5 Reasons You’re Losing Engagement on Instagram

Growing your brand on Instagram can be a challenge. Sometimes, it seems nearly impossible and it’s hard to see light at the end of the tunnel!

If you feel like you’ve lost followers or don’t receive nearly as many likes and comments on your photos, don’t stress–you aren’t the only one! It turns out this is a very normal challenge to come across on the ‘Gram. In order to get your follower count moving up instead of down, we’ve come up with a list of reasons as to why this might be happening, as well as some solutions to break the negative cycle and get your account back up and running!

Keep on reading to find out what changes you may need to make to stop your Instagram from losing engagement. Alternatively, you can give your account a boost if you buy Instagram likes.

5 Reasons You’re Losing Engagement on Instagram

1. You’re not engaging authentically

If you want to build an authentic following on Instagram, you have to engage authentically! It’s that simple. So what exactly do we mean by this?

There are a ton of different Instagram automation services out there (aka Instagram bots) that claim to grow your following overnight. However, while these tools might seem handy, you shouldn’t rely on them alone. If you’re failing to engage on your own behalf, your account can look spammy and this might actually lead you to lose followers. Plus, many of these services actually go against Instagram’s terms & conditions, so they can put your brand at risk.

2. You aren’t leaving a good first impression

In life, first impressions are everything. Think about the first day of school when you meet someone sitting next to you. Odds are, you’re likely to take their first impression into consideration. Would you sit next to them again in class if they’re rude or ignore you? Maybe not.

Think of Instagram just like that first day of class. You want your followers to come back and not run away when they see your account! Your grid (the first 9 photos someone sees when first landing on your account) plays a big role in how you’re perceived. It’s a representation of who you are and the types of content you post, and it plays a big role in whether or not the user continues to scroll through your photos.

In addition to your grid, another thing to take into consideration is your bio. Your bio should give your followers an idea of what your brand is all about, and if it’s not engaging, people may not relate and be quick to avoid your account in the future. Keep your bio short & sweet, but at the same time, provide enough information so that users get to know you and know how to contact you.

3. Your editing style is inconsistent

Editing is everything! By editing all of your photos with a similar technique, you can create a cohesive, visually appealing feed.

When it comes to editing, it’s really all about the adjustment tools. Rather than adding a filter and calling it a day, it’s so important to know how to adjust your photo’s brightness, contrast, saturation, temperature, and more. We dish all of our editing secrets in our Editing for Instagram Success online class!

4. Your captions aren’t as strong as they could be

Captions aren’t something to be overlooked–they play a huge role in communicating your brand’s personality online! So, always take the time to craft captions that are true to your brand’s voice–maybe you’re known for being witty, laid-back, quirky, or all of the above! Use captions to your advantage to get your message out there while also connecting with your audience.

A great way to increase engagement through your captions is to pose a question. This will encourage your followers to leave a comment and will make them much more likely to become a loyal fan of your brand.

5. You’re hashtagging wrong

Hashtags are an amazing way to get your content discovered on IG! However, it’s so important to use them strategically. Using too many hashtags in your caption can be an eyesore…but there’s a way you can hide them! Rather than placing them in your caption, add them as a comment followed by five “-” symbols on separate lines.

It should look something like this:

If you’re using hashtags this way, it’s good to mix it up and use different ones for each post. If the thought of keeping track of 30+ hashtags sounds overwhelming, try using Planoly’s hashtag manager!

By keeping all of these things in mind, you’ll be on your way to growing a successful Instagram account!

Watch this space for updates in the Technology category on Running Wolf’s Rant.