Is your follower growth stagnant? It happens to the best of us, and when it does, we like to think that the algorithm must be pitted against us. But the truth is that no matter what Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or TikTok is doing behind the scenes, these platforms are continually growing and changing at record speed. So, before you throw in the towel or curse the Instagram gods, we want to encourage you to explore these ten reasons why you might be struggling to grow. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

1.     Your content doesn’t provide value

We’ve said it before, and we will keep saying it, when it comes to social media, value is everything! Anyone can set up an account on social media, but to grow a following and see monetary benefits, your content needs to give your audience something that they can’t find anywhere else. Think about how many businesses in your niche are on social media -probably a ton. In order to stand out, you need to give your audience a REASON to want to engage with your content. Some value-packed content ideas include educational tips, additional resources, tutorials, and shopping guides. 

2.     You aren’t posting at consistent times

Timing is everything. Even if you make great content and do everything else right, it won't matter if your content never gets in front of anyone else. It's not only important to be posting at your peak time, but also to post consistently at the same time. This way, your audience will come to expect content from you on certain days or at a specific time. For more information on exactly when your business should be posting, check out this article.

3.     You aren’t engaging within your niche

As a business, chances are you aren't marketing your product to EVERYONE on social media. You probably have a very specific target audience you're trying to reach. So don't forget to engage with other accounts in your niche, whether its potential customers or your competition, engagement within your niche is crucial because these are the people who will appreciate your offering the most.

4.     You are deviating from your brand

There are literally millions of accounts out there on social media. And as a business, a key way to stick out is by branding. Your brand is what attracts new customers and keeps previous clients coming back. Therefore, every time you deviate from your brand, you are essentially telling your customers that you either don't care enough about your brand or don't think it's strong enough to stand on its own. Don't do it!

5.     You don’t ask larger accounts for feedback

It might seem weird at first, but reaching out to larger accounts and asking for their honest feedback regarding your account and content can be an incredibly valuable resource. If you don’t ask for help, how will you ever know what you’re doing wrong! 

6.     You aren’t responding to comments

Commenting is a two-way street. If you want users to comment on your posts, you need to give them something to work with! Always have a call to action in your post that tells users actually what you want them to comment about, and don't forget to always respond to the comments you do get! 

7.     You aren’t utilizing dms 

The messaging feature found on any platform can be a huge asset if used correctly. The great thing about DMs is it gives you a way to personally contact every single person/account you follow. Gone are the days where you had to track someone down just to get their email or phone number. Now you can directly contact anyone at the touch of a button. With this power comes responsibility. Sending a spammy dm could actually do your business' image more harm than good. So, take the time to craft personalized and interesting messages before you send them out. 

8.     You aren’t collaborating with others

The goal of social media is to be social! And that means working with other people. This could be through a partnership giveaway, tagging other users to get their opinion, or collaborating with others on content ideas. Whatever way you choose, collaboration is a great way to boost your follower growth because you are able to get your content in front of a whole new audience that’s (hopefully) in your niche.

9.     You aren’t posting original content

We hate to break it to you, but if you're only reposting others' content, then there is no way you're providing original value to your viewers. People follow accounts that offer UNIQUE and VALUABLE content, and in order to achieve that, 99% of your content needs to be original.

10.   You don’t have a solid hashtag strategy 

If you’re not researching your hashtags before adding them to your caption, you’re missing out. Before you press post, you want to research the following: 1. That there are people making posts under that hashtag 2. The people using those hashtags look like your ideal audience. 3. You want to make sure that you’re using hashtags that are the appropriate size. For more on this, check out this article!

Have you experienced any of these issues, and if so, what did you do to turn your follower growth back around? Let us know in the comments below!

Written By: Leah Ross, AMR Digital Marketing, Copywriter