This is the second post in a series about Instagram’s algorithm. You can read the first one, here.

As I wrote in the previous post, I’m not a social media strategist. I’m a marketing strategist who, among other things, can help professionals determine which social media platform is best for their needs - Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. Then I can help curate content that speaks both on my client’s behalf but also solicites authentic engagement from a target audience.

Lot of marketing jargon in that last sentence. But it’s important to differentiate that a social media strategist is more likely, for example, to help you accumulate that audience of 10k within 3 months on Instagram. And to even do that you’ll likely need to engage in a paid advertising campaign to push your ads - on any platform.

As for Alex Tooby, who’s content I present here, everything she teaches is based on her personal experience, and she’s built accounts to almost 1/3 million followers. Everything she shares are approaches she’s personally tried that also work. I’m not being paid to write these posts, I simply find her content useful and relevant. So enjoy!

3 Mistakes You’re Making That Are Costing You Followers and Engagement

Session 2

One

Maybe you’re posting too much or not enough.

If you post too much it’s not only too stressful, you may be overwhelming your followers and the quality of your content may be weak.

If you’re not posting enough, you followers may forget who you are. PLUS, posts can compete with one another. The newest post will outshine the earlier post, according to the Instagram algorithm. Because the ‘older’ post is considered no longer relevant:/ Read more about this here.

Find a frequency that works for you and is consistent. Post multiple times a day - fine - but STICK with it every day. If not, then find a schedule that really works for you. Consistency is more important that quantity. Every other day or every day is perfectly fine. Erratic posting throws off Instagram’s understanding of your behavior.

Two

Not using hashtags correctly.

One, if you’re not using them at all, start (you can use up to 30). And if you are using them, you may not be using them right. Here’s some guidelines:

Use 30. Each hashtag offers exposure so may as well get the exposure. More hashtags = more exposure.
Use hashtags between 1000 and 5000 posts.
Use hashtags that describe your account as a whole. This is hard. (If you’re a painter and paint and post a canvas of say, the ocean, but your other work contains mostly portraits, the hashtags may throw off visitors who follow the hashtag #water and who then arrive at your profile and see mostly portraits. They want images of water. I know. Human behavior can be so fickle.)
Not switching your hashtags regularly can trigger a spam alert for instagram. (So, I recommend that you can collect several groups of hashtags, up to 30 in each group and store those in Notes on your phone and rotate these regularly). A tool like an Instagram hashtag generator will help you find hashtags that are relevant to what you offer.

Three

Posting content that is irrelevant to your following and target audience.

I.e you’re posting content unrelated to what you do or offer. (You design interiors and you love wildlife and post sporadically about wildlife. Your followers want your interior design expertise. They do not necessarily share your love of whale pics.)

So you must must decide on your niche. You can then branch a little by choosing 1-3 potential subjects within this niche that give you some flexibility.

(For example, Alex mentions a feed about fitness. Part of this regime is related to food, some some food photos and content isn’t too far fetched. But sticking within your theme and providing context is important.)

That’s the end of Session 2! You can watch Alex’s youtube session of this content, here. Approx watch time: 19 minutes.