Instagram for Business | Tips & Tricks to Grow Your Coaching Business
Oct 6
Wondering how to get coaching clients from Instagram??
You’re showing up, posting regularly, maybe even trying Reels—but the dream clients? Crickets.
If that sounds familiar, you’re probably missing a few key strategy shifts.
In this episode, I’m showing you how to actually use Instagram for business to grow your coaching business—without burning yourself out or sounding salesy.
And be sure to stick around ‘til the end, because I’m revealing the most overlooked feature on Instagram that can help you build serious trust—and convert followers into clients.
Hey Coach, I’m Moriah Riona—award-winning luxury brand designer, luxury branding coach, and the host of the Superbloom Coach Podcast.
And this is Superbloom Coach Presents: The Ultimate Guide to Starting Your Life Coaching Business!
It’s your step-by-step roadmap to building a beautiful, aligned, and successful coaching business.
And today, we’re diving into one of the biggest platforms for coaches—Instagram for business—and how to use it to grow your audience and attract coaching clients (without spending your whole life on the app).
Before we get into it, make sure you download the free workbook that goes along with this series at moriahriona.com/workbook. This workbook was designed to help you with every step of this series! So grab it now!
Tip #1: Optimize Your Bio for Your Coaching Business
Let’s start with the most important 150 characters on Instagram: your bio.
This is your first impression—and you want it to clearly communicate three things:
1. Who you help
2. What result you help them get
3. What they should do next
Most new coaches make the mistake of being too vague or trying to sound clever. But clarity always wins over clever.
In fact, this is so important, I want you to commit to it right now!
Type “Clarity over Clever” in the comments or DM me over on Instagram: @moriahriona.
Because you want your dream client to read your bio and immediately think:
“She’s talking to me.”
Now, let’s talk about keywords.
Instagram is now a searchable platform—just like Google or Pinterest. That means your bio, name field, and even your captions can help you show up in search results. And that’s huge!
So what are keywords?
They’re simply the words and phrases your dream client would type into Instagram’s search bar to find a coach like you.
For example, instead of just writing your name in the name field, try:
“Confidence Coach for Women”
“Life Coach for Burnout Recovery”
“Mindset & Manifestation Coach”
To find your keywords, think about:
The transformation you help your clients achieve
The identity your clients are searching with (busy moms, doctors, creatives, etc.)
What coaching result they’re actively seeking
You can also search Instagram yourself—see what keywords other coaches are using in your niche, and borrow what feels aligned.
PRO TIP:
Keywords help your content get discovered.
Hashtags are used to categorize your content.
Both matter—but your bio and name field should use keywords, not hashtags.
And let’s talk profile photo…
I see a lot of new coaches using a logo here—but Instagram is a social platform. It’s about connection and trust.
And nothing builds trust faster than seeing your actual face.
You want a clean, professional headshot—something that feels warm, polished, and on-brand. Think clear background, eye contact, and lighting that flatters you.
And speaking of showing your face—make sure you’re posting plenty of selfies on your feed too.
People want to see you, not just your quotes or templates.
That’s something I go over in detail inside my course, Brilliant Social Brand.
Because when you’re building a coaching business on social media, YOU are the brand.
(You can check out the link in the description if you want to learn more about building your own brilliant, scroll-stopping brand.)
Tip #2: Use Highlights Like a Mini Website
Think of your Instagram profile page as your brand’s homepage on the app. That means the highlights are the various pages they can navigate through.
Organize your best content into clear, intentional categories—like:
Start Here
About You
Testimonials
Services
Freebie or Lead Magnet
Use branded covers and make it easy for your audience to learn about you, see proof, and take action—without having to scroll your entire feed.
This is one of the easiest ways to elevate your Instagram for business presence and grow your coaching business organically.
Tip #3: Create a Consistent Posting Strategy (Not Just a Pretty Feed)
You don’t need a magazine-worthy grid—but you do need a strategy.
The coaches who grow on Instagram consistently are the ones who show up with clarity and intention.
Here’s how to create a simple but effective strategy:
Decide how often you’ll post (start with 3x per week)
Rotate through content types: value tips, personal story, testimonials, offers
Align every post with your content pillars and your core coaching offer
Using Instagram for business isn’t about throwing spaghetti at the wall—it’s about building trust, showing authority, and making it easy for clients to say yes.
One of the biggest mistakes I see new coaches make is overcommitting to their Instagram posting—they decide they’re gonna post 3x a day, everyday… and maybe they do it for a couple of days… and then go radio silent for a month!
That certainly doesn’t build trust with your audience!
Instead, be realistic about how much your can take on—and start small! Once you master posting just 3x per week, add another day or two.
Tip #4: Use Stories Every Day to Build Trust
Stories are one of the most powerful, and most overlooked, tools on Instagram.
They’re casual, in-the-moment, and perfect for connecting with your audience on a deeper level.
Use Instagram Stories to:
Share the behind-the-scenes of your coaching business [people LOVE a sneak peek behind the scenes!]
Talk about client results (with permission)
Show your face—this builds trust fast
Show your audience you’re a REAL person! Don’t just talk about coaching. Talk about your LIFE! Take them along on the journey with you—just make sure to relate your stories back to your coaching or offers.
Use polls and questions to boost engagement and start conversations.
PRO TIP:
No one likes a sleazy slide into the DMs just to pitch! Have real conversations with people, without trying to sell. One of the easiest ways to do this (that coaches always overlook!) is to respond with a DM to people who engage with your poll stickers!
This is so easy to do! You just open the story, see who has voted, click the comment icon next to them and type a response! It’s a great way to naturally start a conversation with someone who’s already engaged with you!
Remember: people buy from people they trust. Stories help you become that trusted voice.
Tip #5: Engage Like a Human (Not a Bot)
One of the most powerful ways to grow your coaching business on Instagram isn’t posting more—it’s engaging better.
Like I tell my students:
You don’t need to go viral. You need to be visible—to the right people.
Using Instagram for business isn’t about being POPULAR.
It’s about being PROFITALE.
If you’re being honest with yourself, as a small business owner, that’s really the only metric that matters!
So stop worrying about likes or follower counts. And start connecting with people!
Instagram is a relationship-building platform. And if you want clients, you need to start treating it that way.
So what does that look like in practice?
1. Respond to DMs Thoughtfully
This one sounds obvious, but most new coaches either ignore DMs—or treat them like spammy sales convos.
Don’t do that. When someone messages you:
Reply like you would to a new friend
Be helpful
Ask a follow-up question
Invite them to keep the conversation going
When it feels natural, you can mention how you work with clients or ask if they want more info. But don’t lead with the pitch—lead with service.
Bonus tip: I LOVE to use voice messages in the DMs. It feels more personal and helps build connection fast.
2. Comment Intentionally on Other People’s Content
Want to show up in your dream client’s world? Go engage in theirs.
Make a list of 10-20 dream clients or aligned accounts, and set aside 10–15 minutes a day to:
Watch their Stories and reply
Comment meaningfully on their posts (not just “🔥” or “love this!”—actually say something valuable)
Celebrate their wins or share your perspective
This kind of intentional engagement gets you on their radar—and it makes your name familiar when they eventually see your content.
3. Follow Up With Your Engagers
Here’s a strategy I teach inside Brilliant Social Brand—it’s simple but so effective:
Every week, go back through your comments and DMs. Reach out to people who engaged.
Say something like:
“Hey! I saw you commented on my post about confidence breakthroughs—just wanted to say thanks for being part of the convo! Are you a coach too?”
Or:
“I noticed you downloaded my free workbook—how’s it going so far? Anything you’re stuck on?”
These light touches build trust. They show you’re paying attention. And often, they open the door to deeper convos—and clients.
Here’s the bottom line:
You don’t need a huge following to get coaching clients on Instagram. You need real relationships.
And that starts by engaging like a human, not a bot.
Okay, so here’s your next step:
Pick one of today’s tips—whether it’s updating your bio, creating new highlights, or planning out next week’s content—and take action on it within the next 24 hours.
Then leave a comment and let me know you’ve done it! I want to cheer you on!
And, hey, if this episode gave you a new perspective on how to use Instagram for business—would you take just a second to like this video on YouTube or leave a review on Apple Podcasts?
That one action helps me reach more incredible new coaches like you—and grow this podcast!
And make sure you download the free workbook at moriahriona.com/workbook to map out your content strategy and start turning followers into clients.
In the next episode, we’re talking content marketing for coaches—and I’ll help you decide:
Should you start a blog, a podcast, or both?
If you’re ready to create content that works for you while you sleep, you won’t want to miss it.
Can you do me a quick favor:
Thank you for taking the time to read this post! If you found it helpful, inspiring, or just plain enjoyable, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Leaving a review not only helps others discover this content but also fuels my passion for creating more of what I love. Plus, your feedback helps me keep improving and providing value. So, if you have a moment, please drop a quick review—your support means the world to me!
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