12 STAGES OF POSTING ON INSTAGRAM

Is an Instagram really ever instant anymore? You know that whatever you are seeing was carefully chosen and selected from a larger body of pictures taken trying to get the perfect angle. So why do you go through all of this? 

Since I have been taking part in Helene In Between's July Instagram challenge, I have spent quite a bit of time thinking about my Instagram strategy this month. It has been so much fun finding new bloggers through Instagram and seeing how creative everyone can get! But boy is it a lot of work to get a good Insta. And then once you post it, you get all self-conscious. Will this one be popular? Why did I get so many likes on this one and barely any on this one? 

Here's what we do when we "do it for the Insta": 

Stage 1. Take anywhere between 5 and 50 shots until you get it right.

Stage 2. Crop appropriately to leave out any imperfections. 

Stage 3. Likely adjust in some other app first (VSCOcam, Afterlight, etc.)

Stage 4. Alter until it is just how you want it, and then scroll through the filters to see if it could look any better. Is the vignette too much? 

Stage 5. To add a photo map or not? Real location or spice it up? 

Stage 6. Does anyone need to be tagged? Should I post it to other social media? 

Stage 7. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO CAPTION THIS? *Think about caption for a ridiculous amount of time.* Maybe I should text someone to get their opinion on this...

Stage 8. I don't think I'm going to post it.

Stage 9. It probably wouldn't even get that many likes anyway.

Stage 10. Should I have chosen a different shot?

Stage 11. Oh what the heck, I'm just going to post it. I have already spent an embarrassing amount of time on this.

Stage 12. Wait for the likes to roll in.

What do you do for the Insta? Did I miss aything?

P.S. You can find the July Instagram challenge with the #31PhotosInBetween! Come join the madness before it's too late!