One Reason Your Instagram Isn’t Growing (And How to Fix It)
I deactivated my Instagram account a few weeks ago. It was a wild move for someone who gets paid to teach people how to grow their business/reputation online — but it was worth it.
Stepping back gave me clarity about what works and what doesn’t on Instagram, not just for me, but for my clients and anyone trying to build an audience and a business.
I’ve had a lot of great insights - but here’s the one I want you to think about this week: You’re not concerned enough about what your Instagram profile looks like as a whole.
Think about it from your potential follower’s perspective. Someone stumbles across your profile—maybe from a reel, a post you’re tagged in, or a link from your website—and clicks on your profile…
What they see next determines whether they follow (and go deeper down the rabbit hole) or bounce.
They’re not watching your latest videos to see if you’re worth it. They’re scanning your feed as a whole, asking one question: Does this look like it’s for me?
If they can tell from a quick scroll through your profile that your content is tailored to people just like them — they’ll hit follow and go deeper down the rabbit hole (Meaning, they’ll watch your videos, check out your website, join your mailing list, etc.).
If not, you’ll lose them. Even if you’re the perfect person to help.
Your feed shouldn’t be a journal, or a portfolio of your greatest hits—it should be a billboard for who you help and how.
Let me give you a visual of why this matters…
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Here are two yoga accounts I found on Instagram who tailor their services to beginner students.
Imagine you’re a beginner at yoga. You’re choosing a yoga teacher based on their profiles alone. Which one are you going with?
PROFILE ONE:
My first impression: Seems nice, cute kid.
PROFILE TWO:
My first impression: She can help me with my posture, flexibility, tightness, core strength, mobility, etc. Down the rabbit hole I go…
Which one are you hiring/following/subscribing to?
I’m guessing profile two. (Same here.)
But… guess who’s actually more qualified to help you?
Yup. The person behind profile one. She’s a physical therapist, a 500-hour yoga teacher, and a doctor.
Profile two? A self-taught yoga teacher—who also happens to be an excellent marketer.
The lesson?
People only know what you show and tell them. You could be the most qualified person in the world to help… but if you don’t create the right visual, they’ll never know.
Now, I want you to open Instagram. Yes, right now.
Here’s what you’re going to do:
Pretend you’re a potential customer who just stumbled on your account.
Scroll through your profile (don’t open any individual posts—just look at the grid).
Ask yourself:
What do you know about this person (AKA: you) based on their profile?
Is it clear they can help you?
Do you know what they stand for?
Is it obvious what topics they cover?
Are you intrigued and motivated to hit “follow” or learn more?
If you realize your profile isn’t pulling its weight, here’s an easy fix:
Spend ten extra minutes creating cover photos for your posts this week. Make sure they clearly describe what the viewer will get from watching or reading.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or thoughts on this, you can always email me at kass@themarketingwitch.com. I’m always down to geek out, debate and discuss.
Goodnight 🖤