[Guest Post] Kayleigh Alexandra writes for Micro Startups, where she shares her knowledge and insights on everything enterprise. For all the latest on startup tips and daily motivation, find Micro Startups on Twitter @getmicrostarted.
Are your Instagram posts not getting the high levels of engagement you hoped for Or maybe your follower count is shooting up and down like a yo-yo? It’s not them — it’s you. To help you up your Instagram game, we’ve highlighted the real reasons why no-one is engaging with your content — and how to fix it.
Your content doesn’t engage
Instagram is where people go for inspiration. They’re looking for content that is beautiful, engaging, and relatable.
Take a long hard look at your content. You need to ask yourself if your content gives your audience a reason to comment or like, and not just scroll on past after viewing.
Instagram is, of course, a visual medium, so your first point to consider needs to be your images. 95 million photos and videos are uploaded to Instagram every day, so it’s important that yours stand out against the plethora of others your audience will see — they need to be
eye-catching.
Even average photos can be improved with Instagram’s editing tools — but take caution. It’s easy to oversaturate the
Free pictures are a quick win when you need good content in a pinch, and there are plenty of stock photo sites that can provide high-quality images to ramp up your Instagram feed.
But beware: if you do use stock photos, always make it clear to your audience that they are not your own work. Instagram influencer Daryl Aiden Yow was recently caught passing off edited stock photos as his own, damaging his reputation considerably and possibly impacting his client work. A quick credit and link in the caption
Text overlays are a great way to brand images or convey messages. But again, this needs to
be done carefully — selecting the right font, text size, and colour requires thought. For example, using a white font on a light image is going to result in barely visible text that your audience will struggle to read.
But engaging Instagram posts aren’t just about the content itself — it’s also about the layout.
When horizontal images are imported into Instagram, it often results in wasted space that looks unattractive. Format your images thoughtfully so that you maximize the space available to you.
Your audience has a sharp eye for detail, and if your posts deviate from your usual content output, they’ll notice. When your feed is viewed as a grid, there should be a cohesive visual style throughout. Sticking to similar
You’re posting at the wrong time
The time you share your Instagram posts is a crucial factor that many brands neglect. No single Instagram user is the same, and consequently, everyone uses the app at different times of the day. While it’s important that you post regularly, it’s equally vital that you’re posting at the right time to get your content seen by your target audience.
A 2018 study by Sprout Social found that the best time to post on Instagram is Wednesday at 3pm. This is the time that provides you with the highest visibility, and as such, more potential for engagement. Even then, this time changes depending on the industry you occupy, and who your customer demographic is.
And remember, your audience might not necessarily be in the same country as you. To effectively reach viewers from around the world,
Instagram is all about joining the conversation, so ensure your content stays current. Be aware of what’s going on around the world, and tailor your posts accordingly. Stay tuned with what’s going on in pop culture today and respond to it, asking your audience what they think
too.
A reactive Instagram strategy shows your audience you’re engaged with what’s going on around the world, and be tapping into real events in real time, you’ll encourage engagement
with them too.
You’re not using your hashtags
While the advice on the optimum amount of hashtags varies — some say 11, while others suggest 30 — what’s definite is that using relevant hashtags can ramp up engagement considerably.
Instagram posts with even one hashtag receive 12.6% times more engagement than those without, so it’s important that you’re using the right ones. Use a tool such as Hashtagify to research your niche and find what hashtags relevant audiences are using. This helps you join conversations and get your content seen by the people who will respond most.
And remember, hashtags should ideally be placed in the first comment. This not only keeps it looking
You’re not engaging with others
Another reason why your posts might not be getting any engagement is that you’re not engaging with others yourself. Essentially, you’ve got to give it to get it, and liking and commenting on the accounts of others is a great way to get yourself seen.
Try to like and comment on at least 3 other relevant accounts a day, remaining genuine throughout. Instagram’s algorithm can detect spammy or bot comments, so keep comments over 5 words and genuinely responsive to the post. Audiences are savvy and will spot a spam comment immediately.
And in the same way, you should make sure you respond to any comments on your own posts too. This shows your audience you’re active rather than passive, and that you’re listening to what they have to say. Responding to your audience shows you care and encourages further engagement down the line.
If you want your audience to like and engage with your Instagram posts, you need to put the work in. Create and deliver stunning visual content that gives them a reason to respond, and always research the best time to share too. Up your hashtag game and, perhaps most importantly, remember that you’ve got to give engagement to
receive it.