Let’s face it. Instagram is a wonderful tool for creative expression and community, but it can also be a source of frustration and confusion when you wonder why you don’t seem to be getting the results you see some other people getting. Chances are that you are making at least one or more of these mistakes that are hurting your IG presence, and you didn’t even realize it! So read on to find out what you can do (and what to stop doing!) to improve your engagement on Instagram.

Mistake #1: Editing Your Posts Right After You Put them Up.

Solution: Stop editing your posts. I repeat, do NOT edit your posts within the first 24 hours. Every time you go in and edit a post, you are resetting those algorithms, and erasing all traction that your post may have had. It hurts your posts’ visibility. And the less people that are seeing your posts, the less likes and comments you will get. So do NOT go in and edit your posts. If you forgot to add a certain hashtag, oh well. If you have a small typo, oh well. Let it go. And wait at least 24 hours to edit a post.

Mistake #2: You feel like your new post isn’t performing well, so you delete it, and wait until later to repost.

Solution: After you put up a post, leave it there. Do NOT delete a recent post. It doesn’t matter if your post is doing amazing or if the engagement is painfully slow. You are best to leave it there. Because the IG algorithms frown upon people deleting new posts, they will decrease the visibility of the next post you put up. Which means I can almost guarantee your next post will perform even more poorly. So make sure you are putting up a post you are proud of the first time around, and leave it up there for all the world to see and enjoy.

Mistake #3: You don’t put up Instagram stories on a consistent basis.

Solution: You need to start sharing consistently in your Instagram stories. Don’t just focus on creating good content on your feed, but also focus on how you can use the Stories feature to enhance your brand and connect with people. When you post good stories consistently (I recommend a goal of at least 10-15 story segments spread out throughout the day), this will drastically increase the visibility of your posts and organically increase the engagement of your following. Trust me. And I predict that stories are the future of IG, so jump on that and start creating a solid story presence now!

Mistake #4: You post casually whenever you feel like it, sometimes going days and weeks in between posts.

Solution: If you want to grow an Instagram presence, you need to post consistently. Putting up 4-6 posts per week on instagram will yield the best results in the long run. (And I personally don’t recommend posting any more than once per day.) Posting consistently allows you to become a familiar presence to your followers and the Instagram community. One of the biggest keys to growth on Instagram is CONSISTENCY, so if you want to grow, you must do your best to post on a consistent basis, several days a week.

Mistake #5: You post what you think is popular so that people will hopefully follow you. You’re doing what everyone else is doing because it seems to be working for them.

Solution: You need to be posting what YOU like. When you share what you like, that authenticity naturally radiates through your feed, and people are attracted to it. Your passion and individuality will shine through brightly, and you will stick around on IG because you have a true passion for what you are creating and sharing. It’s easy to get caught up in the popularity game, but at the end of the day, you need to be true to yourself. You need to share quality content that you love and can write passionately about. And THAT will attract people to follow you. Share what YOU love. NOT just what you think everyone else will love. And THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX! There is soooo much of the same on instagram right now, so when you can be fresh & original with new ideas and approaches, that will carry you far in attracting new followers.

So there you have it. Five common mistakes.

Knowledge is power. But it’s useless without application. So now that you know better, I encourage you to go out and do better! And may you reap the benefits of more likes, comments, and follows as you share your passions and pursue your dreams of building a presence on Instagram! If you have any questions about this, please feel free to reach out to me by sending me a DM on instagram @cynthia_harper_ I’d love to connect with you!