Guide: Simple Solutions to Your 5 Biggest Instagram Problems in 2025
Simple Solutions to Your Biggest Instagram Problems in 2025
Struggling with Instagram? You're not alone. As a social media expert, I hear the same pain points from business owners daily. Let's tackle your biggest Instagram challenges with practical, proven solutions to enhance your Instagram content strategy in 2025.
The most common pain points that small business owners face, actually have a pretty easy solution. Let's tackle the most common ones...
What to do when your reach feels too low
What to do to improve your Instagram Story Views
What to do if you are losing Instagram Followers
What to do if you aren't making sales on Instagram
What to do if your Instagram Reels views are low
Instagram Problem Number One: Your Reach is Low
Algorithm troubles can feel overwhelming, but the solution might be simpler than you think. If you're watching your reach numbers drop and feeling frustrated, you're not alone. This is one of the most common complaints I heard from Instagram users in 2024, from small business owners to content creators.
Many think they need to completely overhaul their strategy or spend money on ads to fix it. But after helping hundreds of accounts improve their reach, I've found that algorithm troubles can feel overwhelming, but the solution might be simpler than you think.
Solution One: Have fun with an Instagram Live Series
Going Live regularly for a few weeks can significantly boost your visibility in the algorithm. Instagram prioritizes Live content, making it an effective way to reach more of your audience. When you start going live though, don't be discouraged if no one shows up initially - it might take some time to build momentum with your audience!
Solution Two: Improve Your Visuals
Visual appeal matters more than ever as people continue to scroll their feeds faster than ever. Your content needs to stop those scrolling thumbs in their tracks. Focus on creating eye-catching visuals that align with your brand while standing out in the feed. This doesn't mean you need professional photography or need to hire a graphic designer – lean into intentional, scroll-stopping content.
Solution Three: Strategically Post Your Instagram Stories
Strategic Story posting throughout the day can also increase your overall reach. The key is timing, so spread your Stories out instead of posting them all at once. Each time you post a Story throughout the day, you have the chance of showing up at the top of the "Story feed" for your followers to view your content.
Instagram Problem Number Two: Your Story Views are Down
Watching your Story views decline can be disheartening, especially when Stories are such a powerful way to connect with your audience. I often hear from frustrated business owners who are posting more Stories than ever, yet seeing fewer eyes on their content.
Solution One: Post Less Stories
Less can sometimes be more with Stories. While it might seem counterintuitive, posting fewer, more impactful Stories (think 1-3 per day) can actually increase your views. Quality trumps quantity every time. When people have to tap 20 times just to get through your Story content, they are actually more likely to swipe away entirely from your content.
Solution Two: Be Selective About What You Share
Every Story should add value for your audience. When sharing posts or Reels to your Stories, always add your own commentary to make the content more engaging and personal. That additional touch point could be the reason they stick around and view your stories.
Solution Three: Use Instagram Story Features
Lean into using native Instagram story features, it will make your Story content easier to view and can even encourage engagement. You should always use captions when speaking to the camera. Not only does this make your content more inclusive, but many viewers watch Stories with the sound off. You can also add engaging elements like the emoji reaction sticker to boost engagement by making it easy for viewers to interact.
Instagram Problem Number Three: You are Losing Followers
The dreaded follower drop - it's something everyone experiences, yet it never gets easier to watch those numbers decline. I get dozens of messages each week from panicked business owners who are obsessing over every unfollow and feeling like their Instagram strategy is failing.
But here's what most people don't realize: follower fluctuation is completely normal, and a slight decline doesn't mean your Instagram strategy isn't working. You can actually have periods where you lose followers while your engagement and sales are actually increasing. But let's look for some solutions:
Solution One: Shift Your Mindset Around Analytics
Let's reframe how we think about follower counts. Instead of focusing on the net gain or loss, celebrate each new follower as a potential connection or customer. These are people actively choosing to join your community.
Solution Two: Repurpose Your Content
Success leaves clues. Look back at your content that generated the most shares and follows in the past. Don't be afraid to reuse these winning formats with fresh content.
Solution Three: Create Collaborative Content
Collaborative Lives with accounts sharing your target audience can expose you to new followers who are likely to be interested in your content. Aim for weekly collaborations to steadily grow your following.
Instagram Problem Number Four: You aren't Making Enough Sales
If you're consistently posting on Instagram but your sales aren't reflecting your effort, you're experiencing one of the most frustrating challenges of social media marketing. I often hear from business owners who are putting hours into their content, building a loyal following, and getting decent engagement - yet their Instagram presence isn't translating into actual revenue. This disconnect between social media activity and sales is more common than you might think, but it usually points to a gap in your sales strategy rather than a problem with your content.
Solution One: Create Sales Campaigns
Random promotional posts rarely drive significant sales. Instead, plan focused campaigns that run for several days, allowing you to build momentum and reach more potential customers.
Solution Two: Use a DM Automation Software
Automation tools like ManyChat can help you manage leads even when you're not actively on the platform. They can deliver links and information to interested followers automatically.
Solution Three: Optimize Your Content for Sales
Strategic polling can identify interested prospects, giving you the perfect opportunity to start sales conversations in DMs. When writing promotional captions, lead with your offer – don't bury it several paragraphs down where busy scrollers might miss it.
Instagram Problem Number Five: Your Reels Views are Low
Struggling with low Reels views can feel especially frustrating when you see others seemingly going viral with minimal effort. I know the feeling - you're spending hours creating what you think is the perfect Reel, only to see it get a fraction of the views you were hoping for. Many of the "best practices" you might be following could actually be holding you back from reaching more viewers.
Solution One: Switch up Your Reels Style
Variety is crucial for Reels success. Experiment with different styles and formats to discover what resonates with your audience. When using trending sounds or formats, add your unique perspective to make the content truly yours.
Solution Two: Post, Don't Wait for Perfection
Here's a counterintuitive tip: spend less time creating each Reel. Perfect is the enemy of done, and overproducing can actually hurt your authenticity. Instead, focus on posting more frequently with a consistent style.
Solution Three: Jump on Trends
Timing matters with trends. Try to spot and jump on trending audio early, but don't force it if it doesn't fit your brand naturally.
Improving your Instagram Strategy as a small business owner in 2025
Instagram success isn't about fixing all these challenges overnight. Each of these solutions is designed to work together to create a stronger, more effective Instagram presence for your business. Remember, what works for one account might not work for another, so don't be afraid to experiment and find your own rhythm.
The key is to start small. Pick one challenge that resonates most with your current situation and focus on implementing those solutions first. Maybe you'll start with improving your Story strategy, or perhaps you'll focus on optimizing your sales approach. Whatever you choose, give it time to work before moving on to the next challenge.
Most importantly, keep in mind that Instagram is just one tool in your marketing toolkit. While these solutions can help improve your Instagram performance, the platform should support your business goals, not consume all your time and energy.
The most successful Instagram strategies are the ones you can consistently maintain while still running your business effectively. Focus on progress, not perfection, and you'll start seeing the results you're looking for.
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I’m Manu!
a Content Marketing Expert who wants to empower you to be salesy and grow your business.
I had a successful 15-year career in creative, marketing, strategy and short form content at Cartoon Network
Now I focus on helping small women-owned businesses to be salesy and grow their revenue using instagram and content marketing.
