The Fastest Way to Get Me to Unfollow You on Instagram

Instagram is a wonderful marketing tool if used properly.  However, there are many things I see on Instagram that are not just poor marketing, but poor business etiquette, and can earn you a bad reputation online.  If you are doing any of these things, please stop now!

Hijacking Someone Else’s Post

Have you ever had someone try to sell their product or service in the comments on your post – or worse yet, on your BRANDED post?  If you have a business and are active on social media, more than likely you have!

Plain and simple, commenting on someone else’s post with a link to your page, your website, or in any way soliciting your product or service on someone else’s post is POOR business etiquette and will earn you a bad reputation faster than just about anything else you do on social media.

When someone takes the time to post something, especially when it is a branded post, you are blatantly disrespecting that person and their business, plain and simple.  Doing this is like going into someone’s store and setting up shop in their store front and center with your product or service.  It is rude, it is backhanded, it is inconsiderate, it is selfish, and it is NOT marketing.

Tagging Me in Your Post

If you don’t know me, you have NO business tagging me in your post. PERIOD!   I will block you and report you.  Not only that, most of the folks who do this have some get rich scheme they are trying to hook you into. Don’t buy it – report them!!!  Think of it this way. Many claim to be earning six figure incomes, or unbelievable amounts of income that just sound too good to be true.  THEY ARE!  Not only that, if these folks are really earning this kind of income, would they be sitting on social media trolling for people they don’t know, clearly showing their desperation?

Direct Message Solicitations

Say it with me.  “Just don’t do it!” NO ONE wants a solicitation in their direct messages!  You mean you didn’t get the memo on this?  Direct messages are wonderful if they are used properly. If you want to thank someone for the connection, by all means, do so.  DON’T, however, thank them and then go on to include information about your business. This is still considered an unwanted solicitation.  It’s like walking up to a stranger on the street and asking them to take a bite f your sandwich.   Would you do that?  I hope you said no.  Then why would you expect someone you don’t know and just connected with to want to buy anything from you or do any kind of business with you?  YOUR NEED TO PROVE YOURSELF TO THEM FIRST! They do not know you, they don’t yet know if they even like you, and they sure are not going to do business with you yet!  Why are you wasting time trying to sell when you should be focusing on building that new relationship?

Of course, these are just the main ways to get me to unfollow you on Instagram.  There are more.  When using social media for online marketing, think like a business person, not a used car salesman!  Be smart. Savvy marketing attracts the right audience.