First things first, buckle in because this is a long one. I’ve had so many different thoughts about Instagram over the last few years and I just felt the need to get it all out of my system. Go get yourself a nice cup of something hot or something cold (no judgement) and settle in.
I feel very much like Instagram has it’s place so let’s just start with that. But the fact is that I’ve been blogging now for 9 and a half years. That’s a long time chatting about your own life online – long before Pinterest really took off, definitely long before Instagram was a thing and during a time when blogging wasn’t seen as any kind of a career and ‘influencers’ wasn’t yet a label bourne from marketing which filled people with dread and vitriol.
In the years before Instagram was big on the scene, I used to use my blog almost like a diary. I still do in some ways because it’s always been a catalogue of the work we’ve taken on and the things I’m inspired by and an outlet for my creativity. But times change and people now use Instagram to keep up with their favourites, choosing that over blogs as the day-to-day following of their favourite creators.
And so now, instead of sharing the little day-to-day rambling thoughts or little jobs we do here on the blog, I’ve been using Instagram for that instead and maybe that’s not the best thing to do… and so, as a result, I’m a bit torn.
Why am I still blogging? Why not just do Instagram?
It can easily take me an entire day to craft a single blog post – considering how I want to approach a subject, scheduling my week around a shoot, setting up the camera, taking the pictures and editing them, crafting the writing of the post for it to flow and make sense. Ensuring I include value within it – takeaways for those reading – so that they can come away from it feeling that they’ve learned something, were inspired or simply entertained. I adore that process, it keeps me going, it’s what makes me love blogging because crafting a good blog post takes time and investment. It’s certainly more work but for me, it’s worthwhile.
I love the fact that sometimes years after I’ve written a post, I’ll get an email from someone saying how they found my post after searching something on Google and how helpful it was to them. I think about how often I have searched for an answer to something myself and found it on someone’s blog via a post they had written long ago but still proved valuable to me.
And ya know, with that comes a big realisation… the fact is, I feel like my blog actually HELPS people, it provides value because so many people over the years have graciously told me that.
I just don’t feel that way about Instagram because there are limitations to how much I can do there (both in terms of my time as well as the limitations of the platform itself), I find myself using it as simply a place to inspire with my own style but, sadly for me, it rarely goes beyond that. That doesn’t mean I couldn’t do more with it but I rarely do – and maybe that’s part of the problem.
Following someone on Instagram vs Following someone on their blog
The trigger for talking about this here is that I had a brief conversation on Instagram DM last night with a really lovely lady from the US. She used to read my blog a few years back but when we moved house and I had to temporarily slow how many posts I did every month, she fell out of the habit of checking it, then discovered that I was on Instagram and continued following me from there – and as she admitted, ‘sort of forgot about the blog’!
I know life changes over time (and I know she’s followed me for years so I’m grateful for that no matter what platform she decides is easiest for her) and while once I used to start every single morning catching up with my own favourite blogs, I am just as guilty as simply checking Instagram Stories for a daily dose of my own favourites.
In our brief chat over on DM, she was asking me questions about the house – what are our plans for the old kitchen? how does the layout work again? Is the house all on one level or on two? – and so I was catching her up on everything going on here, intermittently sharing the links of a few posts where I discussed those things.
Of course, I didn’t mind doing that. In fact, I very much enjoyed our chat as she’s lovely and was curious and so sweet. But it did get me thinking about how much things have changed in terms of blogging and the impact that Instagram has had on blogs.
Let me just say at this point, I do get it. I really do understand why it may be easier to follow me on Instagram rather than my blog. I mean, I’ve already written more than 800 words here. That’s far more than I’d ever been able to fit into a neat quick Instagram comment. It takes longer to read, there’s a bigger time commitment requested. Everyone’s pressed for time these days and endlessly distracted so sitting and reading a 2300 word blog post is a big ask.
Instagram is meant to be quick, you’re meant to take in as much as possible in whatever short amount of time you’re scrolling, taking in the lives and details of 50 different accounts in a few swipes, probably missing so much in between. The algorithm decides you don’t seem to be engaging quite as much with someone and so drops them completely from your feed.
It’s a sad circle of Instagram by the way… a self-fulfilling prophesy that the less you engage, the less of a creator’s posts you’ll see. Instagram will just continue to deprioritise someone’s posts from your feed which means there’s less to engage with and as a result, you engage less. So Instagram takes your lack of engagement as a signal and so on and so on… until you simply don’t see them at all anymore.
And when you’re following 500 different accounts (which is probably a very low number on average, I’m just using it as an example), there’s no way you’ll be able to follow the ins and outs of that many accounts, of that many lives being lived. So your memory fades, you forget to check their account, you’re more than busy keeping up with probably only a handful at best and even those you may be genuinely curious about? Those simply get forgotten.
Then they turn up on your Instagram, remind you how much you used to enjoy them and suddenly you’re asking, ‘Wait… what happened to your utility room?’ ;)
This rarely happened with blogs. You would have maybe a handful – for the hardcore readers maybe a couple dozen – which you would check periodically through the week. You could catch up with everyone’s lives, leave a comment, engage with their posts and feel a weird sense of satisfaction when you were all caught up.
I never get that sense of satisfaction anymore with Instagram. There are always people I’ve missed, there are always stories and feed posts I have never seen and so Instagram traps you into the idea that you’ll never catch up, you’ll never see it all so you might as well stay there on their platform, scrolling and scrolling endlessly through hundreds of images or dozens of Stories until you just give up or get bored.
Does Instagram Offer a Better Community than Blogs?
I’ve heard the word ‘community’ bandied about so much on Instagram over the last few years. Mostly by larger accounts who never really had a blog – who concentrated on that platform first and built up a following there. I smirk as they talk about the fact no other platform has ever done that before, has connected them with so many other people. How Instagram has given them a sense of community and they’ve discovered people to follow, created friendships, met up in real life and isn’t it just magic?
But the truth is that community always existed in blogging. I have had that sense of community for so long and ya know, it was so much more personal then. You really felt like you got to know other bloggers in your niche because you’d spend time reading their blogs just as they were reading yours. I don’t get that sense with Instagram personally – and that’s likely because I simply don’t have enough time to spend on there. So perhaps that’s my own fault.
Ironically, I was reading the blog of someone who’s made it quite ‘big’ on Instagram (with a following in 6 figures) who was saying she currently spends on average around 4 1/2 hours every single day on the platform. That’s before she takes pictures, answers emails, attends events, plans content, works a part-time job, takes care of her family. I respect her commitment and she’s a lovely person so it’s clear how she’s managed to do so well on the platform.
But I don’t want to spend 31 hours a week looking at my phone on a single platform. And if that’s the only way you can ‘make it’ on Instagram, it means me sacrificing so much to do that. It’s probably why I only really post sporadically there rather than every single day or multiple times a day as they recommend. I just don’t have it in me.
Is the low barrier to entry good or bad?
In the past, I’ve likened blogs to a good meal, Instagram as a quick snack. But are we forgetting how much nicer a good meal is? Have we filled up on the snacks so much we’ve forgotten what it’s like to really enjoy something that someone has poured their heart and soul into?
This is not an ‘I hate Instagram’ post so please don’t mistake it for that. There is a part of me that really enjoys it. The quick hit of inspiration you can get, the joy of discovering someone really inspiring to follow, the ease with which to respond to comments and DMs.
Starting a new blog is seriously hard work, especially these days. You need to know so many different things about the background stuff (HTML, design, SEO, UX, WordPress etc and let’s not forget the costs of hosting and maintaining a website) but in comparison, it’s so easy to just start an Instagram account. It’s levelled the playing field in a lot of ways, it’s easier than ever to find people who share your own values or your tastes because so many people can just pick it up and run with it. The ‘barrier to entry’ is incredibly low in comparison to starting a blog.
The problem of course with that is that everyone has an Instagram page these days. Whereas in years’ past, I pretty much knew everyone in the UK home interiors niche of blogging, there are literally thousands now on Instagram – there’s no way I would have met so many people I know now and developed friendships with, especially those who’s styles are so different from my own if that hadn’t been the case. The sheer numbers on Instagram make that impossible.
Are we ignoring the benefits of long-form content?
And then of course, because Instagram is the shiny new toy on the scene, many marketers have seemed to forget entirely about blogs. They don’t care that it’s taken me years to build up an audience of around 90k visits a month and a Domain Authority of 52 here on Swoon Worthy. That a post I do on a brand can generate hundreds of thousands of views over the course of a year or over a few years.
That long-form content, well-placed SEO and a Google or Pinterest search can bring many more eyes to their brand then an Instagram post which will only get eyeballs on it for a day or two until people have forgotten about it. They only care how many followers I have. It just all feels so short-sighted.
The Rise of the “Influencer”
Add to that the rise of the ‘Influencer’ (hang on, just got a little sick in my throat typing that) where everyone just gets lumped together… I mean, what on earth do I have in common with someone who was on the first season of Love Island or the Kardashians? And of course, there are so many people on there who are cheating the system buying followers, likes and engagement or misleading their followers by not disclosing ads or accepting money to shill products they neither use nor love. They give the entire industry a bad name. This post is not about that (I actually talked about why I hate the phrase here) but yeah, that makes the entire platform just feel a bit… icky.
So what’s the answer? Do I spend more time on Instagram as that’s where the audience is? Do I continue blogging because that’s where my heart really is? Do I just do what I do now which is spend nominal amounts, splitting my time between each platform? I’m not sure.
I do know I don’t want to give up my blog. With the changes in the algorithm on Instagram hitting everyone hard, it seems foolish to put all my eggs in what amounts to someone else’s basket. I’m seeing more and more Instagrammers starting their own blogs, a sort of insurance for any possible impending fallout.
Maybe in a few years’ time, things will change again because it’s inevitable. I’ve been around long enough to know that it always does. People have been saying ‘blogging is dead’ every single year I’ve been blogging and that’s not happened yet (clearly not if you are reading this, right?) so I am not ready to give it up.
I’m just debating at this point where to go from here and I’d love to know how you feel about Instagram or if you prefer it to blogs. If you feel happy to keep up with both, do you have a preference and why? If you are a creator, what’s your personal preference? Let me know in the comments what you think (so old school, right?)!
Oh my gosh I’m so glad someone has finally come out and said it! I like Instagram, but I only have it because I feel like i should.
I love your analogy that Instagram is just a quick snack. I think it gives a brief overview of your life and style but for all the real information in detail, a blog is much better. Plus, my blog is mine whereas my Instagram account belongs to Instagram, and not to me.
I also struggle with the platform but will continue to begrudging plod a long with it.
Oh I feel like that too – I have it because I know I ‘should’! And totally agree – I love that my blog is my own and I don’t have to worry about algorithms or people not seeing my posts etc. I struggle with it too but I’m pleased I’m not alone in that! Thanks so much for your comment, lovely! xxx
I agree with absolutely everything you’ve said! I couldn’t agree more. I absolutely love my blog and actually feel Instagram quite a chore. I find it annoying when brands just want to work with me on ‘Instagram content’, it’s so short sighted. As a lover of interiors I also don’t feel a lot of new Instagram ‘interior’ accounts actually are that much about interiors and as their numbers rise turn it into a voyeur accounts just about them. Blogs will always be for the dedicated people who know and love their niche the most and that’s why I will always read them !
Thanks so much for your comment Melanie because I see you as someone who has the balance so right! You have amazing content on both your IG and your blog (PLEASE TEACH ME YOUR WAYS or are you actually Beyonce and have a whole extra day in your week? lol) ;) But it really is annoying and there’s been such a shift in marketing spend – they all just want IG which will be forgotten within days. And oh my god yes about the voyeur accounts… that is not what I see as a true valuable blog! Couldn’t agree more with you xx
I so much prefer reading a blog.
Instagram is … well, unfulfilling really. The snapshots are just that, and very few folk do a long text post underneath- it’s mostly just meaningless #hashtags. Literally just words saying nothing!
The few instagrammers I do follow “properly” do write more content, and do the education and emotional sharing you wrote about above… but I personally really dislike the short text sentences that are mostly the norm. And the photos that are just on repeat showing a beautiful kitchen (admittedly) every few days but just from a Different angle, and an inane comment about ‘sunny Saturday!’ Or ‘Friday again, here’s a pretty cocktail picture’ – I don’t care!
Give me a fab blog every day, feels to me the difference between junk food (instagram) and a wonderful enjoyable proper meal! (Blog).
I love Instagram but I also love a blog. I didn’t have any children when I started reading yours I now have 2! I have less time to read it but love that I can look back at all the things I have missed. Instagram is good for a quick fix but I love a blog for a good read. Yours is one of the few that I always come back to.
I love Insta, but I don’t prefer DIYers who are ONLY on Insta. I like an in-depth look at a project or space, and I live by being able to pin inspirations or tutorials for future projects of my own. I’m actually shocked when I come across someone who has a great feed, but then find out they have no blog. How can you show an in-depth room makeover in a few photos and a caption? Not my jam at all, keep up the blogging please! :)
Oh I know what you mean, Kelly! If I want to really get into the ‘meat’ of something, I find it so disappointing when there’s nothing but a short caption or just a quick video without much detail. I’m so glad you’re still enjoying the blog!! :) xxx
Ooh, this is such an interesting debate! And as someone who has been (sporadically, craply!) blogging for 7 years now I get what you mean about the change in the blogging scene and for Instagram to seem the place to be these days. I do love Instagram, because I can connect with people in a way that feels face-to-face (especially through talky stories – I confess, I rarely browse my feed anymore – it’s all about the story interaction for me) which with blogs, although you can really get to know a lot about them, it’s not quite the same as hearing them chat to you. For example, one blogger I followed for 4 years got the courage to speak on Stories and I suddenly realised she had a super strong Scottish accent – something fairly key about her (she was Scottish) which I had no idea from reading her posts! Just that kind of thing I love Instagram for.
But I am still here every lunchbreak reading my favourite blogs too – I will always choose longform detailed content over Insta comments and I am definitely not going away, and I am certain I am not alone in this. And I often google blog posts for information or recipes or inspiration, in a way I don’t tend to use Instagram.
I think for now, it’s a combo of both, but as you say, things will change as always, and the best place to have put your efforts is the blog you own! So now I need to practice what I preach and spend half as much time blogging as I do wittering over on Stories! xx
Ahh thanks so much for your comment, Anna! It’s funny but I do actually really enjoy the chatty Stories – in fact, I spend a lot more time on Stories than I do the feed! Ha! And I do like that you feel you can get to know people on a different sort of level with it – so yes, I really do think it has its place! I guess it’s just finding the right balance that’s challenging because I know people use blogs and Instagram for different reasons and trying to find time to do both well… I may need to clone myself! LOL! xxx
This was such a refreshing post to read. I’ve more or less given up using Instagram, partly because I don’t want to spend the time on it needed to ‘keep up’, but also because it so often feels superficial and hollowly consumption-driven. I’ve been a bit saddened to see so many bloggers cutting back their posts significantly as they place increasing emphasis on Instagram. There’s a quality vs quantity metaphor in here somewhere…
Funny, Heather, because I actually had that exact same thought over the last day or so – it DOES feel like ‘quantity over quality’ on Instagram. For instance, I only have so many rooms in my home to share and so I hate just posting what is essentially the same images repeatedly – my IG audience doesn’t seem to mind but I do because it doesn’t feel valuable at all. I’m a bit sad too that a lot of my own favourites rarely post on their blogs any more – I do hope the tide is turning! xxx
I see why you feel that way and it’s frustrating. I prefer blogs because I like to read stories that educate or inspire. Instagram captions are limited and some are directed at creating engagement (double tap if you agree). It’s easy for me to say I don’t care much about Instagram, but that’s because it’s not a source of income for me. As you say, change is inevitable. What will happen when more people join Instagram? What’s going to be the next TikTok?
I LOL’d at ‘double tap if you agree’! Ha! Yeah there’s way too much of that, it feels a bit desperate! It actually is a source of income for me (although not on the same level as the blog) which is why I’m so torn about how to concentrate on both that and the blog – I find it hard to do both! I ignored Snapchat so I am hoping I can successfully ignore TikTok as well ;) Who knows what will come next though! xx
Such an interesting post Kimberley.
Personally, I invest a lot of my time in Instagram as I find that clients look at it as an online portfolio and often say ‘oh, we loved your styling on Insta and then looked at your styling website’ !
It is a pain as it takes time but I use Planoly and prepare up to 4 days ahead and then don’t have to look at my phone.
That said I would ALWAYS tell people to maintain their blog as it’s your copyright and shows more of what you have to offer – industry experience and expert advice. It’s also a great platform to expand your business and up-sale in other areas (consultancy, shop etc)
I see Insta as my shop window and my blog is my actual shop…
Love your insightful posts xx
P.S Sorry about the ‘e’ in your name / that’s what you get when you type fast!!
Oh gosh, don’t worry, it happens so often, I generally don’t even notice! lol xx
I think that blogs are making a comeback (they seemed to dwindle A little when IG broke through in a big way) and I think more people are blogging and I still enjoy reading them and writing my own posts. I think IG has it’s place to promote your blog or business and to interact with likeminded folk on an instant basis but the blog is here to stay I think. I hope!
I so hope that’s the case Vicki but I do think the tides are turning as well!! *fingers firmly crossed* ;) xx
I don’t follow any one on Istagram. As others have mentioned, I like longer, in-depth projects that Instagram can’t provide. I follow blogs I like via Bloglovin.
Although it seems unlikely given how much media attention it gets, I reckon there are a LOT of people who aren’t really on Instagram Cyndi – nice to know you’re out there! ;) xxx
I think in your line of work, it makes complete sense to use it the way you do, Pippa and I do think there’s a place for it :) I just struggle to invest the time that seems required to really see growth and I’d rather invest that time into my blog – I have tried scheduling ahead but the only time my IG posts do well is when I’m on the platform when I post (and stay on it for some time) – otherwise they just bomb lol xx
I hear you. I do think Insta’s time is limited. I guess for you the ideal scenario is to use Insta and stories simply promote your blog posts, that way you’re not doubling up and simply using the platform as a marketing tool…It’s exhausting, isn’t it! xx
This is exactly how I’ve been feeling!! But I’m just as guilty as you mention of not reading many blogs myself anymore! This is actually the first post I’ve commented on for a while so I’m making a change to read more of my favourites and comment on the posts I love – just like this one xxx
Aww thank you for commenting! I agree, I need to make more effort because I actually really enjoy it! Sadly I think a lot of people I used to follow have given up on their blogs or rarely post any more. Looks like I need to find some new peeps to follow ;) xx
Well, I know it’s quite unusual but… I’m not on Instagram or Stories at all. I love blog reading and although I don’t take time to comment much, if ever, I’m a faithful reader. I love your Swoonworthy style in your beautiful home!! 🖤
I actually don’t think it’s that unusual MG! I think there are more out there than the media likes to admit ;) And I’m so happy to have you here, it means the world to me! Mwah! xxx
Yes, to all the above. I have started to get a bit bored with Instagram and prefer the realness of blogs so I’m back to hunting out blogs to read.
Blogger is still out there, free and easy to use if anyone is looking for an easy way to start one.
I’m feeling the same Lynn, I need to find some great blogs again! And you’re absolutely right – you can just pick up and start blogging if you fancy it – there are easy ways to do it (I had forgotten that myself so thanks for the reminder!) ;) xx
I definitely prefer blogs… I use instagram because I feel like I HAVE to. But I really prefer the long prose blogging offers… I also love seeing more in depth and behind the scenes and won’t sit and watch stories for that. I want to save ideas and posts and be able to reference and I find that I prefer blogs for doing that. I love that I get more people in my community there and more reach, but we all know it’s quality vs quantity anyhow… It’s now how wide your net is but how deep it goes, and I much prefer to go deep than wide. All the best fish are in the deep seas anyhow!
I couldn’t agree more with every word, Cassie! You can go so much deeper with a blog (especially one that’s well written and really pulls you in) and it’s so much easier to save things you love and reference back to them! “All the best fish are in the deep seas” – I LOVE THIS!! Yes, so much yes! xxx
Really fab post Kimberly. I’m totally torn between blogging and insta. They are separate identities. I can reveal more of ‘me’ on insta with Stories and chatty posts but offer more advice and help with my blog.
I’ve not been checking with blogs as much as I used to as my time is so precious. But with growth so slow on the app, I wonder how long before people quit? I’ve noticed a drop off over xmas when people may have decided to stop endlessly scrolling….
GAH! I just wish there was space for both insta and blogging :)
Anway, I’m sure this is a conversation we’ll be having more in the future.
Hi Kimberly, a fab post. I know I’ve said this before but yours is the only blog i read i can’t find another one i enjoy as much or looks as good, and i think they seem at the moment to be getting less and less. It was with your encouragement i started on insta and ive really enjoyed it and made new friends and its easy for me to do, but i know my own limitations and i would never be able to wright a blog i really do take my hat off to you. The only thing i will say is look at the awards you keep winning, amazing, that if nothing else says it all, you atr one talented person. I think my than anything its finding a balance between the two. The thing i don’t like about Instagram is how clicky it is and how people can make you feel like your not good enough, and its not a nice feeling. Just carry on as you are going you are doing a wonderful job and it wouldn’t be the same without you. Xxx
Ahh thank you lovely and this is why I said I do think there’s a place for it – there are some benefits and I’m pleased you’ve been able to enjoy it and create your own content so easily on the platform! But yes, it can be very clique-y and I think the whole ‘highlight reel’ can be really soul-destroying for some. With a blog post, I can go into so much more detail of the story behind the pretty pictures – what went wrong, what I didn’t think about, lessons I learned, how long it took etc etc. I find it hard to do that on an IG post! But thanks for the encouragement, I just find the balance really difficult! xxx
I think I’m having exactly the same issue with trying to find space for both! I agree, I do really enjoy Stories (it’s probably the one aspect I quite like!) but feel I offer so much more value via my blog. I’m really hoping there will be a shift — and if the ‘bubble’ doesn’t necessarily burst, that people start to see the value in both reading and writing blog posts again! xxx
I never got on with Instagram. I have it and spend maybe 5-10 minutes on it a day, I rarely post and I follow only a handful, of accounts. If an account starts advertising at me, I unfollow them straight away, not because I’m opposed to some advertising, but because Insta advertising is for the most part excessive and dishonest. Instagram used to be the place for the bloggers, artists and brands to put up snippets of their current work, but over the years it’s morphed into a platform for showing off and stealth advertising. I can’t stand the ease with which people fake their appearance, lifestyle, followers and stats, the constant shilling of branded products is very off-putting to me and the entire platform just seems desperate and depressing. I’m an old-school blogger, years ago I used to write fiction online, post some photos I’ve taken, and some inspiration, but as I got more serious about writing I neglected my blog and stopped. I was on both Facebook and twitter for a while, and found them good for sharing information, but as they got taken over by advertising and weird changes in ToS, they lost their appeal. So to me there is no contest, a nicely curated blog is like a new little world you can enter, it’s more intimate and comprehensive and the information they share is more authentic. Also, one has to be reasonably eloquent, literate, and talented in order to generate content in the long term, which is something I appreciate. I do think Instagram, just like the rest of (anti)social media, has generally brought out the worst in people. Brands got greedy for quick exposure and a quick buck and it’s gotten to a point where if I see a brand throwing free stuff at an entitled influencer on Instagram or YouTube it’ll put me off buying from them for good. I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. So I hope blogs carry on, I think they are by far the best online platform.
You are definitely NOT alone in feeling this way, Maya! There are so many people who are just frustrated and annoyed and while I will say that there are many hard-working content creators on the platform, sadly, there are a lot who are dishonest or just in it for the fame without any real value. I don’t blame you for being so turned off it all! It turns me off too! xxx
I have been a fan since you were featured on Young House Love. I still read blogs most every day and follow just a few people on Instagram. I find that I don’t check Facebook, Insta, Twitter very often anymore. I actually moved my icons from the home screen on my phone and turned off auto-notifixations. I read blogs through Blog Lovin and Feedly. I enjoy your blog immensely.
Oh wow, that was so long ago – I’m so happy you’re still reading Nicole! That honestly just means so much to me – genuinely, it really does! I turned off all my notifications as well – it just ends up being such a time-waster, doesn’t it? I’m so pleased you are still enjoying blogs too – I’d love to know if you have any favourites, I need to find some new ones to read ;) xxx
I like design indulgence by Sherry Hart, SoPo Cottage, Addicted 2 Decorating, Maria Killam. They are all vastly different styles and points of view, but I enjoy each for different reasons!
I don’t comment often, first time even?, but I have followed you for over a year and to say that I much prefer the blog. I love reading your musings, how you thought about the designs or went about doing certain things. It gives me infinitely more than just inspo pictures
Keep blogging!!!!
None of my favorite blogs post as often anymore. But I still check in daily so as not to miss any updates. They’ve all moved on to IG, and tbh their content stinks. No more tutorials, no more great before and afters, no more clear organized structured content that I can sink my teeth into.
I follow IG to view beautiful pictures. I follow blogs to get real usable content that can influence my own space and DIY projects. ALSO – bloggers never made me feel like I was doing something wrong with my life, however, IG’s “best life” culture really makes me feel like I’ve dropped the ball somehow.
I miss the good old days when Jenny Komenda posted beautiful DIYs and YHL was always tackling big projects and breaking them down into doable tasks. Same with this blog, no one can invest anymore because the readers have flocked to IG. It’s a bummer. I keep waiting for people to get sick of superfluous quick and easy (everything, from content – to food – to shopping). Lets go back to investing our time and having quality over quantity please…
Yes!!! Everything you said just YES!
I completely agree with every word you said. I have very similar feelings and wrote a blog post a little while ago about why I had a break from Insta. It is one of my most read and commented on blog posts. Everyone always says how supportive Instagram is and yes on the one hand it is but there’s also a very dark side to it too that no one speaks out about yet we all know it goes on. I think eventually brands will realise that although it works it isn’t sustainable long term and has no SEO value either. Not to mention that some collaborations I see just look wrong. Value brands working with people who would never shop there for instance. It not only makes the brand look foolish but the influencer loses any integrity they had. Keep on with your blog lovely, I have been a reader for years and will continue to do so. I’m not giving up on mine either even though it’s so hard to get a foothold when you’re a newbie, I do it because I love it. x
Hi Kimberly. I found this article really fascinating as well as the comments.
When I stumbled across your blog about 6 years ago, I was still working my office job and dreaming of my escape. I thought I’d be blogging regularly like you, but I had no idea how hard it is. It takes a lot of time as you say, and although I’d escaped the office job, I didn’t have a lot of time to dedicate to creating quality blog posts.
I plucked up courage to open an Instagram account and have used that ever since. HOWEVER, I am so bored of it. When I started it in 2015 ish, I thought it was supposed to be a quick, (instant?) visual medium; all about the photos with just a few words underneath. Then I realised that some people were going on and on (and on), posting whole dissertations, and more photos. It was a real turn off and I quickly stopped following them.
Slowly but surely, Instagram has become more about promoting the ‘polished’ accounts and about ‘branding’ and numbers of followers than anything else. It’s about how they can make money from users.
I follow a wide range of accounts for all sorts if different reasons and have a small number of followers, but I’ve noticed that I am less and less motivated to post. I don’t really need loads of followers as such and the algorithm is making it harder to compete. And as you say, if you don’t keep up, you’ll soon be invisible. For me, it’ll go the way of my Facebook page which is more of a digital ‘holding spot’ really.
I am one of those people who has found real friends, who I’ve met in real life, and bought things from brands I’d never heard of all because of Instagram. I’m grateful for it for that. But it’s not what it was and I’ve no idea where it’s going.
Blogging well and regularly is hard, but I’m going to try and get back to it. This is a really thought provoking post – thank you!
I have recently joined the crowd trying to start a diy home décor instagram. Hahaha well I hate instagram so far. Instagram has changed to make it so you have to have engagement in order to be seen. I get the idea, but for the type of platform it is, it just doesn’t work. I use to get on instagram to get inspired and share pictures of my kids. Now I see the rat race it is. I feel like the majority of people on insta are just trying to get followers and likes- now I’m included in this. So I decided to start and blog. And you’re right it’s a lot harder to start one. It’s not even up and running yet, but I’m still more excited about pursuing it than instagram. I think blogs do generate a genuine, loyal following. Because instagram is just full of other people trying to get rich and famous fast. Also, I feel like google and Pinterest are still ahead when it comes to searching for inspiration. I know I use those more than insta- just because it’s more user friendly. And, I have found all my favorite blogs from google and Pinterest. I really don’t like instagram anymore. I can’t even get inspired because I know most instagrammers are trying to sell me something.
You have an uncanny ability to know what’s in my head and write it out as a very eloquent post! Haha! I share your feelings about all this, and I find myself torn. As I am renovating, I find it so much easier to share updates and half-decent spaces on instagram with a quick photo rather than keeping the audience waiting till I get around to shooting a whole space then blogging about it (I still haven’t done a photo shoot for any single space because my spare time is always prioritised for actually progressing with other spaces… sooo many jobs on my to do list!), so instagram has become my go to space. I get a lot of engagement on stories, a lot more than on grid posts, so I quite like posting not-yet-pretty updates on stories as people like seeing them and chatting to me about them. But all this engagement remains private in DMs. I really don’t have time to spend hours on the app in order to try to grow my numbers, so I have stopped caring about that. I do love reading my favourite few blogs though (yours is number 1)! Anyway, I could go on, but it would become a neverending essay!
Amen to all of that! I always say “I love Instagram but Instagram doesn’t love me!” I’m just better in long-form.
I’m not the person you have an instant connection with at a party because I’m so witty or instantly engaging; I’m the person two desks down from you at work, or your next door neighbor, who, over time, you realize is a valuable and trusted friend.
And I think that’s the difference between Instagram and blogs (I have a blog…and while Instagram may not love me, my blog DOES). That’s not BAD. Love at first sight and relationships built over time are both valid and to be valued. But I think different types of personalities shine at one or the other.
It’s not an either/or situation. The two platforms can support one another. BUT, I wonder if the “Instagram Only” people will be hurt in the long run as they have put all their eggs in one basket. What if Instagram disappears one day (as others have before it – MySpace was a Pretty Big Deal back in the day) or starts charging for use or WHATEVER. The point is you’re just renting space on Instagram and someday your landlord could kick you out. You OWN your blog home…and unless the INTERNET dies (as if), that space will always be yours.
So I use both, but my blog is my home, it’s where MY “community” is, a group of the loveliest people who have been around for the long-haul and continue to comment and support and share and be a part of things. My posting on Instagram is inconsistent as those just don’t feel like “my people,” but I love to follow OTHERS there, who educate, inspire, and entertain me.
And I also don’t believe “blogs are dead.” Things have definitely been trending towards Instagram the past few years but I think the pendulum will eventually swing back the other day. Brands will realize that blog posts have far more staying power than Instagram posts…and Instagrammers themselves will recognize a need for a home base.
I’m so happy to see others share my undying love for The Blog…even in the face of the colossus that is Instagram!
Bettye
Kat on January 27, 2020 at 7:34 pm
I so much prefer reading a blog.
Instagram is … well, unfulfilling really. The snapshots are just that, and very few folk do a long text post underneath- it’s mostly just meaningless #hashtags. Literally just words saying nothing!
The few instagrammers I do follow “properly” do write more content, and do the education and emotional sharing you wrote about above… but I personally really dislike the short text sentences that are mostly the norm. And the photos that are just on repeat showing a beautiful kitchen (admittedly) every few days but just from a Different angle, and an inane comment about ‘sunny Saturday!’ Or ‘Friday again, here’s a pretty cocktail picture’ – I don’t care!
Give me a fab blog every day, feels to me the difference between junk food (instagram) and a wonderful enjoyable proper meal! (Blog
Hi Kimberly!
I 100% agree with you on all counts! I’m so burnt out on IG that I’ve been doing a LOT of unfollowing this past month. I’m sad that some of the bloggers I used to adore/follow have switched from providing meals to serving up quick snacks. (Great analogy!) But I’m hoping that severely trimming my feed will get me back to a sort of ‘cream of the crop’ that will nourish my own interests while feeling less overwhelming.
I can imagine that the rise of IG and the ‘collateral blog damage’ may be impacting your ability to earn the income you deserve. You put out such enjoyable, quality content that I’m happy to report I’ve been following you since well before you adopted Quito! I’ll remain loyal regardless! I have a lot of faith in your skills, talent, and mojo that I see you surfing whatever industry waves come your way and coming out on top.
(On a related-but-separate note…) Then there’s the other end of the spectrum which I find just as defeating/unsatisfying/overwhelming — as exemplified by Emily Henderson’s approach. I used to enjoy the way she presented her content and the frequency with which she did it when she was a more ‘small potatoes’ blogger in the past. But her hyperdrive-speed content production (aided by a full and prolific in-house team of content creators) is too much like drinking out of a firehose. Borderline frenetic and manic. (Plus her body font is maddeningly small for my 53-year-old eyeballs.) Enough already. I’ve had to unsubscribe because every day I would just end up feeling FOMO way too much. There’s no way I can read all the interesting stuff she puts out. I prefer a slow drip, haha! I know that’s kind of an odd ‘complaint’: “You put out too much good stuff! Slow it down!” haha!
By contrast, I appreciate and respect your pace of blog posting so much more. I appreciate the sanity of it, and the deep care you put into everything you do. It feels sustainable and healthy. Rock on, woman! I’m here for it!
I as well love your analogy. I also have to confess I follow more IG accounts than blogs. That being said not all IG accounts have blogs to follow. There are several I wish they did and for the rest they provide a little variety to my feed. But I got to tell you girl I am here for the home cooked meal. I do not want to just smell the aroma wafting on the air. I want to sit at the table, knife and fork in hand and dig in and savoir every bite. Thank you for all of your hard work.
Hi Kimberly, first time commenter here! I am a long-time reader of blogs and have to say, feeling slightly abandoned lately by some favorite bloggers who seem to favor Instagram over a blog post. As an avid DIYer I can’t count the number of times I have revisited a blog post for a link, tutorial or inspiration (including yours). The frenetic pace of Instagram is not conducive to that. Quoting @Claire O’Connor above, “I appreciate and respect your pace of blog posting so much more. I appreciate the sanity of it… It feels sustainable and healthy.” I feel this applies to both reader and writer. For me, a good blog post read over breakfast or a cup of tea is something to look forward to, like the next chapter in a book that one can’t put down.
I really don’t enjoy Instagram, because it just doesn’t allow for much interaction. I’ve tried – tried being consistent with posting (although it was far less than recommended) and I tried to make sure to check in on those who had visited me. It’s a huge time sink for little satisfaction. Much prefer bloggers and blogging.
Great post!
Michelle
http://mybijoulifeonline.com
I personally love reading blogs and ‘catching up’ with the writer, as I agree with you, blog content allows for much more to be said. I’ve read your blog for years and it’s seen me through three house moves, providing a great source of ideas from rented to becoming a home owner – you’re the reason I’m starting to replace all my old glass furniture! I love list-form content and tips and that kind of content isn’t easy to convey over IG, it has to be blog content. I hope more bloggers return to their websites and give those the love they deserve as loyal blog readers are still out here!
I will always prefer blogs! They are just more enjoyable and indepth. Also, I agree that I have done Google searches for all sorts of things and ended up finding help in people’s ancient blog posts. They don’t expire – they are there to be found year after year.
And… if it wasn’t for out blogs… you, Alex and I would never have met!!!
Thank you so much for this Kimberly. My intention was always to create a blog because I often go to those myself when I’m planning projects or doing research. I then had major imposter syndrome because my Instagram following wasn’t high and so really why should I be creating a blog?! What do I know?! I had a talk to myself and I did start one and my aim this year is to put more effort and time into that because ultimately it’s something that I own. I found your comments about this really refreshing, so thank you. Lydia x
I think I only follow maybe 20 people on Instagram, and a third of those are family members. I think that format is designed to keep people scrolling, and I only have a limited time for that. Plus I hate the algorithm that decides which posts you see. I enjoy the accounts I do follow there, but I’m not inclined to follow every blogger I read there. When I first started blogging 13 years ago, the blogging community was more neighborly and less business-like. I hate that so much is influenced by how many followers one has, thus the pull to work the system.
A lot of what I read says no one can do every social media outlet, so choose the one where you have the most response to spend the most time on. Then handle the others lightly if at all. For me, I get the most interaction on my blog and a negligible amount on Facebook and Twitter, almost none on Instagram. So I still spend most of my time on my blog. That’s my favorite outlet, anyway.
Hi..just popped over from “Decor to Adore” with Laura Ingalls Wilder..She and i began blogging when Blogging was relatively new and in its infancy.. Am so glad she still carries the flame and passion.. so few have managed to do that for many reasons.
I love blogs! for all the reasons mentioned above..and more. I’ve made many friends over the years and managed to meet quite a few in real life! I will always continue to follow my favorites as well as checking out newly discovered ones.
Instagram holds nothing for me..so i rarely even visit it..
gonna follow along with you as Laura highly recommended it!!
Please don’t stop your beautiful inspiring blog!!
thanks!
Hello, Kimberly. I came here via Decor to Adore because the topic of this really hit me. First off, I don’t do instagram, though I follow a (very) few people but it seems I never go there. I do blog and have for 12 years. Over that time, my blog as evolved (as I have) and now is more a potpourri of whatever it is that’s on my mind, on the art table, in my camera or in my life. I don’t monetize because I don’t have the time. Or, frankly, the inclination. Some do it well, others turn me off by being so blatant. I choose to just hang out and live my life out loud on Marmelade Gypsy. To me, the blog is part the catharsis of writing and sharing and in greater part, the community that has come into my world because of it. I’ve met so many wonderful bloggers in person, not at blog conferences but because we have become friends and shared our lives and passions in this unique form. I reply to anyone with an email address and often and in time, those replies end up developing into long email exchanges and even phone conversations. I have stayed with bloggers in London, Amsterdam, Missouri and Michigan; enjoyed lunches in Paris and meet-ups with fellow two fellow bloggers in Chicago. When I’ve been ill they’ve comforted me and I have done the same for them. We’ve had long phone chats and swap holiday gifts. I didn’t start blogging for that. But by revealing so much of ourselves this way, we become friends. Not all of us. But many.
I don’t instagram because I don’t have time to follow one more thing. I have a life. I value connection — not just “likes” or “hearts.” Real connection. And from all I’ve seen there, it doesn’t do that. The world operates too fast these days. Why go to the bookstore or shopping when your purchase can arrive on your doorstep in 48 hours or less? Why pick up the phone to call someone when you can email in 30 seconds?
When people come to my blog, they may see a nature walk or a travel post; an art project or my Baby Grands; favorite links or a favorite recipe; thoughtful words or loads of images. It isn’t the same everyday, not only art or decor or travel. But what they do find is me. And on their blogs, I find them. Instagram flies by. Blogs let me stop and savor. And I love to savor.
I know I’m late to this conversation, but I’ve just now caught up to this post. Which is a good example of my vote to ALWAYS BLOG PLEASE! I like Insta as much as anyone, but there’s no substitute for the personal, in depth content that you so graciously gift us with on this platform. And the fact that I can catch up on my time and never miss out. In fact, I rather LIKE to stock pile your inspiring posts and feast on the meal! Thank you, Kimberly! Rock on!
I just saw this via another blog I was reading. I never look at instagram, only read blogs. Instagram is about as satisfying to me as a snack, all junk food no good meals. When I do click on a blog post that highlights someone’s image and it turns out to be instagram the 1st thing I do is check to see if they have a blog, if so I go to the blog to check them out, if not I click out. Instagram photos overwhelm me and confuse what I’m trying to sort out…the look or project or resource or color combo I’m interested in, which is the reason I’m on the computer to start with. All that stimuli makes me forget who I am & what I want because suddenly the possibilities are endless. And, for me, they feel like the airbrushed, retouched version of of a model in an advertisement, an illusion, not real, created to make me want something I don’t have and that something doesn’t even exist in realty anyway. Harsh, yes. But honest. Bloggers are real people doing real things with real effort and sweat equity. I can emulate that when I want to. I can appreciate it when I don’t want that idea or want to work that hard to get it. When I read a book I first want to know who the author is, what their worldview is. I guess that’s what I get with blogs. I’m the geek who actually reads the About page :)
Oh my goodness, you put into words everything I’ve thought about Instagram! I’m really only on there because I feel like I need to be, but I enjoy the process of blogging SO much more. I keep hearing blogging is dead too, which is discouraging after putting four years in and not seeing a ton of growth, but I keep at it because I love it and it fulfills my three creative passions (writing, interior design, and photography). I still follow a few blogs, including yours, and I totally agree that you “get to know” someone more from their blogs. Also, I’ve thought in the past that I had great community on Instagram, but if I take a break, no one notices, so it obviously isn’t that great! It’s late and my thoughts are jumbled, but I love this post so much!