In February 2023, I tried to delete my Instagram.
I was so done.
Despite having over 169,000 followers, my engagement was tanking.
I was losing followers every single day, and posting felt like shouting into the void.
And Instagram wouldn’t let me delete my account – because I’m verified.
So I was stuck with it… whether I liked it or not.
That day I made a quiet, pissed-off decision:
I was going to figure it out.
No more fluffy growth hacks.
No more copy-paste advice from “experts” with flatlining stats.
I needed real results. Real growth. Real strategy.
Thirty days later?
I’d gained 13,200 new followers.
One of my Reels hit 2.4 million views.
I was averaging 440 new followers per day – without doing anything shady, scammy, or exhausting.
Here’s exactly what I did – and how you can do it too.
First, What Doesn’t Work Anymore
Let’s clear some space.
Here’s what I did not do to grow 13K followers:
- I didn’t buy shoutouts
- I didn’t do loops, giveaways, or follow-for-follow
- I didn’t steal other people’s content and crop their handles
- I didn’t post overly curated photo shoots
- I didn’t rely on perfectly edited talking-head videos
If you’re trying those things – I get it. I’ve done them too. But not only do they not work long-term, they drain your energy, damage your trust with your audience, and attract followers who aren’t aligned.
What Did Work: The 4 Types of Reels That Changed Everything
This is the part where it finally started making sense.
When I looked at the accounts actually growing 10K, 20K, even 60K per month – they weren’t the loudest, most polished creators.
They were using a simple, repeatable mix of 4 Reel types that hit on different psychological triggers and audience behaviors. I call them The 4 V’s:
- Value
- Variety
- Vulnerable
- Viral
Let’s break them down with real examples.
1. Value Reels (The Ones That Teach, Fast)
These are packed with usable insights – the kind that make your audience go, “I’m saving this and sending it to my biz bestie.”
I made sure value was showing up in one (or all) of these places:
- The actual video content
- The caption (keyword-rich + easy to read)
- The hook on the screen
One of my best-performing Value Reels broke down a single tip for batch-recording 30 days of video in under an hour. It was quiet, simple, and saved people time – and it exploded in saves and DMs.
🎁 Want my exact batching system?
Grab my 30 Days of Content in 30 Minutes freebie – it’s the plug-and-play system I used to stay consistent without spending 24/7 in content chaos.
2. Variety Reels (The Ones That Catch You Off Guard)
Let me be clear – these are not “off-brand.”
They’re the reels that expand your brand.
Think unexpected takes, trend remixes, or just-for-fun content that shows off personality. I use these to stretch my reach, spark conversations, and shake up the feed.
Sometimes they go viral. Sometimes they flop.
But if I had fun making it, I don’t care.
These create bingeability. They keep people scrolling through your profile, saying, “Wait… she’s hilarious and strategic?”
Pro tip: These often lead to more engagement than followers – but they warm your audience like nothing else.
3. Vulnerable Reels (The Ones That Hit You in the Gut)
These are the raw moments. The “this is hard” Reels. The stuff we think no one wants to hear – but it’s what actually earns trust.
I’ve shared about burnout, bipolar diagnosis, Instagram frustration, motherhood guilt…
And every time, my audience leans in. Not just to cheer me on, but to say, “Same.”
These don’t usually spike follower growth – but they deepen connection.
They build the kind of loyalty that turns strangers into superfans.
4. Viral Reels (The Ones That Ride the Wave)
These are the fast movers:
- Trendy audio
- News commentary
- Industry gossip
- Wild takes that get people talking
They’re fast, reactive, and usually lightweight. I use them sparingly – not because they don’t work, but because I want my content to convert, not just collect views.
When I combine a Viral format with Value or Vulnerability?
That’s when the magic happens.
My Posting Strategy: What I Did Daily for 30 Days
You don’t have to go full “Reel machine” – but here’s exactly what I did:
- Posted 3–5 Reels per day for the first 2 weeks
- Then scaled back to 1–3 per day, based on what was working
- Reused my best TikToks (after removing watermarks)
- Focused on captions, hooks, and early engagement
- Responded to every comment for the first hour after posting
- Used my 3×3 Hashtag Strategy:
3 hashtags about the WHO
3 about the WHAT
3 about the WHY (pain point)
It wasn’t complicated. But it was intentional.
✨ Want the exact hooks that got me 2.4 million views?
Steal my [Copy-and-Paste Viral Hooks] – they’re proven, easy to adapt, and work on TikTok, Reels, Shorts, and even Pins: https://rachelpedersen.clickfunnels.com/squeeze-page1649350385522
My Results After 30 Days
Here’s the raw data:
- 13,200 new followers
- 2.4 million views on a single Reel
- 440 new followers per day (average)
- 6.1 million total reach
- And – maybe most importantly – I had fun again
I stopped performing and started experimenting.
I stopped forcing strategy and started testing it.
I started being visible again – on my own terms.
If You’re Feeling Stuck on Instagram, Here’s What I’d Say to You
I know what it feels like to lose momentum.
To watch the numbers drop.
To think, “Maybe my time on this platform is up.”
But Instagram isn’t dead – the old way of using it is.
Reels are working. Strategy still matters. And growth is absolutely possible – even now.
If you want to grow your following, build a community that buys, and show up without burning out…
Start here.
🔥 Get my full 0–100K Instagram Growth Blueprint – it’s completely free, and it breaks down what’s working now, what’s not, and how to grow without losing your voice or your mind: https://rachelpedersen.clickfunnels.com/optin1700155068740
NEED MORE SUPPORT on Your INSTAGRAM Strategy?
We’re opening spots for the Instagram Beta program – where I share everything that is working NOW: https://www.gogramgrow.com/order-now
