4 reasons why you aren't going viral on Instagram

  (photo credit: Famium)
(photo credit: Famium)

Are you trying to make your Instagram account go viral? If so, it can be incredibly frustrating when you don't get the results you want. Unfortunately, going viral on Instagram is not as simple as posting a few pictures and hoping for the best.

There are numerous factors that determine whether an Instagram post will take off or not. In this article, we'll look at four reasons why you might not be going viral on Instagram.

Tip #1: Engage with Your Audience

Yes, this may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many people forget to do this. You see, Instagram, or any other social media, is a way for you to connect with your audience. Communication cannot be one-sided.

You must give your followers something back to keep them engaged. When they comment on one of your posts, reply or like their comment. Ask questions and respond to their answers if any. Show that you’re listening and interacting with them.

When making posts or reels, give reasons for the audience to interact with you. This could be done by using CTAs in your captions or running polls on your stories. Whatever you can do to encourage engagement from your audience, you should try and do it.

Tip #2: Use Targeted Hashtags

One of the biggest mistakes people do with hashtags is using hashtags that are too broad and too popular. Let's say you want to make a post about your outfit. In this case, using #fashion would not be a great idea. You'll get more exposure if you get more specific.

Similarly, if you're traveling and exploring Paris, using #paris may not get you much exposure. However, using a more specific hashtag will do wonders. For example, if you're at Moulin Rouge, use #moulinrougeparis or even better, the hashtag of the café you're in.

Use tools like Famium to find out what hashtags will work for you, given your profile size and engagement ratio.

Tip #3: Leverage Free Tools & Apps

There are tons of free tools and apps that you MUST know to go viral in 2023. From Canva to Planoly, from Tailwind to Crowdfire - these tools can help you plan and execute an effective Instagram strategy.

Canva is an amazing free design tool, which lets you create beautiful stories, posts, carousels, and videos for your account. Planoly helps you plan and schedule your posts accordingly. Tailwind allows you to automate the process of posting and scheduling posts.

These tools, when used with a well-thought-out content strategy and engagement plan, can help you reach your desired levels of success on Instagram.

Tip #4: Consistency Is Key

Last but not least - is consistency. You NEVER know which post or which reel makes you go viral. The only thing that you can do is to post consistently. The more you post, and the more consistent you are, the higher the probability of you going viral.

But remember to not overdo it. Know the ‘sweet spot’ between posting too much and not enough. If you post too often, your followers may become overwhelmed and unfollow you. And if you post too little (or inconsistently), they might forget about you altogether.

Now that you know why you’re not going viral on Instagram, it’s time to take action. Put the above tips into practice and use them as a part of your Instagram strategy. Cheers!

This article was written in cooperation with Tedfuel