How Do You Promote a Post on Instagram?

Posted on 5th Jun, 2025.

TL;DR (The Short Version)

You can pay to promote a post on Instagram.
Promoted posts will be pushed out to followers and non-followers alike.
Read on for more information on how to promote your posts as well as a more cost-effective alternative.

Let's be honest. There are few things more frustrating than spending hours poring over a post and crafting it to perfection, only for it to get long in the feed. With ever-changing algorithms and endless competition for attention, even your best content can sometimes go unseen, and it's often not a quality problem.

That's where Instagram's promotion feature comes in. Promoting a post is a simple way to turn your existing content into an advert, helping it reach more people beyond your current followers. By promoting a post, you can ensure it gets seen by your audience, boosting your chances of growth.

What Is a Promoted Post on Instagram?

A promoted post is a piece of content you have already shared on your profile that you choose to boost through paid advertising. This means you are paying to show it to more users, including people who do not already follow you, boosting its visibility.

It looks just like a regular Instagram post, except it includes a label that says "Sponsored" and may feature a call-to-action button such as "Shop Now" or "Learn More". Promoted posts appear in users' feeds, Stories, Explore pages and even Reels, depending on your settings. Note that this function is available for business accounts.

Why Promote a Post?

There are several reasons why people choose to promote posts on Instagram:

To reach a wider audience: This is helpful if you want to grow your followers or increase brand visibility.
To drive more engagement: Promoting can bring more likes, comments, shares and saves to a particular post.
To boost traffic or sales: With the right call-to-action, you can direct users to your website, online shop or booking page.
To target specific groups: You can choose who sees your post based on interests, location, age and more.

It is an easy, low-effort way to turn high-performing posts into tools for growth.

How to Promote a Post on Instagram

You do not need to be a tech expert or a digital marketing professional to promote a post. Here's how, in just a few steps.

Step 1: Switch to a Business or Creator Account

You must have a business or creator profile to access Instagram’s promotion tools. To switch:

Go to your profile.
Tap the three-line menu in the top right corner.
Select "Settings and privacy".
Tap "Account type and tools", then choose "Switch to professional account".
From there, choose either "Business" or "Creator", depending on your goals.

Step 2: Choose the Post You Want to Promote

Once your account is set up, go to your Instagram profile and find the post you want to boost. It can be a photo, video, carousel or even a reel.

Tap the blue “Boost post” button below the image. If you don't see this button, make sure your account is a professional one and the post is not already part of an active ad campaign. Instagram recommends that you avoid boosting posts featuring images greater than 8 MB.

Step 3: Set Your Goal

Instagram will ask what you want to achieve with your promotion. You can choose from options like more profile visits, more website visits, and more messages. Pick the option that's most in line with your objectives.

Step 4: Define Your Audience

Instagram gives you two choices here, either an automatic audience where Instagram will target accounts similar to your followers, or a manual audience, where you choose specific characteristics.

Manual targeting is useful if you have a clear idea of who you want to reach, but choose automatic if you'd rather Instagram take the reigns.

Step 5: Set Your Budget and Duration

Next, you will choose how much you want to spend and how long the promotion will run. Instagram will show you an estimate of how many people your post is likely to reach based on your budget. You can spend as little as a few pounds a day, and you can stop the promotion at any time if you don't feel you're getting a return on investment.

Step 6: Review and Submit

Check over all the details. Once you are happy, tap “Boost post”. Your promotion will go through a quick review process. If it is approved, it will start running and you will be able to track (and enjoy!) the results.

Buying Engagement: A Cost-Effective Alternative?

If Instagram's boosting featues are too expensive or ineffective for you, there's a more affordable alternative. Buying engagement in the form of likes, followers, and views from reliable providers like Smikky can create a stronger first impression. A post with more likes or an account with a larger following can appear more credible and established, which may encourage others to interact with your content more willingly.

Plus, you can game the algorithm this way. The algorithm tends to show posts with more engagement, which leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy of only posts with engagement gaining more engagement. You can break out of the algorithm jail with paid engagement to give yourself a head start in the algorithm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is boosting a post on Instagram free?

No, boosting a post on Instagram with Instagram's promotion tools is not free. When you boost a post, you are paying to promote it as an advert so that it reaches a wider audience beyond your followers. You set your own budget and duration, and Instagram will provide an estimate of how many people you can reach based on how much you spend. Even a small daily budget can make a difference, but there is always a cost involved, so work out how much you can set aside for marketing before you commit.

How do you get more people to see your posts on Instagram?

There are plenty of ways to boost the visibility of your posts, both paid and free. You can buy engagement or promote your post, but if your budget is tight, focus on creating high-quality content that encourages engagement, such as likes, comments and shares, as this signals to the algorithm that your content is valuable. Posting at times when your audience is online, engaging with others in your niche and collaborating with other creators can further increase your reach.

Promoting a post on Instagram is one of the easiest ways to expand your reach and get your content in front of more people. Whether you are launching a product, announcing an event or simply growing your page, a well-placed promotion ensures you stand out from the crowd.