51: 6 Instagram Post Musts for 2026 That Actually Work (For Solopreneurs)

🎯 The Algorithm Panic Is Real (But You Don't Need to Join It)

Let's be honest: if you've opened Instagram or scrolled LinkedIn anytime in January 2026, you've probably been hit with a tidal wave of posts about the "new algorithm," what you MUST do differently this year, and conflicting advice that makes your head spin.

Give free value. No wait, don't give free value because you'll only attract freebie seekers. Show your face. Actually, be a faceless account. Post five times a day. No, post once a week with high intent. Make reels. Carousels are dead. Wait, carousels are back.

Sound familiar?

I'm recording this on January 6th, and honestly? I'm overwhelmed too. And if I'm feeling this way as a content strategist who's been doing this since 2020, I can only imagine how you're feeling right now.

Here's what I want you to know before we dive into my six musts for 2026: You don't need to throw everything out the window and start over. I've been posting essentially the same way since October 2020, and I've built a nearly seven-figure business doing it. Small tweaks? Yes. Complete reinvention every January? Absolutely not.

Before we get into these six musts, join The Content Coven if you need that accountability to keep showing up consistently in 2026 without burning out. It's my year-round community where you get support, guidance, and you feel so much less alone in this insane solopreneur journey.

📸 The $1,200 Camera I Almost Bought (And Why I Didn't)

Can I be really honest with you about something?

In December, my hairstylist was showing me this incredible camera at my appointment. Over $1,200, professional quality, perfect for social media content. She was raving about how good the quality was, and I'll be honest, I was sold. I asked my husband about the tax implications, started seriously considering it, and almost pulled the trigger.

And then I sat with it for a minute.

Here I am, telling my female busy service providers to just keep it simple. To use their iPhone. To stop overcomplicating their content creation. And I was about to buy a $1,200 camera and then tell everyone who asks (because they will ask when I change things up) that they need to go invest in expensive equipment too.

How hypocritical would that be?

That moment was a reality check for me. It reminded me that even successful creators face constant pressure to upgrade, overcomplicate, and chase perfection. But that's not what actually works. And that's definitely not what my busy solopreneurs need to hear from me.

So I didn't buy it. Maybe one day, but for right now, that doesn't feel true to who I am and the type of content I'm telling my audience to make.

🔥 What Actually Matters in 2026 (Without the BS)

When I look at what performed for me in 2025, the patterns are remarkably similar to what worked in 2021, 2022, and 2023. Just small tweaks. In 2024, I leaned into reels because that's what was working. In 2025, I didn't feel like making reels, so I leaned into carousels and saw massive success (my top carousels reached 58,000, 45,000, and 39,000 people).

But my core strategy? Talk about what lights me up, solve a real problem for my ideal client, and deliver a ridiculous amount of value. That's it. That's been it since day one.

So here are my six musts for 2026 that will actually move the needle in your business without requiring you to become someone you're not.

💛 Must #1: People Over Information

Information is everywhere. If someone wants a tip list, they can ask ChatGPT for it. Ten ideas for Instagram captions? Done in 30 seconds. People aren't missing information in 2026. They're missing YOU.

The person with a point of view. A method that makes sense. A real life with real experiences that inform how you teach.

What this looks like in practice:

• Explain the WHY behind your advice, not just the steps

• Share your experience with using your own advice

• Show how you think, not just what you do

• Name your approach (for me, it's the MAGNET Method or the VISUAL Method)

A personal brand with a clear method is defensible in a world where everyone can Google the "what." It builds trust faster, and trust sells. If your content could be posted by anyone in your niche, it's too generic. Add your voice, your stories, your experience, your pictures, your videos, your opinions.

We want to hear how YOU approach the problem.

Ready to make your visuals match the quality of your strategic thinking? The Visual Edit doors open January 25th with only 30 spots available. Get on the VIP waitlist now to save money and finally create a design system that makes showing up feel effortless.

🤖 Must #2: Less AI, More Human

I am SO pro AI for speed, but not for sameness. I use it to brainstorm, create outlines, find patterns, and punch up clarity in my content. What I don't use it for? Airbrushing my personality out of my posts.

2026 content that wins feels like a voice DM from a friend. It's face to camera, imperfect, direct, and authentic. It feels like a FaceTime call or a story, not a polished commercial.

I'm approaching my reels this year as stories. That's where I show up as my most imperfect, authentic, ranty self. And the algorithm cares about watch time and retention, which means people need to stay because they feel that human connection.

Your action step:

• Swap out one polished caption a week for a scrappier voice note style caption

• Record a 45-second talking reel where you share one opinion you'd tell your best friend

• Keep it messy, keep it real, and don't worry about uppercase, lowercase, or perfect punctuation

The camera story I shared earlier? That's exactly what I mean. Imperfect content created with what you already have will outperform perfect content that took you three hours and expensive equipment to create.

📊 Must #3: Fewer, High-Intent Posts

I've never been on team "post more." You're never gonna see me doing a 30-day challenge where I post five times a day. I have a life. I have young children. I have so much going on.

What I am on board with? Fewer posts with more intention.

In 2025, my top carousels reached 58,000, 45,000, and 39,000 people. My top reels reached 38,000. Carousels consistently pulled in bigger non-follower reach for me because they slow people down, they're saveable, and they feel like mini lessons.

Rather than five throwaway posts, create one great post that solves a specific problem this week:

• Write the hook like it's the subject line of an email somebody wants to open

• Give one really actionable takeaway

• Tell them exactly what to do next

That to me is pro energy in 2026. And please remember that done beats perfect every time. If we sat down and counted how many times I posted something imperfect that still did really well, it'd be a pretty long list.

Your people are not grading you. They're grateful for your help.

🎬 Must #4: A Recurring Series

This is something I'm seeing everywhere, and honestly, it's one of my favorite ways to build momentum. You want inside jokes, personality, and a recurring series.

I've done the "12 Days of Reels Challenge" in past years. Confession: I actually skipped 2025. I had a pretty long, intense fall/winter season, and I really needed more rest than a sprint. When December came around, I asked myself: if one of your Coven members came to you and described their fall and asked if they should still push through and do the challenge, what would you say?

I would've said no. So I took my own advice. Sustainability over hustle, always.

But for you in 2026, I'd love to see you pick a series theme that's low intensity and really high personality.

My plan for 2026:
I'm actually following what one of my Coven members Amanda is doing. She wrote down 30 Days of Tech Tips (she's a tech and productivity coach), and she's pulling her ideas out of a jar. Then she opens the tip and just goes for it.

Why I love this: it forces you to take action. You're on the spot. There's something about planning out an entire series that feels heavy, but picking a tip out of a jar and sharing it immediately? That feels doable. It feels very low effort, and I kind of love that for 2026.

Give it a recurring language, give it a theme, pull tips out of a jar, and just go for it.

📱 Must #5: Carousels for Non-Follower Reach

Carousels are not dead. They are so smart, and they work beautifully for attracting new audiences, especially if you design them like a miniature story.

Here's how to make carousels work:

• Slide 1: Hot take or curiosity-driving hook ("Stop using these six fonts. Here are the only two you need.")

• Middle slides: Share the messy middle, be real and raw

• Last slide: Natural next step, not a hard pitch

A few writing notes for your carousels:

• Write like you speak

• Short lines, lots of white space

• Use specific nouns and numbers (42 Canva fonts that pop, not "here's a ton of great fonts")

• Make the last slide a natural next step (grab my free font pairings guide, or DM the word FONT)

Specificity wins every single time. And that last slide should feel like a helpful next step, not a sales pitch.

👁️ Must #6: Don't Starve Your Business by Staying Safe or Invisible

Most businesses don't fail in some dramatic cliff drop situation. They fade slowly because we stay safe, we stay invisible, and we never quite get the posts out that would actually help people.

Invisibility is expensive, my friend.

Each week, pick one micro action that makes you visible:

• Show your face once (even if you're a designer or strategist, humans buy from humans)

• Post one opinion that's yours (it doesn't have to be spicy, it just has to be authentic)

• Offer one low-risk touchpoint (a free audit, a 10-minute Loom teardown, a Canva template sampler)

Let people experience your value before they commit to more. Make it easy, make it low effort for you, and give them a taste of what working with you feels like.

If you know deep down that what you really need is a design system that makes your visuals do the heavy lifting so you can focus on showing up, The Visual Edit is your next move. Doors open January 25th. Get on the VIP waitlist to save money and snag one of 30 spots.

🛠️ Resources & Links

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The Visual Edit - 5-week program launching January 25th (30 spots only) for creating brand systems, templates, and scroll-stopping covers with a sustainable design workflow

• The Messaging Edit - my signature program for messaging clarity and offer language (returns late September 2026)

• Follow Amanda's Tech Reel Series - Tech and productivity coach in The Coven doing "30 Days of Tech Tips" series

💪 Your Simple 2026 Content Plan

If you want a one-page plan to print and stick on your desk, here it is:

1. Pick a recurring series you can keep up with. Name the number of tips you're gonna give, make a cover, add a recurring intro, and go into the tip.

2. Ship one hot-take/story/takeaway carousel each week. Hook with a promise, teach one thing, end with a natural next step.

3. Record one face-to-camera reel each week in your real voice. 30 to 60 seconds, one opinion, one example, one story from your real life, one call to action. Done.

4. Add one low-risk trust entry point to your bio, your links, or talk about it once a week. This is how you grow that email list.

5. Curate your inputs. Unfollow or mute people who make you feel smaller, scattered, overwhelmed, or less than. Follow the few people who help you stay grounded and in action.

6. Measure saves and replies, not likes. Saves and replies signal usefulness and trust to the algorithm. Likes are down across the board for everyone.

🌟 You Already Have What You Need

I know it's noisy out there, my friend. You are so not alone. But your business doesn't need a total reinvention. I pinky promise swear to you.

You already have the ingredients. You've got the brain, you've got the heart, I know you've got the skills, and people who need you are out there waiting to hear from you.

Make it human. Make it helpful. And make it a habit. That's literally the play in 2026.

Pick one of these six musts and commit to it. Don't try to do all of them. Take what feels good and doable and move forward with it. Literally, I'm giving you permission to ignore the rest.

Ready to make 2026 your most visible, consistent year yet? Let me know which of these six musts resonates most with you. I read every comment and love connecting with fellow solopreneurs who are ready to cut through the noise and focus on what actually works.