Are You Doing This on Instagram? If Not, You Should Be

Social media sometimes feels like the devil incarnate. But if you're a photographer trying to harness social media for your business or your brand, then you have to play the smart game. For Instagram users, this will help you.

For a long time, I was an avid Instagram user. When it first came out in 2010, it was exactly what I'd been looking for and a perfect alternative to Facebook, which I didn't really see as a huge help to photographers at the time. Over the years, I played around with it a lot and felt like it was a real opportunity to reach people, more specifically, potential customers around the world, without having to pay. It was a win for everyone. Then, Facebook bought it, eviscerated its soul, and turned it into Facebook with pictures. The algorithms changed and so did the user experience. Today, Instagram has gone down the short videos route, Reels, and that's seen me pull away further, which is fine, because I have other things that take precedence in my life, but if you're still trying to use Instagram to build a living, then I don't think you can walk away without trying to adapt.

And that brings us to this great video by Evan Ranft, in which he talks about three kinds of Reels that every photographer should make. If you're like me, you cringe and wince when you think about making a Reel and images of dancing around float through your head. But when Ranft talks, it's a good idea to at least listen, as he has 150,000 followers on Instagram and 250,000 followers on YouTube, meaning he knows how to play the social media game well. Funnily enough, the first point he makes touches on what I alluded to above: with so many people turned off by Reels and leaving Instagram, you're in a good position to place yourself ahead of your competition if you embrace Instagram's changes instead of running from them. Ranft also discusses reasons Reels can help you grow your profile, so give it a look and let me know your attitude to  Reels, Instagram, and social media in general.