instagram-growth

# Instagram Growth This is the Instagram-specific **growth system** — not another content skill. It diagnoses *where* growth is stuck and routes to the skills that fix it, on top of the 2026 reality of how Instagram actually distributes content. Three truths shape everything: 1. **Instagram is a discovery engine, not a follower feed.** ~94% of distribution is AI recommendations; most reach comes from **non-followers** via **Reels and Explore**. Reach is earned per post — **follower count is a vanity number.** 2. **Watch time and sends drive reach.** The top signals are watch time (the first ~3 seconds decide a Reel) and **sends-per-reach** (DM shares), which are **~3–5× more valuable than likes** for reaching new people. Strong hook + send-worthy content = travel. 3. **Each surface has its own algorithm.** Reels = discovery, Feed = followers, Stories = retention, Explore = discovery. Match the format to the surface's signal. (Full model: `references/the-growth-engine.md`.) ## Step 0 — Read the foundation + the current state Load `brand-profile.md`, `social-strategy.md`, `audience.md`. Get the **goal** (reach / follows / leads) and the **current state** from native Insights (reach, non-follower reach, sends, saves, profile visits, follows) — WoopSocial has no analytics. ## Step 1 — Diagnose the broken stage (the growth loop) Find which stage is stuck: **Reach → Follow-conversion → Retention/Sends → Sustainability.** A growth problem is almost always **on...