It’s all about the algorithm
I have been working in social media for a while now and if there is something I am sure of, it’s that the Instagram algorithm has truly been hell for artists and creators everywhere. Everything is motivated by the unrealistic expectations of going viral and keeping up with trends.
It is bad enough that artists of different calibers and from across the world have been vaguely categorised under “content creators,” the trends online have been of no help.
Every artist or ‘content creator’ I know has had setbacks and struggles when it comes to beating the algorithm. It is sad that people are now making art based on statistics, trends, reach, and everything that social media promotes rather than what truly inspires them. While I agree that social media has truly been a great way for people to start and flourish in their respective spaces and businesses, the probability of success has been low for most people.
More than anything, the Instagram algorithm has beaten morale to no extent. It baffles me how artists have all been forced to only being motivated by views, reach, engagement and impressions over enjoying and embracing the beautiful masterpieces they create. If you’re lucky and post at the right time with the right hashtags and the right music for a reel, you might just go viral. But then what? You’re obsessed with the likes, shares, and comments until the post is lost amongst the masses.
The false hope these things create are the worst fruit of all. The demotivation that comes with not having the same reach and engagement, to put it simply, sucks.
Now coming on to the next complaint of the article; content creation. We have all been so accustomed to consuming a myriad of pieces of content in 2020 that the lines between them all have started to blur. Irrespective of whether you are a writer, painter, singer, dancer, actor or blogger, you are a content creator. With the rise of reels on Instagram, you get lost in a sea of such ‘content creators’ using the same template that going viral becomes this unhealthy obsession and for those lucky enough, an addiction.
While I may not be even close to how talented most of these artists are, I understand the frustration that comes with beating the algorithm. It amazes me how my brain has started to function every time I work on new projects now. My first thought is never about whether what I write will resonate with people or garner their interest but about what can trend easily or just show up on people’s feed (unlike this one).
That’s where the problem lies. What starts as a small compromise with the hope of someday creating things that inspire, resonate and motivate us becomes the standard that we follow for the same. People love the time pass, the ten to 30-second entertainment, so we’re all forced to meet the expectations of the mass, with no fault of theirs, to be clear.
Every ‘creator’ is also a consumer so believe me, there is no blame being posed on anyone. This is all highly subjective, like every other opinion out there and mine is, again, one of — or dare I say, one for the masses.
So, the next time you come across an artist on social media that you like, please save and share their work! Help them beat the algorithm and share their art. I’m still learning and trying my best to do the same, too!
