How to Make Instagram Easier (and Actually Get Clients From It)

Let's talk about Instagram.

 

I have a complicated relationship with it.

 

On one hand, I built my entire business on Instagram. It's connected me with incredible women, helped me grow my audience, and created opportunities I never could have imagined.

 

On the other hand? Sometimes it feels like a whole lot of effort for not a whole lot of return.

 

And I know I'm not the only woman entrepreneur who feels this way.

 

Between creating content, keeping up with trends, figuring out what the algorithm wants, and trying to actually run a profitable business, Instagram can start to feel like another full-time job.

 

That's exactly why I wanted to sit down with Jenna Harding, Instagram expert and creator of Magic Marketing Machine, for this episode of This Mother Means Business.

 

Jenna helps service-based business owners turn Instagram into a tool for attracting clients, without spending their entire lives creating content.

 

And while I thought we were going to dive straight into Instagram strategies, our conversation started somewhere a little unexpected.

 

With the pressure to look a certain way online.

 

You Don't Have to Look Like Everyone Else to Be Successful

Here's something I've been thinking about a lot lately.

 

As I approach 40, I'm becoming increasingly aware of who I actually am, what matters to me, and all the things I've spent years believing I should be.

 

And Instagram has a funny way of bringing those things to the surface.

 

There's this unspoken pressure in the online business world to look polished. To have the perfect branding, the perfect outfits, the perfect hair, and the kind of aesthetically pleasing life that looks great in a Reel.

 

But what if that's just not you?

 

When I first started my business, I was showing up in blazers, trying to look like what I thought a professional business mentor was supposed to look like.

 

The funny thing is, that's not what grew my business.

 

What actually connected with people was showing up as myself. Sometimes fresh out of the shower, covered in breast milk and baby puke, talking about what it really looked like to build a business while raising young children.

 

Jenna had a similar experience.

 

She spent years believing she needed to look a certain way to be taken seriously, only to discover that people were connecting with her because of who she actually was.

 

And that brought us to an important realization.

 

Being professional doesn't mean performing someone else's version of professionalism.

 

Your clients don't necessarily need you to look like every other business owner in your industry. They need to trust you, connect with you, and believe you can help them.

 

And sometimes, the most powerful way to build that trust is to stop trying so hard to look the part.

 

The Instagram Strategy That Actually Matters: Growth, Nurture, and Sales

Once we got into the practical side of Instagram, Jenna shared a framework that I think every female business owner needs to understand.

 

Because here's the thing. Getting views on Instagram and getting clients from Instagram are not the same thing.

 

You can have a Reel that reaches thousands of people and doesn't generate a single inquiry.

 

You can also have a post that reaches a much smaller audience but leads to someone booking a call or buying your offer.

 

The difference comes down to understanding the purpose of your content.

 

Jenna breaks Instagram content into three categories.

 

1. Growth Content: Get New People Into Your World

Growth content is designed to get attention.

 

It's the relatable Reels, quick tips, entertaining observations, and easy-to-consume posts that make someone stop scrolling.

 

This is the content that's more likely to generate views, engagement, and new followers.

 

Think about something like: Three Instagram hooks you can use today.

 

It's simple, useful, and easy for someone who has never heard of you to understand.

 

But here's the important part. Growth content is just the beginning.

 

Getting someone's attention doesn't automatically mean they're ready to work with you.

 

2. Nurture Content: Give People a Reason to Trust You

This is where so many entrepreneurs get frustrated.

 

Nurture content often doesn't generate the same impressive numbers as growth content.

 

But it serves a completely different purpose.

 

Nurture content demonstrates your expertise, builds relationships, and helps your audience understand why you're the person who can help them.

 

This might look like sharing a client case study, addressing a specific problem your ideal customer is experiencing, or explaining something that shifts how they think about their business.

 

Jenna described the difference beautifully.

 

Growth content might get someone to follow you.

Nurture content makes them think, Oh my gosh, she's talking directly to me.

 

And that connection matters far more than another thousand views from people who were never going to become clients.

 

3. Sales Content: Actually Invite People to Work With You

This is the part we sometimes avoid.

 

Because sales content typically gets less engagement.

 

And when we're constantly measuring success through likes, comments, and views, it's easy to convince ourselves that those posts aren't working.

 

But here's the reality.

 

If you're not telling people how they can work with you, you're making it harder for them to become your clients.

 

Sales content is where you invite someone to take the next step.

 

Maybe that's booking a discovery call, applying for your coaching program, purchasing an offer, or visiting a sales page.

 

Whatever that next step looks like in your business, your audience needs to know it exists.

 

The magic happens when all three types of content work together.

 

Growth brings people in. Nurture builds trust. Sales creates the opportunity to buy.

 

That's a business growth strategy, not just a social media strategy.

 

Stop Guessing What Your Audience Wants to Hear

This might have been my favourite takeaway from our conversation.

 

Jenna shared that one of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is creating content based entirely on what they think their audience wants.

 

We sit down, open Instagram, and ask ourselves: What should I post today?

 

And then we scroll through other people's content, save a few trending hooks, look at what competitors are doing, and try to come up with something clever.

 

But Jenna suggests a completely different approach.

 

Stop inventing content ideas and start listening to your potential clients.

 

Inside her Magic Marketing Machine program, she teaches a market research process called the Genie Method.

 

The idea is to speak directly with people who fit your ideal client profile and understand what they're experiencing before they've worked with you.

 

Not just what they want to achieve, but why they want it.

 

For example, a woman might tell you she wants to grow her business to $20,000 months.

 

But when you ask more questions, you might discover that the number itself isn't really the point.

 

Maybe she grew up watching her father handle all the family finances, and she wants to create a different experience for herself and her children.

 

Suddenly, you're not just talking about revenue goals.

 

You're talking about financial independence, changing generational patterns, and what building a successful business actually means to her.

 

That's the kind of messaging that makes someone stop scrolling and pay attention.

 

Because you're speaking to something they genuinely care about.

 

And you didn't have to guess.

 

Your Best Content Ideas Are Probably Already in Your Conversations

One of the things I loved about Jenna's approach is how much simpler it can make content creation.

 

Instead of constantly searching for inspiration, you start paying attention to what people are already telling you.

 

What questions are potential clients asking?

What are they worried about?

What do they say they're struggling with?

What words do they use to describe those struggles?

 

Those conversations are full of potential content ideas.

 

And here's an important distinction Jenna made: your existing clients aren't always the best source for this research.

 

They've already experienced your work. They understand your process and have a different perspective on their problems.

 

The people you really want to hear from are those who are still experiencing the struggle you're helping solve.

 

Jenna recommends interviewing a few ideal potential clients, asking thoughtful follow-up questions, and looking for patterns in their answers.

 

Yes, that takes some effort upfront.

 

But imagine how much easier creating content could become when you're no longer sitting there wondering what to say.

 

You're simply responding to the conversations your audience is already having.

 

What's Actually Working on Instagram Right Now?

Of course, I couldn't have an Instagram expert on the podcast without asking about the actual content formats.

 

Because Instagram has changed a lot.

 

I used to run social media for a luxury automotive company, back when posting beautiful photos of cars was pretty much all you needed to do. There were no Instagram Stories, no Reels, and definitely not the same pressure to constantly create video content.

 

And honestly? It worked.

 

Fast forward to 2026, and Instagram is a completely different world.

 

So naturally, I wanted Jenna to tell us what's actually working right now.

 

Her answer? Short-form video and carousels.

 

But here's where it gets interesting. Not all videos need to serve the same purpose.

 

Jenna explained that if your goal is to reach a lot of people, really short videos (think seven seconds) can be effective for grabbing attention and generating views.

 

But if you're trying to build relationships, educate your audience, or help potential clients understand what you do, longer videos give you more room to connect.

 

And then there are carousels.

 

According to Jenna, carousels are performing particularly well because there's less competition compared to video content. They also have the potential to continue reaching people long after they're published.

 

Her advice? If you're posting photos or graphics, consider making them a carousel instead of sharing a single image.

 

And while it's helpful to know which formats are working, I think the more important lesson is that you don't need to chase every trend or reinvent your content strategy every time Instagram changes something.

 

You need to understand who you're trying to reach, what they need to hear from you, and how your content supports your business.

 

Because ultimately, the goal isn't just more views.

 

It's more of the right people finding you, connecting with you, and eventually becoming clients.

 

You Don't Need to Be an Instagram Expert to Build a Profitable Business

Here's what I took away from my conversation with Jenna.

 

You don't need to look like everyone else.

You don't need to go viral.

And you definitely don't need to spend every waking hour creating content.

 

What you do need is a clear understanding of who you're speaking to, a strategy that balances growth with building trust and making sales, and the confidence to show up as yourself.

 

Because Instagram should be a tool that supports your business, not another full-time job you're constantly trying to keep up with.

 

If you've been feeling overwhelmed by Instagram or wondering why all that content creation isn't translating into actual clients, this conversation with Jenna is one you'll want to hear.