I’m having a love/hate relationship with Instagram. Maybe you’ve felt it. For many Instagram engagement has come down tremendously and I am no exception. It’s frustrating and I have not been handling the decline very well. This frustration has led me down a dark path and I even considered quitting Instagram and social media all together.
Why I do what I do
One of the things I have really loved is showcasing my style on Instagram. When I started my content creation journey, it was to provide a little inspiration from my point of view. I also wanted to prove that Washingtonians have a sense of style and were not just boring bureaucrats in ill fitting suits. And now what was once an avenue to showcase my style has morphed into something more.
I’ve discovered that I truly love Washington, DC. And through fashion, which is still a large part of my focus, I also love talking about amazing city and presenting the different amazing parts of it. For instance, these pictures were taking at the Navy Yard in Southeast DC. A few years ago, this area was fill with warehouse spaces, a few clubs and considered a sketchy part of town. Now this area is a new vibrant part of the city, boasting both Nat’s Park, our fantastic baseball stadium and more recently, Audi Field, the incredible soccer stadium. And every DC influencer knows that the pedestrian bridge is one of the top places for that perfect Instagram shot.
My approach to declining Instagram Engagment
Still the drop in Instagram engagement has me concerned. Can I really call myself an influencer if no one sees my pictures? Will brands still want to work with me if I’m not driving traffic that could ultimately convert into sales? Can I still be the Man About DC showcasing the best of Washington? In my case I hope the answer is still yes. We’ve all heard the rumors that Instagram limits who see your post to 10% of your followers so that it just means connecting now much more challenging.
But I think my problem wasn’t so much seeing my number of likes decline or the amount of comments disappear. I think my problem was stressing too much over it. What I should be doing is focusing on producing content that inspires. Connecting more with people that actually are interested in what I have to say. That’s the reason why I started this journey. It isn’t so much about chasing after the likes. It’s more about building a connection with those that actually like my content. Instagram is just a platform and there are so many people that are cheating the system and it’s a shame that it’s these people that are being rewarded for fake Instagram engagement. But I’ve decided not to focus on what they are doing but instead I’m working on improving my own game.
I’d rather have a strong core group of followers that put value in my content. And it’s to these fine folks is where I want to put my focus. Sure I’d love it if millions discovered me and became enamored with my amazing content but I am happy and appreciative to the loyal group that’s currently here. I’ve met some wonderful people. Many I now consider friends. Thank you and together let’s help each other grow our community. The decline in Instagram engagement be dammed!
Clothing Detail
Piped Moisture Wicking Polo – Express (similar here, here and here) | Palm Tree Print Shorts – Express | Adidas Allstars – Adidas
