8 July 2021: The Instagram Kerfuffle

If you reside on Instagram at all lately, you'll likely notice that many people are upset following an announcement about upcoming changes to the app.

Here's the thing: websites and apps are bound to change because the companies running them are driven by profits over anything else. That's just the reality of the situation. All we can do is make adjustments and decide if we want to engage with the platform anymore.

I, personally, don't have the time or tech know-how to create content videos for my feed all the time, so I'll likely stick with my current content schedule. Other writers, though, have made the following suggestions for video content:

• Aesthetic videos (similar to moodboards)

• Advice/writing tips

• Character memes

• Book recommendations

More options exist, but I won't list them all.

What's important is to remember that you aren't obligated to change your content. What may appeal to the 'algorithm' and what may appeal to your people can be different, so whatever choice you make is valid. Photo-sharing is still a part of the app, even if it's no longer the sole focus.

Another tip I recently came across is to minimize the number of hashtags you use. Crazy, right? Rather than using the full 30, it's recommended to use around 6-8 tags so as not to confuse to algorithm. Once I decide which tags I want to utilize, it's all over for y'all.

Ultimately, Instagram is changing and we can change with it, or not. You know, you do you.