Manually removing followers in bulk, even if they are bots, causes a sharp drop in your follower count. The algorithm interprets this mass exodus as a sign that your content is failing and consequently shows your future posts to fewer people, effectively penalizing your reach.

Posting content just for the sake of it is counterproductive. Low-quality, non-engaging content actively harms your reach by signaling to social media algorithms that users are not interested in your brand. This suppresses visibility for all future posts. It's better to post less frequently with higher quality.

Before blaming the algorithm, meet a high consistency bar: post to your feed five times a week, every week, for 12 consecutive months. If you haven't achieved this, the problem isn't the account's age but the lack of consistent effort and content refinement needed for growth.

Instagram's professional accounts now have a built-in competitive insights feature. It allows marketers to select 10 similar accounts and compare key metrics like follower growth and posting frequency, providing a quick, native alternative to third-party benchmarking tools.

Going viral isn't always positive. If a post attracts thousands of followers outside your target audience, it can cripple future performance. Instagram will show your niche content to these new, uninterested followers, whose lack of engagement signals to the algorithm that your content is poor, suppressing its reach.

While DM automation benefits accounts of all sizes, it has a more significant relative impact on smaller accounts. A few extra comments generated by an automation can double the engagement on a small account's post, a far more substantial algorithmic signal than a few extra comments on a post that already receives thousands.

The speaker's personal data shows a direct, exponential link between posting frequency and follower growth. Increasing daily posts from 2.5 to 4 (a 56% jump) resulted in a 220% increase in followers over a six-month period, demonstrating that volume is a key growth lever.

Micro-influencers (10k-100k followers) earn relatively modest fees ($200-$1000 per Instagram post). Since follower counts can be easily purchased, brands must prioritize engagement metrics over audience size to ensure a return on their influencer marketing investment.

While Reels are for reaching new audiences, data from a 2025 study shows carousels receive significantly more views and engagement from your current followers. To break out of a low-engagement cycle, prioritize creative, entertaining carousels specifically designed to reactivate your existing community.