Search Instagram for keywords that describe your niche. Explore all the creators in this niche and find and follow the ones you like best.

Try not to think of other channels as your 'competition', but rather as other people in your new tribe that enjoy talking about the same things you do. There is plenty of room for you here and they are lucky to have you joining in!

Step 1: Define Your Keywords

Think about terms your audience would search for, including variations and synonyms:

Products or services (e.g., “plant-based recipes”)
Problems or needs (e.g., “time-saving workouts”)
Interests and hobbies (e.g., “digital art tutorials”)

Step 2: Use Instagram’s Search Function

Open Instagram.
Tap the magnifying glass icon to access the Explore/Search page.
In the search bar, type a keyword. Instagram will show:
- Top posts using that keyword
- Accounts related to it
- Tags / Hashtags
- Places (optional, location-based content)

Step 3: Explore Hashtags

Hashtags are a goldmine for niche research.

Search your keyword as a hashtag (e.g., #plantbasedrecipes) and:

Note the number of posts (popularity)
Observe top posts and recent posts to see trends and engagement
Look at related hashtags Instagram suggests

Step 4: Explore Accounts

Click on Accounts that appear in search results to:

See how they post (frequency, format, style)
Check what topics get high engagement
Identify potential competitors or collaborators

Step 5: Analyze Content & Engagement

For top posts in your niche, observe:

What kind of visuals are used (video, carousel, photo, reel)
Caption style (short tips, long storytelling, questions)
Engagement type (comments, shares, saves)
Take notes on patterns—what works, what doesn’t, and what gaps you could fill.

Follow the best social media accounts in your niche

Find and follow some creators in your niche that are doing something similar to what you see yourself wanting to do in the future. Pick the ones that seem the most interesting to you, not the ones who seem the most 'successful'.

Strengths: What are they doing well? What content is consistently performing?
Gaps: Are there topics, formats, or audience needs they’re missing?
Voice & tone: Is it professional, playful, authoritative, relatable?

Look for the top performing content, common content pillars/themes, and how these creators engage with their audience.

This helps you figure out what you might want to copy and how you might want to differentiate your own content.

Analyze Other Channels in Your Niche (aka Your Competition)

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