Confession… I have had a love/hate relationship with Instagram for about a year now. In the beginning of it all, Instagram functioned as a mini blog or little snippets into my life. It was fun. It was in the moment. Candid. Real. #authentic (I say this with a bit of sarcasm)
Then the Adored Vintage Instagram blew up into mostly about vintage and vintage shop updates. And to be quite honest… it grew old FAST (for me anyway). I remember two summers ago, I was chatting with a friend and telling her how bored I was of instagram. Everyone was posting the same curated beautiful images. I would scroll through my feed and just feel so uninspired. My feed included.
Last Friday I was chatting with my friend Katie of Ponderosa and Thyme and I shared with her how I actually was hating Instagram. I was so tired of trying to balance pictures I actually loved and also posting pictures of vintage shop updates so people knew Adored Vintage got new arrivals in.
So Katie simply said “So why post things you don’t like?” And I started thinking about that. Like really thinking about it.
I’ve been posting images that I think OTHER people will like. I was trying to figure out some magic formula. Trying to please all 60,000+ followers (seriously, I didn’t type out that number to be all big headed, more for emphasis that I’ve been driving myself round the bend trying to guess what all these people will like.)
And so, about a week ago, I posted I was going to try an experiment. I’m only going to post stuff I like, stuff I actually want to share. I stopped posting shop updates, unless I really want to.
Now Instagram is fun again! It’s inspiring again! Now the Adored Vintage is less about selling and shop updates. It’s more about inspiring. I do hope our instagram is a source of inspiration for you!
If you would like to follow along on Instagram, my moniker is Adored Vintage
2 Comments
I’ve ALWAYS loved your Instagram, going back to like 2012, I think? (Remember those old-school filters?) I have an especial preference for the candid glimpses you offer into your life — your outfits, your work spaces, those incredible Victoria Mag-esque vignettes that you put together (not gonna use the word “curate” — maybe “edit” would be a better choice?)
I think we’re all getting a bit tired of the medium — a few years ago it was still so novel and there were fewer people using it, so there seemed to be more interaction and people were more excited about posts. I’ve noticed my follower count grow but engagement has dropped.
Anyway, I know I wouldn’t want to look at a feed that was just nonstop shop updates, so I try not to do that with mine. (And I’m sort of over the constant “this already sold, sorry guys!” posts. I mean, once or twice with a special item it’s fine, and I’ve certainly done it, but if you’re doing it every day it starts to sound like bragging — why post an item after it’s sold? What is the purpose?)
And I know that, for me, if I’M not having fun with it, I think people can sense that. Creating mini themed collections is something I want to get back into — it was so much fun to do the Twin-Peaks-inspired one last fall.
So yeah. This comment is way too long, but you’ve got my brain juices all stirred up because I’ve been pondering the usage of Instagram, and the porous boundaries between the personal and the professional, for awhile now.
Please go back to doing your themed collections! I loved those! I remember the Twin Peaks inspired one and all the separates you put together, I thought “Oh gosh, I want ALL OF IT!” 🙂 I still follow several vintage accounts who mostly post product photos, but I generally only tend to hit the LIKE button when it’s a lifestyle photo or a vintage garment I covet. ^_^