5 Instagram Fails You Might be Making (And How to Fix Them!)
Feeling like your Instagram is a ghost town? It’s not you—it’s your strategy! Here are some (unfortunately) common Instagram blunders that could be tanking your growth and ways to fix them.
1. Buying Fake Followers: The Fast Track to Nowhere
Why It Hurts Your Growth
Buying followers (or engagement) might seem like a quick fix, but it’s more of a detour to nowhere. Instagram has gotten increasingly strict with this and if you get caught, the impact of buying fake followers is an account ban. Even if you end up flying under the radar, there is no point to having a large number of followers or comments, if your audience is full of bots who sure aren’t going to buy anything from you. According to a 2023 study by HypeAuditor, Instagram accounts with fake followers see engagement rates as low as 0.1%, compared to the healthy 3-4% of real Instagram engagement from genuine, active followers.
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Avoid Fake Engagement Groups
Similarly, comment pods—where likes and comments are exchanged for each other’s posts—do nothing for conversions. These numbers might look good on paper, but they mean very little when you’re trying to sell a product/ service and build a brand.
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How to Grow Organically
Build a real community where your audience consists of ideal customers, not just random users who don’t interact with your content. Remember, it’s about quality over quantity.
2. Posting and Ghosting: The Engagement Killer
Why It Matters
Posting content and then vanishing is like hosting a party and leaving early—it leaves your audience feeling abandoned. Consistent engagement is crucial for building relationships and keeping your audience interested. Additionally, according to a study by Sprout Social, posts with high engagement rates are 70% more likely to be seen by a larger audience. Neglecting engagement after posting means losing out on these crucial interaction opportunities.
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Instagram Engagement Tips:
Set Time Aside for Engagement: Schedule specific times to interact with your followers. Respond to comments, ask questions, and participate in niche conversations.
Reply to Every Single Comment: Leaving comments unanswered is a missed opportunity. Brands like Glossier excel by replying with quirky, on-brand responses that make followers feel personally acknowledged.
Engage with Other Accounts: Leave thoughtful comments (NOT “great post!”) on accounts in your industry where your ideal client might lurk. This approach not only builds relationships but also puts your account in front of new potential followers.
3. Running Random Giveaways: The Lottery of Engagement
Why It Hurts Your Growth
Running random giveaways might boost your follower count temporarily, but it often attracts users more interested in freebies than in your content. They don’t usually stick around and won’t engage with your posts or develop brand loyalty. Legend has it that while 52% of people follow brands for promotions, only 18% remain engaged after the giveaway ends.
Ideally, you’d fill your audience with people who embody your ideal customer, giveaways aren’t usually the best way to build genuine Instagram followers.
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Example: A fashion brand runs a giveaway offering free merchandise with no entry requirements beyond following the account. They see a spike in followers, but most quickly became inactive. Their engagement rates drop as the giveaway ended, revealing that new followers were more interested in the prize than the brand’s actual content.
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How to Fix It
By creating value-driven promotions. Design offers or effective Instagram giveaways by encouraging genuine engagement, like sharing your content or participating in conversations. Or even collaborate with a complementary brand.
4. Not Optimizing for SEO: Missing Out on Organic Discovery
Why It Matters
SEO isn’t just for websites; it’s essential for Instagram growth too. If you’re not optimizing your profile and posts with relevant keywords and hashtags, you’re missing out on chances for new followers searching for content related to your niche. Instagram SEO optimization helps your content appear in search results and increases discoverability, leading to more organic reach.
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Example: Consider a small business specializing in handmade candles. They post beautiful photos but fail to use relevant keywords or hashtags. As a result, their posts don’t appear in searches for terms like “handmade candles” or “sustainable gifts,” limiting their ability to be found by their ideal customers.
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How to Fix It
Optimize Captions: Including relevant keywords and phrases in your post captions improves Instagram discoverability.
Research Keywords: Use tools like Google Trends or Instagram’s search function to find keywords for your niche.
Update Your Bio: Incorporate primary keywords into your Instagram bio for better searchability.
5. Hard Selling On Every Post: A Hard No-No
Why It Matters
Constantly pushing hard-selling content can alienate your audience. An endless stream of sales pitches is the quickest way to make followers tune out or unfollow. Mastering the art of “show, don’t tell” is key to avoiding hard-selling fatigue - create engaging content that subtly highlights the value of your products or services. Share stories about how your product has impacted someone’s life or provide behind-the-scenes glimpses of your creative process.
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Example: Imagine (you don’t really have to, there are plenty out there, but we don’t shame around here), a skincare brand that only posts about their products with direct calls-to-action, like “Buy now!” or “Limited time offer!” Every post is a sales pitch, which might attract some followers interested in discounts but engagement rates are sure to drop as people tire of constant sales tactics.
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How to Fix It
Create a Balanced Instagram Content Strategy: Mix promotional posts with engaging, value-driven content.
Use Storytelling: Share customer success stories or behind-the-scenes content to create emotional connections.
Focus on Education: Offer tips, how-tos, or insights related to your industry.
Encourage Interaction: Use questions, polls, or start conversations to engage your audience.
BONUS 6. Ignoring Instagram Updates Hurts Your Growth
Why It Matters
Instagram, like every other platform, is always evolving based on user research and advertising needs. Ignoring new features and algorithm changes can drastically impact your reach and engagement.
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Example: If Instagram favors video content but a boulangerie still posting ONLY images, they’ll miss out on valuable engagement opportunities. A 2023 report by Hootsuite found that 63% of social media marketers who stayed current with platform updates saw a significant increase in engagement rates compared to those who didn’t.
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How to Fix It
The secret is to figure out how to repurpose what you’re already doing to adapt to the changes with minimum effort on your part. And remember, you don’t have to use every single little feature, just the ones which have the maximum impact on your conversions. To stay current with Instagram update, follow:
Instagram’s ‘creators’ account: At the risk of stating the obvious. They’ll usually tell you what the feature is and how to use it.
Reliable social media coaches: They share insights on new trends and changes. Be wary, as with everything, of snake oil salespeople - good creators will usually have verifiable receipts to back up their expertise.
Ready to turn your Insta-fail into Insta-fabulous? Let’s clean up your Instagram act with an account audit. Click here to get started and watch your conversions soar!
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