There’s something nice about looking at a perfectly curated thread of photos, but it does make me a little suspect when the perfectly polished Instagram is for a personal lifestyle brand. Let me explain…
For all intents and purposes, Nikki Nurtures is a brand. I am Nikki Nurtures and Nikki Nurtures is me. Through personal blogs, my brand is a peak inside my life– an extension of me. My life is messy, full of ups and downs; it is badly lit selfies with my dog, mirror selfies, gym selfies… sometimes perfectly lit portraits, food photography, and nature shots, but for the most part, my Instagram serves as REALNESS. It is authentic because life is just that–messy.
I don’t know about you, but my life didn’t come with a pink filter or perfect whites. I’m not saying that your personal brand can’t be or shouldn’t be gorgeous, but if you’re branding yourself, it’s better to be authentic. It’s disheartening for some of us to see a lifestyle blogger portraying a life that we know they don’t live on the regular. I follow many bloggers and my favorites are the ones that learn something themselves and try to teach others. From there, most of us stop being lifestyle bloggers and become personal development bloggers– the keyword being ‘personal’. And no matter which category your blog falls into, it should remain personal.
So, back to your perfectly polished Instagram. Do you need one? I’d say the answer is no if you’re a personal brand. Let your content speak for itself and stop faking it. (Learn little tricks for taking better photos, even from your iPhone.) Designers, artists, clothing brands? Yes. If you’re selling something, your Instagram should look like a magazine.
What kind of #girlboss are you? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this because it’s something I’ve gone back and forth on for about 2 years now. But, I’m finally comfortable just marketing myself — even if it means less followers. Why? Because if you don’t want to READ my content, then I’m not the blogger to follow. You can find pretty pictures somewhere else. :drops mic:
14 Comments
Leave a Reply to Laurie Floyd Cancel reply
Lots of good points here. My Instagram feed is, for better or worse, the real me. I try to take nice photos, especially when I’m traveling, but I’m a writer, not a photographer, and the photos are just an extra!
Oh those perfect whites on Instagram! Some of them are so white they hurt my eyes. I prefer the real me, genuine. Who I am and the truth comes through on my IG and I am perfectly content with that. I couldn’t agree with you more.
I try to make my photos look nice to myself but also be real. Life isn’t perfectly polished but it can be beautiful.
I admit my photos taking ability is not very good but I do try. I think being true is more important than being pretty. I like messy, flawed and not perfect things they have a story to tell.
Honestly, I’d like a perfectly curated feed, but I don’t have time for it. So, mine is what it is and that’s my lifestyle.
My Instagram is the real me…a blend of my blog and personal moments, too. However, I need to get better with my Instagram and gain some new followers!
I believe that authenticity is the heart of blogging. When we get away from that, we lose our “realness.” I am the kind of #girlboss who sets my own rules. Sometimes, that gets messy. People need to see that.
I would say my Instagram is an authentic view of my life! A little chaotic… LOL. It’s definitely tempting to do perfectly curated… But with six kids, who has time for that?!
I try to make sure my Instagram photos are the best ones from the day, but they aren’t always perfect or polished or anywhere near it. I think you’re right, that we like Instagram because it’s snapshots of our world. Little glimpses into the lives of our friends and the people we want to be our friends. It’s refreshing to see posts that don’t look like magazines.
Great post. I’m with you! I only want followers who want to actually read my posts. I try to make my Instagram account as authentic as possible so people see the real me.
I try to find a balance. My feed is all about me and travels, however, some sponsored posts too so I feel those need to look even better and have a little more love. I try to post everyday too so that I am consistent. Planning your Instagram can be a job in itself. Keep up the great work.
I really think it does. Your photos are a reflection of you and your brand.
I’m not creative enough to have a perfectly polished Insta feed. It’s most definitely a messy one! But I get plenty of likes and comments on my pics so it can’t be all that bad!
Louise x
PS: I love your Insta feed 🙂
In my case first I need a brand, then get my life on instagram – haven’t crossed into that land yet.