Imagine your profile is tidy, your posts are online, and the first comments are coming in. What's still missing is the step that really drives your growth: outreach. This means specifically approaching other Instagram channels so that you make each other visible. In this tutorial, I'll show you how to find suitable channels, record them in a clear list, and send personal messages every day. The method works without expensive special tools.
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Key Takeaways
- Outreach only works if your profile is already prepared.
- Searching for channels is similar to a competitor analysis: you use hashtags to look for accounts in your niche.
- Very large channels are hardly reachable. Concentrate on channels whose size matches yours.
- A spreadsheet with name, approximate subscriber count, and status helps you keep track.
- Personal messages with your own name and specific praise work significantly better than mass messages.
- Before reaching out, decide what you are offering, and clarify how long the content will stay published.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Use the Competitor Analysis as a Template
Searching for suitable channels works similarly to the competitor analysis you may already know. Think about which niche you operate in and which accounts fit your topic. To do this, switch directly to Instagram and enter suitable search terms there. You can immediately reuse results from an existing analysis.
Step 2: Search by Hashtags
As an example, enter the term "motivational quotes". The search gives you millions of posts. Choose a hashtag deliberately, because a general hashtag shows you many different channels that use it. Instagram lists the results clearly, and you can go through the profiles step by step.
Step 3: Filter Out Channels That Are Too Big
The top results usually belong to very large channels, for example with 14,800 subscribers. As long as you yourself have fewer than 1,000 subscribers, such an account will hardly collaborate with you. So keep scrolling down until you find smaller channels that match your size. The subscriber count is only a rough guideline here and not an exact requirement.
Step 4: Open Suitable Channels in Separate Windows
Open the promising profiles in separate windows or tabs. This way you can check each account in peace, look at its content, and decide whether it fits your topic. A channel with about 1,100 subscribers, for example, is a clear candidate because it is roughly in your size range.
Step 5: Record Channels in a List
Copy the username of each suitable channel into a spreadsheet, for example in Excel or Google Sheets. Put an @ in front of the name, because you will need it later when reaching out. Next to it, roughly note the subscriber count so that you can see right away how big the channel is. Your goal is around 300 eligible channels. The numbers don't have to be exact; an approximate figure is enough.
Step 6: Maintain the Overview with Status Columns
Add more columns to the spreadsheet. One column shows whether you have already contacted the channel. A second records whether the follow-up has been written. A third documents the collaboration. This way you can see at any time where you stand with each channel. If you get a positive reply, you schedule the follow-up, and if they agree, you note which form of collaboration was agreed on, such as a story or a post.
Step 7: Write Personal Messages
Write each first message so that it fits the respective channel. Don't start directly with the request, but praise the content first. Mention something specific, such as a particular post that you liked. Then ask whether you would like to collaborate, and say that you would be happy to hear back. Use your own name instead of the channel name. A greeting like "Hi Alex" feels more personal than "Billions Dollar Motivation". A possible message could sound like this: "Hi Alex, your latest post really inspired me. Would you like to do a shoutout together? Feel free to let me know."
Step 8: Send messages and outsource tasks
You can write and send every message yourself. For a long list, a tool like Get in Fame is worthwhile. There you insert your user list, and the messages go out to all channels one after another. Write the message beforehand as a template and adjust the greeting each time. If you don't want to do the work yourself, you can outsource it, for example via Upwork, Facebook groups for digital nomads, or groups for virtual assistants. Also schedule fixed times during the day so that you stay on track.
Step 9: Evaluate replies and send the follow-up
Not every channel will reply, and that is completely normal. Mark in your spreadsheet who has replied. If the reply is positive, the follow-up message comes next. Here you explain what exactly you are offering. Don't expect the other person to make the proposal. Think beforehand about what you could do together. If the other person asks what you have in mind, you will have an answer ready right away.
Step 10: Offer concrete forms of collaboration
Prepare several variants. Options include a joint story, a post for the other person with mutual tagging, or a joint photo session from which a real relationship can develop in the long term. It is especially convenient for the partner if you send them a ready-made story or post with text and hashtags. That way they have as little effort as possible, and in return you expect the same.
Step 11: Determine the duration of the publication
Clarify in advance how long the other person's post will stay online. Is it one hour, one week, one month, or one year? The longer the post is visible, the greater the reach usually is. It is best to put this agreement in writing already in the follow-up message so that no misunderstandings arise later.
Step 12: Plan the collaboration
Once a collaboration has been agreed, all that remains is planning. Set the date for the shoutout and publish it on your account. We will cover the implementation and planning of the shoutouts in the next part of this series.
Summary – Mastering Instagram Outreach: Find suitable channels and start collaborations
You search via hashtags and the logic of competitor analysis for channels that fit your size and your topic. You record them in a spreadsheet, keep track of the status of each outreach, and write personal messages with specific praise. After a positive reply, you offer a clear collaboration, set the duration, and plan the publication. If you repeat these steps daily, you gradually build a network of channels that supports your growth.
FAQ
How big should the channel I contact be?Ideally it has a similar size to your own account, since large channels rarely respond to requests from small accounts.
Do I have to note the exact number of subscribers?No, an approximate figure is completely sufficient so that you can estimate the size of the channels in your list.
How many channels should I contact?A good target is a list of about 300 suitable channels that you work through step by step.
What do I write if someone replies positively?If the reply is positive, a follow-up comes next in which you explain specifically what form of collaboration you have in mind, such as a story or a post.
Do I have to write all the messages myself?No, you can outsource the work, for example via Upwork, Facebook groups for digital nomads, or groups for virtual assistants, or use a tool like Get in Fame.
Why should I use my own name instead of the channel name?A personal name seems more authentic, whereas a channel name in the salutation can sound somewhat artificial.
How long should a joint post stay online?You agree on this beforehand with the partner, and the longer the post is visible, the greater the reach usually is.
