Why Are You on Instagram?

I don’t think there’s a more polarizing social media platform than Instagram. From photographers who sing its praises to those who loathe the day it was invented, there’s no denying that Instagram evokes strong feelings.

Even if you’ve grown to hate Instagram, it’s hard to deny that it has done something for the photographic community. Whether that something is good or bad, I’ll leave up to the reader.

Because of the polarizing nature of Instagram, it’s worth asking each person who’s had an opinion on the social media platform and how it’s either benefited or hurt the photography community: “Why are you on Instagram?”

Know Your Why

If you’ve ever listened to me speak or sat with me during a business coaching session for any length of time, then you’ll know that everything I speak and teach about comes down to understanding why you’re doing what you’re doing. Without having taken the time to intentionally assess why you’re trying to promote your photography on Instagram or even why you’re in business, you’ll have no clear direction for how to use Instagram to benefit you personally. It’s worth noting that if you haven’t taken the time to intentionally find out what your goals were for joining and staying on Instagram in the first place, you’re probably not utilizing IG in the best way for yourself.

Conversely, if you feel that Instagram has benefited you, does it align with what your original goals were when you joined it and began utilizing it to advertise your photography and business?

If you’ve been feeling discouraged with Instagram, whether it be because you’re not having the success you wish you had or because you’ve been comparing yourself to others who are seeing more success with the platform, I’d urge you to go back to the reason you joined Instagram to begin with. It’s easy to get caught up in a popularity contest of who can get the most likes, but ultimately, likes don’t pay the bills. Once you reassess your “Instagram Why,” you may find that likes or the number of followers don’t even matter to your end goal for the social platform. 

Gaining Success With Instagram

Furthermore, if you take time to evaluate your ultimate "why" for using Instagram, you may find that you’re not feeling as aimless anymore while using the platform. Having a foundational reason for doing anything from running a business, to advertising, to getting clients, or using social media is one of the most helpful ways one can gain a clear vision for the future of their photography business.

The bottom line is that success on Instagram looks different for everyone. Don’t fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others or getting caught up in the Instagram popularity contest. Trying to get as many likes on your photos just for the sake of having the most likes is probably not going to be as beneficial as you think it is in the long run. Why did you join Instagram? Let us know in the comments.

Lead Image by freestocks.org via Pexels, used under Creative Commons.