Why You Aren't Growing on Instagram in 2023

Instagram as we know it has undoubtedly changed since the era of the #selfie nearly 10 years ago. Once a platform to share a random photo of lunch is now a major commerce, networking, and marketing hub for creators and businesses.

Instagram is the most downloaded app in the world, and with around 2 billion users on the app, it’s a huge missed opportunity if you’re not utilizing this powerful social tool.

We don’t need to drive home why Instagram is important—you most likely know all of this. There is, however, one piece of the puzzle you might not be able to solve: Why am I not growing on Instagram?

Posting on Instagram can feel like you’re on an everlasting uphill battle, so we’re here to help. Here’s 3 reasons you might not be growing on Instagram, plus a few examples to get you started.

1. You’re not posting the right content.

A single photo no longer performs as well, now that Reels and Carousels have entered the scene. Content that is saved or shared performs exceptionally better than content that is simply liked or commented on. ‘But how do I make shareable or saveable content?’ you ask? No worries, here’s some ideas:

Educate

Share a tip that is either helpful or insightful. A recipe, a life hack, a sewing tip you learned from your Mum’s auntie’s best friend.

Tell your story

Why did you start your business? Why do you love animals? Why do you still hide money under your mattress? People are nosy, so let them in on your life.

2. Your audience is confused.

Think of Instagram content like you’re ordering from McDonald’s (assuming that you’ve been to McDonald’s at least 20 times in your life). Do you read the menu? Or do you go in knowing the exact order you want?

Great creators and brands on Instagram all have one thing in common: their audiences know exactly what content they’re going to see. This consistency is what people want on their feed and is the reason they tap ‘follow’—they want to keep coming back for more. They don’t want to spend time ‘reading the menu’ of social media, trying to understand who you are and what you do. Keep it succinct, keep it consistent, keep it like McDonald’s.

3. You’re not engaging with your audience.

You wouldn’t ghost your friends, so don’t ghost your audience.

This one is simple, yet so easily forgotten. Instagram favors accounts that interact with its followers. DMs, comments, replies to Stories are all incredible ways to build a true connection with your followers. Many accounts get so caught up in making sure the content is picture-perfect, forgetting that there’s real humans on the other side of the screen just wanting to interact with you.

Instagram in 2023 has so many new components than it did even 3 years ago. It can be complicated to understand it all, however, start small and keep it simple. Remember that while Instagram is a tool to help you reach more people, it’s also an awesome opportunity to connect with people that want to see YOU.