Let me be blunt: if you’re a B2B business owner who built your business on Instagram and you’re feeling like you’re shouting into the void lately, you’re not imagining things. The growth has slowed to a crawl. The engagement feels non-existent. And no matter how many trending audios you use or how good your hooks are, the needle just isn’t moving like it used to.
But here’s the thing—this isn’t a doomsday scenario. Actually, there’s a lot of inspiration and opportunity hidden in what’s happening right now. So let’s unpack what’s really going on with Instagram and, more importantly, what you need to do about it.
The Instagram Experiment That Revealed Everything
Last month, I ran a test on TikTok where I posted 100 times to see what would happen. The results? Over 300 new followers, a sale from a fairly new follower, and solid engagement even on posts with just 300 views. It was validating—people still wanted to hear what I had to say.
So naturally, I thought: why not run the same experiment on Instagram?
Twenty-three days in, the results were staggering—but not in a good way. Where TikTok had gained me two-thirds of those 300 followers by day 23, Instagram showed zero net growth. Sure, I gained some followers, but I also lost followers. The numbers stayed flat. Views didn’t increase. Engagement didn’t improve.
The contrast was impossible to ignore.
Why Instagram Isn’t Working for B2B (But It’s Thriving for B2C)
Here’s what I discovered when I dug deeper: Instagram has become a consumption platform, not a connection platform. People are scrolling for entertainment. They’re there to turn their brains off, to relate to something, to be amused.
And here’s the kicker—it’s working beautifully for B2C businesses. My health and fitness coaching clients? They’re crushing it. One client jumped from 150 followers to over 8,000 in just four or five months. Marriage coaches, wellness experts—they’re doing well because their content topics are endless and inherently personal.
But for B2B? For those of us with niche services for niche ideal clients? It’s a different story. The less personal your content is, the worse it performs. And let’s be honest—some of our businesses are just more technical, more specialized, and frankly, harder to make entertaining. That’s not a dig; it’s just reality.
Even when you’re doing everything “right”—creating compelling content, using thought leadership, being polarizing—you’re still not getting the traction you used to get.
We Broke Instagram (Yes, It’s an “Us” Problem)
When I asked my Instagram followers who’s actually still commenting and engaging on the platform, the responses were eye-opening. Most people admitted they rarely comment. They’ll scroll, maybe double-tap a like if something really grabs them, but actual engagement? It’s rare.
I’m guilty of it too.
Think back to five or six years ago. Instagram had a community vibe. We knew each other. I’d spend an hour a day actively engaging—popping into DMs, setting up weekly coffee chats just to build connections. The feed actually stopped when you were caught up. There was no endless scroll of reels.
We stopped doing that communal work. And yes, the platform changed dramatically too, but we collectively stopped showing up for each other. We stopped connecting. Instagram became about consumption, not conversation.
So What Do We Do Now?
First, don’t abandon Instagram entirely. It’s still your storefront. When someone gets referred to you or discovers you through another channel, you better believe they’re checking out your Instagram feed, binging your content, reading your stuff. It’s a support system even if it’s not bringing in leads the way it used to.
But here’s what needs to shift: you need to go back to the basics of what actually worked five, ten, even twenty years ago.
You need to start talking to people again.
The Power of Real Connections
This isn’t going out of style, ever. Talking to actual humans—face to face, voice to voice, even belly to belly in person—will always help you make money. Always.
And I’m not just talking about reaching out to your ideal clients. I’m talking about:
- Connecting with peers and other business owners who serve your ideal client but offer different services
- Getting strategic about networking—joining paid memberships, Slack channels, Facebook groups where your people hang out
- Reconnecting with everyone you already know in the online space
- Having real conversations over Zoom, phone calls, or in-person meetings
Make a list. Seriously, write down everyone you know in your industry or adjacent to it. Then start reconnecting. Send an email. Shoot them a DM. Get on a call.
Face-to-face and voice-to-voice connections build trust so much faster than any other method. If you’re in a big city with weekly networking opportunities, go to them. Commit for a few months and see what happens. The online space is so saturated right now that people are genuinely craving these real connections again.
The Bottom Line
Instagram isn’t dead. But it has changed, and we need to change with it. Keep posting—maybe not five times a day, but stay active. Your content still serves a purpose.
But prioritize connection over content. Expand your network. Get uncomfortable and reach out to people. Join communities. Show up in rooms where conversations are happening.
The market will always ebb and flow. There will always be new challenges that make you scratch your head. But connection? That’s the constant. That’s what works.
If you’re feeling isolated out there doing your own thing, or if you’re ready to stop relying solely on social media algorithms to grow your business, I’ve got something for you.
Inside the Grow membership this November, we’re running a Connection Challenge. We’re getting specific about the numbers—how many peers and ideal clients you need to connect with using face-to-face, voice-to-voice, and in-person strategies. This challenge is designed to expand your network in a big way and make a real difference in your sales.
Don’t dig your heels in on something that’s not working just because you’ve spent a lot of time there. If it’s not working, pivot. You can always circle back if things shift again.
Join the Grow membership here and get ready to transform how you connect with your people.
We’re in this together. Keep going, but don’t be afraid to change course when you need to.
