Grow your audience

The next step in your journey to selling online? Growing an audience.

Now, I’ll be straight with you…this part takes grit. I spent most of 2025 researching, testing, and tweaking what I was doing on Instagram. And for the longest time, nothing seemed to work. I was well and truly stuck in what they call “200-view jail.” No matter what I posted, my reels would stubbornly stall around that number. Honestly, in the early days, if something scraped up to 1,000 views, I was practically popping champagne.

But here’s the thing: I didn’t give up. I kept digging, learning, trialling new strategies, and (most importantly) persevering. And then I noticed something… it started to work. I escaped 200-view jail! “EXCITEMENT!” was an understatement! But then I promptly found myself in the 1,000-view jail. Then the 3–4,000-view jail. But with every step, things kept building.

Fast forward to now: I’ve had one reel hit 3.3 million views….

If you’re keen to know how I did it, then sign up to Behind the Garden Gate, where I outline what I did, and keep doing, to continue growing my audience. I will continue to post blog-style posts each week with key insights into what I’m doing to develop my online gardening business. You’ll see so many ‘get rich quick’ reels peppered across Instagram. I’m sure it happens for some, but for the majority, growing your online business is the same as growing any business - slow and steady, and requiring some effort and commitment. Just remember - I’m a 50-year-old mum of two, who is slightly technologically challenged. If I can do it, so can you! Click on the button below to sign up to Behind the Garden Gate.