I love following new accounts on Instagram. I enjoy seeing pretty pictures, yummy food, and snuggly babies in my Instagram feed. Why do I follow new Instagram users? In order to:
- keep up with my long-distance friends and family (Edit 04/03/2017: I created a second personal account just to keep up with my friends and family! This allows my main account to stay branded.)
- find inspiration for my own Instagram pictures (follow me!)
- discover sales, new items, and contests with my favorite brands
- network with bloggers, writers, and feminists in my niche or in Georgia
- feel encouraged as a writer and entrepreneur
I’ve started unfollowing Instagram users for a variety of reasons too. Why did I unfollow you on Instagram?
Your Instagram Account is Too Personal
Confession: I take selfies. I also Instagram photos of my friends and me. I include long captions about how I’m feeling or what’s going on in my life. While I do have a second private account for real-life friends, close blogging friends, and family, I still share photos and stories from my real life on my primary, blog Instagram.
But there is such a thing as being too personal. Is every single photo a random picture of your children? Do you share every single meal with your followers? Are you bad-mouthing your significant other or your ex?
Your photos and your captions might be a little much. Moderation is key. Share some photos of your kids or your food. Share some honest glimpses into what’s challenging you right now. But don’t overshare your life.
Your Instagram Account is Too Branded
The opposite of being too personal is being too branded. I love a good flat lay photo, inspiring graphic, or OOTD as much as the next lifestyle blogger. But if all you ever post is perfect, branded photos with impersonal captions, you’re building a wall between you and your followers.
Instagram is a chance to reveal who you are. Who is the person behind the brand? What’s going on behind-the-scenes at your business?
Your Photos are Ugly
#SorryNotSorry
If all you ever post is blurry shots of your TV screen, or humorous GIFs you found online, or gross food photos, then you will struggle to find and keep Instagram followers.
Learn how to improve your Instagram photography. Check out photo-editing apps like Afterlight, which is what I use. Pay attention to your favorite Instagram users. Take note of which posts you love the most and use those ideas for inspiration for your own Instagram photos.
Cut back on the unoriginal posts. If someone else made it online, why are you resharing it? If you really want to demonstrate your sense of humor, create your own clever graphics for Instagram.
You Rarely Include Engaging Captions
Beautiful photos are not sufficient. What’s the story behind the photo? At the very least, answer the basic questions. Who? What? Where? Why? When?
Include those details even in photos of flowers or coffee or the sunset. Who gave you those flowers and why? What kind of coffee are you drinking, and where are you drinking it? Who is enjoying the sunset with you, and where are you?
If you want to engage your followers, ask questions. Use hashtags for Instagram communities or challenges, like #morethanaframe and #holdersnotfolders. Or use my hashtag #LaBelleBlog to connect with other bloggers!
You Use Too Many Hashtags
Strategic use of hashtags encourages engagement and new followers. Overuse of hashtags can drive away your existing followers.
What is the perfect number of hashtags? Popular Instagram users don’t always agree. I’ll be honest–I use all 30 allowed hashtags. But I know some people think you should use less.
Instead of putting your hashtags in your caption, put them in your first comment. As other Instagram users begin to comment on your post, your hashtags in the first comment won’t show up under your post. They’ll still work to promote your photo to other Instagram users searching for those hashtags.
You Never Reply to Comments or Questions
I get it. You’re super-popular and just much too busy to take notice of the little people who comment on your Instagram posts.
If you receive 10+ comments on every single post, you don’t necessarily have to reply to every single one of them. But you should at least answer the questions asked of you. You can use one comment to express your gratitude to multiple Instagram users who compliment your post. Just tag all of them in the comment.
If you only receive a few comments on your Instagram posts, you should reply to all of them. Even if you just send them back an emoji, you’re acknowledging them.
If you never reply to your users, eventually they might stop following you.
You Didn’t Follow Me Back (or I’m a Spam Account)
Some people treat Instagram as solely a numbers game. It’s nothing personal. Some of your followers might just be following you in hopes that you’ll follow back. After a few days or weeks, if you haven’t reciprocated, they’ll just unfollow you. This is to keep their following/followers ratio low. Honestly, I use the follow/unfollow strategy with Instagram, with no regrets.
Related: Why Bloggers Criticize the Follow/Unfollow Method
Some Instagram accounts are just spammers. I always check out the profiles of my new Instagram followers. Sometimes they have 0 posts of their own. Other times they only have promotional posts about gaining new Instagram followers. Eventually these accounts will be suspended, or they’ll unfollow you.
Are you ready to improve your Instagram following? I gained over 2,000 followers in March thanks to Guide 5 of Instarevealed (affiliate link). I’ve also purchased Guides 4 (on hashtags) and 7 (on the algorithm changes).
Edit: The guides are now only available as a bundle.
Use Code MAKETHATMONEYONINSTATHXTOBRITA
If you’re not ready to commit financially to Instagram growth, check out the Instaposse group on Facebook.
I’m interested in your thoughts! Why do you unfollow users on Instagram? Share your thoughts in the comments below. I’ll post the best tips to my social media accounts.
