Traffic Growth Playbook

One viral post won’t pay the bills. But running repeatable plays will. After working with 1,000+ food creators, we’ve seen these 3 strategies consistently turn followers into traffic and ad dollars. Here’s how👇

Play #1: Send recipe roundup carousel DMs

Carousel posts crush it on Instagram. With Grocer’s List, you can bring that same swipeable format to DMs. Perfect for recipe roundups, meal plans, or affiliate links.

How to run the play:

  1. Go to Comment for DM > Posts & Reels in Grocer’s List.

  2. Click Prepare Next Post.

  3. Click the + to add a DM card.

  4. Add a new link for each card.

✅ The Result: One DM = multiple clickable touchpoints. More chances to get followers from your DMs onto your site.

"I really view Instagram as a bridge to connect what's happening on the website and what's happening in email.” - Lindsay Ostrom (@pinchofyum)

Play #2: Use Stories to drive DMs (and traffic)

Ask followers to reply to your story for a link. More replies = more engagement, and Instagram rewards you with extra reach.

How to run the play:

  1. Let yesterday’s stories expire. Then, start a new batch asking for replies with a specific keyword.

  2. In Grocer’s List, click Comment for DM > Stories & Lives.

  3. Click New Story/Live Reply.

  4. Add your keyword and link. Done!

⚠️ Tip: For your IG story, use text over an image/video only. Extra elements can block replies from working.

Using story replies in Grocer’s List, @_joytothefood_ started hitting 15% story reach consistently, and drove a 72% click-through-rate to her site!

Play #3. Write captions that drive action

Did you know Instagram posts can now rank on Google? Your caption isn’t just words. It’s a second chance to be discovered and drive traffic.

How to run the play:

  1. Caption structure matters: Keep your CTA clear and actionable.

  2. Use default keywords: Like “link” or “recipe” instead of recipe-specific terms. Save 5-10 minutes per post! ⏰

  3. Add your URL: Doesn’t hurt reach, and it builds awareness for your website.

💡 Pro Tip: Nail these basics, and you’ll be in great shape. Want to go deeper? Check out our Instagram SEO 101 guide below.

FAQs

  • Check Google Analytics! You should see “grocers list” appear as a top referral source to your website. If you’re a Raptive or Mediavine partner, you’ll also see us listed as source in their platforms.

  • Nope! The posts that have gone the most viral across our network included a link.

  • For the most part, yes. Even though links are clickable on Facebook, many people still engage with comment for DM so the same tactics still apply.

  • Frequently, but our recommendation is not to use it on every post. For example, over the course of a week you could have three “comment for DM” style posts and two where the recipe is listed in the caption.

Stop guessing. Start growing.

Put the traffic growth playbook to work in your Grocer’s List account today 👇