Instagram has changed.
I decided to start off 2022 by challenging myself to take 365 photos in a year and post a different photo each day. I wiped all content from my account (read: archived it all), started with a blank black-and-white focused canvas, and got to work.
I did similar in 2021 as well, scrapping all content on the account and posting mocked-up scenarios of photos I had taken over the years. 2021 did a hell of a lot better than 2022.
After three months of posting daily, checking timings, and pumping hashtags I’ve watched a fairly modest follower count increase by about 2.9% (think 700 to about 722). Engagement is down, reach is down, but I’d by lying if I said it really mattered anything.
This is because Instagram has changed.
We’ve known about the change for some time and while it’s grand and all to post and share photos scrapbook-like, Instagram is a hell of a lot less about photos these days and way more about video content.
If you’re not into reels, not into making comedy shorts or workout videos, and you’re looking to gain some sort of traction on the platform, you may look elsewhere.
You can see the investment in video too. Auto-generated captions have arrived for videos, moderators can be added to live videos, and there are tons of new tools aimed at video creators.
I’ve found my own Instagram habits have changed as an end-user too. The lack of a chronological timeline (until late last month) was definitely on the gear-grinding list but I don’t care too much for photos on there either, whether they’re posted on artistic merit or a behind-the-scenes look at someone’s life.
Instead, I’ve found myself swiping to wherever the reels or videos live and getting lost in endless minutes-turned-hours of guitar and drum solos and quirky US-flavoured DIY tutorials. Go figure.
I’ll see all y’all on Flickr. That’s still a thing, right?
