Waking up to a lower follower count is frustrating. Before you panic, understand that follower fluctuations are completely normal. Here are the 8 most common reasons and what to do about each.
Instagram regularly removes fake and spam accounts in bulk. If some of your followers were bots (even if you didn't buy them), they'll disappear during these purges. Your engagement rate actually improves afterward.
The obvious one. Use TRUTH to identify exactly who. App Store / Google Play.
Changed your niche or posting style? Followers who came for your old content may leave. This is natural and often healthy.
If people followed you through the follow/unfollow strategy, they'll unfollow after a few days.
Both posting too much and too little can trigger unfollows.
Instagram occasionally has display bugs where follower counts temporarily show incorrect numbers. These usually resolve within hours.
A viral post can bring followers who don't match your usual audience. They often unfollow once they see your regular content.
Certain times of year see higher unfollow rates, particularly January (New Year cleanups) and September (back to routine).
Related: Find who unfollowed you, Ghost followers problem
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