3 Years of Posting Every Day on Instagram: Here what happened!
For the last three years, I've embarked on a daily posting journey on Instagram. The goal was to gain a following, boost engagement, and create a network, especially as a photographer interested in capturing the intricate beauty of landscapes and urban settings. In this article, I'll be discussing the highs, lows, and valuable lessons learned from my experience.
Instagram Paradox: Low Engagement but Tripled Following
While my journey on Instagram has been a rollercoaster of sorts, the numbers tell an interesting story. Despite a low engagement rate of 2-5%, I've tripled my follower count. This growth encapsulates one of the biggest paradoxes of Instagram: high follower count doesn't always correlate with high engagement.
What Worked: Real-World Networking
The real catalyst for my Instagram growth wasn't just the consistency of daily posts or the hashtags; it was real-world networking. Collaborating with individuals like Jonathan Bertin, who I met during his stay in South Korea, offered a significant boost both to my portfolio and online credibility. These collaborations were not just online tag-for-tags; they were meaningful exchanges that also allowed me to showcase my favorite local spots (shown in an upcoming video).
The Korean Effect: Leveraging Unique Landscapes
Being based in South Korea close to asian countires gave me an edge in terms of content. The array of colors, compositions, and moods that can be captured here is incredible. Whether it's the charming green spots scattered across urban areas or the contrasting blue shades, South Korea provides ample opportunities to click pictures that make for engaging Instagram posts. Traveling and showing original content helped me for sure, while I was in France it was hard to me to get any interesting interactions. Traveling makes it easier!
Stories vs. Posts
An intriguing twist in my Instagram journey has been the higher engagement levels of my Stories compared to regular posts. With 300-400 views per story, the feature provided a more effective channel for interacting with my audience since it’s a direct contact with the followers.
The Financial Aspects: Monetising Your Skills
While building your brand on Instagram, financial stability is another key aspect to consider. The strategy of real-world networking has also contributed to my financial yield, with increased opportunities for portrait shoots and other projects. It’s win/win in this case!
Lessons Learned: Quality Over Quantity
After three years of daily posting, I’ve reached a point of saturation. Going forward, my focus will shift from quantity to quality. I plan to post curated carousels of well-composed photo series instead of daily uploads. The aim is to disrupt Instagram's algorithm by showcasing more refined work and focusing on the 'portfolio' aspect of my account.
The Future: Striking a Balance
In an ideal world, I want to strike a balance where both photographers and a general audience find my work interesting. My diversified approach will involve real-world networking, higher quality posts, and occasional Stories to maintain active engagement. Also, I’ve revamped my website to offer my services and showcase my portfolio, moving beyond just Instagram.
Conclusion
Three years of daily posting on Instagram has been a learning curve with ups and downs (mostly downs…), yet it's clear that real-world networking and choosing the right backdrop—South Korea, in my case—can make a small difference. In the future, I plan to evolve by focusing more on quality than quantity and leveraging real-world connections even more effectively.
To be honest, today Instagram is a joke. I’m tired of using it but I still using stories to share in live the news about my work.
So, what's your Instagram journey like? Share your experiences and feedback; I'd love to hear from you!
See you!
