What’s Really Working on Instagram for Small Businesses with Jenn Herman

In this episode of Rocky Mountain Marketing, I sit down with the incredible Jenn Herman—Instagram strategist, author of Instagram for Dummies, and founder of the Profit Your Profile community. We unpack what’s actually working for organic Instagram growth in 2025 and beyond.

If you’ve ever felt like your content isn’t gaining traction or that the Instagram algorithm is working against you, this episode is your wake-up call. Jenn reveals:

• Why organic reach isn’t dead—it’s just different
• The secret to reels that stop the scroll
• How to balance short-form content with authenticity
• The growing importance of recommended content
• How to keep trust while leveraging AI in your content strategy

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: Is Organic Reach Dead on Instagram?

01:09 Guest Introduction: Jen Herman on Instagram Strategy

02:36 The Evolution of Instagram: Features and Functions

05:48 Adapting to Algorithm Changes

08:31 Creating Authentic and Engaging Content

16:56 Leveraging Instagram Stories and AI

24:45 Building Private Communities and Memberships

29:55 Future Trends and Final Thoughts

We also talk about how micro-communities, subscriber-only content, and even Stories are still the highest-converting tools on Instagram when done right.

Ready to future-proof your Instagram strategy? Tune in to hear how you can grow with less, stay real, and leverage what’s actually working right now.

Listen now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in.

Visit Jenn Herman online:

Website: https://jennstrends.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenns_trends/

Profit Your Profile Community: https://profityourprofile.com/

Jenn Herman's Books: https://jennstrends.com/books/

Learn more about Katie and Next Step Social & Podcasting:

Speaking: https://katiebrinkley.com/

Website: https://yournextstep.agency/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiebrinkley

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/@rockymountainmarketing

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamkatiebrinkley/

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