Nine reasons why Instagram isn’t worth your time.
I’m just going to come right out and say it: Instagram is trash, you guys.
That felt good. Now the backstory…
Some of you might’ve noticed I’ve been on Instagram less over the past year or so. In 2019, I found myself really dreading the app and all the work it took just to get the slightest bit of growth, but I kept sucking it up because it was part of the gig. If you wanted to maintain a viable business, Instagram had to be part of your portfolio. That’s the way it was.
Then 2020 happened. COVID. Social justice movements highlighting long-standing, serious racial inequities in our country. Disinformation campaigns. Political insanity. An actual insurrection.
I stopped posting on my feed but took to stories to share the information I found valuable and to speak out on issues I couldn’t ignore. I even spun up a little series (AshRockTalk!) where I pulled back the curtain a bit on the influencer industry and how it’s not all sunshine and Old Navy-haul roses. (That was super fun!) But when not participating in those things, the app made me feel… well, gross. The more I reflected on why I felt that way, the more I realized that Instagram was truly the worst.
Buckle up, buttercups, this is a long one. (Note: while many of the reasons below are influencer-specific, a few are certainly applicable to the normal user.)
1. Instagram is oversaturated.
The platform is clogged with influencers new and old, all clamoring for your likes and comments. You used to be able to find new people easily using hashtags or the explore page; now hashtagging is nerfed and the explore page only features the biggest accounts.
Instagram hides people randomly from your feed (and obviously chronological feeds aren’t a thing anymore), forcing you to hunt them down and super-engage on their last few posts in attempt to get them to resurface.
This not only makes the app frustrating to use, but it also makes it really hard to grow. Because if other people are getting buried, you’re probably getting buried, too. You’re just one account in a sea of social media.
“Create original, authentic content and you’ll grow!” Or so they say. But it’s just not like that anymore; there are too many people and the app doesn’t support small(er) creators the way it used to. (The #styleblogger tag has 44 million posts!) And while it’s totally okay for big accounts to be big and small accounts to be small (a niche audience is sometimes better than a massive audience), Instagram isn’t doing us any favors by making smaller accounts more findable. The app literally works against you.
2. You don’t own Instagram.
You sign a terms of service agreement with Instagram upon account creation and they give you a username and space on their platform to create content.
But that doesn’t mean you own your page. Not really.
Instagram is not a right, it’s a private company.
At any moment, Instagram can shut you down. This is especially true if you violate any of their community guidelines, which are sometimes very vague and not equitably applied– see all the curvy and marginalized bodies wearing bikinis that have their content taken down by Instagram while straight-sized bodies doing dances ripped off from TikTok are allowed to stay up.
Instagram controls your page, how it looks and can manipulate your feed. They routinely add and take away features that impact your profile. They can limit how much of your audience sees your content. (Sometimes only 5-10% of your audience will see your posts!) Unless, of course, you pay to boost your content.
There’s also the ever-changing engagement dance you’re supposed to do right after posting that “shows Instagram” your post is worth opening up to a wider part of your audience. Drop your post. Figure out whatever convoluted hashtag strategy to use. Engage on accounts in your feed. Encourage people to save + share. Comment on accounts who’ve commented on your last post. Post to stories. Answer questions + engage with comments on the new post for a while after posting.
This was just the song and dance back when I was regularly posting to my feed. I’m sure the rules have since changed.
But be careful! They shadowban you for overusing a hashtag or commenting too fast– or not, maybe shadowbanning doesn’t exist? Maybe it does? Who knows?! Because Instagram is shady as hell about how they operate!
Compare this to your blog, where you are the algorithm. You choose what content is prioritized or featured, in what order, and for how long. You choose the features (widgets, blog design) that get added and removed from your site. You actually own your domain name (whereas Insta owns your handle).
It seems wild to me that people are building businesses on a platform they don’t own (as in right now, from scratch– not the people who started years ago and/or already have a dedicated audience of real followers) and expect to quit their full-time jobs within a year. Like, what? And for those bigger accounts whose main following is all-Insta (not a blog or another channel), they’re putting all their faith in Instagram to keep them appropriately surfaced and relevant.
Which brings me to my next point…
3. Instagram changes the rules– all the time.
I’ve touched on this a little bit, but basically: Instagram is constantly changing the rules of engagement. Literally.
The methodologies that made for successful Insta content a few years ago are not what makes successful content today. (I’d argue that even if you follow today’s rules, you can’t guarantee your content will be successful.)
Now, of course, strategies change over time. That’s fine. But Insta frequently rolls out changes behind the scenes that completely alter the way content is displayed and aggregated across the platform– and they don’t share these changes. We get snippets of rumors from people who “have friends at Facebook or Instagram” or when some social media agency publishes a blog post on the “Top 3 New Instagram Strategies for Right Now!” We don’t get a roadmap; we don’t get the rules.
This is largely due to the fact that Instagram doesn’t really care about its users. Sure, it needs users to keep the platform alive– but users aren’t paying for access to the app. And if you aren’t the person paying, you’re the product being sold. Instagram truly cares about its advertisers– these are the people/entities actually pumping money into the platform. As a business, Instagram needs to make money. That’s their main objective. So they’re altering strategies and changing algorithms that make their advertisers happy and thus make them more money.
4. Instagram has a limited shelf life.
Someday, Instagram will go the way of MySpace. Or (more likely) Facebook.
It’ll no longer be where people go to build small businesses or create real, inspiring content. It won’t be the app du jour. Something will replace it.
TikTok is already eating into its margins and the next big social media platform is always looming just over the horizon. It’ll happen– not today or maybe even next year, but it’ll happen.
Now think about this: what if you’ve built an entire online brand and business (as an influencer or otherwise) exclusively on a platform whose days are numbered?
Scary, right? And not real smart.
5. Instagram is fake as hell.
Not only is it a highlight reel (for everyone!) but it’s filled with disingenuous people looking to claw their way to the “top.” Especially in the influencer space.
There, I said it.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve connected with someone who “loves my content!” only to totally ghost once I follow back. I’ll work hard to support the accounts I connect with and find that many of them are just in it for my like or follow.
Perhaps I was naive or the Instagram landscape changed (or both), but I started to feel like, “Shit, none of this is real. None of these people care. It’s just transactional.”
Oh, and don’t forget the influencers buying followers and other types of engagement to make themselves seem more successful. Super. Fake. Or paying money to companies to join loop giveaway after loop giveaway to inflate their following. (No, it’s not always “me and my closets blogger pals.” It’s companies who run giveaways as a business, pay sponsors to anchor/promote the loop, and make bank doing it.)
And while we’re talking fake… how about the over-editing and strategic hiding of anything that doesn’t paint you to be a rich-but-thrifty, beautiful-but-effortless *girl boss* who can and does have it all? The rat race of always projecting some unattainable standard of perfect! Thin! Beautiful! Successful!
I understood that an industry like this is often very superficial. But it wasn’t just bigger accounts or people who lived in far-off cities. I was noticing quite a few of the local influencers I’d meet were less than genuine. This was happening right here in my home town! Somehow that stung more than girls I would feasibly never meet in real life.
Let me tell you a little story: years ago a new-ish influencer here in KC reached out and wanted to get together for lunch. She seemed really sweet and was looking for some guidance on how I approached Instagram as a business. At the time, she had about 2500 followers and was looking for tips on growing her following, engagement, and other strategies to keep her account fresh. We met up and hit it off; I thought she was a genuine person and offered to help her however I could.
Two weeks later, I hopped over to her account to engage with her content–and she had 24,000 followers. Her most recent pictures had 500ish likes and then 400 comments (most of them nonsensical and spammy).
She had left our lunch, decided to forgo any real effort, and bought her following and engagement. Why waste a few hours of my time if you were just going to purchase followers from some random bot farm?
I’d see her at events (pre-COVID), and she’d be fanning around, acting like she’d been an ~*~influencer~*~ for years. Name-dropping her recent partnerships (which she’d landed by duping brands with her fake following) and talking about how “building your Instagram takes a lot of work and authenticity.” She would jockey to speak on “master class” panels about how to “build your brand.”
GIRL. YOU BOUGHT YOUR “BRAND.”
It was hilarious and pathetic on her part, but it was also insulting. Like, can you just not?
I don’t consider myself a particularly nice person (average nice is okay), but even I don’t understand being nice to people just because you want some sort of social media currency from them.
You guys, I was just so tired of it.
6. Instagram is addictive.
How many times have you “just popped on Instagram for a minute” only to look up and an hour has gone by? You’ve been scrolling and scrolling, hopping down one rabbit hole to the next, discovering new accounts, and catching up with old friends.
Some of this is perfectly normal and even healthy– connection is good and if you can set it up so Instagram contributes to feeling more connected, rad. That is great!
The problem is many of us get addicted to the connected feeling; we feel like if we don’t catch up on our feeds, we’ll miss something important. If we don’t like and comment on all the accounts we’re trying to keep up with, we’ll be forgotten. And as we scroll and witness via Insta all the things everyone else is doing (or appears to be doing), it makes us feel like we’re missing out. Vicious cycle; snake eats its own tail.
Influencers also get addicted to + reliant on the feeling validated when a post performs well. Before you know it, you expect every post to crush it. When it doesn’t, you feel like a failure. Sure, it’s easy to say, “Don’t be silly– you should love the content you create no matter how well the post performs!” Yes. True. But also, that’s not how human nature consistently works.
There’s listening to your audience (which you should always be doing!) but when you take into account Instagram isn’t playing fair (see above item on changing rules) and it’s easy to get addicted to feeling validated on social media… you can see how the app becomes a pretty toxic place.
7. Instagram is a timesuck.
In order to “grow” (or so they say), you have to be on Instagram for hours a day. HOURS. Engaging on content similar to yours, the content of your followers, and the content of brands you’d like to work with. Hours commenting back, answering messages, replying to stories, using Instagram’s newest features– all in attempt to stay relevant on the app. All in attempt to try and get Instagram to show your content to more people and make you more findable.
It’s exhausting! And for what?! Insta to show your content to another few percentage points of your audience?
Now, I’m not talking about having real conversations with people in your comments/stories. That is one of the most rewarding parts of the app and probably the only reason I haven’t fully deactivated it. I love getting questions + having discussions in DMs and watching the stories of people I care about– many of whom are frequent fellow bloggers who visit me here on LSR. I like seeing what my fellow content creators (the real ones, anyway) are doing and supporting them along the way.
What I’m talking about is the ravenous hunt for new followers to keep growing and the constant push-push-push of monetized content to keep brands and affiliates happy. The way you’re expected to post several times a day. (The actual effort it takes to truly produce inspired, original content at a cadence that allows you to post several times a day? Come. On.) The hours you’re expected of engagement you’re expected to log.
And even if you do all this? Success is not guaranteed. You can work and work, churn and churn and your account’s following or engagement won’t budge. This can happen for months or even years on end.
All of that time wasted just to tread social media water. Time. Suck.
What I’ve done with the extra time not spent on Instagram? Putting more work into my blog. Getting more bold + inventive with my outfits. Trying out different content verticals. Exploring new-to-me publishing mediums. All of these things drive my creativity (and my brand, even if it’s no longer measured in Instagram Success) forward, whereas I felt stuck inside a hamster wheel before.
8. Instagram is all the same.
Do you ever scroll the app and see basically the same thing 10 times? Like the same shot (flowers in a farmhouse sink) or the same dress (NSale is almost here!) or the same pose? The same filter? Caption style? There are reasons for this, and it’s not just because influencers aren’t original.
It’s because everyone is chasing a handful of influencers and trying to replicate their success. If it works for her, it’ll work for me. Or so they think.
The sameness is also fed by affiliates like RewardStyle who constantly send emails telling their influencers about “what’s selling right now!” Everyone feels compelled to share these popular things to “increase their visibility” and to make money via affiliate commissions. So if a blush pink water bottle is the “top-selling thing on the app right now!” you’re going to see a shit ton of collages featuring it and influencers holding it while sprawled over the front console of their black SUV wearing a leopard fleece. (Caption: This is probably wine.🍷)
And then you’ve got the “I’m an Influencer, Too!” movement. Every pretty girl with an Amazon Prime account thinks she’s an influencer. (Can I tell you how much I’ve come to hate this word? It’s cringe, man.)
Don’t get me wrong, I love Amazon and I love seeing Amazon favorites lists from the influencers/bloggers I enjoy– but there are a lot of girls who start Insta accounts (and don’t! Even! Have! Blogs!) just because they dress cute and think it’s easy.
They see this massive influencer movement (a billion dollar industry!) and want to give it a try. (Sometimes “try” is generous.) But they have no idea what their content strategy is, how to refine their voice, who their core audience is, or how to write effectively. They just start using the long lens on their iPhone and boom! Influencer status.
I’m in no way saying you shouldn’t share what you like (regardless of its popularity) and you shouldn’t try to make money from the content you create. And if you want to start an account where you feature all those things that you love, cool. Do all that. But where is your uniqueness? Where’s the content that is specifically you? Where’s your voice? What do you have to say? How are you different from the thousands (millions!) of influencers just like you?
If you’re just selling the same things to me over and over with endless swipe-ups, with no story or context from your life, and you look/sound like everybody else…? Why am I here? What are we doing? Bored. I’m bored.
9. Instagram can be really damaging to your mental health and self-image.
What happens when your entire Instagram feed is nothing but a very specific type of perfection? What if you never see bodies or skin tones that look like yours, people you can really relate to, or real stories of vulnerability? What happens when you scroll and scroll and all you see is how amazing everyone else is doing… while your life, well, not always amazing.
It’s going to affect you. It’s going to make you feel like you’re not good enough, skinny enough, or rich enough. It’s going to trigger anxiety and shadow when your real life doesn’t compare to someone’s Instagram life. Early research shows self-esteem decreases as hours spent on social media increases (especially in teens!) which absolutely makes sense when you consider the above.
The kicker: those perfect feeds are not run by perfect people! Everyone is keeping up appearances.
Our brains can’t really process this, however– even though we subconsciously know no one’s feed is totally real. The feelings of inadequacy are inevitable when the only visual evidence your brain has is everyone else is doing so much better than you.
It’s not intentional. Of course most people are only going to show the good stuff, the pretty stuff. Why would someone– especially someone who is building a professional brand– want to show how messy life can get? It’s totally human nature to want to project, “I’m doing good! Things are great!” but it’s not reality and Instagram really exacerbates this.
Note: social media in general is a great way to keep in touch with people (especially during a pandemic!) and it certainly has done so much to enrich our lives. And you can certainly curate your feed to be whatever you want; you can mute or unfollow people who don’t make you feel good (you should absolutely do this!) and you can create a space that’s safer for your mental health. My main issue is that so many of the influencer accounts contribute negatively, whether they know it or not.
__
That’s where I’m at, pals. All these feelings added up and made me realize: I don’t need to spend a lot of time in a space that doesn’t make me feel good.
That doesn’t mean I’m not a blogger anymore (Instagram ≠ blogging). Creating and sharing content here is still an important part of my life. I dig all the relationships I’ve made here (authentic ones! Not based on engagement or clout!) and cherish hopping around and visiting everyone’s blogs each week.
I’ve just taken a step back from Instagram– certainly in the influencer sense but also in the personal sense. I’ll hop on occasionally (usually to share a blog post via stories), and I take that time to unfollow/mute people showing up in my feed that aren’t people I truly want to connect with. I do genuinely love the more authentic relationships (influencers have ruined that word, but you know what I mean) I’ve made on Insta, and those are the accounts I focus on. I’m also all about a DM convo if anyone has a question or wants to chat. REAL connection vs. contrived, transactional connection is just where I’ve drawn the line.
I want to thank Carrie from Curly Crafty Mom for encouraging me to write this! She and I had a lengthy DM a few weeks ago about many of these things and she was the one who came up with the idea of me turning those thoughts into a post. Thank you, Carrie!
I’m so curious to hear what you guys think about this. How do you feel about Instagram these days?
Linking up with Elegantly Dressed and Stylish, The Fashion Canvas, I Do DeClaire, Style Splash, Straight A Style, Jersey Girl Texan Heart, Living on Cloud Nine, Effortlessly Sophisticated, Curly Crafty Mom + Doused in Pink, Mummabstylish, Elegance & Mommyhood, Nancy’s Fashion Style, Confessions of a Montreal Styling Diva, Lizzie in Lace, Shelbee on the Edge, The Grey Brunette, My Random Musings, Glass of Glam, and Away from the Blue.
I am still woefully addicted to Instagram but I also only use it for personal posts. My page isn’t public and my handful of followers (in the small range of 300) are all people that I personally know. My content there is never related to my blog (it’s all Eleanor photos, cat content, and Housewives junk). For that it works great for me – but I follow a selection of influencers (truly or not so truly so to varying degrees) and so I definitely get what you’re saying and find it super frustrating. This is a really great post with a lot to consider (and, for me, it’s an immediate prompt to check which accounts I follow and maybe tighten that circle a bit).
Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines
Having a personal account (especially one that’s private!) is really a smart route. That way you can keep the blog life separate from the personal stuff. I have to dig through to find my REAL friends on Insta, ha- it’s gotten better since I’ve started muting/unfollowing accounts that no longer align, but I’m just not in the app enough to really make a dent in curating that just yet.
I’m so glad you wrote this post! I agree with every single point! I’ve always felt that Instagram was a necessary evil that goes hand in hand with blogging. But, on the positive side, I have definitely made some great connections and friendships through the platform.
I used to spend hours every time I posted to get engagement on my posts. And it was exhausting. Now I spend 30 minutes after I post and then comment back on comments. My engagement has dropped significantly but I’m fine with that. That’s all I can do and that has to be enough. Don’t get me started on the accounts that unfollow the second you follow back – so annoying! Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Jill – Doused in Pink
A necessary evil- I totally felt the same way. And it probably IS if you want to continue to work with brands on a regular basis (very few are smart enough to be interested in blog posts, where the content can be more long-form) because brands prioritize Instagram crazy hard. It’s been liberating to take a step back and just be like, “You know what? I’m not putting up with this shit right now.” Haha. Glad you liked the post, Jill!
I feel the same way. Sadly most people don’t read blogs like they used to (I used to receive 30-50k pageviews a month and now I barely hit 10k) and they only care about IG. I really hope blogs become a thing again – mainly because of your point #2.
Also dying to know who the influencer you met up with was 😛
I know- blog traffic has definitely declined in recent years as Instagram has taken over. I’m hoping that pendulum swings back someday because blogs truly are a platform we can own, personalize, and control.
And you would THINK brands would like that- because they/you aren’t at the mercy of an algorithm to make sure their content is seen.
THIS ALL.OF.IT. I am so over Instagram, and am forever thankful that I have continued feeding my actual blog and not relying only on a social media platform. My day job is in social media, so after all the accounts I handle I’m utterly exhausted to take the time to feed my own. Organic growth is near impossible anymore, and I shamefully participate in giveaways just to see the number increase as I’ve put so much work into it for so many years to feel like giving up now. I hate myself for it, but it’s a necessary evil. I try my best to be my authentic self, sharing real life happenings and my little girl from time to time. I delete most of the emails from RewardStyle about what’s trending now, and never ever push the infamous #NSale it’s beyond obnoxious seeing influencers showing off thousands of dollars worth of their “haul” which you know most of will be returned and they’re just looking for affiliate commission. Gag!
Green Fashionista
Relying on a social media platform (especially a SINGLE platform) is so insane to me. Sure, it’s a tool and can be a great enhancement to your brand. But you don’t own it! I totally understand the lure of giveaways- sometimes that can make influencers feel like it’s the only way to grow! I also think that when REAL blogger pals get together for a giveaway, it’s different than when it’s 50 influencers who don’t know each other coming together via a loop giveaway company.
And girrrrrrl, you KNOW how I feel about the NSale these days and the influencers who rabidly buy up “hauls” just to return ’em! Omg, it’s so. STUPID. And dishonest.
I’ve been trying to track how much time I spend on the app: it is a nice distraction but I try not to let it distract me out of life. My following grows really slow but at least it is true growth.
http://www.chezmireillefashiontravelmom.com
Yes! Good for you- true growth is the only kind that really matters!
This is so well said and I agree with all of this 100%. I honestly cannot believe the amount of girls I see buying likes. Or how many followers people grow within a month. They are either buying or doing giveaway after giveaway. I’m definitely on the app less and less and am working more and more on growing my blog. Especially since I niched down so small. I’m hoping more companies will start to prefer blog collaborations over Instagram since that is where I make most of my money.
Jennifer
Curated By Jennifer
Omg, it’s insane. And so gross. And brands fall for it! It’s just a mess.
There really is so much value to blogging (IF you can write/actually tell a story- which is my theory on why so many of the influencers don’t want to do it!) I wish brands would get on board!
You are SO RIGHT. I’ve been having the same thoughts about other social media. Facebook (which owns IG) has been doing many of the same bad things which show us how the company is focused on USING us, not helping us. Putting faith in them is misplaced.
As you say, the answer is our own blogs where we control the content, we control the presentation, etc. I’ve re-directed my energy back to my blog from other places and enjoy the autonomy. I much prefer visiting my friends’ blogs than scrolling through IG or FB.
So true- Facebook used to be like IG was back in the day, and then it turned into the monster it is right now… And now IG is following suit. Some of this is the platforms are both owned by the same people, some of it’s the drive for money, and some of it’s just a natural progression/life cycle of a platform. Nothing is forever when you don’t own it!
I’m so glad you resonated with this post! 🙂
Ahh, the devil that is Instagram. I was Instagram UB-SESSED back in the early days. Because it was lovely and creative and fun and original. It’s what got me to switch from my beloved Blackberry to iPhone cuz at the time there was no IG for androids.
But over the years it has changed so much, it’s barely recognizable. The lovely close-knit communities that used to hang out there, the PHOTOGRAPHS, why oh why has it gone to almost entirely video? I can watch video on other platforms. IG was my picture place of choice (after flickr died(ish).
I just never could really fit in. I always say Instagram feels like the Cool Kids Table to me…and I was never a cool kid. So I was always trying to make myself “Instagram palatable.” I was never that “perfect” feed, for sure…and I think that was part of the non-cool-kid issue.
But NOW…I have discovered TikTok and TikTok are MY PEOPLE. From Day One (and I’ve only been there since December) I felt welcome and comfortable and like “anything goes,” and you don’t have to do all that following/commenting in the first 17 seconds to get anyone to see your post and your following just GROWS. It’s my happy place and I hardly visit IG anymore (though I should, at least a LITTLE bit, cuz there aren’t many brands at TikTok yet, well, fashion/plus size brands).
That’s my Instagram story with a happy ending 🙂
It really DID used to be so lovely and creative and fun- and now… Well, you know.
I am a lurker on TikTok and have not even dabbled in the app re: creating anything, but I’m so happy you found a niche there! Good for you! Being happy is where it’s at. 🙂
Honestly, Im with you girl! IG has definitely been a struggle bus on lots of levels.
XX Angelica
https://eraenvogue.com
Right?! It’s so, so gross. I’m all for blogging these days- it’s just more of a happy place.
Ashley you nailed this !!! Can we put this article on blast somehow?! Everyone needs to read it, it resonated so deeply with me! So sad that bots have pretty much killed 90% of authenticity of bloggers. Makes me so sad that it has driven you away :(. That being said you have an absolute gift for writing and I’m glad you aren’t leaving that! Also DYING to know said blogger from #5- although I have a few guesses! Miss you and your sass, hope you are doing well ! ❤️
Julie
Omg, you are the sweetest! I’m so glad it resonated with you! Hasn’t it been really sad/gross to see over the past few years the way the platform has just totally morphed into this awful place? It used to be a really fun and creative environment- but it’s been beaten to death by thirsty faux influencers and the horrible algorithm. :/
And girl you TOTALLY KNOW the blogger from #5… lmao.
Miss you! I hope you and that cute little fam are doing well!
Oh, I just love this post SO much… probably, because I can relate to it on so many levels. I have had major IG burnout lately and THIS is why! I can’t see how any influencer couldn’t shake their heads in agreement with these 9 reasons, unless they’re in denial! And, I think IG knows it has us, which is what is scary/sad! I DO think there is a lot of good on IG, such as the blogger friends you truly know, DM’s from people that truly care about you/your content, etc., but there is so much that is unhealthy/controlled, too!! Aww, thanks for putting this post together! I am going to share it with some of my blogging friends and pin it!
Carrie
curlycraftymom.com
YES BABE! After our convo, I was like, “You know what? Carrie’s right. This SHOULD be a blog post.” So thank you so much!
Fantastic post. I’ve been planning a blog post about Instagram engagement and I’m definitely going to quote/reference this post.
Rena
http://www.finewhateverblog.com
Thank you so much, Rena! That would be so kind of you!
Really important insights! Love the way you explain it from your point of view! I will agree with you on most of the things you mentioned about IG. It really takes a lot of time and consistency as well.
Thanks a lot.
Thanks so much for reading, Mariann! 🙂
It’s so good to hear others think the same way Ashley. I gave up worrying about the number awhile back, but I will say that I have met some wonderful women on the platform. And that’s the only reason I enjoy it.
Plus I do get some fun inspiration from some women on it. But I can totally relate to everything you’ve written (except having lunch with someone who didn’t value what you said, ugh)
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I think a lot of us are feeling the same way! I’m glad this resonated with you- and yes, aren’t people gross? She was a disappointment- but ended up being so pathetic she almost did me a favor. 😉
Interesting perspective about Instagram that mirrors some of my own. I never tried to be an influencer, but originally joined to give my Etsy shop a boost. It quickly became apparent that whatever interest I generated did not translate to my Etsy shop. (And honestly, I was inexperienced at both Etsy and Instagram.) Like you pointed out, Instagram felt so transactional. I really came to despise it, and quit.
Then I started following fashion bloggers, because it’s a good fit with my hobby of making jewelry. (And it is just a hobby. Although my skills are much improved, I will never set up a formal shop again.) Interest in them made me pick up Instagram again. And while it was better following friends, I just found it too much to do along with keeping up with blogs. I will probably be deactivating it soon.
Great post, Ashley!
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
I think it’s so important that you recognize when the app isn’t working for you (or is causing stress vs. inspiration/joy) and you remove yourself from it (be it deactivating, limiting your time, etc.). SO smart. That’s really where I ended up: Instagram felt like such a huge, unhealthy burden, and for what? No to minimal growth? Fake, transactional relationships you got tricked into thinking were genuine connections? The app not showing my posts to even half my following? Just wild.
Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing this with me!
Instagram has long been my least engaging blog outlet. I just prefer to actually blog and engage there! So I don’t have a great following in instagram and that’s ok. It bothers me when I see obvious filters and such. It’s too much! This is such a great post and you made a lot of great points. Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
There are a lot of issues created by the “perfect” bodies and faces we see on Instagram. Sometimes the filtering and editing is obvious- and then sometimes it isn’t (which is terrifying) and it only contributes to self-image issues. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be a teen on the app! Growing up in that environment- it’s got to be so tough.
Heyyyyy Girl! Ohh I feel ya. Lol I got into to this app/blogging because it is the polar opposite of my day job. I wanted a creative fun light outlet and I loved to write. I understand the points you make about our blogs being ours but the instant connections on IG was a nice perk. I found last year drained me and I just had to do a mental adjustment and go back to saying who cares. I post for me now. I hope somebody likes something and connects. Literally I get 10% of likes and comments that I used to, but I will no longer worry about this engagement thing. Now if I see true genuine engagement I’m super excited. I hope someday soon to get home to KC to visit. Ive always liked how frank and real you seem. Ive thought to myself “Damn she’d be fun to hang with lol” Cocktails next time I’m home?!? Xo, Marisol
I would agree that IG is oversaturated. The platform has changed. It is no more the creative space it was before, but a more commercialized one. Great post!
xoxo
Lovely
http://www.mynameislovely.com
Commercialized is such a great word, Lovely! I feel the same way. It’s not really about sharing content/your life, it’s about commodifying EVERYTHING to make money.
I completely agree with everything what you wrote. I use it to post only photo for new blog post and limited my time to 15 minutes. Before I spent so much time there, but one day last year I decide that I don’t want to spent so much time. I unfollow everyone and that I realise what Instagram doing. Every day they send me message You maybe would like to follow this or that account and now my main page is again full with suggested account.
New Post – https://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2021/05/wella-system-professional-luxe-oil.html
It’s so sad, right? I totally understand where you’re coming from- it can be a really toxic place!
Instagram hasn’t been the same since 2019 when they changed the algorithm. Honestly I’m still confused by the algorithm. I noticed that social media sites etc . typically gets replaced by another app at some point. That’s why I love blogging. It gives me another platform to create content.
That initial algorithm change was such a killer- I know it made Instagram more money (which is their bottom line) but it really took away from our experience in the app. Sadly it’s only gotten worse since! And yes- keep up that blog! It’s YOUR platform!
YES, YES, YES and YES! To all of it. I’m not even a blogger or anything but I’ve thought of completely dropping social media many times. Like you said the only thing that stops me is the connection I have with long distance family and friends on there. But also some FOMO…instead of people talking about what happened on the latest and greatest TV show at the water cooler, it’s now “omg did you see that viral video?!” I have done myself the favor and unfollowed 95% of the influencers I once did. Most have become repetitive and incredibly transparent about what they are selling. If I can’t make a genuine connection with them, I’m out. I have a handful left that I was able to speak with via DM this past year about the election, human rights, general REAL topics, and have intelligent conversations. I will always give them my like, follow and swipe up. The ones I will not give my energy to are the fakes. I was on one blogger’s account and it was clear she was just trying to push her essential oils on her followers when a. she is part of and pushes MULTIPLE MLM brands, and b. preached for multiple slides about how diffusing oils was so much better for you than burning candles, yet went on to the next few slides just to shill a Pura diffuser. This said influencer also went on one day to say she “doesn’t speak about politics” in regards to addressing BLM and the capitol insurrection. The sad thing is, she’s also a teacher in real life. I unfollowed when I started to wonder if she took that same stance with her students. Are basic human rights politics? Or are you just trying to save face to not lose followers? Guess what!? That stance to save your business image over speaking out about what is right and just definitely still lost you some. This past year for sure has brought to light the good ones and bad ones. And for that, I am thankful!
Oh man- the general cowardice, tone-deafness, and “all lives mattering” type stuff just drives me WILD. Science-denying, etc. These influencers worried about losing their following over “getting political” when you’re absolutely RIGHT- there is NOTHING political about human rights. It exposed some people who are just performative and also some who are on the wrong side of history. If anything, it showed people who to unfollow. That’s how I feel about anyone who unfollows due to me sharing social justice resources/stories, information on the vaccine, etc. It’s like SEE YA!
I feel ya on on all of this Ashley! This is why I have put most of my effort into my blog and not Insta. I support my blog with Insta and have given up on trying to gain more followers. The biggest change for me was getting off on the weekends and it felt amazing! I find that Instagram is so wonderful when it comes to my art journaling. I have different account that is all about what I love and I find so much inspiration from that. I am debating on getting rid of my fashion account but will use it to promote my blog. This was an amazing post and so spot on. I hope others take notice and realize that their self-worth should not be wrapped up in how many likes and followers they have.
Yes- totally hear you on a small account that you just use for creativity and for YOU, not “for growth” or anything in the influencer space. That’s such a good point- and it speaks to how you really can curate Instagram to fit your needs. The app just makes it so tough for those who are still trying to grow or “win” or whatever it is. So smart to put your effort into your blog! This is how I feel, too. I’m glad I made the choice years ago (even when my Insta was way “more lively”) to keep my up my efforts on the blog.
So many great points here! I’m feeling a lot of the same as you. I’ve been on there a bit more lately, and I’ve noticed it makes me unhappier. I’m working on cutting back now. But like you said it is addicting!
Eileen | yesmissy.com
It’s totally addicting because when you don’t “catch up” you feel like you’re missing out– but in reality, be on all the time seeing what other people are doing (rather than doing your own thing) actually makes the FOMO worse! It’s wild. Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Girl, I feel the exact way. I remember the times when Instagram was such a fun app and I would feel so inspired. Now I dread it and only post when I can. I can’t stand all the fairness too and some people trying to make it to the top. I had a similar encounter with other ‘newish’ influencers. Can’t stand the fakeness.
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
Ahhh, so many stories like this! It’s so sad- Insta used to be super fun. And now it’s… well, garbage. I’m glad this post resonate with you!
I think it’s awesome that you wrote this post. There is so much craziness that goes on over on Instagram and sometimes I wish that it could be more authentic. I have to admit I am guilty of trying to grow my following. Mainly because I know that so many brands don’t even consider you if you have less than a certain amount of followers. I wish they understood that a blogs are amazing for promoting a brand especially when you can do Pinterest too! On the flip side I’ve met a lot of really great supportive blogger friends through Instagram. So trying to see the more positive side of the app and also trying not to spend more than 30 minutes to an hour on it!
Tracy
https://www.findyourdazzle.com
Don’t feel bad about trying to grow your following- everyone has to try their best, and as long as you’re doing it organically, there’s no harm in seeing what works. And it’s so true (and sad!) how brands won’t even consider working with someone until they have a certain follower count- there are creators making really legit, fun content that just don’t have the following yet that brands are missing out on for dime-a-dozen influencers who probably bought theirs. It’s insane. Finding your balance is key!
You are so right Ashley, such an interesting post! I really think that IG is a platform whose days are numbered!!!
Kisses, Paola.
Expressyourself
My Instagram
There will certainly come a day when Instagram is no longer the go-to platform for creators and any sort of influencer marketing. Who knows what the next big thing will look like- I just hope it’s less toxic than Instagram. Thank you so much for your comment!
Wow everything you said is very similar to what I said in a post I did about IG about a year ago. I hate IG, did I say hate? I mean DISPISE. I hate everything about it the ever changing algorithm, the dumb ass constantly changing rules. They banned me from commenting or liking for a week b/c I was liking too fast and the same thing happened to someone I know. Seriously? I am a REAL person! And then all these other accounts get away with having thousands of fake followers, fake likes and fake comments. But more than that I hate the platform itself all it is, is people posting pix of themselves or hawking products. I also HATE FB and its founder who I REALLY HATE. A lot of people did not the orange one (with good reason) but I think MZ is far worse. I don’t find it addictive I find it to be a chore.
Allie of
http://www.allienyc.com
It’s really, truly awful. The ever-changing rules and then how you’ll get flagged “as a bot” for being a power user of their app. You would think that’s what they want? It’s such a mess. And you’re certainly right that the owner(s) of FB/Insta has no one’s best interest in mind but theirs. Which = making as much money as possible.
Oh friend, I think I might have whiplash from nodding my head so hard the entire time reading this! I have saved this post because it is so spot on as to how so many of us are feeling right now! Let me tell you, I dragged my feet on even joining Instagram. I waited 4 1/2 years after I started blogging to even do so because I was worried about all these very things. At first it was kind of fun but then the realities and my gut feeling was starting to surface to be true. What in the hell is wrong with people? I am not like any of this, I just want to support and help other women. We are not in high school I do not want to be cutthroat. Instagram and blogging is not my life, hell it’s not even a sole source of income. It’s to engage, it’s to have fun is to support each other. My eyes have been so opened to the harsh realities of humanity from the Instagram platform. I’m not even on Facebook, I can only imagine how horrible it is as well. Plus, when it comes right down to it I don’t make that much money off of Instagram. My money still generally comes from affiliate links on my blog. And so many of these women will work for just free product. I don’t want some cheap ass $30 shirt without getting compensated. We work hard and we deserve that compensation. But when they take those things for free especially if they have a huge following, they hurt the rest of us because no companies want to pay. And these women that by their likes! You have to know it because they’ll have 1000 likes but only 44 comments. I pride myself in genuinely lifting others up with my comments and responding but sometimes I shake my head with what’s even the point? I try so hard to do other things in my stories, like showing my family or my fun walks and talks with polls, I don’t want to just push a product and I never share anything unless I have loved it 100%! it’s it’s exhausting and I cannot thank you enough for saying what we all are feeling! So much love to you for putting this out there! I want this post to go viral!
Ooooh girlfriend, I totally know what you mean! The “get paid for product” group INFURIATES ME. I understand how flattering and exciting it is when you’re a newer blogger and a brand reaches out and wants to work with you- but you CANNOT take product as payment! You’re right- some $30 shirt (that did NOT cost the company $30 to make, btw, that’s retail- so their cost is substantially lower) does not = a sponsored post of any kind. It’s insane to me. And the more that influencers continue to do it, the harder it is to force brands to change- because they can always just go find some other sucker when you say, “No, please compensate me for my marketing efforts.” It totally tanks the industry (and keeps us all from being taken seriously).
I agree with all these points, Ashley.
In fact, I have been debating deleting the app; but I do really appreciate some of the genuine connections I have made there (most of which date back to pre 2019!), and the exchanges I have in the DMs and comments.
I am trying to invest more time in my blog and life coaching business and only post on Instagram about once a week, and I don’t worry about how many followers, likes or comments I have! That way I stay sane!
Julia x
https://www.thevelvetrunway.com/
I’m with you- I have made some genuine connections and obviously love keeping in touch with friends and family I don’t see as often as I’d like, but when you layer in ALL the fakeness in the influencer industry and then all the issues with the app itself, it turns into a mess.
So smart of you to focus on your blog and limit your time in Instagram to a cadence that works for you!
Great post! I feel all that too about Instagram! I agree with you 100%! It’s the best post that I have read today! That’s why I love my blog so much and I never give up of it for a app like Instagram!
xoxo
marisasclosetblog.com
Yes! Blogs are where it’s at! I’m so glad you liked this post, Marisa- thanks for visiting!
Thank you so much for posting this.
Thank you for reading, Regine!
Ashley,
I am saving this post as it is excellent! Lots of my feelings! People tell me they spend 3+ hours on IG a day, and I just am not interested in spending ( wasting) that amount of time on it. I really relate to the points you have made here, and so sad the girl that you met bought all those followers !
thanks for linking!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
I’m so glad you found this helpful + that it resonated with you! It’s amazing (and so frustrating) how SO MANY OF US feel the same way- Instagram (and the influencer industry) are clearly doing something wrong. I’ve heard similar stories about people basically needing to be on Insta all day in order to get any sort of traction. It’s like WHAT. That’s no way to live.
I get frustrated with Instagram too – it seems to be all about reels and IGTV now. The algorithm is annoying too because it only shows you content from people whose posts you’ve recently liked. Every now and then I look for someone who I haven’t see for a while only to discover they’ve been posting frequently but they haven’t appeared in my feed.
I would never quit blogging and rely just on IG. A fairly big Instagrammer I follow posted a poll asking if “anyone even reads blogs anymore” followed by a laughing emoji. Obviously I hit yes and to my surprise only 17% agreed! I’ve recently started on TikTok and find that refreshingly unfiltered. I like to keep a presence on all platforms but my blog will always be my priority.
Thanks for joining in the #stylewithasmile link up!
Emma xxx
http://www.style-splash.com
Yeah, there’s a whole audience that is Instagram-only. But there’s a whole audience that doesn’t really deal with social media or Insta specifically so that influencer taking that poll ON Instagram is going to give skewed results. A lot of people look down their noses at blogs and it’s so annoying. Why wouldn’t you prioritize a platform you ACTUALLY CONTROL rather than one you are constantly reacting to?
I totally understand why you left instagram. I still like it and find it inspiring. Also, a lot of my friends I met through instagram.
http://www.fashionradi.com
I’m so glad you still find it inspiring! I keep my account to check in every once and a while with my friends, family, and the bloggers I’ve made connections with. But it’s not something I’m checking very often anymore from an influencer standpoint.
Ever since Facebook bought Instagram it isn’t great as it used to be. And just like Facebook, they keep changing the rules and how the algorithm works.
They prioritize big and paid accounts (a.ka. Instagram Ads user). And Yes, this applies to the explore page too.
I agree with you that in order to grow on Instagram you need to spend a lot of time like a whole day isn’t enough to grow more than 10 followers or have lots of comments consistently. Definitely, not good for mental health…
Right- it all boils down to money made for the people who own the platform(s). And having to spend so much time in it is really insane- like people need to be able to live their lives and not spend it all day on the app if they don’t want to.
I am completely here for this blog post!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Thanks, babe!
Thanks for the information! Have a great weekend my friend! 😘😘😘
Thank you, Carolina!
I quote you word by word that’s why I don’t give up on my blog!
That one no one will ever take it from me.
Don’t Call Me Fashion Blogger
Facebook
Bloglovin’
Yes! Blogs are the only platform we own!
Amazing article! Loved reading it!
I have to say I still love Instagram, I keep finding inspiration, and most important, amazing places like unknown flower fields or hidden restaurants. Ive turned to follow more local accounts and less big influencers over the years. But at the same time it is so frustrating cause no matter how hard you try, growing is so slow. I gave up about numbers long time ago, but it really upsets me when I notice that IG doesn’t show me posts from accounts I really enjoy, and instead it shows post of hundred of girls wearing Sezane cardigans (really, what’s going on with that???) I am really glad I kept blogging for over 11 years, even when they said blogs were over, I like owning it and having control, instead of being controlled by some crazy algorithm.
Have a great weekend,
S
I’m so glad that you’ve managed to keep your account and stay inspired and not worry about the algorithm! This is really the key to doing Insta successfully these days- not worrying about performance and just curating the app for your needs.
Every time I get a message from a blogger I follow their blog of asking me why I’m not following them on Instagram I find it harder and harder to want to spend time on Instagram. I use instagram to keep in touch with family and real life friends, and some local Aussie mums who don’t have blogs but share their daily outfits on insta. I don’t want posed just for insta photos on my feed, I want real everyday outfits and fun baby/pet pics from friends. It’s just so fake, I agree with you there, and yet the hate I get when I don’t follow someone who just wants another like on their sponsored post for something they “love” but will never ever use again is crazy. I love insta for connections I’m not working for crazy growth and fakeness.
good post!
Hope you are having a nice weekend 🙂 Thanks so much for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup!
Away From The Blue
Yes- I totally get it! Sometimes you don’t want your Instagram account to be an “influencer/blogger” account even though you’re a blogger. Some things you just want to keep for yourself, and that’s totally fine!
Oh I love reading your point of view regarding Instagram and most of them are really valid.
So interesting read!
Have a great weekend♥
Ann
https://roomsofinspiration.blogspot.com/
Thanks, Ann!
Such a great post! I can relate to many of your points!
xx, Jane
http://www.fitfabfunmom.com
Thanks, Jane!
Instagram can indeed be damaging to one’s mental health and self image. The number of things I’ve watched on this matter alone. Great post!
Yes! We’re starting to see a lot of research come out about how it impacts us all- not just influencers, but people with normal/personal accounts. It’s pretty scary.
Ashley, I don’t know if I have ever said these words to you before but I freaking love you! And I hate IG just about as much as you do! I still post on there when I have a new blog post because I know some IG users to find me through that platform. But other than that, you are lucky to get a like from me on a post or even on a comment left for me because I simply cannot stand being on that platform! I kind of hope that all of social media meets its well deserved demise in the near future! Thanks for sharing this post. I have been meaning to write a similar one myself but just have not gotten round to it!
Shelbee
http://www.shelbeeontheedge.com
Aw you’re so sweet! And I hear you- Instagram used to be a lot of fun + really inspiring, but as social media has gotten more myopic and less and less like reality, it’s become such an unhealthy place to spend too much time!
Can I get an “Amen” to literally ALL of this? All of these are reasons why I stopped posting on Instagram and backed away from creating content in general. It’s so true that the content feels disingenuous and SO repetitive! I also didn’t like the amount of time I was spending scrolling or the feeling of being “influenced” to spend money. Love that you kept it so real in this post friend!!
I do agree with your points here…. Instagram is fake and creates false expectations..
Beauty and Fashion/Rampdiary/Glamansion
Ashley! I’m so glad you wrote this blog post. I agree with everything you wrote. Blogs are better 🙂
Nina
http://www.stylingwithnina.com/2021/05/day-trip-to-nantucket-island.html
THIS THIS THIS! I know as a blogger I “should” work on my Instagram but I just absolutely hate it as a platform. It feels so fake and, ultimately, it’s not the kind of content I want to engage with anyway. All social media seems to be going to oversaturated and gross way now. I used to love Pinterest because it seemed like a place to genuinely go to be inspired and not about numbers, but even that has changed unfortunately. I’m looking forward to whatever platform will replace insta! xx
mia // https://beautiful-inspiring-creative-life.com/
Honestly, this is nothing new, and I’m glad that you did what was right for you. There are so many reasons I take huge breaks from all social media. But like everything, there are disadvantages and advantages. I wish people weren’t so obsessed with themselves, because Instagram really has brought the ego and vanity out of so many folks. Take care, dear. x
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