On this page
Instagram is where many people decide whether a business looks like the real thing. If your customers are local, it can send you enquiries from people just down the road in Bournemouth & Poole, Dorset. Gaining thousands of followers is not the goal. What matters is that the right local people see you, like what they see and know how to get in touch.
Fifty local followers who might hire you are worth more than five thousand from the other side of the world. Build for people nearby.
The quick version
- Say what you do and where you are in your username, bio and every caption
- Use two or three hashtags, because Instagram now allows five at most
- Put keywords in the caption, not in the comments
- Use Reels to reach people who do not follow you yet
- Add your location to posts and reply to every comment
How people find you on Instagram
Instagram’s search looks at usernames, bios, captions, hashtags and places. It works more like a search engine than it used to, so the words you use matter.
Instagram’s own guidance is that for a post to be found in search, the keywords should be in the caption, not the comments. So write “Wedding photographer in Poole, Dorset” in your caption, rather than hiding it in a comment underneath.
Get your profile ready first
Before you post anything, make sure your profile does its job in about five seconds. A visitor should know what you do, where you are and how to reach them straight away.
- Name and bio. Say what you do and where, for example “Plumber in Poole, Dorset”.
- Photo. Use your logo or a clear photo of you.
- Link. Send people to your booking page or contact page.
- Contact button. Turn on the call or email button so people can reach you in one tap.
Tell people where you are
Add your location to posts and Reels. Tag Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch or whichever town you work in, because places are one of the things Instagram search looks at.
Hashtags in 2026
Instagram has capped posts at five hashtags, after years of people adding thirty. Adam Mosseri, who runs Instagram, has also been reported as saying that hashtags help your post show up in search but do not increase how many people see it.
So treat them as labels. Use two or three that describe what you do and where, such as a service name plus Dorset, and stop there.
Use Reels to reach new people
Reels are short videos that Instagram shows to people who do not follow you yet, through the Explore page and the Reels tab. Standard posts mainly reach people who already follow you. That makes Reels your best chance of being seen by new local customers.
They do not need to be polished. A quick clip of a finished job, a day in the life or a tip you give customers all work. Keep them short, start with the interesting part and add captions, since many people watch with the sound off. My short-form video service can do the filming and editing for you.
Post real work, not adverts
People scroll past anything that looks like an advert. They stop for real people and real results.
Show your work, your team and your customers, with their permission. A simple before and after, a happy customer message or a behind the scenes moment builds trust faster than any slogan.
Reply to everyone
When someone comments or sends a message, reply the same day if you can. Instagram is social, and a quick friendly answer often turns a curious person into a customer.
Follow and comment on other local businesses too. Cafes, venues and suppliers around Bournemouth & Poole are often happy to share each other’s posts, and it puts you in front of their followers.
How often to post
Buffer looked at over 2 million Instagram posts and found that accounts posting three to five times a week grew faster than those posting once or twice. It cannot prove that posting more causes the growth, but it is a sensible target if you have the content.
If that is too much, two good posts a week, kept going, is better than seven rushed ones. Our guide on how often to post explains how to plan it.
What to check each month
Instagram’s insights show you what is working, and you only need three numbers. Look at how many people visited your profile, how many tapped your link or contact button, and which posts brought the most new people.
Do more of what brought people to your profile, and less of what did not. That is all the analysis a small business needs.
Getting help
If you would like a hand, my Instagram setup and content service sets up the profile, plans the posts and keeps it ticking over. That leaves you free to get on with the day job. I also have pages on social media marketing in Bournemouth and social media marketing in Poole, written for businesses in each town.
