How do small businesses actually get customers from Instagram in 2024?

I do social media marketing for small food businesses, so this is right up my alley. **First, the reality check:** 20-30 likes with mostly friends means you're probably at under 500 followers. That's normal for starting out, but yes, we need to fix that. **Why most small bakery Instagrams fail:** 1. Posting without a strategy 2. Only posting product photos 3. Not engaging with local accounts 4. Ignoring Reels (huge mistake in 2024) 5. No call to action **What actually works:** **1. Reels, Reels, Reels** - 15-30 second videos of decorating cakes, piping, behind the scenes - These get 10-50x more reach than photos - Don't need to be fancy - phone footage is fine **2. Local hashtags** - #DenverBakery #DenverCakes #DenverFoodie - #[YourNeighborhood]Eats - Engage with other Denver food accounts daily **3. Stories are for sales** - Daily stories showing what's available - "Last 3 chocolate croissants - DM to reserve" - Polls, questions, countdowns to special items **4. User-generated content** - Repost customers' photos - Creates social proof and community **5. Conversion strategy** - Link in bio to order form (use Linktree if needed) - Clear location and hours - "DM to order" in every post - Limited drops create urgency **Realistic timeline:** Give it 3-4 months of consistent effort (post 4-5x/week, 2+ Reels/week). You should see real traction. Instagram absolutely works for bakeries - I have clients doing $2-3k/week from Instagram orders alone. But it's a grind at first.