Instagram is a pretty interesting platform, given how it focuses mostly on static image content. So you'd think that it wouldn't stand a chance against platforms that focus on more than just that. However, Instagram still manages to be one of the largest sites of its type, mainly because no one else has a focus on specific content like it does. Granted, there are some video elements like Reels, but it's still mostly about the photos.As a platform for online creators, it's certainly interesting.
It's incredibly difficult to grow on however, and still years after I began posting content on there getting more than a small handful of likes is a miracle. And I know I'm not the only one, as whenever I tried to look up advice on how to crack Instagram, I was only met with more people talking about how engagement on the platform is at an all-time low. Maybe I just don't "get" Instagram, as I only use it to upload content, I don't use it for consuming content or talking to people. However it does certainly feel all over the place. However a lot of my posts seem to get exactly 7 likes, which has always triggered some weird conspiracy part of me. My favourite example of this is a while back when I managed to upload some Reels that blew up. At that point, I was getting results mostly in the single digits, though with some getting a bit more than that. Then, some content started to perform extremely well for the standards of my account, only for that momentum to not be carried over at all. Here's the order of the likes my posts got at this time (keep in mind I always like my own posts so one of those likes is always from me):
1 - 1 - 6 - 11 - 5 - 2 - 2 - 136 - 37 - 2 - 101 - 4 - 196 - 7 - 5 - 16 - 3 - 6,729 - 7,799 - 3 - 4
That's right, after getting two of the farthest-reaching pieces of content on my profile in a row, and a few more that got in the hundreds, none of that momentum carried over since. And now, after consistent content and being on the platform for like 5 years or so, it still at about the same level, with double digit like counts still being a rare site, with posts averaging about 2-5 likes. And comments are also non-existent, with just the occasional spam bot.
Despite that, it's still a platform I want to continue posting to, despite it making me feel like an absolute boomer every time I visit it despite just being 22. Sure it makes me feel old and confused, but as a creator who works in both video and photo content, it's nice to have a platform to really showcase the latter. Even if the end goal of driving more traffic from Instagram to my other, more important and other platforms, such as YouTube, is futile given the very low engagement, I'd say despite that it's still a good tool to help generate general online recognisability. Any pathway to monetisation though, or even to better discoverability after so many years in general though would keep me much more interested in it, but that's pretty much the case for most social media sites nowadays. Despite of all that, as a place for posting pictures and reuploading Shorts I produce for YouTube, it's at least ok at that.
Instagram is also finally also beginning to care a lot more about non-mobile users. For the longest time, I always had to move files from my PC to my phone just to upload them to the platform, which was just unexcusable. A platform with no web or desktop version with all of the same functionality is a joke. Thankfully, huge steps have been taken in that direction, and not only can I now upload photos and videos directly from my PC, but there's so many amazing features. I even experimented with upload full-length horizontal videos to Instagram, which is something I'd never imagined doing before.
Another thing I strangely appreciate about the platform is how someone's profile and post history are in themselves a canvas. I've noticed people put a lot of care into ensuring that it's very aesthetically pleasing. From having all their posts be in a similar visual style or colour, employing the same background for everything, etc. This leads to some creative things you don't see anywhere else, like people creating those mega images from several tiles, which are a great way to drive attention to a profile. Another example I recently saw when trying to find someone I went to school with was a colour gradient made up of their post history. The items, clothing, etc. in the post all lead into each other, in an extremely smooth gradient slowly and gradually going from white, to pink, to purple, to blue, to green, to yellow, to orange. It's a multi-year project with a very subtle, very well executed colour gradient, made of landscapes, outfits, random objects, and more. Especially given how restrictive towards profile customisation Instagram can seem, with no banners and stuff like that, there's still ways to make pages feel distinct and fall within a trademark style. This kind of visual cohesion is something I'm guilty of not really practicing, with the styles of my posts being all over the place. However, that's mainly due to the fact that I'm just struggling for any ideas of what to post, so I'm just posting what I can to try and establish a presence on the platform. I'm still definitely thinking of ways to turn things around and have some signature style of theme to all posts going forward, but at the same time I can't really think of one, especially given how varied my online content creation activities are.
There is one, somewhat nefarious, thing I did think of. I don't really use social media like most people, so I really have no idea what people want or view on sites like Instagram, however, if there's one thing I've learned through just social osmosis about Instagram, is that it's selfie heaven. Granted, I don't think I've ever even taken one, but I certainly want to post more pictures that include myself in it. Not only because it's just one of the basic rules of visual design, anything with a face on it gets more attention from people, but also because on other sites, people always love going onto my content to say I look like a woman or something equally unhelpful like that. So by just posting more stuff like that, it could be a way to "bait" more engagement that way.
