Grow Fast on Instagram with This Shoutout Game Plan

Want more eyes on your Instagram profile? Shoutouts can work—but only if you do them right. Forget paying random influencers and hoping for the best. Here’s how top creators get real results from collaborations.

1. Find the Right Accounts to Partner With

Skip the huge influencers. Look for:

• Smaller pages (10K–50K followers) in your niche

• Accounts with real comments (not just bots)

• Creators who post consistently

Example: A fitness coach gained 3,000 engaged followers from a single shoutout by partnering with a yoga instructor’s page.

2. Choose the Best Shoutout Format

Not all shoutouts are equal:

• Story mentions (cheap, good for quick traffic)

• Feed features (longer-lasting, better for credibility)

• Collab Reels (best for viral potential)

3. Make It Worth Their While

Instead of just asking for a favor:

• Offer to shout them out too

• Share their content with your audience

• Provide ready-made posts/stories (make it effortless)

One artist got 5 shoutouts for free just by designing custom graphics for each collaborator.

4. Track What Actually Works

After the shoutout, check:

• Follower quality (do they like/comment?)

• Story swipe-ups (if you used a link)

• New engagement rates

If results are weak, adjust your approach—just like you would with Instagram Story polls to refine your content.

Avoid These Mistakes

• Partnering with irrelevant accounts

• Not following up after the shoutout

• Expecting overnight success (real growth takes consistency)