You're 90 minutes away from starting your fresh, new Instagram profile.
That gets you discovered, converts visitors to followers and sets you up to grow.
Most people waste weeks tweaking their bio, changing their username, wondering why nobody follows them. You're not going to do that.
You're going to follow this checklist, set up your profile right, start posting.
Let’s build your new profile profile together.
(If you’re reading this on phone, switch to desktop and come back when you’re all set to apply these steps side by side as you read through)
Ready? Let’s go…
Phase I: Set Up Your New Profile in 7 Steps (45 minutes)
1. Username
Pick one format:
Personal brand: @firstname or @firstnamelastname
Niche account: @niche+keyword (like @socialmediawithria)
Rules: Under 15 characters. Easy to spell when said out loud. No special characters except periods and underscores.
Write down 3 options. Pick the shortest one. Done.
2. Name Field
This is searchable. Your username isn't.
Format: Your Name | What You Do
Examples:
Ria | Social Media Strategist
Sarah | NYC Realtor
Hannah | Corporate Outfits
Add 1-2 keywords people would search for. Keep it under 30 characters.
3. Bio
Keep it < 150 characters and in 4 lines:
Line 1: Who you help
Line 2: What you help them do
Line 3: Proof
Line 4: CTA
Example:
Helping creators grow from 0 to 10K Instagram tips, viral hooks, content ideas Managed 47 profiles, built this in public ↓ Free growth checklist
Copy that structure. Put in your details. Read it out loud. If someone can't tell what you do in 5 seconds, rewrite it.
4. Profile Photo
Personal brand = your face (close-up, good lighting, simple background).
Business brand = your logo (simple, 2-3 colours max, high contrast).
Upload it. Check how it looks on mobile. If you can't clearly see your face or logo in thumbnail size, crop it tighter.
5. Link
Pretty self explanatory. Here are few examples depending on where you want your visitors/followers to get next:
Newsletter? Link to signup.
Selling something? Link to that.
Building audience? Use Beacons/Linktree with 2-3 options max.
Change it regularly based on what you're promoting.
6. Content Pillars
Pick 3 topics you'll post about. That's it.
Formula: 2 tactical + 1 personal
Examples:
Social media creator:
Instagram growth strategies
Content hooks and ideas
Building in public
Fitness creator:
Home workouts
Meal prep ideas
Mindset and motivation
Write yours down. Every post you make will fit into one of these three.
7. Check Everything in Phone App
Open Instagram on your phone. Look at your profile as a visitor would see it.
Can you tell what you do in 5 seconds? Yes? Good. No? Fix your bio.
Phase II: Plan Your First 7 Posts (45 minutes)
Here's what accounts that are growing in 2026 are posting in their first week:
Post 1: Introduction
Who you are, what you're building, why you're here. Make it personal. People follow people, not logos.
Post 2: Tactical value (Pillar 1)
Share one tip, strategy, or framework. Make it actionable. Carousels work best for this.
Post 3: Tactical value (Pillar 2)
Different topic, same format. Give value immediately.
Post 4: Personal story
Why you started, what you learned, a failure you had. This builds connection.
Post 5: Proof
Case study, before/after, results you got for yourself or someone else. Numbers make this real.
Post 6: Tactical value (Pillar 1)
Back to giving value. Keep it simple and useful.
Post 7: Call-to-action
Tell people to follow, DM you, grab your freebie, or sign up for your newsletter.
Don't batch-create all 7 right now. Just outline what each one will be about. You'll create them as you go.
What To Do After Your Profile Is Set
Your profile is live. This is exactly what you need to do next without overcomplicating anything:
Post 3-4 times per week. Mix of Reels (2x/week) and carousels or feed posts (1-2x/week). Be delusionally consistent.
Engage 30 minutes per day. Comment on 10 posts in your niche. Reply to 10 Stories. DM 3 people to connect (not pitch). Instagram rewards active users.
Track what works. After your first week, check Instagram Insights. Look at saves, shares, and profile visits. Do more of what's working.
Don't quit at Week 3. Most people quit after 2-3 weeks because they're not growing fast enough. The accounts that win are the ones that don't stop. Keep posting.
You only need 90 minutes to set up your profile. Then you post, engage, and track.
Just finished your profile setup? Reply with your username. I'd love to review your new profile.
Know someone stuck on "planning" to start Instagram? Forward this to them.
See you next Sunday,
Ria
Social Media Strategist