Here’s the brutal truth about Instagram (and creating content in general):

People will only consume content that entertains them or gives them value.

If your content does neither, it won’t work.

Harsh? Yes. 

But understanding this truth is key to finding success with Instagram.

In this article, we’re not going to teach you tricks to boost your follower count… 

We’re going to show you 5 of the most common reasons your Instagram content isn’t getting impressions, and how you can avoid them.

And when you correct these mistakes? 

Your view counts could soar from 200 to 1,000, to 10,000, to 100,000, with your followers growing exponentially. 

Cool with that?

Then let’s dive in!

5 Reasons Your Instagram Reels Aren’t Getting As Many Impressions As You Want (And How to Fix Them)

1. Creating Content for Multiple Audiences

In 2025, likes are no longer the most important metric on Instagram. Instead, Instagram puts more weight on deeper engagement signals. 

Deeper engagement signals like saves, shares, comments, and even DMs and profile visits tell Instagram that people enjoy your content, and that these people want to see more of what you post. 

And when Instagram sees that a specific group of people consistently interacts with your content, it’ll start pushing your content to everyone who fits that target audience. 

But here’s what a lot of new creators miss:

They post content that they think will get a lot of likes — without considering who is actually watching and liking the video. 

Let’s say someone wants to be a travel content creator. 

They post one reel about the architecture of a medieval city, another reel about scuba diving, and still another reel about budget backpacking tips. 

While all of these fall under the “travel” niche, there are very few people who will be interested in all three of these topics. 

People who like architecture will like the architecture reel. But when the scuba diving reel shows up in their feed or explore page? They’ll ignore it.

So what can you do?

Choose one core audience. 

Whether it’s the architecture geeks, the daring divers, or the frugal backpackers, focus on talking to one group of people. 

Have this target audience in your mind whenever you post. Ask yourself, “Is this something they’ll enjoy?”

When you do this, you’ll build a loyal group of followers who will watch, like, save, comment, and share everything you post. 

This, in turn, will help the Instagram algorithm figure out who your target audience is, and it’ll push your content to people who fit the profile. 

But this begs the question…

How do you know what your target audience wants to see?

That’s what we’ll address throughout the rest of this article.

2. Not Making Content Your Audience Wants

Loving your niche enough to talk passionately about it is key. It helps get people interested and shows them you’re someone worth following.

But passion alone is not enough. 

You need to know what your target audience actually wants to know…

Specifically, you need to find out:

• What content they’re watching
• What hooks grab their attention
• What comments they’re leaving
• What time they’re using Instagram
• And more

Knowing all this allows you to create content that will resonate with your target audience every time. 

So…how do you find these things?

First, open Instagram and go to the Reels explore page. 

Type in keywords that are related to your niche. Then watch the reels with these keywords, particularly the best performing ones. 

Second, take notes. 

Note what kind of engaging hooks the top-performing reels and carousels use. Pay attention to what’s grabbing your attention, and how these reels push you to watch until the end. Take note of how long the reels are and what the comments are saying. 

Third, like and save these reels. 

Doing this will tell Instagram that you like these creators and want to see more content related to their niche. This will build your algorithm, so in the future, you won’t have to search for keywords anymore. 

Do these three things, and you should know what content your target audience wants to see. 

And when you make content that they want to see? 

They’ll watch, like, save, share, comment, and engage with your content! 

Doing this will also prevent you from posting content that nobody watches anymore, which brings us to our next mistake…

3. Using Outdated Content Formats

The Instagram algorithm isn’t set in stone. 

What works today might not work tomorrow, and tricks that worked yesterday can quickly become obsolete. 

Remember when Instagram was all about posting educational content? 

Not too long ago, if people couldn’t learn anything from your content, it fell flat. 

Then TikTok arrived, and Instagram started pushing entertaining content. Accounts that were purely educational either scrambled to add a slice of fun or they died off because they couldn’t adapt. 

Then the era of talking-head videos began…. 

The point is that you can’t get too comfortable with one format. 

Right now, the formats that are crushing on Instagram are reels and carousels that have a simple clip and a simple text. 

These videos are short, easy to grasp, and have text that’s very simple but highly relatable, educational, inspirational, or entertaining. 

But it’s not going to stay this way forever. 

A lot of new content creators fail because they still use old formats that people don’t enjoy anymore.

So always check what’s working best, and stay up to date. 

Now…does having a defined target audience, researching what they watch, and using the most relevant format guarantee success? 

Well…not if you make this next mistake!

4. Having Weak, Unoriginal Hooks

Here are the most common ways you can make this costly mistake:

1. Your hooks are boring
2. You copy and paste other people’s content, or worse… 
3. Your hooks are boring, AND you copy people’s content

Remember, most people on Instagram are probably bored and quickly flipping through reels. 

They’ll only stop to watch something if it jumps out at them with a super strong hook.

You can create the most meaningful and moving content in the world… but if you don’t catch people’s attention in the first 3 seconds, they won’t watch the rest of your video at all.

Instagram is a brutal place for content. 

That’s why hooks, the first 3 seconds of your reel, are arguably the most important part of your video. Because what’s the point of everything else if nobody watches? 

So spend an extra 10 – 15 minutes crafting an excellent hook. Look at what works for other people in your niche, but add your own unique spin. Which brings us to the second part of this mistake:

Not being original. 

Yes, research is crucial. 

But if you’re just going to copy and paste someone else’s success, you’ll never build your own unique voice. 

Yes, copying a viral reel might cause your video to go viral. But you won’t build a loyal following in the long run. 

One of the most obvious examples of this is with challenge accounts like TheUnitedStrand. 

This guy created a challenge where he wouldn’t cut his hair until his favorite soccer (football, don’t hate me) team, Manchester United, won 5 games in a row. He posts every day, and just about all his videos get 500k+ views (with multiple 1m+ view videos). 

Some creators saw that this idea was doing super well, so they did the exact same challenge. 

The result? 

Less than 5k followers, less than 1k views per video, and just one viral video—and worse—they were all accused of stealing TheUnitedStrand’s idea. 

So do your research. Find out what does well. But always, always add your own unique spin on your content. 

However, there’s another pitfall you need to avoid while doing this:

5. Only Posting Once a Week

But people always ask: 

“Should I focus on quality or quantity for Instagram?”

The answer is both. 

Yes, create high-quality, well-researched, and unique content. But don’t be a perfectionist and only post once in a blue moon. 

Instagram’s algorithm is different from YouTube, or Google’s algorithm for websites. Here, a healthy quantity of videos is vital for success. 

Remember, people consume hundreds, if not thousands, of reels every single day. 

If you’re not constantly showing up for them, it’s very easy for them to forget about you. 

Most people won’t sit and wait patiently for your next reel. If you don’t post, they’ll get their entertainment or education from someone else in your niche. 

You need to find a healthy balance between quality and quantity. 

Now, I know what you’re thinking… 

“How often should I post then?” 

Ideally, you’ll want to post at least 3 times a week. But that’s if your content is all super high quality. 

If you’re going to mix in some low-effort posts, try pushing for 5-7 posts a week. 

Of course, there’s going to be some variation in these numbers depending on your niche and audience. But 3 times a week is a minimum, and 5-7 times a week is a benchmark. 

Make These 5 Fixes And Your Content Will Get Impressions

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by Instagram. 

If you correct these five mistakes, you should be on your way to growing on Instagram. 

But the biggest mistake we see new creators make is not starting at all! 

So don’t be afraid. 

Create your first reel.

Then your second.

Then your third. 

And you’ll find that you’ll learn as you go. 

Not sure where to start?

Then check out our 60 viral reel templates you can use for a quick way to get off the ground running!

60 Viral Templates