“I used to get a thousand likes on my posts, but now I’m lucky to hit 200”.
It’s the kind of thing users often vent about on forums like Reddit. Your Instagram engagement and reach are down, too?
Well, it’s a big deal because engagement is king on this platform. But what’s the real deal? Why are your engagement and reach tanking, and how can you fix them? Let’s dig into it in this post!
Why Is My Instagram Engagement Down?
“Ugh, why is my Instagram engagement so low all of a sudden?” It’s a head-scratcher that hits even seasoned Instagrammers. If you’re scratching your head too, let’s break it down together.
1- This could be a bug (According to Instagram CEO)
A while ago, Instagram head, Adam Mosseri did an Instagram Q&A and addressed this huge Instagram engagement drop.
He said that Instagram had a bug in Instagram’s code that caused posts not to show up in people’s feeds. The bug caused Instagram reach to drop down in the first four hours that a post of any kind was published.
So, sometimes, it’s not your fault at all! You can verify by checking Downdetector to see if Instagram is down on a certain day or if it’s only you taking a dip.
2- Instagram Algorithm changes
Instagram algorithms are like the weather, constantly changing. And here’s the thing: it’s not just one, but a whole bunch of them (Feed, Stories, Explore, Reels, Search, and more). What flies one day might flop the next.
Let’s dive into how Instagram’s algorithm tweaks can hurt your engagement:
- New priorities: The algorithm might favor different content types like Reels over photos. If you’re not using the “hot” format, your reach drops.
- Focus on engagement: Posts that spark interaction get shown more. If yours aren’t engaging, they get buried.
- Reaching new people: The algorithm might show users new accounts more, making it harder for you to keep your existing audience engaged.
3- New Features
If you are wondering “why no one sees my Instagram posts” you need to know that Instagram has added several new features over the years that enable users to filter out unwanted posts and ads from their feeds.
These features, such as muting accounts or turning off suggestions, could be influencing more users to clean up their feeds to see only the content they want the most.
These new features could potentially be the reason for your Instagram engagement down.
4- Low-Quality Content
Instagram is also reducing the visibility of low-quality content, which includes unoriginal material from other sources with little to no additional value.
The more original, high-quality content you share on Instagram, the more you can expect to boost Instagram engagement.
5- Removing Bots
Instagram has been going through some changes in the past couple of years. One of those changes is that they’ve been removing bots and other accounts they believe are spamming their platform. And that might be one of the reasons why Instagram engagement is down in 2024.
If your account was followed by or frequently engaged with spam accounts, you may notice a drop in your follower counts.
Instagram has requested certain users, whom it suspects of engaging in spamming activities, to verify their identities. Users who fail to comply with this request may experience limited visibility of their accounts in the home feed or even have their accounts disabled.
6- Buying Engagement & Followers
Buying followers and likes to grow Instagram accounts can negatively impact your engagement. As mentioned above, Instagram not only deletes fake accounts but also penalizes users who purchase followers and likes to get more engagement on Instagram.
How to fix low engagement on Instagram
Hey, take a breather! You’re not alone in this boat! Let’s get it back on track together!
#1. Do an Instagram Audit
First things first: figure out what’s up. Instagram’s got your back with Insights, a handy tool for professional accounts.
It’ll show you which posts might be putting the brakes on your engagement. Here’s a step-by-step guide to using Instagram analytics to audit:
- Go to your profile, tap on Insights, and check out “Reach” and “Engagement” metrics. A drop in either indicates an issue.
Here, you can also see a breakdown by post type (photos, videos, Reels, Stories). Identify any content types with a significant drop in engagement.
- Now, go deeper and check interactions (likes, comments, saves, and shares). A drop in any metric reveals where you might be losing interest.
For example, fewer likes suggest your content might not be visually appealing, relatable, or resonate with your audience’s current interests.
Now, it’s time to utilize the insights:
- Low engagement across all content types might indicate a general lack of audience interest in your content style or topics.
- A drop in engagement for a particular type (e.g., Reels) could suggest a need to improve your approach to that format.
- If impressions are much higher than reach, consider adjusting your posting schedule to align with your audience’s activity times.
#2. Improve Your Instagram SEO
A drop in your engagement might mean that your discoverability is lower. Users need to find your profile when they search for a keyword related to your account.
To do this, you should optimize your profile for search.
By including keywords in your profile, you increase the likelihood that people will find you on Instagram.
An Instagram SEO strategy will help your account be more discoverable, which in turn can lead to increased engagement over time.
#3. Create Shareable Content
One of the best ways to increase your Instagram engagement is to optimize your content.
Different types of content are shareable and can save you if you have an Instagram engagement down issue.
Here are some of the best examples:
Funny Posts
One of the ways to see how to increase engagement on Instagram is to share more funny posts. What type of content was shared the most during the Lockdown? Exactly! Funny posts.
We ask you to create relevant posts about your field of work that are funny. Memes are a great example of this category.
If it’s funny and your audience can relate to it, sooner or later, your content is going to go viral on Instagram. And this means you have a great type of engagement that is shared
Educational Posts
Educational posts are types of content that get the most saves and are excellent in case of shareability. The more users share and save your content, the more likely you are to increase Instagram engagement.
How many times has it happened to you to save educational or academic content? And by academic, I don’t mean a full breakdown of Quantum Physics!
It can be anything relevant to your field that solves a problem or answers a question that your audience might have.
Motivational Content
Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of positivity? Uplifting quotes, success stories, and actionable tips can prompt likes, shares, and comments as people react to the message, share their own experiences, or seek further motivation.
#4. Take Advantage Of Instagram Stories
Even though statistics from your Instagram Stories aren’t included in the engagement calculation, they are key factors to increase Instagram engagement especially due to their strong storytelling characteristics.
Use interactive stickers like Polls, Quizzes, Add Yours, Emoji Slides, and more to increase your Instagram stories engagement and overall engagement rate.
Source: Instagram for business
#5. Longer Engagement = More Reach = More Engagement
This is an important hack to keep in mind while you want to create your content.
It’s logical to reward the types of accounts that make users stay longer and see more ads. So just like YouTube, it would be fantastic if you keep people remaining on your page, or at least on the platform itself..
Want to learn all about increasing Instagram engagement? Read the full guide!
Why Is My Instagram Reach So Low All of A Sudden?
Maybe you have been experiencing an Instagram reach down and are looking for reasons and solutions. There are several possible reasons why your Instagram reach has gone down:
1. There is more competition
Instagram is more popular than ever before. With over 1 billion monthly users, it’s vital that you stand out if you are facing a sudden drop in Instagram reach in 2024.
2. Seasonal Changes
One factor in the drop in reach is the season. Winter is a time when people are indoors more, so they spend more time on their phones.
3. “Original content” now gets a higher reach on Instagram
An Instagram algorithm change in 2023 caused many users’ reach to drop. The algorithm now favors posts that are unique and original to Instagram.
4. You’re using the wrong hashtags
Make sure to use a mix of popular and niche-specific hashtags to reach the widest, but most targeted audience possible.
5. There’s a problem with your posting schedule
You should try posting at times when your target audience is most active on Instagram to increase your reach on Instagram.
6. You’re not consistent
If you don’t post regularly, your reach will likely decrease over time. Consistent doesn’t have to mean posting multiple times every day. Start with something you know is 100% manageable for you. If you can do three posts a week, then start there!
Also Read: How to reach more people on Instagram
FAQs
Q1: Why Are My Likes Going Down On Instagram?
Several factors could explain your drop in likes. It might be a shift in your content style, a decline in post frequency, or even a change in Instagram’s algorithm.
Analyzing your Instagram Insights can help pinpoint the exact reason and get your engagement back on track.
Q2: Why Is My Instagram Reach So Low?
There are a few reasons your Instagram reach might be low. It could be inconsistent posting, bad timing, boring captions, or even wrong hashtags. Sometimes, the competition and Instagram algorithm changes can play a role.
Q3: Instagram Reel Views Suddenly Dropped in 2023, Why?
The lack of original content and the presence of recycled videos with watermarks from other platforms caused a drop in engagement on Instagram Reels.
Q4: What Does “High Reach, Low Engagement” on Instagram Mean?
“High reach, low engagement” on Instagram refers to a situation where your posts or content are reaching a large number of people, but the level of engagement (likes, comments, shares) on those posts is relatively low.
In other words, your content is being seen by many users, but it is not generating a significant level of interaction or response from them.
Q5: What are good engagement and reach rates on Instagram?
On Instagram, hitting above 5% for posts and 1% for stories is pretty solid for reach rates. And if your engagement rate falls between 1% to 5%, you’re doing great!
