Attracting followers on Instagram is already a challenge, but losing them is even more nerve-wracking. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why people might be unfollowing you and how you can get them back.
Inconsistent posting schedule
Posting often is a common strategy to keep your followers engaged, but posting too often can actually end up annoying them. This is because the deluge of content will feel like spam to them and obstruct other posts they want to see.
On the other hand, a sudden content drought is also no good. People might leave, thinking you have become less enthusiastic about your page. Such a situation can happen if you have become preoccupied with other things for a long time.
To solve both issues, you need to develop a content schedule. You will often find plenty of recommendations for the “best times” to post for different fields, like the times indicated in this tweet:
These are a great starting point for creating your schedule, but don’t depend on them entirely. Remember that your audience still has specific preferences. Experiment to know which times are you getting the best response, and use the results to build your schedule.
Posting the same content over and over will also cause your followers to lose interest. Take this into account when planning your schedule.
Once your schedule is ready, use a social media management tool like Buffer or Agorapulse to automate your posting. This lets you do other stuff without worrying about forgetting to post or leaving your followers hanging. Be ready to upload new content personally from time to time in the heat of the moment
Being too promotional with your content
With its large user base, Instagram is a great platform to promote your work or products, but being too promotional on your posts will not sit well with your followers. If they leave, this kills any promotional opportunity you hope to gain.
Balancing your promotional and non-promotional materials is the key here. Remember that people are on Instagram, mainly to find content that interests them. Make this the focus of your Instagram content, showing how people can use your products or services for their interests.
You can also inspire them with new ideas to try out. Tool manufacturer Dremel does this strategy well, featuring a variety of craft projects on its Instagram page.
@dremel creative post. Screenshot was taken on August 3, 2019
While Dremel’s products are barely mentioned in these posts, people still see the association. The posts are also done entertainingly and engagingly which keeps followers glued to their account.
This idea should also apply to your actual sales posts. Look for ways to make them feel like less of a hard sell, such as conveying the lifestyle messages associated with your goods. You would also want to space these sales posts between your main posts to draw attention.
Making inappropriate posts
You probably know about Instagram’s rules against generally offensive and banned content, but dealing with inappropriate posts actually goes beyond those rules.
In some instances, a portion of your followers might still find a certain post of yours offensive enough to unfollow you, even if the post is fine with your other followers. This is often due to each user’s specific sensibilities and expectations about your page.
Knowing your audience better is the best way to go around this issue. Interact with your followers regularly to explore their preferences more, don’t just treat them like numbers.
If you do end up posting content that some find inappropriate, treat it like a generally offensive one, and apologize. Ask for their feedback to know where you went wrong, and assure them that it won’t happen again.
Keeping your followers around is an ongoing process if you want to grow your Instagram page. Watch out vigilantly for these and other reasons that might cause them to unfollow, and always be ready to strengthen your relationship with your followers to prevent them from leaving.