5 ways small businesses can tackle declining organic reach on Instagram

So what’s going on? Many are concerned that Instagram is repeating the same pattern seen on Facebook in 2014, when brand pages started to see a decline in the organic reach of their content. It is now very challenging to reach Facebook audiences without paid advertising, which is great if you’re Mark Zuckerberg, but less so if you’re small businesses. 

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So is Instagram about to go the same way? Facebook has always argued that the platform prioritises content from friends and family over brands as this is the content users want to see in their feeds. However, it is hard to argue the same for Instagram. 80% Instagram users follow at least one brand, and 1 in 3 Instagram Stories from businesses receives a direct message. Whether it’s fashion, food, sports or homeware, users head to the platform to connect with their passions, and they want brands to be part of that conversation.

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But as more and more brands recognise the potential of Instagram - particularly as it continues to enhance its eCommerce offering - brands cannot expect to see the same levels of organic reach as they once did. As more content jostles for attention in users’ feeds, it makes sense that not every post can be seen. 

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Which is all very well, but what do you do if you’re a smaller business who cannot afford to invest heavily in paid advertising? 

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1. Conduct a content audit. There’s no better driver than a drop in engagement to prompt a review into how your content is really performing. Using Instagram Insights, review which of your posts are driving the most reach, engagement and action, and which are not. Review enough content to allow you to identify common trends, then review competitor channels to identify additional opportunities to differentiate and stand out.

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2. Review your hashtag strategy. Hashtags are a key way to reach audiences outside of your own followers, but are your current selections helping or hindering? Using broad hashtags with millions of uses might seem like the way to reach more people, but this is not always the case. Popular hashtags tend to be highly saturated, making it more challenging to cut through, and paradoxically they are not always what users are searching for and following. A homeware enthusiast with a passion for brightly coloured interiors is more likely to follow #eclectichome than #livingroom. If you want to tap into new audiences, it’s time to get specific. Spend time reviewing hashtags that allow you to tap into communities and niches, and ensure your content is highly relevant to your target audiences. Be careful not to block repeat the same hashtags over multiple posts or post more than 10 hashtags per post though. This can signal spam, and get penalised by the algorithm as a result.

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3. Step up your community management. Consider whether you’re posting content, or engaging your community. Reply to every comment, follow and engage relevant channels, actively interact with influencers. If you’re not using the platform to engage, then you’re not using the platform to its full potential.
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4. Don’t forget about Stories. For many brands, the organic reach of Stories is still lower than feed content, but this does not mean it is an area to be ignored. Over 500M people use Stories every day, and user numbers are growing at a faster rate than the feed. The more authentic nature of Stories content allows brands to interact with followers in a more personal way, and build a deeper connection with them as a result. Consider how you can use Stories to invite followers to get closer to your brand, and allow them to engage with founders, staff and brand activities to drive loyalty.
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5. Reframe how you think about reach. As organic reach declines, many will recommend tactical activities aimed at driving likes to increase it. But while initiatives such as competitions might provide a quick boost to your content engagement, if they don’t attract followers who are truly engaged with your brand, they are unlikely to add value in the long-term. A more valuable approach might be to reframe how you think about your reach completely. As organic reach declines, it’s likely to be your most engaged and loyal followers who are still seeing your content. Rather than chasing engagement to drive reach, consider how you can maximise the value of the reach you’ve got. Optimising content to drive traffic and sales from the few could provide you with more value than driving engagement with the masses ever did.