Rethinking Instagram as a super fun best friend
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The dance Instagram makes you do in order to be rewarded by its algorithms is like asking a drummer to clap out of time.
Hi Sparklers,
I’m delighted to be bringing you a GORGEOUS guest post from one of my members
today. Nicola and I spoke about this post months ago and I wanted to be in a place where I’d been using my IG consistently before I brought it over to you.With Instagram, I LOVE the visuals, I love the connection, I love being playful with manychat as an assistant. When I tried to use it to feel closer to people in my life post pandemic when I was lonely it actually made me feel MORE lonely…
It’s been a huge breakthrough to change up my relationship with IG.
I listened to
speak with for Anna’s podcast The Burnout Rebellion recently and had SO many mic drop moments re my relationship with IG.These are two voices you need to tune into in this space and over there too.
See you there?
Claire
✨
Part 1: Rethinking Instagram as a Writer
The magic ingredient in your Instagram content might not be what you think it is.
I’m perhaps a bit too fond of saying that the only book marketing and promotion that’s easy, is the book marketing and promotion you don’t do — I know, cheery (sorry). But the truth is, as much as we like to think otherwise, the grunt work of hawking our own wares has always formed part of a writer’s life.
In a recent interview here with author Jen Louden, who has published 8 books over a 30-year period, she shared how she sometimes smiles quietly to herself when writers say, ‘Why can’t I just write?’ because she knows it has never been that way.
And Aimee McNee recently went even further in a brilliantly funny piece called, 'I wanted to be a writer, not a content creator' in which she explodes the myth that authors didn’t used to have to do their own marketing, by citing Charles Dickens’ relentless book tours, Hemingway’s self-branding, and Beatrix Potter’s influencer marketing strategy (yes, really) as evidence.
Unfortunately, for most writers, most of the time, some degree of self-drive is necessary if you’re going to get the word out about your books.
The good news is that in many ways this is now easier than it’s ever been before, thanks to these portals to other worlds we all hold in the palm of our hands.
At this point though, someone usually groans and tells me that you hate Instagram.
You hate feeling like you have to perform.
You hate chasing trends and followers and feeding the content-hungry machine.
You hate feeling lost and confused and ignored and like no one cares.
And, to be honest, fair enough. I’m not going to pretend that Instagram — or any other social media platform — is a honey-dewed Utopia where the air smells of rainbows.
🍯 🌈 ✨
But I am going to daringly suggest that there are ways of using it that, yes, do require some effort, but might not make you feel like crap.
Part 2: Fun, Passion & Connection — A Kinder Way to Create Content
Mainstream Instagram marketing culture is fixated on optimising ‘performance,’ and values measurable metrics such as reach, views, likes, and follower counts above all else.
In some contexts this is a totally legitimate approach, but in my work with writers and authors, I’ve learned that in order for you to show up and give your books the best possible chance of finding their readers, you have to approach things a bit differently.
Many writers and authors care deeply about the way the platform FEELS, and are less willing to do whatever it takes to score points, which means the dance Instagram makes you do in order to be rewarded by its algorithms is like asking a drummer to clap out of time.
But what if that’s not the only dance?
What if you have control of your own drum?
Subverting the dominant definition of ‘success’ on Instagram is one of my pet projects, not least because if writers and authors dislike using Instagram, you won’t show up — and that’s the quickest way for it not to work.
So the first thing I would invite you to do is consider what is more important to you:
the number of people who follow your account, or the number of conversations you start with your content?
the number of views your reels get, or that one person who DMs you to let you know you’ve made them feel seen and heard for the first time?
the number of transactions your Instagram account directly generates, or the connections you build over time (which may lead to future book sales — or not)?
conforming to content formats that ‘please’ the algorithms, or using it in a way that protects your peace?
Focus your attention on what matters to you, rather than what Instagram culture has told you is important, and you might find you start to feel differently about spending time using the app.
The second thing you can do is add an under-rated ingredient into your content: start to have some fun!
What is fun for you?
As a writer, having fun with your content should be fairly easy. Not necessarily because you’re a performer, and are going to entertain your way into your readers’ hearts (although if you are, then please continue!), but because you’re writing a book about a subject or story you’re passionately interested in.
If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to leave behind narrow definitions of what fun is — you don’t have to sing or dance or skit in order to have it, and you don’t have to worry what the ‘cool kids’ have ordained as fun — because your ideal readers will find fun in the same places you do.
It might also be wise to hold the word, ‘fun,’ lightly. In fact, in some instances, it might be better to replace it with ‘passions.’
Finding fun can look like:
Crawling around in the mud looking at moss, lichen, and slime moulds, while making links between your scientific enquiry and the human experiences you explore in your books, like author of Matrescence (and four other books) @lucyfjones.
Creating comedy sketches that humorously reflect your reality in ways that resonate with your audience, like @cariadlloyd and her satirical therapist Dr Katy.
Taking photographs of the glorious landscapes and wildlife that surround where you live, and coupling it with beautiful passages of writing, like Vanessa Wright @elgeeko1506.
Quietly connecting with people who have similar experiences to yours, and bonding over those shared realities, like @jennieagg.
Gently sharing your passion for a personal area of interest, that may not explicitly be connected to your writing, but you know there are threads that draw it all together, like Huma Qureshi does on her account, https://www.instagram.com/humaqureshiwriter/
Creating an entire online persona based on the main character from your book, like satirist and novelist @leighstein.
Making amusing videos of your dogs, complete with voiceovers and bow ties, like @authorabbeyjimenez, whose videos are rarely about her books, but perfectly recreate their warm, gently humorous, uncomplicated vibes.
The benefits of making it fun for yourself
The social media marketing purist in me is now insisting that by following the fun, your account might grow more slowly (new followers = new prospective readers, after all) than it would if you optimised every piece of content to death and used all the ‘correct’ tactics.
But the disruptive book marketer in me argues back that there are times when ‘optimising’ content is what kills the originality and slightly unhinged energy that can make it really work. And as for tactics: they are the seasoning of the marketing world, and no one can live on salt alone.
Following the fun will work because it:
appeals to your ideal reader because they’re interested in similar things as you
increases the likelihood of genuine connection and conversation with your ideal readers — engagement is a crucial signal to Instagram’s algorithms that tell it to show your content to more people, so #winning
is engaging and infectious because when you look like you’re having fun and nurturing your passions, the right people will want to be part of that
creates a feeling of community — people who enjoy your content are more likely to act as digital surrogates, spreading the word about your book without you lifting your finger
means you’re more likely to show up consistently over a period of time
Instagram wants us to believe that likes, views, and follower counts are what matters, but if it makes you miserable, you’re not going to do it.
Do yourself a favour and try following the fun ❤️ ✨
✍️
Some prompts to help you think about what might be fun for you on Instagram:
What lights you up in your real life?
Knitting, gardening, cooking, your dogs, your cats, politics, sea swimming, films, podcasts, reading — whatever it is, make sure there is some of this in your content.What post formats feel good to you?
If you like taking photos — TAKE PHOTOS!
If you love sharing your thoughts by talking to camera — TALK TO CAMERA!
If you like to edit carefully to make a nuanced point — CREATE CAROUSEL POSTS!
Prioritise doing what pleases you over pleasing The Algorithm.What stories might you tell?
You’re a writer — telling stories is what you’re good at. You could tell stories about times you were in similar situations to your characters; or about a time you wish you’d known what you know now; or about a time you’ve experienced the challenge your book will help other people with. You don’t have to make the link to your book explicit — JUST HAVE FUN TELLING THE STORY.Can you think of ways of talking about your book that would be fun for you?
Perhaps a monthly update on your writing/publishing progress, or a round-up of what you’ve been reading or researching?
If you love doing readings, why not create some in Reels?
If you enjoy talking about the topics in your book with other people, why not interview someone else on a Live?Think about what else would make posting feel good for you.
Would it help to share your ‘stage’ and focus some of your content on other people?
You could feature other writers, poets, artists — people whose work you love and want other people to know about.
Thanks SO much
for sharing your wisdom, you can subscribe to her brilliant Substack and membership here…
This is a GREAT post to start with…
💬 Finally, why not drop you IG url in the comments and circle back and CONECT with some other sparklers over there over the weekend. Dare you to drop someone you LOVE a voice note?
✨
 | A guest post by
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Hey folks, incase we're not connected, here's my IG, I'd love to connect over there - https://www.instagram.com/creatively.conscious
I’ve almost deleted my Instagram account a number of times over the last year because I can’t dance to the tune 🎶 of the algorithm so this resonates with me. I’ll stay a little longer with my own beat https://www.instagram.com/sarahdrees.co.uk?igsh=MWV0cnk1c3FkNXNoeQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr