps only if it fits; original voiceover often wins for local businesses.
  • End with one clear action (visit, DM, book, save this).

Captions & discovery

  • First line = second hook. Then value. Then CTA.
  • Write keywords people would search ("best dosa in Waterloo", "eye exam Kitchener") — Instagram search reads captions.
  • 3–5 relevant hashtags (local + niche), not 30.
  • Location tag on every post for local businesses.

What to measure

  • Reach from non-followers → is it growing the audience?
  • Shares/sends and saves per reach → is the content worth passing on?
  • Profile visits → link taps / DMs → is it driving business?
  • Followers is a lagging metric; don't optimise for it directly.

Cadence (baseline for a retainer client)

  • 3–4 Reels, 1–2 carousels per week, stories 4–5 days a week.
  • Consistency beats volume: never go silent for a week.

Red flags in an audit

  • Reach stuck at roughly follower count or below → content isn't leaving the bubble; needs Reels with stronger hooks.
  • High likes, low saves/shares → entertaining but not useful.
  • Long gaps between posts, inconsistent visuals, bio with no clear CTA/link.