You're Using Instagram and TikTok All Wrong
The Instagram Playbook: From Handshake to Inner Circle
Let’s start with Instagram. It’s a mature platform with clearly defined roles for its features.
Reach New Audiences
This is your top-of-funnel, your opening line, your handshake at a crowded party. You need to get noticed by people who have no idea who you are. Your tools for this are Reels and Carousels.
Reels are your flashy, attention-grabbing outfit. They are designed for discovery. The algorithm is practically begging to show your Reel to new people if it’s even remotely entertaining or useful. It’s a low-investment way for a stranger to stumble upon you, watch for 10 seconds, and decide if you’re worth a follow. You aren't trying to sell them your life’s work here. You’re just trying to get a nod of interest.
Carousels are the slightly more in-depth first conversation. They’re brilliant for discovery because they signal to the algorithm that people are spending more time on your post. Every swipe is a little engagement tick. You can use them to tell a mini-story, share five quick tips, or show off a product from multiple angles. It’s still for a new audience, but it’s for the ones who are willing to lean in a little closer.
If you’re only posting single photos to grow your account, you’re failing. That’s not what they’re for anymore.
Engage Your Followers
Okay, they followed you. They swiped right. Now what? You can’t just keep shouting your pickup line. You have to build a connection. This is where Single Photos and Stories come in.
Single Photos are your consistent, reliable check-ins. They build your brand aesthetic and reinforce who you are. It’s the content your new followers expect to see in their feed. It’s not for explosive growth; it’s for solidifying the relationship.
Stories are the behind-the-scenes, the inside jokes. This is where you get personal and interactive. Use polls, ask questions, show the messy reality. Stories are for the people who already like you and want to see more. Their 24-hour lifespan creates a sense of urgency and intimacy that a permanent feed post can’t. This is how you go from being an account they follow to a person they feel they know.
Nurture Your Most Loyal Fans
Not all followers are created equal. Some are casual observers, and some are true fans. Lives and Channels are for the true fans.
Going Live is like inviting your best friends over. It’s unpolished, real-time, and deeply personal. It’s a direct conversation. You can’t fake it. This is where you build unshakable loyalty. People who spend 30 minutes in a Live with you are a hundred times more valuable than a hundred people who glanced at a Reel.
Channels are even more exclusive. It’s your private group chat. This is where you share the news first, drop exclusive links, or share a thought you wouldn’t put on your main feed. It rewards the people who are most invested and makes them feel like insiders. That’s a powerful feeling.
The TikTok Game: Riding the Cultural Wave
Now, TikTok. Same relationship-building principles, but the platform’s culture and algorithm make the game feel totally different. It’s less structured and more chaotic, which you can use to your advantage.
Reach
On Instagram, reach is a grind. On TikTok, you can be a nobody one day and have a million views the next. The "For You Page" is the most powerful discovery engine ever built. Your tools are Trends, Sounds, and Hashtags.
You don’t need an existing audience. You just need to tap into the cultural current. What’s the trending sound? What’s the meme format of the week? Your job isn’t to create in a vacuum; it’s to add your unique spin to the global conversation that’s already happening. Using a trending sound is like hopping on a bullet train. Your content gets shown to anyone and everyone who has engaged with that sound.
Engage
Engagement on Instagram can feel a bit one-sided. On TikTok, it’s a full-blown dialogue. The key features here are Stitch, Duet, and Video Replies.
These tools are native to the platform’s DNA. They encourage public, creative responses. Asking your audience to Stitch your video is inviting them to be part of the content itself. Replying to a comment with a whole new video is the ultimate way to show you’re listening. It turns a single piece of content into a sprawling conversation tree. This is how you build a community, not just an audience. You’re not just talking at them; you’re building with them.
Nurture
Once you have people hooked on your short-form content, you can nurture them with TikTok LIVE and Longer-Form Videos.
LIVE on TikTok serves the same raw, connective purpose as on Instagram. It’s your chance to break the fourth wall and interact directly with the people who are sticking around.
But the real game-changer for nurturing on TikTok is the shift to longer videos. A viewer who found you through a 10-second meme might stick around for a 3-minute deep dive on a topic they now trust you with. This is how you transition from being a fleeting entertainer to a valuable resource. It’s how you prove your authority and give your loyal fans the depth they’re looking for.
The Bottom Line
Stop posting randomly. Look at the tool in your hand and ask: "Who is this for?"
Are you trying to meet new people? Use Reels or a trending TikTok sound.
Are you trying to build a connection with your existing followers? Post a Story or Duet a video.
Are you trying to reward your biggest fans? Go Live.
The platforms provide the tools. The strategy is just knowing which one to pick up. It’s the difference between building a rickety shack and a solid foundation. Now go build something that lasts.
