Instagram Unfollowers: How To Deal With Losing Followers

Brands and content creators work hard to produce great content and gain new followers every day. When their number of followers gets higher and more significant, it becomes a point of pride. It means you’ve made it in the dog-eat-dog world of Instagram. But sometimes, these loyal fans turn against you and suddenly become Instagram unfollowers instead—and it sucks.

When you lose followers on Instagram, you start to question whether your content is interesting. Maybe you’ll start regretting buying bot accounts as ghost followers. And perhaps you’ll be upset that people you were once friendly mutual followers with have dropped you so quickly.

All these feelings are completely valid. That’s why it’s in your best interest as a content creator to always stay on top of these unfollowers. Today, we’ll discuss why people unfollow others and how you can manage after some of them unfollow you. Keep scrolling to learn more!

Why Am I Losing Followers on IG?

Losing followers on IG can be a blow to your confidence as a brand, and that’s totally valid. Without enough followers, you can hurt your reach and engagement scores. When only a few people see your content, it won’t make as much of an impact. In the long run, this could also hurt your visibility and place in your remaining followers’ feeds.

An increase in Instagram unfollowers can also affect your credibility. Some people consider your follower count social proof that you are trustworthy and reliable. If you’re popular, it means many people listen to you. With fewer followers, you may not retain this same level of respect.

Having too many people unfollow you can also affect your career opportunities. Brands do background checks on influencers they work with to assess their impact on a campaign.

If potential collaborators notice that your fanbase is smaller than it used to be, it may look like your account is becoming irrelevant. If they think that, a collaboration that was once in the works may be off the table now.

But why do you have unfollowers on Instagram in the first place? Here are a couple of reasons why your follower count might be on the decline:

Instagram Unfollowers Aren’t Interested in Your Content Anymore

One reason your fanbase is shrinking might be that people on Instagram have lost interest in your content. It sounds harsh, but it’s possible if you’re starting to slack with your posting schedule and content quality.

If your content seems dull and not up to the standard of your competitors’ posts, people might start unfollowing you. Maybe your posts aren’t as aesthetically pleasing as they once were. Or perhaps you’re beginning to over-promote your brand instead of posting helpful, engaging content.

But it’s not always your fault. Sometimes, people outgrow old interests and clean up their following lists. If your brand’s niche isn’t something they prioritize in their life anymore, it makes sense that you get the boot.

Being inactive on the platform can also lead to Instagram unfollowers. If you haven’t been consistently posting, people might think your page is dead and will unfollow it. So, it’s essential to be consistent with your regular posting schedule.

Paid Bot Accounts Are Now Becoming Instagram Unfollowers

In the past, you may have made the wrong move of buying cheap followers, thinking it would be harmless. But cheap followers equal low-quality, inactive ghost followers that hardly interact with your posts.

Over time, these kinds of followers might unfollow you. Many bot accounts are programmed to unfollow users to prevent Instagram from detecting inauthentic activity on their accounts. As a result, you notice more unfollowers on Instagram.

Instagram is also known to “clean up” and remove ghost followers and bot accounts from the platform. If you notice that your fanbase is getting smaller after buying fake followers, this could be another reason for it.

The lesson is that you shouldn’t buy low-quality ghost followers just to grow your fanbase. They’ll end up unfollowing you over time, which will put your credibility in harm’s way. Instead, focus on cultivating relationships on the platform to build the trust of real, authentic people.

Get Rid of Them Too: How to Unfollow on Instagram

There are many reasons to unfollow someone on Instagram too. If you’re no longer interested in someone’s content or had a bad experience with them in the DMs, it makes sense to unfollow them. Spotting bot accounts in your following list also warrants an unfollow.

Or maybe you’re upset by people with whom you used to be mutual followers who are now your Instagram unfollowers. Perhaps they did the follow-and-unfollow scheme, where they gave you a follow in the hopes that you might follow them back. But as soon as you did, they unfollowed you.

Want to even the odds? Get a little revenge by learning how to unfollow on Instagram. Here’s how to do it, step by step:

1. Go to your Instagram profile.

2. At the top of your profile page, you’ll see a number with the word “Following” underneath. This is the total number of people you follow. Click on that number.

3. You should then see a list of all the accounts you follow. Go through the list until you find the user you want to unfollow. You can also look up their username on the search bar.

4. To unfollow them, click the gray “Following” button.

You can also go to someone’s profile and click the gray “Following” drop-down button under their bio. From there, click “Unfollow” to remove them from your following list.

Do It in One Go: How to Mass Unfollow on Instagram

If you’re planning on unfollowing a large number of people, you can also learn how to mass unfollow on Instagram. This is great for removing inactive ghost followers you once followed back or trimming down your follower-to-following ratio.

Unfortunately, Instagram has no built-in automation feature that allows you to unfollow people in bulk. Instead, you’ll want to enlist the help of an Instagram unfollow app to do it for you.

These unfollow apps help you manage your following list on Instagram. They can scan through all the people you follow, detect bot accounts and ghost followers, and unfollow them. They can do the same for people you follow but don’t follow you in return. Interested in apps like these? Keep reading to see our top unfollow app picks.

Instagram Unfollow Apps That Make the Task More Convenient

There are plenty of Instagram unfollow apps out there. People love them for keeping their follower-to-following ratio even and balanced. After all, it looks better for influencers to have a smaller following count than their number of followers. But which apps are the best at what they promise to do?

One of the best unfollow apps today is AiGrow. This app is a fantastic tool for cleaning up your following list. It mass unfollows people who don’t follow you back and seem to be inactive bot accounts. All you have to do is sit back, relax, and wait for your account to unfollow these users.

The best part about AiGrow is that a real Instagram account manager oversees it. Since it’s a real person doing the unfollowing for you, it can lay low in Instagram’s detection efforts to penalize inauthentic, automated activity.

Another awesome Instagram unfollow app is Unfollow Today. This free app looks for people you follow that don’t follow you in return. It can also detect inactive users you follow, like those without profile pictures. Then, it unfollows these people.

Are you worried about the app accidentally unfollowing your real friends? Don’t worry. Unfollow Today has a whitelist feature that allows you to safeguard your closest friends on the platform that you should never unfollow.

The Cons of Using an Instagram Unfollow Software

Using an Instagram unfollow program to mass unfollow people isn’t always perfect, though. Because these apps are automation tools, they can be prone to error.

They could end up accidentally deleting real followers or, worse, your best friends. Thankfully, some apps have a whitelist feature to prevent this from happening.

Another big concern about these apps is that they almost always ask for your Instagram login credentials. This can put your security and privacy at risk.

Giving your password to an untrustworthy website could make you vulnerable to hacking and data breaches. If you have an inkling that your account might be compromised, report it to Instagram immediately.

Playing Detective: How To See Who Unfollowed You on Instagram

Would someone unfollowed you on Instagram? Unfortunately, Instagram doesn’t have a feature that notifies you if someone hit “unfollow” on your profile. It only shows you a list of those currently following your account.

The only way to check who your Instagram unfollowers are through the platform is by doing it manually. You have to search for a specific username in your follower list to see if they’re still following you. If someone who was once one of your mutual followers doesn’t show up on the list, it means they have already unfollowed you.

The manual process of checking who unfollowed you is super tedious and time-consuming. How do you see who unfollowed you on Instagram in an easier way? There are apps for that, too! Keep reading to see the best ones.

Use an Instagram Unfollow Tracker for Accurate Results

If you want to see who unfollowed your account quickly, you can use an Instagram unfollow tracker app. These apps allow you to see who unfollows you in real-time. Others can also identify inactive accounts that haven’t engaged with your content recently. But what are the best ones?

One app we love is FollowMeter. This unfollow tracker shows you your most recent Instagram unfollowers and lists people who don’t follow you back. If you’re mutual followers with these users, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to unfollow them, too.

The app is available on both iOS and Android. People commend it for its simple dashboard that is easy to navigate, even for beginners.

Another tracker app we highly recommend is Followers Tracker Insight, which is available only on Android devices. This app shows you unfollowers on Instagram starting from the moment you link your account with the software. It also provides other interesting lists, such as mutual friends and users who don’t follow back.

How To Keep Instagram Unfollowers From Leaving Your Community

There’s no way to stop people from unfollowing you on Instagram if they lose interest in your content. But it doesn’t mean you should take it sitting down. You should still work to keep your followers interested in your profile. By engaging them with content they will enjoy, you can keep them in your community without worrying about them clicking “unfollow” on your page.

Here are four things you can do to lessen your number of unfollowers on Instagram:

1. Don’t Buy Ghost Followers (They’ll End up as Instagram Unfollowers)

Buying ghost followers online has tons of consequences. Not only does it kill your engagement rates, but it can also result in an Instagram shadowban, which lowers your visibility and reach.

But another negative effect of buying ghost followers is that they’ll end up unfollowing you after a while, bringing down your follower count.

If you want to spend money to get followers fast, we suggest buying real, engaging followers. These kinds of followers have real people behind them, so they won’t be programmed to unfollow you after a while. Investing your money in non-drop followers (aka permanent followers) is even better. These follower packages may be more expensive, but they’re worth it.

2. Post Relevant Content Regularly

Don’t give potential Instagram unfollowers a reason to get bored when scrolling through your content. Make sure that all the posts you publish are relevant, entertaining, visually appealing and can make an impact in your followers’ lives. That way, every single one of your followers will have a reason to stay.

Keep your content mix fresh and interesting by experimenting with trendy formats like Instagram Reels. Not only does this keep followers engaged, but it also boosts your visibility on the Explore page.

Plan your content strategy properly to have at least a few interesting posts each week. If you become too inactive on the platform, people will think there’s no reason to follow you. It’s like having awkward, dead air on a live talk show.

3. Build Genuine Relationships for Minimal Unfollowers on Instagram

One surefire way to keep your followers for the long term is by building a solid, genuine relationship with them.

Engage with them when they comment on your posts and give them some comments in return for theirs. If they send you a DM, reply as soon as you can. This helps establish rapport with your fanbase. And if they feel like you value them as friends online, they won’t become Instagram unfollowers.

You can also strengthen your relationships with other content creators by collaborating with them. This is a great way to network and make lasting friendships on the platform. The fact that it also helps you reach their followers (and potentially gain new ones) is just a bonus!

4. Be Authentic but Never Too Controversial or Polarizing

Another common reason people unfollow others on Instagram is when they post content that is too controversial. If you don’t want too many Instagram unfollowers, we suggest not publishing overly polarizing posts. This can drive away people who don’t agree with your opinion or might feel offended if you appear aggressive about your stand on things.

Don’t get us wrong—Instagram is the perfect place to speak up about your opinions, especially on social issues. However, creating a safe, positive space for everyone to enjoy is important. Don’t attack others just to express your thoughts. Not only will this hurt real people, but it can also lead to a massive drop in your follower count.

Instagram Unfollowers Are Stressful, but You Can Fight To Keep Them

It stings when you work so hard on your social media presence, and Instagram unfollowers still end up lowering your reach. When more people unfollow you, your fanbase shrinks, making it harder to reach audiences.

Luckily, many apps help you sort through people who unfollow you. These help you get rid of people you were once mutual followers with but have recently unfollowed your brand. Some apps even help automatically clean up your account to unfollow bots and ghost followers.

Worried that your online community is getting smaller because of Instagram unfollowers? Don’t worry; we at Path Social are here to help. We’ve worked on our proprietary targeting algorithm to help serve your content to people who will find it relevant. That way, you can find your target audience properly and gain real, engaging followers. Start growing your account with us today!