Instagram is a wonderful marketing tool for all businesses, in particular those with products to sell. But if you make these 6 big mistakes on Instagram you’re not likely to grow your followers. More and more businesses are realising the value of this highly visual social media platform and turning to it to put themselves in front of even more potential customers.
To get you on the right track and to make sure you don’t make any of the most common Instagram mistakes I’ve created a livestream, as well as this blog, to give you the support you need. Read on to discover the best proven Instagram organic growth tips.
Let’s talk about what happens if you do make a mistake on Instagram.
If you don’t follow these 6 Instagram tips and make a mistake you could end up angering the algorithm robots! Believe me, you don’t want to upset them.
These bots are all-seeing and track your every move. They are there to ensure that everyone using their platform abides by Instagram’s rules and if anyone should go against their rules then their posts won’t achieve the reach they deserve, they could suspend their account or even block it!
How to grow on Instagram: Avoid these 6 mistakes!
#1 Having an ambiguous Instagram Bio.
Nail your bio! If your bio is not clear this could put people off following you. In your bio state who you are, what it is that you do and why people should follow you. Remember, potential followers with be thinking, “what’s in it for me?”
Put yourself in the shoes of your customers. What do they want to see from you? Do they want tips and advice? Do they want inspiration? Do they want to see your products in action? Really think about content that will be useful to them.
This is mine. It’s clear who I am, what I offer and what my followers will see from me. They follow me to learn.
Have a go at creating a great one for your business as part of your Instagram strategy.
#2 Just scheduling Instagram posts and doing nothing else
Be active on Instagram! Those algorithm robots will know when someone just schedules posts to be published but never visits the platform. They’ll punish this behaviour by reducing the searchability of your profile and the reach of your content.
If you’ve ever wondered how to get followers on Instagram this is the best tip for you. In addition to posting, you need to interact and engage with your followers and your ideal customers.
Find those who you want to follow you and like and comment on their relevant posts. Curiosity will get the better of them and they’ll take a look at your bio. Now, if you’ve got a great bio and they see that you can add value, they’re likely to follow you.
Spend a little time doing this every day – this investment will really pay off.
#3 Not using the various tools available on Instagram
Use the tools! Even if you have amazing visuals and great content, that’s not enough to achieve maximum reach. Instagram loves it when their users use their tools – if you can, try and use all or most of them.
Make videos, create stories, add highlights and look into doing reels. The sooner you get into the habit of using every tool that is launched the better your account.
#4 Buy followers to look popular
NEVER EVER EVER EVER BUY INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS! This is so important – hence I’ve written it in caps. I get it that some businesses want their new accounts to look popular and seek out ways to solve this – but it really isn’t worth it.
Businesses who buy followers, are actually buying fake accounts. The accounts aren’t attached to a person, they’re simply attached to a mobile phone. Did you know that there are warehouses full of thousands of mobile phones all with false profiles? This is the reality of what goes on behind the scenes when followers are bought.
As such, these ‘followers’ will never like, comment or interact. They add no value. When you get savvy in the world of Instagram you can spot an account that uses this tactic a mile off! They will look as if they have tonnes of followers, but only achieve a couple of likes on a post. Hmmmmm – sounds fishy – it probably is!
Instagram HATES this approach to growing accounts and takes immediate action. Everyday Instagram closes down thousands of these fake profiles and if you have them associated with your account, you could get kicked off the platform too. It’s just not worth it!
#5 Use poor quality images.
Post high-quality images that resonate with your followers. The first thing a follower sees on this platform is the image, the content comes second. But we’re all human, and your followers will enjoy seeing some daft selfies every now and then too. It’s key to think about the kind of images that your customers will want to see and will make them stop scrolling.
On Instagram, follow these three tips for image size:
- Square images 1:1 ratio. 1080px by 1080px
- Horizontal image 4:5 ratio: 1080px by 608px
- Vertical image: 1.91:1 ratio: 1080px by 1350px.
Be careful with high resolution images too as Instagram will condense them down which can impact the quality of the image.
#6 Never like or respond to comments on your posts.
Always engage! Always acknowledge anyone who leaves a comment under one of your posts. For some people it actually takes them out of their comfort zone to leave a comment so it will mean a lot to them if you thank them. But, for everyone who comments, they are giving up a bit of their time to do so, so a comment back, a further question or a simple thank you will go a long way.
Doing this, encourages them to interact with you even more. The bots will see that your posts attract attention and you’ll be rewarded with better reach.
If any of your followers haven’t liked any of your posts for a while, head to their accounts and pop a like against a relevant post and get back on their radar!
Further material:
For more tips and advice on how to grow in Instagram 2022, head to my YouTube channel and watch a livestream called, “5 Top Tips To Grow Your Instagram Followers”.
What’s coming up: Instagram workshop (for even more Instagram tips 2022!)
If you’d like some Instagram training to help you master it for your businesses then come along to my next workshop. Over four days (just an hour every day plus a spot of homework!) you’ll learn everything you need to know to grow your Instagram followers, how to use it to generate leads, what content to use, how to optimise your settings, how to search for potential clients and so much more!
For more details and a booking link click here: Online Instagram Workshop for Businesses
Bye for now,
Becs
