Mistakes Your Brand is Making on Instagram

When it comes to growing your brand on social media, Instagram has pretty much become a necessity. However, with the constantly evolving algorithms and so many other platforms to juggle, it’s easy to fall into these mistakes. Are you guilty of these five common mistakes?

1) Lacking A Cohesive Brand Identity

Your brand identity is not just about your logo or your company's color palette; it encompasses the core values, messages, and image you want to project. Inconsistency in your brand identity can create confusion, weaken your image, and leave followers unsure of what you stand for.

Solution: Develop a consistent brand voice and visual theme. Maintain a consistent color scheme, photo-editing style, and content theme to make your page visually appealing and cohesive. Let your brand's personality shine through in all posts and responses.

2) Underutilizing Instagram Stories

Instagram stories, with their 24-hour lifespan, offer a huge opportunity for real time engagement and a behind the scenes look into your brand. Not utilizing this feature is like ignoring an invitation to engage with your followers in a more intimate and immediate way – a big reason consumers follow brands. Stories are also a great conversion tool because you can directly put links on your posts, unlike feed posts and reels. 

Solution: Incorporate stories into your content strategy. Use them for product teasers, Q&A sessions, live events, or to share user-generated content. Make sure to also utilize features like stickers and polls to increase interaction.

3) Overlooking Community Engagement

Instagram is more than just a platform for speaking to consumers; it's a community. If you're just posting without actively engaging with your followers, you're missing out on the chance to build strong relationships and cultivate brand loyalty.

Solution: Be active in your Instagram community. Respond to comments, interact with other relevant brands, and engage your followers in meaningful ways. Check out this guide to community engagement. 

4) Posting Inconsistently

One of the quickest ways to lose followers and relevance on Instagram is by posting inconsistently. Your followers expect regular content, and the Instagram algorithm favors consistent posting.

Solution: Create a content calendar and stick to it. A consistent posting schedule not only keeps your brand top of mind but also helps to build a loyal following. Whether it's daily or weekly, find a cadence that works for your brand and audience.

5) Using Irrelevant Hashtags

Hashtags are a powerful tool to reach a broader audience, but using irrelevant or overly generic hashtags can hurt your visibility and make your brand appear inauthentic or spammy.

Solution: Use relevant, targeted hashtags. Research trending and relevant hashtags within your industry. Create a brand-specific hashtag to encourage user-generated content and foster community. 

Instagram is a powerful tool in any brand's marketing mix, but it requires a nuanced approach to really see success. Avoid these common mistakes to ensure your Instagram strategy is as effective as it can be. After all, a winning Instagram strategy isn't just about getting likes and followers, it's about building a genuine connection with a community that cares about your brand.

Don’t want to or don’t have time to manage Instagram yourself? Check out our services and let us help!