Inauthentic vs. Authentic Community Engagement on Instagram
Nobody is a fan of those pesky Instagram comments repeating “Nice pic! Like my page! 😝😜👍🏼”. Instagram is now cracking down on removing those comments and likes posted by third parties on behalf of these accounts. Take that, fakers!
It’s not new, as Instagram mentioned they have always taken measures to auto-detect and remove fake accounts to keep “Instagram a vibrant community where people connect and share in authentic ways”. A few of us might see a bit of a loss in followers, but don’t worry, it wasn’t because of that selfie you posted. Many fake accounts will be shutting down due to Instagram’s recent activity.
What is inauthentic activity?
It’s a lot like spam. Plenty of likes and follows are great and all, but they can also include comments and messages that can be really, really annoying for the receiver.
Sometimes it may be a third party gaining unauthorised access to your account, in this case Instagram will send out a reminder to change your password. But other Instagram users will actually use third-party apps that promise you followers, and more online attention. Some users will even pay around $45 a month to get these followers!
HOW TO GET AUTHENTIC INSTAGRAM ENGAGEMENT
So, what’s the best way to attract real followers, and real activity without buying your followers?
We could talk all day about the do’s and don’t’s of Instagram. But a few quick tips are:
1 – Post regularly
This seems obvious! Followers love a full and updated feed. Businesses should aim to post around 4 times a week with various different content. In saying that…
2 – Mix it up!
You don’t see fashion bloggers posting the same outfit for two weeks straight, right? So make sure you have a wide array of different photos of your business, venue, food, services and drinks.
3-Find your aesthetic
We know we just said mix things up…but finding a particular colour scheme or theme can do wonders for your Instagram. When people decide to follow an account, they will first judge on how your feed looks as a whole. If the colours clash, or there’s lots of dark photos contrasting with bright ones, they might press the back arrow before even having a closer look into who you are.
4-Finally, engage!
Instagram is filled with like-minded people who love to follow accounts that are similar to their interests. You can find them through what they hashtag, their photos, and throwing them a follow and a friendly comment could mean you just got a new follow from them!
For example, if a Melbourne cafe is looking for people interested in following their account for the food posts, then having a look on a #Melbournefoodie tag will bring up plenty of accounts that love posting about and following similar accounts.
Happy Instagramming!
If you need help conceptualising and maintaining your Instagram and Facebook accounts, feel free to get in touch to find out how the team at Milk Bottle Projects can help. Contact us HERE!