So we all know that Instagram is a tricky little beast right now. People are being action blocked, shadow banned and down right banned left right and centre… and trust me I’ve had it all thrown my way too, but I have some little tips below to help you counteract any issues you might be having… so read on to find out more!
Why Is My Instagram Engagement Low?
I mean the bigger the channel, the lower your engagement rate will likely be (i.e. the % of your followers who engage with your content), but there are some tips you can use to help get this up. My engagement rate sits between 17-19% depending on the month, and whether Instagram is playing game with me!
If you want to find out how I keep my engagement up (so that’s comments, likes, follows etc etc) then head on over to my mailing list and you’ll get my tip sheet when you sign up! I promise I won’t spam you, and you can of course unsubscribe if you get fed up of me 😉
Why is My Instagram Reach Low?
Pft Instagram is a ball ache right? You wouldn’t be alone in feeling about ready to give up on the whole charade, but I promise you there is still the chance to grow and to reach new audiences over there! I usually get at least a couple 1k reach from my hashtag impressions and I tend to rotate round the following hashtags;
#bblogger#bbloggers#bblogersuk#bblog#makeup#primer#drugstoremakeup#makeupobsessed#makeupcollection#discoverunder1k#discoverunder5k#makeupblog#makeupflatlay#makeuppage#makeupcommunity#makeuplover#makeupworld#beauty#beautymakeup#flatlay#products#eyeshadow#panningcommunity#eyeshadowpalette#panningeyeshadow
#bloggerstyle#bloggersofinstagram#bloggingtribe#bloggerlifestyle#shinyhappybloggers#bloggerlife#bloggersunder2k#bloggersunder5k#bloggersunder2k#microinfluencer#mentalhealthblogger#styleblogger#discoverunder5k#discoverunder1k#discoverunder10k#bloggerstribe#ukblogger#ukbloggersquad#makeuppage#selfie#motd#makeuplook
#skincare#skincareroutine#skinlove#skincaretips#photography#deepsweep#skincaresunday#skincareproducts#skinfluencer#instabeauty#beauty#beautyinfluencer#skincarejunkie#skincarecommunity#beautywlg#bblogger#bbloggers#bbloggersuk#bblog#discoverunder1k#discoverunder5k#products #texturetuesday
Use a mixture of big, medium and small hashtags (i.e. ones that have been used millions or 100ks of times, and some more around the 10k mark), some generic (see above) and some more niche to the post you’re posting. What’s really important is checking whether the # you’re about to use has been banned. For one reason or another, Instagram has flagged some # as spam (for example beautyblogger) and I always (or usually) check my hashtags on IQ Hashtags before posting! If you use a banned # you’ll get shadow banned, and then receive no # reach for anywhere from one post to 2 weeks.
Every so often I swap out #s and update them, and taking part in community #s like #texturetuesday or #towerthursday also really help you reach an engaged little community! But I guess the key is, hashtags work so use them!
And there you have it! Now I’m not saying any of the things that work for me will miraculously work for you, but fundamentally it comes down to content! Post regular, high quality and engaging content and the world of Instagram will slowly (or maybe even quickly) open up to you! And most of all, remember to enjoy it! It is, after all, a social media app designed to be enjoyed!
Katie x