Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, often shares insights about how the platform really works in his interviews and podcasts.

So I sat down and watched hours of those conversations, took notes, cross-checked what he said, and compared it with what I’ve learned over 9 years of growing brands and pages on the platform.

When I pulled it all together, I ended up with 21 key tips to grow on Instagram right now.

Here’s the first one:

Tip #1) Sends per Reach is the metric that matters most

As you already know, when someone DMs your post to a friend or a group, that’s called a “send” or “share” on Instagram.

And your “send rate” means total sends of that post ÷ total reach of that post.

According to Mosseri, this is the most important metric in the algorithm for reach.

Because sends don’t just show that your content is good, but also show that it sparked a real connection.

And this is what Instagram is working towards…

They want to be the best “social platform,” and not the “most watched” platform.

So when your content gets people talking, the algorithm pushes it further.

This also aligns with what great marketers like Seth Godin always speak about:

“Marketing is creating the conditions for an idea to spread.”

So, if you’re trying to grow your audience on Instagram, focus on creating more shareable content.

This typically means it’s either relatable, educational, or something that sparks a discussion.

The more your post inspires viewers to hit that paper-plane button, the more reach your content will get.

That’s Tip #1, and it’s the foundation for everything that follows.

I cover all the remaining 20 tips in the full breakdown on my YouTube channel.

You can watch it here.​

Til next time,
Josh