If you’re using Instagram as a marketing tool for your personal brand or your business, here are 5 things you need stop doing immediately.

Stop trying to sell all things to all people.

Trying to reach everyone will leave you reaching no one. Research your ideal client and use them as the starting point to all your content creation. Everything and anything you share to your feed or stories should be created with this ideal client in mind and it should provide some type of value to them—i.e. solve a problem or educate them on how you and/or your business can help them.

Stop following the any and all accounts.

Your time on the app should be spent purposefully and strategically. Start engaging with accounts you can learn from, partner with, or those that match your ideal client. You can’t engage with purpose if you’re following without a strategy. Leave following friends, family, and meme accounts for your personal Insta.

Stop posting random content.

Develop a content strategy based on content pillars that are relevant to your business, will provide value to your audience, and will resonate with them. I can’t stress offering value to your audience enough, so I’ll say it again—do not post a piece of content that does not offer it. If you can’t find a reason why your ideal client would find your post useful, don’t post it.

Stop using photos and graphics with different styles that don’t match.

 Pay attention to your feed aesthetic because it matters. Your brand is represented in piece of content you share. The visuals you share can either elevate or misrepresent the quality of your products or services. This is true for all businesses, but especially for those trying to attract luxury or high-ticket clients. You can’t attract luxury and high-quality if you are not providing luxury and high-quality yourself.

Stop trying to DYI it all.

This is not just on Instagram, but for your business in general. Understand that running a successful business will require you to outsource as you grow. Investing in whatever aspect of your brand that is lacking (brand strategy, systems, social media management) will translate into a more professional brand presence and perceived higher value from your audience. Your business can’t level up if you’re doing it all alone and you’re skimping on investing in professionals to help you along the way.