Uncovering Unfollowers On Instagram

“Oh no, my follower count is going down!”

Whether you are just starting out a brand on Instagram or have been building a following for quite some time, it’s not abnormal to notice your follower count go up and down, as people join and leave the app all the time. But can we find out who exactly unfollowed you? And what can we do to decrease the number of your Instagram unfollowers?

In this article, we’ll explore how to see who has unfollowed you, what apps you can use, and how to (try) preventing people from abandoning your accounts and its content.

Why do people unfollow on Instagram?

Generally, people unfollow accounts if they don’t feel the content is interesting or attractive. Or if a brand posts something upsetting or morally off, followers tend to drop. That’s why it’s important to have a relevant social media content strategy. Interact regularly with customers and if someone asks a question, be sure to respond in a timely manner to show that you care and that you are engaged. A brand that is in tune with its audience and on a good strategy is sure to continue to rack up followers.

It should be noted though, that in recent years, there has been a rise in fake accounts on Instagram (referred to as “bots”). These bots are usually fraudulent accounts created by apps to quickly boost an account’s follower count. Tech Crunch reports though that since last year, Instagram has been shutting down these accounts and their associated apps – this kill-off could explain some drop in followers. Even if you didn’t use an app to increase followers, it’s possible a bot (or multiple bot accounts) followed your brand.

How to see who unfollowed you on Instagram

So how do you check if someone unfollowed you on Instagram? It’s easy – just go to that person’s profile and click “Following.” A search bar will be visible, and just search for your account name. If you don’t come up, that means the person has unfollowed you.

Apps to see who unfollowed you on Instagram

There are a handful of handy apps available for Apple and Android devices that can not only tell you more about your Instagram unfollowers, but also provide you valuable insights such as which followers give you the most likes, who you should follow back, and more.

Android

Apple

The apps listed are all free and allow you more convenience in keeping track of lost followers.

How to prevent people from unfollowing on Instagram

So you now know some reasons as to why people unfollow your account or what external factors (hello, bots) could attribute to a lower follower count. While it’s hard to tell what can make a follower lose interest in you and become an unfollower, there are always some general tips to keep in mind for running your Instagram business account:

Content, baby. Content.

Yes, you’re heard the importance of content over and over. Be sure you keep a presence on your account. As of 2019, it’s recommended to post 1.5 times a day (so 1 – 2 times daily), and that will likely trickle into 2020. Don’t spam your feed with tons of posts a day – but don’t leave your account dry for a week. And with content, what you post determines how interactive and connected you are with your audience. So get creative and think of ways to resonate with your brand’s users.

Not sure how to get started? Digital Branding Institute lays out some solid steps to get you going.

Walk a safe line with politics

A couple years ago, PR Week published that 58% of consumers believed politics had no place in marketing. However, in recent times, taking a stance on political and social beliefs from a brand standpoint has rocketed in popularity – with 66% of consumers agreeing that brands should be vocal, according to Social Sprout.

The thing is, any stance a company takes on a political or social issue (and the integration of that into Instagram and other social media channels) is risky. But Emotive Brand says that at the end of the day, it’s not about the pro or against stance that a company has that is important – it’s the message about the world that the company wants to send. For example, if your brand wants a more sustainable world, show customers your go-green efforts. Do you participate in recycling programs? Have you reduced your ecommerce packaging to be more eco-friendly? These are all beliefs and ideals a company can share through content.

It’s not all about sales

Instagram is a great selling tool, it’s no joke. But if you utilize your platform for non-stop sales and promotions, you can lose followers. Remember, on social media (especially Instagram), people want to see readable, easy-to-understand messages and posts that are funny. People don’t want to feel like they’re constantly having products pushed in their faces. They go on social media to laugh, to escape from the real world, and to connect (and feel relatable to others).

Subscribers come and go, but with some helpful apps, you can get a better eye on Instagram unfollowers saying goodbye to your account. If you want to keep a steady follower count, work on creating an effective social media strategy for Instagram and maintain engagement with your followers.