A lot has been said, dissected, written, and strategized about regarding Instagram’s push to Reels and video content. As a non-digital native who isn’t on TikTok either personally or professionally, I was and still not happy with this change. While as a creator I am still struggling on how to commit to, as well as produce more videos, as a businessperson, I wanted to take a moment to in fact say thank you to the powers that be at Instagram for making this change. A change that I still do not want, and I rather am uncomfortable with, but not from some personal growth/push past your comfort zone reason.  

Thank you, Instagram for turning your platform into TikTok. If you had not done this, I do not think I would have fallen back in love with blogging.

Thank you for reminding me that the content on my blog, and the business that comes from it, is truly the only content (and therefore revenue), I will truly ever own. Yes, SEO strategies come and go, and SEM, in general, can change, but they do not have the potential to essentially “tank” my business overnight like something as simple as hiding Likes, let alone change the entire algorithm or, in this case, platform experience.

I am not going to lie. I willingly turned my back on the blog in large part to the instant gratification that came with posting a well-crafted photo with a witty caption, and a hashtag or two (or 30?). It was easy and the success was quick! My engagement was in the thousands and offers rolled into my inbox without effort on my part. Agreements never included an actual blog post, only social. Why would I take time out of my overscheduled day to create something that nobody seemed to want or care about?

And I do this for a living! At the same time, I was letting my own blog slide, I was advising clients to maintain their blogs for many reasons, not just the ones written here. It wasn’t that I did not believe my own advice. I wasn’t following my own best practices because I was hooked on the quick fix. (This could lead into a whole other blog post on how successful I would be if I only did everything I tell my clients to do…..).

This reminds me of why I started blogging. I love to write. I know I am not the best at it. My writing can be clunky and a bit wordy, among other things, but I love the feeling of getting an idea, figuring out the right words to use to convey my message, adding personality, pressing publish, and having just one person appreciate what I wrote. It brings me joy. At a time when I am having a hard time in the joy department, but again, a story for another post.

Blogging makes me feel braver than I often think I am and a lot less alone in both my struggles and my joys as a woman, a mom, a business owner, a friend, and a human being.

So, thank you, Instagram for helping me rediscover blogging. I personally liked the social media experience better before you came on the scene, but I was too weak to resist.

As for the small but mighty readership I did have who read and commented on every post, I promise not to turn my back on you again.

Photography by Chie Endo