Traffic Tip - Proven Ways that Helped Grow My Instagram

With over 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram is a true social media powerhouse.

While some brands seem to grow at lightning speed, many small to medium-sized businesses still struggle to establish their presence on the platform.

I’ve been there too. In the beginning, my Instagram following was made up of mostly friends, family, and a few colleagues. Like many entrepreneurs, I started from scratch.

Fast forward to today—I’ve built a strong following, and my numbers continue to climb. Instagram has helped me drive traffic, generate leads, and increase sales. So, if your business isn’t on Instagram yet... it should be!

👉 Connect with me there while you’re at it. 😉

 

 

 

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"I Was Broke"⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ I had a respected school, but respect doesn't pay the bills… And I saw my students more than I saw my own children…⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ "85% of Martial Arts school owners businesses fail… And another 14% wish they never started…"⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ Hey, I’m Paul, and I’m a recovered failing School owner.⁣⠀ People liked me and I was a great teacher… but I was fuckin broke… �⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ You know as well as I do when you’re broke, it’s kinda hard to think about anything else besides not being broke anymore...⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ I was letting my family down and I could feel it clawing away at me every day while driving to the School… it felt pointless...⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ My autistic daughter was a handful… well, she still is haha… but I didn’t have the freedom, time or money to take care of her as she needed…⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ My son wanted to get into all kinds of different sports, but all I could afford was Jiu-Jitsu since it was my school...⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ My wife was pulling out her hair trying to take care of the family by herself... just to have to listen to me bitch and moan about how stressed I was by night… �⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ I love Martial Arts… it’s my favorite thing in the world… but I had no CLUE how hard it was gonna be as a business…⁣⠀ I thought the old way… "If I build it and do good, they will come"... And no one ever came. �⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ Hell, I didn’t really have any place starting a business at all. I knew nothing about it. �⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ I knew I was good at Martial Arts and even better at teaching it… somehow, that gave me the brilliant idea to open my own business with it. �⁣⠀ ⁣⠀ Maybe you can relate...⁣⠀ Read more about this here > https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10219554051697302&set=a.1368786255104&type=3&theater

A post shared by Paul Halme (@paul.halme) on Aug 27, 2019 at 6:43am PDT

Here are the proven tips that helped me grow my Instagram:

1. Share Meaningful & High-Value Content

Your captions matter. Go beyond surface-level and deliver value that connects. Share lessons, personal stories, or tips that resonate with your audience. You don’t need to go deep in every post, but mixing in thoughtful content builds trust.

2. Create Evergreen Content

Post high-value content that lasts—like tips, strategies, or insights that stay relevant over time. Evergreen posts continue to attract engagement long after they’re published.

3. Be Consistent

This one’s simple, but essential: post consistently.
Consistency builds recognition and trust. Whether it’s daily Stories or regular feed posts, stay visible. Aim to post at least once a day, up to four times during your peak hours (check your Instagram Insights for that data).
(Want to automate your posts? I talk about that here.)

4. Use a Magic Content Formula

Don’t just throw content at the wall and hope something sticks. Strategy matters. I use a specific content formula that helps me plan and post with intention. It saves time and boosts engagement. (I shared my formula in a previous blog post here.)

5. Use Hashtags Strategically

Hashtags expand your reach. Instagram allows up to 30 per post, so use them smartly:

• Turn your slogan into a hashtag (e.g., Nike’s #JustDoIt)

• Use niche-specific hashtags

• Add local or seasonal/event hashtags when appropriate

I’ll cover advanced hashtag strategy in an upcoming post—stay tuned!

6. Try Influencer Marketing, Shoutouts & Collaborations

This is my favorite quick-win method.

• Influencer Marketing: Partner with someone with a strong following—celebs, YouTubers, niche creators—and have them recommend your brand.

• Shoutouts & Collaborations: Team up with complementary brands for mutual exposure. Think Play-Doh x Taco Bell or Gary Vee x K-Swiss. You can apply this locally too—maybe your gym partners with a local spa or therapist. Start brainstorming potential collab partners today!

7. Run Contests & Giveaways

People love giveaways—and they work!
They build engagement, grow your audience, and deepen relationships. All you need is a solid prize and creative mechanics. Think fun, easy-to-enter, and aligned with your brand.

What About You?

How’s your Instagram growth going?
Got any proven strategies of your own?

We’d love to hear about them!

Until next time—stay tuned for more traffic and digital marketing tips.

Have a great week. Keep crushing it!

Cheers,
Paul Halme
Combat Business

P.S.

Ready to take your business to new heights? I’d recommend we sit down on a call, review your current systems, look at what works and what doesn't and help you 10X your business.