In other words, Instagram users should check their accounts and make sure everything is in order. If you think you’re doing well and your pictures are wonderful, just wait till you publish another selfie with a bunch of hashtags that no one cares about (plus a few followers to flee).

1. First, sporadic posting

An approach of “throw it against the wall and see what sticks” will not lead to success; publishing at inopportune times is a surefire method to reduce interaction and stunt the growth of your followers. You also shouldn’t just upload a photo at Instagram’s busiest times. Rather than showing photos in reverse chronological order, as was previously the case on Instagram, the new algorithm sorts photos according to the user’s preferences, including how often they’ve liked a given photo, which accounts they’ve interacted with the most, and which photos have received the most likes and comments.

2. Excessive use of hashtags

You should still use all 30 hashtags Instagram permits per post. The strategy is to utilise a small number of extremely relevant hashtags in your description, then to hide the remaining hashtags in line breaks or the first remark.

Because your remark will appear as three dots rather than a whole block of text, your followers won’t be distracted by a bunch of ugly-looking hashtags in your description.

3. Thirdly, focusing only on one’s own needs and desires

Keep posts about your brand’s wares or your pride in your beachy waves to a minimal, but don’t be shy about flaunting them either. Instead, aim to make them laugh, learn something new, or be inspired by your writing. The best way to gain more followers and keep them coming back for more is to consistently provide value.

4. Poor photo sharing

Don’t make excuses for the terrible quality of your phone’s camera photos and, more importantly, don’t post them online. If you submit low-quality photographs on Instagram, you should not be shocked to observe a decline in your follower count.

5. Ignoring your audience’s comments or questions

If your audience is engaged, it doesn’t matter how many people are watching you. In addition, if no one seems interested, it’s likely because you yourself aren’t making an effort.

Fans won’t always be the ones to start a conversation or interact with your material unless you have 48 million likes like David Beckham. You’re the one who needs to take the wheel if you want your channel to get traction.

Listen to your admirers and answer their queries and comments often to keep their devotion. Turning your caption into a question is another way to get people talking about what you’ve posted.

So long!

Now that you know why your Instagram followers are leaving, you can avoid these 5 common pitfalls and increase the likelihood that they will return.