I have not written an Instagram update post in a bit, and that was deliberate. I have decided to stop obsessing over the numbers and just engage like I would normally do on other platforms. Instagram is the most annoying social media platform ever. I find it super annoying and I would tell you why.

The algorithm has made it almost impossible to grow your Instagram page organically. Which has led to many buying likes and followers, hiring bots and other management companies to “manage” their Instagram page. Most of these bots and management companies use the follow/unfollow technique which is super annoying, but I guess it works for the accounts they build right?

I had a popular Instagram Influencer follow me some days ago. We are quite cordial online and follow each other on Twitter, so I followed immediately and even liked/commented on a few photos, without thinking much about it. Only for me to notice this Instagram Influencer has unfollowed me the next day. I unfollowed back immediately and was pissed off for a few minutes, but then I realised it must have been a bot or managing company up to their dirty tricks. So I stopped being angry.

This Instagram Influencer is known for growing such a massive following in a short time, and is always writing about how to grow your Instagram following. However,one important point this person keeps forgetting to mention, was the bot/management company bit. I guess there are somethings better left unsaid right? Looking at it this way, if this person divulge all the secrets, they won’t be so massive anymore, and everyone would see through the fakery! Which is why the struggle to make money blogging is so real now. Too many frauds about.

I can understand why many are desperate to build their Instagram following. I was desperate myself some months ago, but not desperate enough grow my following with fake followers or likes. It is so easy for me to spot shady Instagram pages. So I know it would be easy for many others to spot it too. When an average photo with few hashtags is getting thousands of likes in less than 24 hours, I usually smell a rat. A few minutes of looking at the page a little further usually confirms my suspicion.

It is good that I am not one to dwell on other people’s actions. I am too busy doing to dwell. My Instagram following is growing steadily, and I am happy with the growth. My engagement is also growing as well, which is great. I am trying to spend more time on Instagram to grow my account properly. So I am liking and commenting on photos I really like, collaborating with other bloggers, and updating my Instagram page as often as I can.

How are you growing your Instagram?