Why Am I Suddenly Getting Less Likes on Instagram?
The number of likes an Instagram post gets has always been a big deal. Besides being an engagement signal for IG’s algorithm, likes are among the best metrics to measure your content’s performance. Posts with higher likes naturally amass better brand visibility, sales, and credibility.
Similarly, a higher like count means your followers resonate with your content, while a lower like count is an indicator that you need to do better. Therefore, you can easily tell where to intensify your efforts or when to re-evaluate your entire social media marketing strategy.
Unfortunately, most users struggle to get Instagram likes. And when they do, it doesn’t take them long before they experience an unexpected dip. So, why am I suddenly getting less likes on Instagram? This guide will outline possible reasons why this is happening and how to boost your engagement rates.
Also read : The Best and Most Affordable Sites to build your Instagram Brand
8 Reasons Why You’re Not Getting Likes on Instagram
If you have been getting fewer likes on your Instagram posts, you probably have no idea why. But don’t worry; this section will highlight eight likely reasons why it keeps occurring.
Low-Quality Posts
Instagram is a highly visual social network. Therefore, low-quality posts are the easiest way to kill your engagement rate on the platform. Instagram has devised multiple ways to signal whether your posts meet user expectations.
Once the algorithm picks up on the quality of your content, it puts your higher-quality posts in front of new audiences while reducing the reach of lower-quality content. That’s why it’s vital to improve the quality of your photos if you’ve noticed a sudden drop in your likes.
But how can you achieve that? First, ensure your images are captured in the best lighting, preferably natural light, as that will give your photos a high resolution and make them appear more realistic. Also, think about the layout composition of your image frame. Line up the essential elements of your composition along the grid lines to create more tension and interest in the subject.
Ineffective Use of Hashtags
Hashtags are hands down one of the best ways to increase the reach of your posts. Unfortunately, many Instagram users tend to misuse the hashtag feature. For instance, overused hashtags such as #instadaily and #Instagood are too saturated and have already been plastered on millions of pictures.
Such hashtags are ineffective and won’t boost your likes. Instead, focus on niche-specific hashtags like #vintagefashionblogger in order to increase exposure by getting more likes as soon as you upload a new post. Also, target hashtags that relate back to your post or describe your post.
Decreased Post Frequency
Consistency is key to achieving ultimate success on Instagram. You will see a drop in your likes if you lack a regular posting schedule. Why? Well, Instagram’s algorithm favors active creators who post regularly on the platform. Also, consistency helps with engagement and keeps your brand current.
Because of the fast-paced nature of Instagram, content becomes obsolete very quickly. That means if you go for weeks without updating any content on your Instagram, it’s unlikely your audience is seeing your posts enough for them to be memorable and impactful.
So, if you want to build a better presence on Instagram, you need to start utilizing a content calendar to schedule posts. Besides optimizing your content frequency to keep your followers engaged, planning posts gives you ample time to craft more meaningful posts.
Poor Captions
Often, Instagram users throw their content online without a thought. If you do that as well, it’s no surprise your likes have dropped. Instagram captions have the power to spark interest in your followers. They add context to your images or videos and give your followers details they may not have known.
And since people love information that feels genuine and personal, they are more likely to like or comment on a post with a good caption. With that said, make sure you have a well-crafted caption with a clear message for every post. Preferably, include a call to action in order to encourage interactions from your audience.
Lack of Engagement with Your Audience
One of the most common mistakes users make is thinking they can fool Instagram’s algorithm. Gone are the days when you could scroll through Instagram and like a few posts here and there and believe that’s enough.
Creating authentic relationships with your audience is a no-brainer if you want to build a loyal follower base on Instagram. You need to start interacting with your followers by responding to their comments and engaging with posts you’ve been tagged.
Doing that strategically helps boost your visibility and ultimately encourages your followers to engage more with your content. But if you’ve been struggling with your engagement rates, you can purchase quality Instagram likes and comments from Media Mister.
Media Mister has made a name for itself over the years by providing social media services with their customer’s needs in mind. It offers authentic, high-quality likes and comments that will boost your engagement rate, foolproofing your growth.
Algorithm Changes
Instagram’s algorithm is a great equalizer that you can easily use to your advantage. The algorithm sets the rules that will help rank your content on this platform. That’s because it decides what content will show up and in what order on the Feed section, Explore page, and more.
More importantly, Instagram’s algorithm keeps on changing, and it’s up to you to stay up to date with it. There are excellent techniques that you can use to ensure you are always on the right track. For instance, creating engaging content. No matter how many times the algorithm changes, it will always reward and highly rank quality engaging content.
You can also engage with your audience in the comment section and also use relevant hashtags when posting your content. These tips will help you stay on par with the new updates and also increase your likes on the platform.
Not Using Instagram’s New Features
Instagram is constantly working on ways to improve user experiences. One way is by introducing new features that their team has researched and thinks could work. The unfortunate part is that if you don’t use these new features, your stats will drop significantly.
According to Instagram, close to 91% of active users watch videos on the app. That said, Reels, IGTV, and live videos are crucial tools that you should leverage. Additionally, if creating reels feels a little challenging, Instagram offers templates that you can use to make more quality videos faster.
Shadowbanning
Shadowbanning is a technique used by Instagram where certain hashtags may not work, and that will result in the post not being visible to new people, especially in the hashtag feed. That’s because specific hashtags are no longer used, so Instagram chooses to temporarily or permanently block them. These hashtags are sometimes present in inappropriate, spam, or abusive content.
That said, if you post on Instagram using a show-banned hashtag, then your post will not be visible on all the other hashtags on the post. Additionally, this happens without your knowledge. That means if your post is shadowbanned, you’ll not be notified by Instagram.
The only thing you will notice is that certain features of your account are limited. More importantly, your reach and engagement will significantly drop. If you think your account has been shadowbanned, you can start by avoiding some of the hashtags you used in your previous posts. Another way is to avoid using more than 30 hashtags. You can also go back to your previous posts and delete some of the hashtags.
Conclusion
If you have been experiencing a drop in your Instagram likes, there are usually some underlying causes, as seen in this article. But the good thing is that whether it’s algorithm changes, low-quality posts, or shadowbanning, there’s always a solution for it.
Just keep in mind that while Instagram is an excellent tool for increasing your reach, without an engaged audience, it won’t be of much help to you. So, start implementing the tips we’ve shared to fix some of the problems that might have been affecting your like count.
