I POSTED CONSISTENTLY ON INSTAGRAM, BUT ONLY GREW 1000 FOLLOWERS. HERE'S WHAT I LEARNED!
What could be possible if you showed up consistently on Instagram - for yourself, for your community, for your creativity?
That’s the big question I asked myself as 2024 wrapped up, because I realised my Instagram presence had been, well… lacklustre. Averaging a grand total of just 1.5 posts per week (#blush), I knew this wasn’t going to be good enough anymore, especially not as someone who calls themselves an Instagram expert! Moreover, given how crucial Instagram has always been for my creative business, I decided 2025 had to be different because I wanted my entire 2025 to feel different!
The truth is, I always WANT to post more, but there are so many obstacles in my way. The biggest challenge? Time - or the lack there of. But since those obstacles aren’t disappearing anytime soon, I decided to sit down with my business coach to uncover solutions to those obstacles and refine my social media strategy beyond simply "posting consistently and seeing what happens."
Now, after sharing 15 (!!) content pieces in January, I’m here to reveal the key insights I’ve gained and mistakes I’ve learned from, so that you can level up your Instagram game too!
1/ YOUR GOALS HAVE TO MATCH YOUR ACTIONS!
It might seem like posting 15 (!!) Instagram grid posts in a month and gaining only 1,000 followers was a big fail — but nothing could be further from the truth.
I’m not going to lie, growing my Instagram has always been important to me, but it also led me into a trap of posting content I thought would perform well, rather than content that made my heart sing.
The thing is, if you only post 1-2 a week you have got to be strategic and focus on posts that give you the most reach and growth potential, especially if you’re running a creative business, like I am, where Instagram is the cornerstone of your marketing strategy. It’s why last year’s content creation process felt really heavy.
In contrast, posting more frequently has given me the freedom to experiment and play, balancing high performing strategic content pieces with posts I am super excited to create. (Remember how I keep saying try different audio ideas, try different camera angles, see what resonates? This is how we have room to do it!) And honestly? It has been liberating!
Feeling free isn’t going to pay the bills though ;), so my other Instagram goals for 2025 are:
Working with more brands in a paid capacity
Expanding beyond my niche and including more interior and lifestyle content to open up new opportunities for myself,
further improving my videography skills and creating vlog style posts,
increasing my engagement to build a stronger connection with my community
In January, I made progress on all but one of these (more about that below), so despite not seeing explosive follower growth, I’m actually feeling good.
The lesson?
Growth isn’t just about numbers—it’s about alignment. When your goals, actions, and content strategy truly fit together, that’s when you see the outcomes you crave.
So, take a moment to ask yourself: Are your Instagram strategy and your actions aligned with the results you want?
2/ USE YOUR INSTAGRAM STATS STRATEGICALLY
If you’ve been around long enough you might remember that I’d set out to include more lifestyle and interior content on my blog and Instagram before. I eventually stopped, mainly because it didn’t seem to resonate with my audience — views dropped, and follower growth was minuscule compared to when I posted educational food photography content.
Fast forward to January ‘25 and I decided to give interior and lifestyle content another shot only to see it underperform once again. At first, it felt like confirmation that this content just wasn’t working for me.
But then, I took a closer look at my stats.
Interior content wasn’t bringing in hoards of new followers or raking in tons of likes, but people were saving these posts like there was no tomorrow. I’d missed that previously and that insight changed everything. It meant my audience found this content valuable, even if they weren’t engaging with it in the ways I was used to measuring success.
Then came another realisation: Looking back at the year I previously shared interior content, I noticed that was when I landed some of my best-paying brand collaborations with - wait for it - interior brands! And as I mentioned before, working with brands is one of my biggest goals for this year!
January’s stats also revealed:
My personal content led to the highest engagement
A post that "underperformed" still brought in thousands in revenue
My educational content (which I’m best known for) was the only post that meaningfully grew my audience
Seeing all of this laid out gave me LOTS of food for thought. You see, I’d always looked at my stats, but didn’t ever dissect them properly, focusing solely on follower growth and views. This deep dive gave me the confidence I needed to fine tune my content strategy and continue to more efficiently pursue my goals moving forward.
The takeaway?
Your stats tell a bigger story than just likes and follower counts. If you only focus on surface-level numbers, you might miss key insights that could help you grow strategically. Look deeper. Identify what’s actually driving results and align your Instagram strategy accordingly.
Now, the question is, are you looking at your stats the right way?
3/ PLANNING IS EVERYTHING!
I always think planning sounds super un-sexy, but the truth is, if you don’t plan it, it won’t happen! Therefore, to create the aforementioned content pieces, I had no choice but to plan; from coming up with content ideas, to blocking out filming and creating days, to scheduling editing and posting times, EVERYTHING had to be diarised. And... it worked!
More importantly, planning kept me accountable. It ensured I didn’t just default to creating the type of content that came easily (educational posts) but also pushed myself to follow through on content that challenged me—like personal carousel posts. In a way, my content plan became my accountability partner.
I’m not new to planning, in fact it’s a huge part of what I teach in The Food Reels Course I created last year, but what is different this time around is that I tied my content plan more closely to my business and creative goals.
This meant that when I felt resistance—when I wanted to skip a post or put off a video, I had a clear reason to push through. I kept reminding myself:
Why this content mattered
How it aligned with my bigger goals
What opportunities it could unlock for me
That shift was life-changing.
The takeaway?
Planning isn’t just about getting organised, it’s about staying committed to your vision. When your plan aligns with your goals, it honestly becomes your roadmap to success.
So, ask yourself: Are you planning in a way that actually moves you forward? If not, now is the perfect time to start!
4/ CONSISTENCY - BUT FOR HOW LONG?
You’ve probably heard that consistency is the key to success on social media, but here’s the catch: consistency alone isn’t enough.
If you’re consistently posting content that doesn’t align with your goals, it won’t get you the results you want. And if you’re only consistent for 4–6 weeks before your content schedule falls off a cliff, that won’t work either! So, when people say, “Consistency doesn’t work,” they’re kinda right because it only works if done correctly.
What I’ve noticed, even after a mere 5 weeks of posting consistently, is that…
Content I posted weeks ago is suddenly gaining momentum
My new posts are picking up traction faster
I’m reconnecting with my audience on a deeper level
I now understand how to better serve my community while still honouring my creative goals.
In short, the wheels are finally turning on their own. Instagram is rewarding my efforts, but it’s clear that consistency isn’t just about showing up, it’s about showing up strategically and sustainably.
That said, I know for a fact that I won’t be able to maintain this posting schedule long term. However, I am committing to 2 posts per week when life gets busy and 3 when possible, while ensuring every piece is high-quality and goal-driven.
The takeaway?
Consistency isn’t about exhausting yourself! Instead, it’s about finding a rhythm that works for you long-term. If you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself:
Are you posting the right content consistently?
Can you maintain your schedule without burnout?
How can you adjust your strategy to work for your business and your soul?
Because true growth on Instagram comes from sustainable consistency that bring you and your community joy!
5/ ‘FAILURE’ IS PART OF THE PROCESS
I know so many of you want to be really good at things right away—and honestly, I so get it. It’s actually one of the biggest reasons my food photography students hesitate to start making reels. The idea of being a beginner again? Of maybe not getting it right the first time? That can feel really uncomfortable.
But here’s the truth: everything worth doing takes practice, and growing on Instagram is no different.
Looking back on January, I feel pretty good about how things went overall even though my follower growth wasn’t exactly impressive (let’s just say, I’ve had better months). But there was one thing I totally failed to achieve: I didn’t make a single vlog-style post, even though I had planned to and had promised myself I would!
I had ideas. I had this post and this one earmarked as vlog style posts. And yet, when the time came to press record, I froze and instead posted what felt safe and, well,…. boring. Maybe that’s why those posts ended up being my least successful of the month—or maybe not. Either way, I was frustrated with myself cuz I’d let myself down.
This experience led me to take a step back and ask myself:
Why was this so hard for me to follow through on?
What the hell was I afraid of?
How can I approach it differently next time so I don’t freeze up again?
What baby steps can I take to work up towards this type of content?
The takeaway?
Failure isn’t something to be ashamed of, it’s simply part of the process. If you’ve been putting something off because you’re scared it won’t be perfect, I encourage you to take a step back and ask yourself:
What’s really holding me back?
What’s one tiny step I can take to move forward, even if it’s not perfect?
Because growth doesn’t come from getting everything right the first time. It comes from showing up, messing up, learning, and trying again. And if you ever need a reminder of that, just know, I’m right there figuring it out with you.
Before you go…
I truly hope this blog post was helpful to get you excited about crafting an Instagram strategy you’re proud of! If you’re serious about wanting to improve your Instagram Reels strategy further and take your recipe Reels to the next level, why not order my new book, How to Make Your Food Famous, join my Food Reels Course OR join the waiting list below for our brand new Instagram Growth Masterclass, launching this Spring!
