7 Tips for Beating Instagram Burnout
Before you try to beating another round of Instagram burnout by signing up for a new workshop promising illusive algorithm answers– try out one or two, or more, ideas from my list.
Before I offered website design and brand strategy I worked with many business owners who were trying to figure out how to make Instagram work for their business instead of feeling at odds with the social app.
The best part, all of these ideas are totally free and many of them actually encourage you to do less, not more to get better results.
In this post I’m sharing 7 tips for helping you through Instagram burnout. It can happen to any of us, but how it effects us and how we move through it doesn’t have to be as hard as it often is. I’ll share about:
Data helps overcome emotional blocks
Taking a break isn’t going to ruin everything
A fresh approach to the same platform
The secret to doing more listening and less keeping up
Trying something different instead of more of the same
Hand over heart, these come straight from my own personal “stay sane” toolbox, and I hope they’ll help you too.
These 7 tips are healthy, effective, simple, free, and you can try them anytime you’re feeling frustrated. (Not something you hear often enough in the social media world, huh?))
Check Out the Data at Your Fingertips
I know this part isn’t fun and flashy but once you look at the data itself you can decide what to do next. The answer won’t be the same for everyone. However, the data will tell you what’s working and what isn’t. If what’s burning you out isn’t working, that’s an easy fix. You’ll simply stop doing it. Easier said than done. Sometimes we feel like doing something is better than nothing. But that’s not the case, and we’ll get into that in one of the next tips I share.
It might be encouraging just to see that some of your effort has been paying off when you take the time to look at the facts rather than just the emotional ride of it all. I have been tracking my numbers all year and it has reduced the emotional roller coaster tremendously, eliminated the burnout, and proven to me that it is worthwhile.
It sounds so simple and I think that’s why the Instagram Insights feature can be easily overlooked. Something so simply couldn’t possibly make that much difference, right? I think you’ll find a new spark of hope in completing this one step alone.
Take an Instagram Break
It’s time we ditch the mentality of “pushing through” or “showing up consistently even when we don’t feel like it”. Because frankly, it’s not that easy. If we never miss a beat or slow down it’s only that much harder to figure out what we need to be doing differently. Set a pre-determined time to log off the app. You might even delete it from your phone to avoid habitual scrolling. Allowing yourself this breathing room will likely help you pinpoint where the burnout or frustration is coming from.
It’s often difficult to keep your own pace when you’re surrounded by so much external content. We accidentally get sucked into the content creation vortex and start reacting rather than acting with intention. A break helps reset the purpose and pace.
Listen To Your Conversations
Instead of looking at what others are posting on Instagram, listen to the conversations you’re having with your leads, clients, and business friends. Be intentional about noticing the things they are sharing with you and questions they ask of you. Be mindful of topics you find yourself passionate about answering or explaining.
What things in your industry strike an emotional chord for you? Why?
What are you so good at explaining that you’ve forgotten not everyone else understands it the way you do?
In these conversations lie some of your best content. Content that will be far more authentic and powerful than any other ‘tactic’ or strategy.
Be a Guest
Sometimes Instagram feels like talking to an empty room. You’re not sure if anyone is actually listening and there is no guarantee on ROI with each post. Being a guest within someone else’s community gives you an entirely new, fresh, and eager to listen audience.
The community trusts the leader in bringing you in to share value. The content will be different than what they’re used to hearing inside that group. And you’re going to connect to brand new leads nearly every single time.
Look for membership groups, in-person panel speaking, Instagram Live Chats, or podcasts who have an aligned audience for you and find a way to get in front of their group. The content you share will carry a greater value than if you simply posted it on your feed.
Network Outside of the App
Social media is noisy. It can be a battle to be heard. Your value can be underappreciated, and sometimes we get tired of ‘giving’ so much.
Try dedicating just two hours you’d normally spend engaging on Instagram and instead head to a local in-person or virtual event. Even if it’s not specific to your business industry, you’ll have a chance to share more about what you do with new people without competing against the masses of others in your industry.
This is also a really good time to get new content ideas. As you share about what you do, listen to the responses you receive. Likewise, ask questions about what they do and make note of how your service can benefit them. You don’t need to make a pitch to them on the spot, but make a mental note and turn the conversation into a killer Instagram post the next time you prep your content.
Find a Creative Alternative
Instagram requires some kind of creativity on a regular basis. From the image itself, to the opening statement, and even the use of emojis to make the caption reader friendly.
Take that creativity somewhere else and give it a chance to breathe in some fresh, unpressured air. You might create a new resource, update your lead magnet, or create something that can go inside your portfolio. I love this one because you can create something you love, without client requests, and use it to attract those type of projects in the future.
Whatever you decide to create, you can bring back to Instagram and share it in future content as well.
Give Your Content More Purpose
It can be discouraging to see the graphs that show the average lifespan of a post on each of the different social media platforms. In case you haven’t seen one of these graphs before, they often show that Instagram has one of the shortest lifespans of all the platforms. What this means is, your content doesn’t serve you for very long after you create and share it. We can all share in a collective sigh on this. Because we know that not being on Instagram at all is potentially an even bigger loss for business.
As a busy business owner the things that don’t feel worth it in the short or long run are the first things we fall behind on. By finding ways to use that content more than just once you’re more likely to set time aside for it. In my own business I create content that can go here on the blog and on Instagram. My Instagram content keeps me connected to my community, helps people remember what I offer, and provides proof of my experience.
My blog houses similar content that I use for gaining additional website traffic from Pinterest. By knowing that my content has many jobs, I’m not as emotionally reactive to my Instagram results, and know that the content is working for me in more ways than one. An added bonus is that my content stays valuable on these other platforms far longer than it does on Instagram.
Hi there, I’m Katie Taylor! A website designer, business strategist, and creative analyst! I help service-based businesses take their websites from drab to fab with purpose, beautiful design, and strategy so they can stand out online with a better brand, easily book dream clients, and spend more time enjoying life. I also work 1:1 with businesses to create better marketing outcomes.
If you enjoyed this post, join me over on Instagram so you can keep up with more just like it! I know you won’t let Instagram burnout get the best of you!
Be sure to drop me a hello in the DMs so we can properly meet. You’ll notice my community is full of real people, like you. I remove the spam, advertisers, and anyone who doesn’t believe in kindness.
You might also like some of my other posts focused on making Instagram easy: What to put in your Instagram bio and how to make Instagram engagement fun.