How to Get on Instagram Explore: Guide for Marketing Companies

Instagram Explore reaches 500 million users daily. That's half a billion potential customers scrolling through content they've never seen before. For marketing companies, Explore is the holy grail of organic reach. When your content lands there, you're not just reaching your followers. You're reaching people who match your target audience but don't know your brand exists yet. Here's the reality: organic reach on Instagram posts averages just 1.22% of your followers. But content that hits Explore can see reach increases of 300-500% overnight. One viral Explore placement can generate more leads than months of regular posting.

Instagram Explore is a personalized feed that shows users content from accounts they don't follow. It's Instagram's recommendation engine in action. The algorithm considers three main factors: • Engagement velocity - How quickly your post gets likes, comments, and shares
• Content relevance - How well your post matches user interests and behavior
• Account authority - Your overall engagement rate and follower quality Explore content appears in a grid format, mixed with Reels, IGTV, and regular posts. Users spend an average of 30 minutes daily browsing Explore, making it prime real estate for marketing content. The key difference from your regular feed? Explore actively surfaces content to new audiences. Your followers see your posts anyway (well, 1.22% of them). Explore puts your content in front of people who've never heard of your brand but match your ideal customer profile.

Getting on Explore isn't random. It's a system you can work. Here's the step-by-step process that works for marketing companies: 1. Create High-Engagement Content First Hour
Your post needs to hit 3-5% engagement rate within the first hour. That means if you have 10,000 followers, you need 300-500 engagements fast. 2. Use Strategic Hashtag Research
Analyze hashtags with 50K-500K posts. Too big and you get lost. Too small and there's no audience. Tools like Later or Hootsuite show you hashtag performance data. 3. Post During Peak Activity Windows
Check your Instagram Insights for when your audience is most active. Most marketing companies see best results posting between 11 AM-1 PM or 7-9 PM in their target timezone. 4. Encourage Immediate Engagement
Ask questions in your caption. Use call-to-actions like "Double tap if you agree" or "Comment your biggest challenge." Posts with questions get 100% more comments than posts without. 5. Cross-Promote on Stories
Share your post to Stories immediately after publishing. Add polls, questions, or swipe-up features to drive traffic back to the main post. 6. Get Your Team to Engage Fast
Have your team like and comment within the first 15 minutes. Early engagement signals to Instagram that your content is worth showing to more people.

Let's look at real examples of marketing companies that cracked the Explore code: HubSpot's Educational Carousel Posts
HubSpot consistently hits Explore with their educational carousel posts about marketing tactics. Their secret? They package complex marketing concepts into 5-slide visual stories. One post about email marketing best practices reached 2.3 million accounts through Explore. Gary Vaynerchuk's Video Content
GaryVee's short-form video content regularly appears on Explore. His 60-second marketing tips videos average 150,000+ views, with 60-70% coming from non-followers through Explore. Later's User-Generated Content
Later, the social media scheduling tool, features customer success stories and gets consistent Explore placement. Their #LaterInfluencer campaign generated over 50,000 user posts, with many hitting Explore and driving new signups. Key Pattern Recognition:
• All successful content provides immediate value
• Visual elements are clean and professional
• Captions encourage engagement through questions
• Posting timing aligns with audience activity
• Content educates rather than sells directly The companies hitting Explore consistently treat each post like a mini-educational resource rather than a sales pitch.

Most marketing companies sabotage their Explore potential without knowing it. Here are the biggest mistakes: Using Banned or Flagged Hashtags
Instagram shadowbans posts with problematic hashtags. Always check hashtag status before using them. Tags like #like4like or #follow4follow can kill your reach entirely. Posting Low-Quality Visuals
Blurry images or poorly designed graphics don't perform. Instagram favors high-resolution content. Posts with bright, clear visuals get 2.3x more engagement than dark or cluttered images. Ignoring Your Analytics
Posting at random times because "that's when you remember" wastes opportunities. Check your Instagram Insights weekly. Posting during low-activity hours reduces your chances by 70%. Over-Promoting Your Services
Explore algorithm favors educational and entertaining content over sales posts. The 80/20 rule works best - 80% valuable content, 20% promotional. Not Engaging Back Quickly
When people comment on your posts, respond within 2-4 hours. Active comment threads signal engagement to Instagram, increasing your Explore chances. Using the Same Hashtags Repeatedly
Instagram notices patterns. Rotate your hashtags and use different combinations for each post. Keep a spreadsheet of high-performing hashtags and mix them strategically. The biggest mistake? Expecting instant results. Building Explore momentum takes 30-60 days of consistent, high-quality posting.

You can't improve what you don't measure. Here's how to track your Explore success: Instagram Insights Metrics to Watch:
• Accounts Reached - Total unique accounts who saw your post
• Non-followers reached - This indicates Explore traffic
• Profile visits - Shows if Explore traffic converts to interest
• Website clicks - Measures business impact from Explore exposure Calculate Your Explore Percentage:
Take your total reach and subtract your follower count. The difference is largely Explore traffic. Successful marketing companies see 40-60% of their reach coming from non-followers. Track These Weekly:
• Average engagement rate per post
• Percentage of reach from non-followers • Comments-to-likes ratio (aim for 1:10)
• Story completion rates
• Profile visit conversion rate Use Third-Party Tools:
Sprout Social and Hootsuite provide deeper Explore analytics than Instagram's native tools. They show you which content types perform best and optimal posting times. Set Realistic Goals:
Don't expect every post to hit Explore. Aim for 20-30% of your posts to get significant non-follower reach. Track monthly trends rather than individual post performance. Remember: one viral Explore post can bring more qualified leads than months of regular posting. The key is consistency and continuous optimization based on your data.