You may be curious as to why your Instagram isn’t attracting more followers. Building your brand can take time, and some of that time is spent following relevant members of your target market.
But when your audience won’t follow you back, you might start to question whether Instagram is worth your efforts. Trust me, it is.
In this article, we will tell you not only some of the problems you might be facing with your followers, but also how to fix them.
1. You don’t have a business plan
A business plan is typically associated with large corporations or projects in business courses, but if you are a business– no matter how big or how small– you will need a business plan.
Knowing what your Instagram is going to be, and how it will support your business growth will help keep your account focused. This, in turn, will make it much easier for people to follow your brand.
“Without a strategy or plan for your content, there’s no reason to be on Instagram,” said Talia Koren, “Decide the main goal for your Instagram and how that goal directly supports the growth of your business.”
Doing something as simple as that will grow your following from the start of your account.
2. You’re making a poor first impression
First impressions are everything. The first impression you make on a potential new customer with your bio is crucial. That is why cultivating your bio is so important.
First of all, your bio needs to contain the company basics.
It needs to let your following know who your brand is, how does your brand fulfill their needs, and what your audience can do to find out more about your brand whether it be a website link, contact information, or location of your nearest store.
“If you haven’t done this, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity, and it’s likely your first impression did not go well,” says Alex Tooby.
3. You’re followed by too many spam accounts
Sometimes, the way you lose followers is out of your control.
Spam accounts will “Mass follow a bunch of random people on Instagram hoping for a follow back, then unfollow you a few days later if you don’t follow them back” according to Brie Kirbyson of Go Rattle the Stars.
This, unfortunately, is a situation you can do nothing about. Even if those spam accounts are still following you months down the road, Instagram has started to purge fake followers from many accounts.
Don’t fret, though! Think of this as a chance to start over and connect more with all your real customers.
4. You don’t engage with your current followers
Social media is social, so “if you don’t respond to comments, your followers simply aren’t going to keep bothering to interact with you.” writes Johannes Kanter of Social Media Today.
If you’re not connecting with your current followers, you will have a hard time attracting more new followers to your Instagram.
The simple way to solve this problem is by interacting with your followers in your posts and Instagram stories. However, don’t interact with them by simply passing by, rather start a conversation.
Having a meaningful interaction will show your audience you care, and that will make them stick around.
5. You are selling, not educating
As time goes on, consumers want to see fewer and fewer ads.
I think this became clear right when TiVo was invented. So, just like commercial breaks during your favorite show, if you have too many ads, your audience will start to ignore what you post.
Rather than sell your product or service, educate your followers. Tell them why your brand is relevant, and show them how your brand can solve their problems and improve their lifestyle.
6. Your content is stale
Once you become familiar with Instagram, you tend to stick to what you already know. The problem is, however, that what you know has already been done before and is no longer interesting to your followers.
To fix this problem, try taking some risks with your content and show off more of your brand personality. Tell your story, but in a new way.
When the going gets tough, you can’t always blame the Instagram algorithm for your problems.
Yes, it can happen sometimes, but you really need to evaluate your own account first and see if there are any problems that lie within your profile.
If you want to start attracting more Instagram followers, these steps are crucial. Being able to recognize your mistakes, and then fix them will help your business in the long run.
Additional Articles You May Be Interested In:
- How To Build Your Personal Brand
- How To Find Your Target Audience As An Influencer
- How To Engage Your Target Audience
- How To Write An Effective E-commerce Business Plan
- How To Schedule Your Content For The Next 12 Months
- How To Get Clients On Social Media By Hooking Them With Your Bio
- 6 Elements To Ponder When Brainstorming Your Blog’s Brand Aesthetics
- How To Discover And Engage Your Target Audience
- 5 Best Ways To Connect With Your Instagram Followers
- How To Use Every Function On Instagram Stories
- How To Create A Killer Content Marketing Strategy
Claire Erickson is currently a blogging intern at LadyBossBlogger.com. Claire has just returned from studying abroad at the London College of Fashion and will finish her senior year studying retail merchandising back at her home university – University of Minnesota (Twin Cities). She is looking forward to having a future in buying, trend research, or planning.
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