Instagram Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Profile: 5 Mistakes to Avoid if You Want to Create a Successful Profile
How often do you check your social media to see if there are improvements you can make?
Is it daily? Weekly? Monthly? Maybe never?
As you may have read in my past Instagram articles, you have two-tenths of a second to WOW someone when they come to your profile before they click away forever. You want to make sure that your content is top notch in order to get them to stay around!
I've recently been helping fellow creatives get on track with their Instagram strategy and I kept seeing 5 common things that have been detrimental to their IG profiles. I'm sharing these 5 mistakes with you now so you can avoid them and optimize your Instagram profile.
*PS: You can watch my FREE INSTAGRAM WEBINAR by clicking RIGHT HERE!
Mistake 1: Over-Editing Your Photos
I think we've all been guilty of this at one point or another (I definitely have), but over-editing your photos is a huge no-no if you're trying to get more engagement on your posts. The biggest culprit? Too much saturation.
Basically...Don't over-edit your photos. Keep it simple and clean. People prefer this over heavy filters or too much unnatural color. A good trick if you're lost is to take a look at how larger accounts are editing their photos and see how they match up to yours. With a little practice, you'll be a pro in no time!
Mistake 2: No Clear Theme
The biggest reason why someone will click away from a profile is that there is no consistency or clear theme to the profile. Maybe the pictures are all over the place, or maybe they don't match the expectations listed in the bio (or even the IG name itself).
Solution? Pick 1 overarching theme to your profile, select 3 to 5 sub-categories under that theme, and post only those types of images. If it doesn't match, don't post it. You can do this until you feel like you've got a good groove of consistency going.
Mistake 3: No Call to Action in the Bio
Instagram has become more of a "brand builder" than a product pusher in recent months. People connect with your brand on IG, fall in love with you, and then interact with your brand offline.
Sooo... How do you make sure you capture those people once they leave IG? Make sure you always have your website or some kind of URL in your bio that they can refer back to. It doesn't have to be your blog; it can be your YouTube channel, your opt in page, or even a link to your Etsy store. Whatever it is, just make sure it leads people to where you want them to go.
*Pro tip: Use bit.ly to shorten your links so you don't have a massive jumble of characters in your bio.
Mistake 4: Including Your Watermark, Logo, or really any text on the photo
Time to throw a little harsh honesty in here... Watermarks, logos, and text over a photo is extremely distracting and Instagram users typically don't like it. Instagram is a visual platform and people want it to be kept that way.
Another harsh reality: If someone wants to take your photo, they will. Unfortunately, in this day and age, there is really little that can be done to protect property like that. People can easily just screenshot the photo and crop your watermark out; so just don't include it in the first place. It takes away from the natural beauty of the photo.
Are there exceptions to the rule? Of course. There always are. But generally speaking, having watermarks, logos, and text overlay is very distracting.
Mistake 5: Not Interacting with Others
The final "no-no" on this list is thinking that Instagram is a place where you don't need to play with others in order to grow your presence, your engagement, or your brand.
With Instagram's new algorithm, engagement is going to be the #1 priority for people who are trying to grow their brand on Instagram. You need to make sure you're interacting with other people on IG in order to do this. Respond to people who comment on your pics, show them love back, follow them back; reach out to new people who have similar interests as you and comment on or like their pics.
There are so many ways to get involved, so make sure you're doing doing something! If you're confused, my Instagram E-Course for bloggers, brands and creatives will help guide you to creating a successful Instagram profile so you can get paid for your passion (and it's on pre-sale right now for $59!).
What other Instagram mistakes do you see or struggle with? Comment below with more tips!
If you're a blogger, brand, or creative, you can sign up for a FREE 15-minute consultation with me today! Just fill out this form here:
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