Growing your audience on Instagram is a goal for many
brands and individuals, but there are several bad practices that can hinder
your progress and damage your reputation. Avoiding these pitfalls is crucial
for building a genuine and engaged following. Here are six bad practices to
steer clear of:
1. Buying Followers
Why It’s
Bad:
- Low Engagement: Purchased followers are often
bots or inactive accounts that do not engage with your content, leading to
low engagement rates.
- Credibility Issues: Buying followers can
damage your credibility and trustworthiness. Authentic followers can often
spot fake accounts and may view your brand as dishonest.
Example: A fashion
influencer buys 10,000 followers, but their posts receive very few likes and
comments, making it clear that the engagement is not genuine.
Alternative: Focus on
organic growth strategies such as creating high-quality content, engaging with
your audience, and using relevant hashtags.
2. Ignoring Your Audience
Why It’s Bad:
- Lack of Connection: Ignoring comments,
messages, and interactions from your audience can make them feel
undervalued and ignored.
- Missed Opportunities: Engagement with your
audience can lead to valuable feedback, new ideas, and stronger community
ties.
Example: A fitness
coach receives multiple comments and questions on their workout posts but fails
to respond, leading to decreased follower interaction and loyalty.
Alternative: Take the
time to respond to comments, answer questions, and engage with your audience to
build a loyal community.
3. Posting Irrelevant Content
Why It’s Bad:
- Confused Branding: Posting content that is not
relevant to your brand or audience can confuse your followers and dilute
your brand message.
- Lower Engagement: Irrelevant content is less
likely to resonate with your audience, leading to lower engagement rates.
Example: A tech
company frequently posts about their CEO’s personal life, which may not
interest their audience who follow for tech news and updates.
Alternative: Create and
share content that aligns with your brand and interests your target audience.
Stick to a consistent theme and voice.
4. Overposting
Why It’s Bad:
- Audience Fatigue: Posting too frequently can
overwhelm your audience, leading to unfollows or muted accounts.
- Quality Over Quantity: Overposting can often
lead to a decline in content quality, as you may rush to create more
posts.
Example: A travel
blogger posts 10 times a day, causing their followers to feel overwhelmed and
leading to a decrease in follower count.
Alternative: Develop a
balanced posting schedule that maintains quality and keeps your audience
engaged without overwhelming them.
5. Neglecting Analytics
Why It’s Bad:
- Missed Insights: Ignoring Instagram analytics
means missing out on valuable insights about what works and what doesn’t
in your content strategy.
- Inefficient Strategies: Without analyzing your
performance, you may continue using ineffective strategies that do not
contribute to growth.
Example: A
restaurant continues to post daily specials without analyzing which types of
posts drive the most engagement and traffic to their page.
Alternative: Regularly
review Instagram analytics to understand your audience’s preferences, peak
engagement times, and the types of content that perform best. Use this data to
refine your strategy.
6. Using Too Many Hashtags
Why It’s
Bad:
- Spammy Appearance: Overloading your posts with
hashtags can make your content look spammy and unprofessional.
- Shadowbanning: Excessive and irrelevant
hashtag use can lead to shadowbanning, where your content is hidden from
hashtag searches.
Example: A beauty
brand uses 30 hashtags on every post, many of which are irrelevant to the
content, leading to a cluttered look and potential shadowbanning.
Alternative: Use a
strategic selection of relevant hashtags that are specific to your content and
industry. Aim for a mix of popular and niche hashtags to reach a broader
audience.
Conclusion
Avoiding these bad practices is essential for growing
a genuine and engaged audience on Instagram. Focus on organic growth
strategies, engage with your followers, post relevant and high-quality content,
analyze your performance, and use hashtags strategically. By steering clear of
these pitfalls, you can build a strong and loyal Instagram community.
