As most of you might know, since you probably follow me on social media as well, I’m most present on Instagram. It truly is my most favorite platform! Why, you might ask, since there are so many other social media platforms out there that are more popular? I’m huge into aesthetic, but also that authentic, personable detail as well. If I’m honest, I follow bloggers who post those perfect photos because I appreciate all the hard work behind them and they inspire me to create beautiful images of outfits myself! I don’t really struggle with comparison because I just assume the person in the photo went through a lot to capture it perfectly and that’s not how their “normal” life really is. Most, if not all, the bloggers I follow are very open in letting you know, there lives are not as perfect as the photos seem.
Another feature Instagram includes that I use daily, are stories. I really get into a handful of profiles and watch their stories faithfully. They interest me so much! THIS is where you REALLY get to know who you are following. I look forward to tapping on that circle bubble to see different incites, information, daily lives of others, a glimpse of different states/places, and get that personable side of who is behind the creating! It really interests me to study people’s personalities. Watching stories makes me feel like I know someone halfway across the country! Of course, no one shares every little piece of their lives, it goes much deeper, but you get those entertaining pieces they choose to include. I think the key is knowing that before you decide to scroll and tap. In a way, I use instagram like how I use Pinterest: To get inspiration and ideas.
Instagram released reels (short videos) and I was hesitant to get on board because I just felt like Instagram was copying TikTok. It seemed like most of the videos were scripted and cheesy, but I got into them little by little over time. The outfit videos are my favorite! Then Insta announced that they were switching to becoming more of a video app. I slowly started making video content, but it took me longer to create and edit. My biggest frustration is that video content takes SO MUCH MEMORY on my phone! When you plan/edit videos ahead of time, you need multiple videos on your phone at the same time and it makes it run so slow. Anyone else have that trouble?
Even though creating videos are more work and time, after I tap that publish button, I feel more proud of my content than I do when I upload a photo. I find myself rewatching my video days later just to appreciate them and actually give me excitement every time I watch them! I haven’t had a video that went viral or anything, but to me, they have! I still have some frustrations with them, but once they are published, it makes it worth it! I’ve actually been making more videos than photos lately!
I think once my motivation for creating reels changed from only posting reels to grow, to actually creating them because I LIKE capturing fun little clips, it actually opened my mind to video content. The more videos I’ve made, the more I’ve actually started watching and enjoying reels more. They are growing on me! Sometimes I actually watch reels instead of TV before bed. Does anyone else do this too?
This leads me to another point on reels on Insta. They are wanting more people to spend time on their app and it’s working for me! The short reels suck you in and defiantly add to the time I spend on the app. I feel like reels definitely consume me more than I would like. I’ve been having to intentionally tell myself to stop watching because I have other things that need my attention. The opposite is also true for me! The days I spend watching a whole bunch of reels, the more tired I get of them. Sometimes it seems like a certain reel concept gets WAY overused!
I say all that to conclude that in my personal life, I can totally see why Reels and Tiktoks are so popular, but I view them as a quick fad. Sooner or later people will get tired of watching overdone videos and gravitate back to Instagram (or another social media platform) where there is more variation. I like reels, but I also like photos. For me, I like a mix, not just one or the other. I’m also a huge fan of Instagram stories so that in itself will sell me to Instagram every time, along with the ability to write as much as you want in the caption so you can add that personal touch! Even though Tiktoks can be entertaining, I view Tiktok as more of an immature, impersonal platform.
Of course, these are just my personal thoughts. Obviously, everyone is unique and prefer different things, so feel free to enjoy whatever social media platform you prefer! If you are on Instagram and Tiktok, you should totally follow me on BOTH! I post different content depending on which I use. Social Media is all created for us to have fun using! Which do you prefer or have fun using and why?
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