The Dreadful Algorithm
Hey guys! This is going to be way different then I normally post. It's a tad long, but I promise it's worth the read. So lets jump in!
My name is Sara and I'm a fashion/beauty blogger. I enjoy empowering women to rise above unrealistic beauty standards and embrace what your momma gave you. I'm also a huge animal rights activist. I support only brands that do not test products on animals and are 100% cruelty-free.
My follower count on Instagram is in the 70k range, and I work very hard to grow an organic following. I've never bought likes or followers. I engage with my followers 'cause I am not above anyone. I do not consider myself "insta-famous", nor do I have an ego. Blogging is my full-time job. I get paid to promote things. Before you bring out the pitch forks, please know I'm super honest about products and clothing I endorse. I will not, nor have I ever, lied about products to get paid. I have turned down huge opportunities with companies and brands because I do not believe in them or to simply put it, their product is crap. I will only post things I use and support, as well as clothing I wear. I don't and will never promote things and lie about them. I give my honest and sincere opinion always. I also share fashion and beauty products I paid with my own money simply to support great businesses.
The last few month I have been struggling with my like count on Instagram. It's confusing cause my followers are real... why is no one liking my posts? I see other bloggers with the same follower count or even a lower follower count that are just booming with likes and comments. I'm super happy for them but at the same time I'm frustrated at myself. I think, what am I doing wrong? Are my posts not pretty enough? I'm I not cool enough? lol!!! So many questions flood my mind. Someone with my follower count should be making 3k to 8k likes. So why am I having a hard time making it to 1k? It's the dreadful algorithm. Before the algorithm apocalypse I used to get 3k to 5k likes on my posts and I had a much lower following count. (You might be thinking this post is so whiny and stupid but please keep reading. I have a point to make with all this.)
Now I have tried everything Instagram says to do to boost your Instagram posts. I have read all those blog posts on how to grow your Instagram ect ect... I have upped my creativity. Pumped out content I think my followers will enjoy. The quality of my photos are pretty good. So why do my likes keep dropping like flies? This is what I think.. ready for it? Instagram plays favorites. OOOH snap I said it! This is how dumb it really is. The algorithm (aka a computer...) controls what your followers see and don't see. If this computer thinks your content is not worthy enough, it doesn't show your posts to your followers... making your posts get less and less likes cause no one is seeing them. A computer then shows you accounts it thinks you will like, which is normally not what you want to see in the first place. So pretty much my algorithm does not think I'm popular enough to show my own followers my posts. It's not just me though. So many bloggers, small businesses, creatives, musicians, and many more are simply going unseen. It's so sad. Creative people with a lot to give back are not 'algorithm popular'. Instagram's algorithm is kicking mine and so many other's butts.
Now all of this is frustrating for sure. It reminds me of a huge cliche. We live in a society where we always have to be trending or have the next big thing before anyone else does. It's all about image and being in the "IN" crowd. I miss the days of Instagram's chronological order. Everyone had a chance and it was fair. I understand that Instagram is not going back to that but I do wish that it would play fair.
My point to this is... yeah I'm frustrated that my job being a blogger is on thin ice, but I'm not going to let some algorithm get me down! If your like me and your having a hard time with your Instagram, this is the time to band together. Let's even the playing field out. Let's not be in competition with others, but let us support each other. This applies to real life. Life should never be about popular and unpopular. It should be about being decent humans who encourage and build up others around them. This whole experience has opened my eyes. We are all different. We do not need to fit a cookie cutter mold. There is way more to life then Instagram likes and how many followers you have. Let's start a movement of not giving in to popular standards. Let's be different and one of a kind. Lets support and build up others around us. This is what living is all about and with doing so you will be a much happier person.
So remember... your worth is not dictated by a computer, society, people, and having a perfect Instagram life! Your worth is being you. I love you all. Thank you for all the support you guys have given me through out the years. I'm one lucky gal to have such supportive people. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
xx
