How to Grow Your First (or Next) 1,000 Instagram Followers as a Small Town Small Business

If you’re a small-town business owner trying to grow your Instagram presence, chances are you’ve asked yourself:

“How do I get more followers?”

But here’s the real question you should be asking:
👉 “How do I get the right followers?”

In this post, I’m sharing the exact strategies I’d use if I had to start from scratch — or if I wanted to grow my next 1,000 followers — especially as a small business with local roots. These are sustainable, strategic moves that help you grow with purpose (and without burning out).

Why the Right Followers Matter More Than Just More Followers

When you’re a service provider or product-based business—especially in a small town—growth isn’t about going viral or getting random attention. It’s about building a community of people who are:

• Actually interested in what you do
• Willing to engage with your content
• Likely to become customers, clients, or referral sources

So, instead of focusing on flashy growth tactics, let’s look at what actually works for small businesses on Instagram.

1. Post More Often (But Keep It Easy)

If growth is your goal, you’ll need to be more visible. That means upping your posting frequency — but not in a way that drains your energy.

💡 Aim for at least 4 posts per week.
They don’t need to be complicated. In fact, low-lift B-roll Reels are your new best friend.

What counts as B-roll?

• Clips of you working
• Behind-the-scenes footage of your products or services
• Snapshots of your space, setup, or daily routine

Pair them with engaging text hooks that speak to:

• Your story
• Your ideal audience
• Why someone should work with or buy from you

(Need help? I created a B-Roll Hook Vault with 40+ prompts for just $7).

2. Show Up with Strategic Engagement

Growth isn’t just about what you post. It’s also about how you engage.

Set aside time (10–15 minutes a day) to:

✅ Comment on posts from local businesses your audience follows
✅ Reply to Stories from complementary brands
✅ Follow people you genuinely want to connect with

This isn’t sleazy “follow for follow” behaviour — it’s about showing up like you would at a local networking event. Be real. Be generous. Build relationships.

3. Collaborate with Other Small Businesses

Collab posts are one of the most powerful (and underused!) ways to grow on Instagram right now.

Think about it like this:
You’re “borrowing” someone else’s warm, engaged audience—and showing up with someone they already trust.

👯‍♀️ Example collab ideas:

• A shared Reel with a complementary business
• A gift guide featuring both your products/services
• A co-hosted giveaway or carousel post

Pitch 1–2 collabs per month. Most people are thrilled to be asked!

4. Use Instagram Stories to Build Local Visibility

Your Stories are a goldmine for community building.

Next time you’re grabbing coffee, shopping local, or out at an event — tag the business you’re supporting. It’s a small gesture with a big impact.

Why it works:

• You show your local pride and community involvement
• They’re likely to re-share your tag, introducing you to their audience
• You both get a visibility boost and build trust

Win-win. Always.

5. Protect Your Energy with Boundaries + Breaks

Here’s your permission slip to not be on Instagram 24/7.

Taking intentional breaks isn’t just good for your mental health — it’s good for your content performance too.

✨ Pro tip: Not posting to Stories for 24 hours resets your views.
So if your views are low, take a break and come back strong.

Set time boundaries each day (or each weekend) to unplug. You’ll come back more creative, more refreshed, and way less caught in the scroll trap.

Bonus Tip: Don’t Forget In-Person Marketing

Real-life connections fuel online growth.
Think pop-up events, local collabs, or workshops with other small businesses.

Those face-to-face moments create loyal followers online — because they already know, like, and trust you.

Final Thoughts: Growth That Feels Good

You don’t need to dance. You don’t need to go viral.
And you definitely don’t need to burn out trying to keep up with “the algorithm.”

If you want to grow your Instagram following in a way that actually supports your business — and your life — it starts with intention.

🎧 Want the full breakdown?
I dive deeper into every one of these strategies (with examples!) in this week’s episode of Social Goals

LISTEN NOW