The 5 Most Effective Ways To Overcome Instagram Insecurities

I have always used Instagram in my personal life. It is a great way to see what is going on in my friend’s lives and celebrate what is going on in mine. But as I jump into the new role of lifestyle blogger, I am seeing a whole new side to Instagram. A side that includes gaining followers, mastering hashtags and promoting my account as a “business” as opposed to a personal picture diary (although in all honesty I still kind of see my account as a personal picture diary).

Now that I am actually trying to get my pictures seen by larger audiences, I sometimes fall into the trap of becoming Instagram Insecure. Yes, it is a disease that even the best of bloggers, photographers and fellow business beginners succumb to at one point or another. A common symptom is stressing about how few likes a picture posted gets. Or how many more likes another account that is like ours gets.

There are plenty of resources and blogs on the internet to explain the tricks of getting more likes and followers. They have to do with posting at the right time of day, utilizing the correct hashtags and so on. Those are great resources and I recommend checking them out if you want to build your following. But this post hopes to address the heart of the issue. It’s not about getting more followers and likes. It is about gaining peace of mind and losing those pesky Instagram Insecurities.

The 5 Most Effective Ways To overcome Instagram Insecurities

There are enough likes to go around
Don’t take things personally
Remember it’s about being social
Be yourself
Beautiful things are meant to be shared

There are enough likes to go around

That’s right. Instagram likes are not a pie! If some picture gets 1,000+ likes that does not mean there are less likes available for your posts. The likes are virtually endless. What a nice reminder. You could sit there all day liking every post you ever see and still you would not even be close to exhausting the like bank.

Don’t take things personally

This one is extremely important for me to remember. When I was first trying to get followers (and I am the first to admit I still am), I was always discouraged when I went to sleep with a certain number of followers, only to wake up with less. I would occasionally let that color my day to absolutely no benefit.

There are going to be people who follow you and unfollow you within hours. There are going to be people who like your picture, and if you don’t immediately like one back on her/his profile they will unfollow you. Take a deep breath. It is okay. Don’t take it personally, and just keep posting amazing pictures. The “unfollow” is not about you, and that’s an important thing to remember.

Remember its about being social

And socializing is fun! Sure, it is called social media, but sometimes if you are trying to grow your business/brand you forget that. Instagram is about being and becoming connected to others. It is about enjoying the viewpoint and experiences of others through photo.

I have had many interesting and fun conversations through both comments on posts and personal messages. I’ve discussed veganism with people from all over the world that I would otherwise not have known. When I remember that socializing and sharing is the main purpose of Instagram, I remember how fun it can be.

Be yourself

No matter how strange you just might be. This doesn’t only apply to a personal account. This also is essential to a business or brand. Be true to the values and personality of yourself, your business, and/or your brand. Not everyone will love everything that you post, and that is okay. The right people will come around eventually if you promote an authentic picture.

I guarantee you will feel more confident about your posts and your followers will benefit if you remain honest and authentic with yourself. This also means allowing imperfection room to breath. Yes, you want to post beautiful, meaningful and inspiring pictures, but you don’t need to be perfect. Striving for perfection puts distance between you and your authentic self, as well as your followers. Allow your humanity to shine through and be yourself.

Beautiful things are meant to be shared

Instagram is full of beautiful pictures reminding us that the world is a very beautiful place indeed. Always remember that beautiful things are meant to be shared. Next time you are stuck feeling like you have nothing to offer compared to some other instafamous accounts, remember you have beautiful pictures. And they are meant to be shared! No one else has your unique perspective, and the world will benefit when you share beautiful things. Whether you get 1,000 likes or not.

I know I am not Instafamous, and honestly, I don’t have all that many followers…yet. But I am happy I am learning these lessons sooner rather than later. These reminders help keep me grounded and at peace. It’s not a competition that I have to beat others at. It is a network of sharing and socializing that is meant to be fun. So, lose the Instagram Insecurities and get to sharing a little more beauty in the world!