Instagram is dying 📉 — Here’s how to revive your account!

4 min readAug 6, 2021

There are a few signs that indicate an Instagram account is dying ⚰️

Mainly it boils down to two things: both your followers and engagement are 📉 dropping.

Many people have seen their Instagram engagement drop in 2021 or started losing followers and they’re left wondering — what is going on with Instagram?
But not all hope is lost!
Alle Ceambur

Well, if you have the same thought, you’re not alone.

In fact, just a small number of influencers manage to grow during these times on Instagram.

In this post, I will share the common reasons WHY your Instagram account is dying and WHAT can you do to revive it (YES, it’s still possible to grow on Instagram in 2021 and beyond!)

But first, let’s explain what is a dying Instagram account.

What is a “dying Instagram account?”

The marketing consensus of a dying account is an account where both engagement and followers are dropping.

What causes an Instagram account to lose followers?

Based on my experience auditing various Instagram business accounts, I can tell you there are many factors at play. They range from being stuck in a niche that is too competitive, posting content that is not relevant to your followers (which they dislike), feeling lost and not being able to keep up with the trends or just not being consistent with your posting anymore.

Having a “dying Instagram” account seems to be common nowadays

Below are a few reasons why your Instagram account is dying — that has to do with your content.

Reason #1: More people, more competition

There’s no denying that there’s more competition on the platform in 2021 than it was in 2018.

Everyone on Instagram, including you and your followers, is competing for ATTENTION.

The more time people spend on your profile, the higher the chances they’ll engage and follow you.

But you are not only competing with your business rivals — you’re now competing for attention with other marketers, influencers, celebrities, and paid advertisements.

Reason #2: Instagram wants to increase revenue

Have you noticed that every second or third post is a paid ad?

I’m sure you have!

The advertising revenue Instagram collects from brands is insane! Just see the numbers below:

How does Instagram maximize its revenue?

So, clearly, Instagram makes money from ads that brands pay for.

But as a company, they also have growth targets and profit to maximize.

How does Instagram make more profits?

Instagram maximizes its profits by getting more people to use the app and keeping them engaged (watching, scrolling, texting) for a longer time.

Get more people to use the app
Capture users attention
Increase the time users spend on the app
Limit the inactive accounts reach
Show most engaged content to more people

Reason #3: The Instagram algorithm

The algorithm is a computer program that runs continuously and tries to make your experience using Instagram better so that you don’t leave the app.

But it also runs security checks and deactivates accounts that don’t comply with the Instagram policy.

( VIDEO: How I got back my Deactivated Instagram account)

The algorithm monitors each user’s activity, analyzing how users interact with content and each other to find the best content that grabs attention and keeps users engaged.

Based on that, the next time you open the app it shows you content similar to the posts you’ve shown the most interest in.

Who grows on Instagram?

The algorithm decides which accounts grow based on the content they share.

The accounts that create content that most people engage with will find it easier to grow.

But how can you appeal to a mass of people?

In reality, creating content that most people like, comment, or share is really hard.

You need to have the perfect combination of a fun personality, good editing skills, and a lot of time!

And because of that, only a small number of people are able to go VIRAL or grow at a very fast speed.

What types of posts are popular on Instagram?

As of Aug 2021, these are the best performing types of content on Instagram:

Overall, short 15 sec videos that are entertaining, funny, or show talent are performing the best on Instagram. The second best type of content is videos (in general), followed by photos last.

Conclusion: Instagram is dying but there’s still hope!

Looking back at Instagram in 2018 vs Instagram in 2021 we can clearly see that Instagram has changed its focus. While styled photos, fashion images, and selfies were super popular in the beginning — Instagram is now all about dancing, acting, and sharing short entertaining videos.

What are your thoughts? Do you find it more difficult to grow your engagement and following on Instagram? Or do you enjoy the app more with short videos?

Originally published at https://alexandraceambur.com on August 6, 2021.