The Instagram Growth Playbook
The send replaced the like. Optimise accordingly.
Sends per reach — how often people forward your post in a DM — is now the number-one Reels distribution signal. This 2026 Edition playbook is the system for DTC and lifestyle brands: how the algorithm actually ranks, content designed to earn the send, the mix and cadence that grow without breaking quality, turning attention into sales through Shopping and DMs, the micro-creator and community layer, and the measurement framework that retires the vanity metrics still driving most brand accounts.
- 01Pick Your Objective: Reach, Community, or Sales
- 02How the Algorithm Actually Ranks
- 03Content That Earns the Send
- 04The Content Mix and Cadence
- 05Turning Instagram Into a Sales Channel
- 06Creators and Community
- 07Measuring What Matters: Beyond Followers and Likes
- 08The 90-Day Rollout Plan
- 09Common Mistakes & Quick Reference
Hotseat is a strategy-led digital agency across Cape Town, London and Amsterdam. The team has run campaigns for Under Armour, ASICS, Knight Frank, Hey Dude and more — the guides package the systems they use every day.
