Why is my Instagram engagement so low? And how to fix it?

First, check your Instagram engagement rate:

If you are an avid Instagram user, you probably know how important engagement is for your account. It is not only a sign of popularity and credibility but also a factor that affects your reach and visibility on the platform. However, you may have noticed that you have low Instagram engagement, or it has dropped over time. Having low engagement on Instagram can be frustrating and discouraging, especially if you are trying to grow your account or use it for business purposes. You may wonder why your Instagram engagement is so low, and what you can do to improve it.

In this blog post, we will explore the possible reasons for low engagement on Instagram, and how to fix it. We will also look at some common low Instagram engagement scenarios and answer some frequently asked questions. By the end of this post, you should have a better understanding of how to increase your Instagram engagement rate and achieve your goals, and how an AI-powered social media management tool of Circleboom can help you with it.

Reasons for low engagement on Instagram

There are many possible factors that can affect your engagement rate on Instagram, such as the following:

Low instagram engagement due to the quality and relevance of your content

Your content is the most important factor that determines your engagement. If your content is low-quality, boring, irrelevant, or inconsistent, your followers will not be interested or motivated to engage with it. You need to create content that provides value and interest to your audience and matches your niche and brand identity.

The frequency and timing of your posts may cause low engagement on Instagram

Your posting frequency and timing can also influence your engagement. If you post too often or too rarely, your followers may lose interest or forget about you. If you post at the wrong times, your posts may not reach your followers when they are most active and likely to engage. You need to post consistently and strategically, using the best times and frequencies for your niche and audience.

The correct use of hashtags and keywords to avoid low Instagram engagement levels

Hashtags and keywords are essential for increasing your visibility and reach on Instagram. They help your posts appear in relevant searches and even on the Explore page to attract new audiences who may be interested in your content. However, if you use irrelevant or too many hashtags or keywords, your posts may not get the exposure they deserve, or may attract the wrong audience who will not engage with your content. You also need to avoid using oversaturated or banned hashtags.

Low level of interaction with your followers and other accounts, low Instagram engagement

Interaction is the key to engagement. If you interact with your followers and other accounts in your niche, you will build trust, loyalty, and relationships with them. You will also encourage them to reciprocate and interact with your content. However, if you ignore or neglect your followers and other accounts, you will lose their interest and attention, and they will not engage with your content. You need to interact with your followers and other accounts by liking, commenting, sharing, and direct messaging them, and showing appreciation and support.

An indirect cause of low Instagram engagement: The type of account you have (personal or business)!

The type of account you have can also affect your engagement rate. Some users believe that having a business account lowers their engagement rate because Instagram wants them to pay for ads to reach more people. However, there is no difference in the feed presence of personal or business profiles, and switching between the two has no direct effect on reach or engagements.

However, there are, of course, things you should consider. The main benefit of having a business account is that you get access to more features and insights, such as analytics, ads, shoppable posts, contact links, and more. Plus, you are seen as a professional entity but are also expected to post like one. The main drawback is that you lose some privacy and must comply with more terms and conditions depending on how you use your business account. Also, not everyone in your audience might be that interested in, let's say, your next product launch.

The changes in the Instagram algorithm may lead to low Instagram engagement

The Instagram algorithm is the system that determines what posts appear on your feed, Explore Page, and stories. Like Pinterest's algorithm or Twitter's algorithm, Instagram's algorithm is also constantly changing and updating, based on various factors, such as user behavior, preferences, trends, and feedback. The algorithm can affect your engagement rate, as it can make your posts more or less visible and accessible to your followers and potential audiences. You need to stay on top of the latest changes and updates in the algorithm and adapt your strategy accordingly.

How to fix low engagement on Instagram!

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for fixing low engagement on Instagram, as different accounts may face different challenges and opportunities. However, some general tips that can help you improve your engagement rate on Instagram are as follows:

• Create high-quality and relevant content that provides value and interest to your audience.
• Post consistently and strategically, using the best times and frequencies for your niche and audience.
• Use relevant hashtags and keywords to increase your visibility and reach.
• Interact with your followers and other accounts in your niche, by liking, commenting, sharing, and direct messaging them.
• Use Instagram’s features and tools to enhance your content and engagement, such as stories, reels, IGTV, live, stickers, filters, polls, quizzes, etc.
• Analyze your performance and insights to understand what works and what doesn’t, and adjust your "instagram strategy" accordingly.
• Experiment with different types of content, formats, styles, and strategies, and test what resonates with your audience.
• Be authentic and transparent, and show your personality and brand voice.
• Grow your following organically and avoid using bots or buying followers, likes, or comments.

A long list, isn't it? And trust me, there can be said many more things and even written articles about each bullet point. So you might wonder how to deal with all these while still maintaining a life out of social media, let alone diverting your time and effort into more valuable aspects of your Instagram account and maybe even business!

Remember me mentioning Circleboom's social media tool? Yes, it's called Circleboom Publish. I believe it will be just the right tool for you if you think you have low engagement on Instagram.

How can Circleboom Publish help you with low Instagram engagement!

Whether you are a beginner or an expert, a personal or a business account, a hobbyist or a professional, Circleboom Publish is your ultimate solution for tackling low Instagram engagement. With its comprehensive suite of features, Circleboom empowers you to revitalize your Instagram presence and captivate your audience effortlessly. It addresses most of the possible issues causing you to have low Instagram engagement, and empowers you to apply the best practices with ease.

• High-quality visuals: The built-in Canva coming with Circleboom Publish allows for designing creative posts with the help of templates. On top of this, its access to stock libraries of Unsplash and Giphy will empower your arsenal with curated images. You can also connect your Google Photos with the platform and use what you have in there as well. All without leaving a single dashboard, saving you tons of time and effort.

• Compelling texts: A seamless ChatGPT integration powering an AI Instagram caption generator awaits you in Circleboom, ready to help you create or improve your texts. You can add emojis, set the tone of voice, apply grammar checks, and even use it for translation.

• Relevance and visibility: I've been mentioning this a lot in this post, and you'll even see more of it, but let me repeat once more: Finding and adding popular and relevant hashtags to your Instagram post is a must if you are suffering from low engagement on Instagram. And thanks to the hashtag generator of Circleboom, you can do it in no time and boost your visibility as well as your Instagram engagement.

• Timing: That's where scheduling comes in. You need to arrange your posts to be shown to your audience for maximum engagement. The scheduler of Circleboom allows you to either use your own calendar or set your posts for the best times to post on Instagram with a single click! You can also automate your Instagram posts by adding them to the queue in advance and relax for the rest of the week or even the entire month!

• Different types of posts: Stories, single image posts, reels, and even carousels made out of panoramas... You tell it what to do, and Circleboom will give you a hand.

• Demonstration of a strong profile: It even goes beyond classical posts, allowing you to plan your Instagram feed and repurpose your profile by posting images as 3x3 or 3x4 grids. Your profile visitors will fall in love with what they see, helping you boost your Instagram engagement.

• First comment: Many Instagram users agree that adding a comment below your post increases its visibility, thus calling in for more engagement. Yes, Circleboom thought of this too, and added a feature that allows you to schedule the first comment with your Instagram post!

There are many other features to Circleboom Publish, including the management of multiple accounts on multiple social media platforms. But for me, the best part is that it comes with a 14-day free trial! Absolutely worth giving a shot!

Low Instagram engagement: Different scenarios!

Low engagement on Instagram can manifest in different ways, depending on your situation and goals. Here are some common scenarios of low engagement, and how to deal with them:

High reach low engagement Instagram

This means that your posts are being seen by many people, but not many are liking, commenting, or saving them. This could indicate that your content is not engaging enough, or that you are not targeting the right audience for your niche. As stated above, you should create more captivating and valuable content, use more relevant hashtags and keywords, and encourage your followers to interact with your posts to improve your Instagram engagement levels. You may even want to have a puzzle-like feed to impress your profile visitors.

Low reach on Instagram

This means that many people do not see your posts, which limits your potential engagement. This could be due to various reasons, such as posting at the wrong times, using the wrong hashtags or keywords, having a low-quality or inactive following, or being affected by the Instagram algorithm. To increase your reach, you should try to post more frequently and consistently, use more popular and niche hashtags and keywords, grow your following organically and engage with them, and experiment with different types of content, such as reels, stories, or carousels.

Low hashtag reach on Instagram

This means that your posts are not getting much exposure from the hashtags you use, which reduces your chances of reaching new audiences and increasing your engagement. This could be because you are using too many, too few, or irrelevant hashtags, or because you are using hashtags that are banned, shadowbanned, or oversaturated by other posts. To boost your hashtag reach, you should try to use a mix of niche, branded, and popular hashtags, avoid using the same hashtags repeatedly, and research the best hashtags for your niche and content.

My Instagram views are low!

This could mean that your video posts or stories are not getting many views, which affects your engagement rate. This could be due to similar reasons such as low reach or low engagement, such as posting low-quality or irrelevant content, posting at the wrong times, using the wrong hashtags or keywords, having a low-quality or inactive following, or being affected by the Instagram algorithm. To increase your Instagram views, you should try to create more captivating and valuable video content, check the best times to post reels on Instagram and post optimal times, use more relevant hashtags and keywords, grow your following organically and engage with them, and experiment with different types of video content, such as reels, IGTV, or live.

FAQ about low engagement on Instagram

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about low engagement on Instagram:

How come some Instagram accounts have low engagement?

Some Instagram accounts have low engagement because they are not following the best practices for Instagram marketing, such as creating high-quality and relevant content, posting timely and consistently, using correct hashtags, interacting with others, and using Circleboom 🙂. External factors may also affect them, such as the Instagram algorithm, the competition, or the trends.

Does Instagram business account lower engagement?

Simply no. As mentioned above, there is no evidence that having a business account lowers your engagement rate on Instagram. However, the same factors, again listed above, like your audience, your content, and your timing, affect your Instagram engagement rates with the business account.

Do giveaways have low engagements on Instagram?

No, giveaways are a popular way to increase engagement and followers on Instagram, as they incentivize users to like, comment, share, or follow your account in exchange for a chance to win a prize. If your giveaway has low engagements or results, it might not be appealing enough, not promoted properly, or not targeted accurately.

Do carousels on Instagram lower engagement?

No, carousels on Instagram do not lower your engagement rate. In fact, they can increase your engagement rate, as they allow you to share more content and information in one post, and encourage your followers to swipe and see more. Plus, they serve as a good way of posting panoramic images, especially with the use of panoramic post makers. Carousels can also boost your reach and visibility, as they can appear in multiple hashtags and explore pages, and attract more audiences who may be interested in different aspects of your content.

Why is my Instagram story engagement so low?

There are several possible reasons why your Instagram stories are getting fewer views and interactions. General reasons are pretty much the same, such as posting too many or too few stories, posting at the wrong times, posting boring or overused content, etc. But the reason might also be specific to your stories such as not using stickers, not sharing links, not tagging locations or accounts, not adding music, or not highlighting them. To increase your Instagram story engagement, you may use stickers and features to encourage responses, tag relevant locations and accounts, and use the highlights feature to showcase your best stories.

Is Instagram influencer engagement low?

No, Instagram influencer engagement is not low. In fact, Instagram influencers have some of the highest engagement rates on the platform, as they have loyal and engaged followers who trust and value their opinions and recommendations. However, Instagram influencer engagement can vary depending on the follower base's niche, size, and quality. The authenticity of the influencer and their followers is also crucial, as there are many "fake influencers" on social media.

Does scheduling Instagram posts affect Instagram engagement?

Indeed it does, but it has its own variables. So if you want to learn more about the effects of scheduling Instagram posts on your Instagram engagement, you might want to read this article below.

Conclusion

In conclusion, low engagement on Instagram is a common problem that many users face, but it is not impossible to fix, especially if you are a Circleboomer. By understanding the possible reasons for low Instagram engagement, and applying the best practices and tips for improving it, you can increase your engagement rate and achieve your goals on the platform. Remember, engagement is not just a number, but a reflection of your relationship with your audience. So, focus on creating and engaging on Instagram, and have fun along the way. 😊