6 Reasons Your Instagram Posts Don’t Perform Well

Have you been trying to create perfect posts to engage your Instagram audience, only to find you’re not even getting ten likes? Have you brainstormed until your head wants to explode while you attempt to figure out what type of content your followers like, to no avail?

There are several reasons why Instagram posts don’t perform. If you know exactly why your content is failing, you can take the necessary steps to remedy the situation.

Below are some of the most common reasons Instagram posts don’t perform. If any of these seem familiar, it is time to regroup and rethink your content strategy.

1. Lack of Consistency

If you only post once a week, or worse, once a month, your content simply won’t perform. Instagram users demand consistency. They want to see something new from the brands they follow at least three times a week.

Picture this: You run a food truck but only post on Instagram once every two weeks. This means your truck is not front of mind with your users, and when they feel like a food truck snack, they won’t remember your brand.

Once you start posting consistent, valuable, or interesting content, you will get the engagement you want, and your effort will show in your bottom line.

2. You Are Not Posting New Content

New content goes hand-in-hand with consistency. If you’re posting once a day, you shouldn’t be posting the same content each day. You want your followers to visit your profile because they know they’ll find something new and exciting there.

So, if you constantly try out new recipes, try them out for your followers to see. Ask for their opinions and suggestions.

When you get input from your audience, you have a lot to work with when creating new content. This means you will always have fresh content to post, and your followers won’t groan when they see the same old ‘we make the best fries’ post popping up on their feed.

3. Your Audience Is Neglected

Just as new content goes with consistency, it also goes with listening to your audience. It is not enough to ask for opinions. Implement some of the suggestions you get from your followers.

For instance, if you have at least a hundred people asking for a peri mayonnaise option with their fries, include it in your menu. It won’t cost much, and you will have shown your audience that you value their input.

You will lose followers quickly if you never put any stock into what your audience wants.

Also, you must actively engage with your audience. Don’t just soak up ideas and pour it all into your menu without thanking those who came up with them.

Tell them what a difference their suggestions have made in your day-to-day business. Show them how much more popular a menu item became after you implemented their ideas.

Doing this shows your audience that you are not neglecting them, and you appreciate them trying to help you build your business.

4. Your Bio Is Outdated

Did you used to work in insurance before starting your own food business? Did you update your Instagram bio when you started your food truck, or does it still state that you’re an agent for the So-and-So insurance agency?

Your bio is one of the most crucial parts of your content strategy. It is where people find out what you’re all about and why you’re on Instagram in the first place.

So, if they read that you’re in insurance but keep posting food pictures, you’ll confuse them, and they’ll move on.

Always ensure that your bio reflects what you’re doing now. If your food truck is celebrating its second birthday, add it to your bio description and update your logo. If you recently acquired restaurant space, announce it with a link to your website.

This will help your consequent content perform better because your followers will have something to look forward to.

5. You Always Use the Same Content Format

Do you only post photos? Or do you prefer creating videos? Do you always use the same format, regardless of what you’re promoting? That could be a major reason your content doesn’t perform on Instagram.

If you don’t experiment with different content types, you risk boring your audience. This is why Instagram provides a range of features to elevate all forms of content.

You can use memes, stickers, reels, and trends to make your content interesting to your followers.

For example, why not try out a series of memes about food for a week and switch things up with infographics the following week? Or you could create carousel recipes for a week and produce reaction reels the next.

If you’re truly stuck for ideas, look at what your competitors are doing for inspiration.

6. You Only Post Sales-related Content

This one is a big no-no. If you’re only posting ‘Buy This’ and ‘Try That’ videos, you have a big problem on your hands. Instagram audiences don’t want to be overwhelmed by sales posts. That goes for any industry and any niche.

You must balance your sales content with valuable or relevant content for your audience. These could be informational, educational, or even entertainment posts.

So, if you have a new menu item, punt it for a week. Then, move on to food tips and suggestions the following week. For the third week, you could focus on advising your audience about how to start a food business.

Mixing up content topics works for any niche on Instagram. It will give you the engagement you want and establish your brand as a go-to on Instagram.

Rethink Your Strategy and Work Towards Engagement

There are many more components to consider when creating content. This includes using hashtags, incorporating SEO, and making your posts shoppable where relevant.

It is essential to use a combination of these strategies and the ones mentioned above to lift your content out of its current obscurity.

Focus on growing your following using valuable content, and you will soon start seeing positive results.