Is your Instagram account experiencing a decline in activity?
It’s not just you. A 2021 study found that Instagram participation rates had declined by a quarter.
We can assist you figure out what went wrong and what needs to be done if you’re confused by the recent drop in sales. There are no platitudes like “be consistent” to be found here. In its place, we provide some data-backed suggestions for reviving your engagement rates.
What exactly is Instagram participation?
Let’s take a look at what “engagement” on Instagram actually means and why it’s so important.
Instagram engagement is the number of likes, comments, and shares that your posts get on the photo-sharing app. You can see how readers are responding to what you’ve posted. Likes, comments, shares, saved posts, direct messages, interactions with stickers in Stories, and so on all count.
The algorithm is interested in user engagement since that is how your content will find its intended audience. Your content will be less likely to be viewed by your followers and discover new people if your engagement rate drops.
To what end are you losing Instagram followers?
There are three primary causes of a decline in Instagram engagement:
- Instagram Highlights
- Home feed recommendations
- Instagram Accounts Full with Bot Followers
- You probably aren’t living under a rock if you’ve heard that Instagram’s algorithm gives preference to Reels.
Content recommendations on the main page
Previously, the user’s home feed only displayed posts from their own followed profiles. More Instagram recommendations are now shown in the primary feed. As a result, your posts could not be seen by as many people, which might lead to lower interaction rates.
Fake fans and likes
The number of followers you have will affect your participation. One possible cause is an increase in spam accounts or inactive followers.
If your Instagram followers are dwindling, here are six things you can do.
Numerous factors contribute to the general decline in engagement rates. It is advisable to investigate the decline’s root causes before formulating a response. In this way:
Do an inspection
Step one is to thoroughly examine your Instagram profile and posts.
You may want to double-check your follower count in case some unwanted spam accounts have crept in. You should unfollow those accounts manually. A large number of inactive followers might also reduce interaction. It’s a good idea to periodically remove fake accounts from your list of followers.
Check how you’re doing with hashtags. The # symbol is not always effective. Be careful not to use any inappropriate hashtags. Doing so may result in a suspension of your account. Don’t use generic hashtags; stick to those specifically for your specialty. Additionally, your hashtag usage should vary from post to post.
Evaluating the Contents: Figure out which posts are receiving the least attention. You may use this information to develop an Instagram content plan.
Post more Instagram highlights
It’s time to change your content strategy if you’ve relied heavily on carousel pieces in the past.
91% of all Instagram users regularly view videos. Create an Instagram highlight reel to expose your work to a wider audience. Additionally, it receives more comments and likes than regular Instagram videos. Brands who want to expand their presence on Instagram would do well to join the fray.
The process of making a reel might seem daunting at first.
Optimizing for Instagram Followers
If your Instagram profile’s engagement drops, it may become harder to find. Your profile needs to show up when people look for it using relevant search terms. To do this, you need to make sure your profile is search engine optimised.
Make your Instagram profile more discoverable by optimising the alt text.
To achieve this, include relevant keywords in your profile’s title, description, and image captions. Users that are interested in your material and haven’t yet discovered your account can do so now.
Additionally, the Instagram home feed’s suggested material is more likely to include your posts.
More people will be able to find and follow your Instagram account if you employ a solid search engine optimisation approach.
Use Instagram’s story function
Instagram stories are popular because they allow users to share compelling stories. In fact, research suggests that having a brand or product included in a user’s Story piques their curiosity.
Stories content creation requires less time and effort than feed posts. You can go on camera and rant about something or give some behind-the-scenes footage:
Officeworks Instagram account (Alternative text: Engaging Instagram story concept)
Using this function to its full potential requires daily story posting. In June 2021, during Instagram’s Creator Week, Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri recommended publishing two Stories per day to grow an account’s following. Including Sundays, that is a yes.
Don’t ignore this piece of advice just because you think it’s too much work to upload new material every day. Sked Social allows you to pre-plan and automate your Instagram story posts for maximum convenience.
Engage with your audience and stay engaged
The purpose of social media is socialising. And it works both ways: the more you interact, the more interested others will be in you. Interact with your followers by answering their questions and Direct Messages (DMs). If you want to increase the number of comments on your article, try ending the caption with a question or a call to action.
Talk to other people who are doing the same thing as you and reaching the same people. Create a supportive group by leaving insightful comments on their updates.
Optimal posting time
When people are most likely to be engaged is when you should post.
How your target audience acts will determine the best approach. However, Influencer Marketing Hub suggests that throughout the week is preferable to posting on the weekends.
Finding the best time to post requires investigation of your target audience, trial and error with various posting times, and analysis of the results.