If you read this (i.e. if anyone reads this, ever) you probably came here because of Instagram. Instagram is it.
Facebook gets you picture comments from your family, destroying the reputation you want to build. Snapchat is… well… thought someone just sent you a comment on your great spit-shined boots shown off in your snap story? Bah! Surprise, it’s a dick! Up to personal taste if that’s a pro or con. Twitter is for big companies and presidents. But Instagram, that’s where we, the people with the low self-esteem shopping addiction insufficient recognition exciting life, get to shine.
It’s quite easy to see the value of Instagram as a marketing tool for companies and niche influencer. Typically everyone who follows you is a potential buyer, you have a relationship forged by the common interest. If someone I consider to be knowledgeable and therefore trustworthy in my field of interest endorses a product, I’ll consider that product. If a company I follow actively interacts with the community, I feel like a valued customer. But what about private Instagram accounts without monetization?
There’s the pressure that you have to post more or less daily to keep your audience entertained. To be honest, quality is a non-issue as you might as well post mobile phone pictures with VSCO filters but still, isn’t there the inherent desire to have content that’s as high quality as possible? After all, you’re not doing it for money. So you probably turn Instagram into a kind of hobby, allocating time at least every few days to generating content.
If you’re a female fitness model that’s easy. Trademark pose (any type of pose that shows off your butt, that is), one click, post away. But if you’re some other type of niche content creator? Some people easily invest a reasonable amount of time into their content, even stupid selfie type pictures can become complex if your desire is to vary the poses, environments, outfits, etc with every picture. Except if you are a Kardashian or fitness model, then you could sit on your sink 7 days a week and people will click like.
Every few weeks I go through cycles. It’s a bit like the periodization in my workout regime, just that it’s about if I currently enjoy or hate social media. There are people who post their uninspired snapshot and get 2000 likes in the first day, then I follow other people and their artful, well staged picture that they’ve then proceeded to edit for one hour to bring out the smallest details, gets 15 likes. In total. 3 new followers but 2 of them unfollow the next day again.
I enjoy social media. But I also hate it. Being on Instagram reminds me of junior high school: it doesn’t matter if you’re smart or skilled or whatever, it is only important that you hang with the cool kids.
P.S.: I deleted my Snapchat. Genitals and pictures of pugs now via Instagram DM please.