Toothwalker wrote:
Engagement is not just posting regularly. I looked at your account, and you are following 56 people. I checked the last post of each one (except for a few accounts that are private) and you have liked exactly one of them. Frankly, I am not surprised that you are getting few likes. What goes around comes around. Was your engagement different in the past?
chez wrote:
That sounds like “if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back”. Is that really the type of likes one wants…sort of “buying” the likes? Does that truly measure one’s success with their photo or is one just artificially stacking on the likes?
That I have followed only 56 people is not the full story, though. As I wrote earlier in this thread, I have refused to play the game, "if you follow me, I'll follow you" — for the reason that @chez states.
I have just now laboriously counted how many imaged I have "liked": that comes to 2,001 images. I have "linked" only images that I really like, not on a quid-pro-quo basis. That, to me, is a more meaningful way of engagement — and this gives me something uiseful: when I look at the images I "liked", I find that I see the direction of where I want my photography to ge, because I find that these "liked"images are generally "farther out" than my own and, in this way, help me to critically look at my own work.
RoamingScott wrote:
This thread makes my head hurt
I don't see why. We're just getting at what it really takes to get meaningful reactions on Instagram — and how this has changed over the past few years — and whether the game is worth the candle.
Mitch Alland wrote:
whether the game is worth the candle.
I just wouldn't expect it to be dynamite.
I mentioned, my plans are for a mini-portfolio > main site, etc. Not really expecting it to autogenerate anything, but rather offering a different path, for those who may be IG oriented.
I mean, if someone wants to know if I'm on IG ... then, I'm able to answer yes (to their so indicated preference).
Which raises a question for me ... why would I even care about the number of "likes" I get (or not)? What tangible value do "likes" provide? I realize we have our own "likes" system here within FM, and they can be validating of sort, or they can be a social courtesy. Do IG "likes" offer anything more tangible?
RustyBug wrote:
... why would I even care about the number of "likes" I get...
Indeed, the first sentence in my OP here is: It's not the "likes" that I'm interested in chasing, but I see that in the last few years views of photographs that people post have gone down drastically...
I also said that I was thinking of throwing in the towel on Instagram as it's not worthwhile posting images that only a handful of people look at. This was in the context of the fact that none of the buyers of my photo book came from IG; and also considering that I look at IG on my Mac using the Grids app, which shows the images on a monitor but which has become abandonware. If in the future I have to go back to viewing IG on a smartphone because Grids no longer can run on the latest Mac operating system, then it is more likely that I'll quit using IG.
This thread has been useful to me because people have confirmed that views of photographs on IG has gone down in the last few years and have explained the reason for this.
chez wrote:
That sounds like “if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back”. Is that really the type of likes one wants…sort of “buying” the likes? Does that truly measure one’s success with their photo or is one just artificially stacking on the likes?
The likes that I give are still a measure of one's success. The number of posts that I like from a given photographer depends on the quality of his/her work, as it should, but it is never zero. If you don't like anything, they will eventually stop liking your work. That is just how it works, and not just on IG. Unless you are a celebrity; then you don't have to scratch any backs. Of course, if you don't like the work at all there is no point in following that person. (Except family, friends, etc.)
Mitch Alland wrote:
That I have followed only 56 people is not the full story, though. As I wrote earlier in this thread, I have refused to play the game, "if you follow me, I'll follow you" — for the reason that @chez@ states.
After a difficult start and analyzing other profiles, I became generous with following (back). This increased exposure and made me more attractive for the established Instagrammers. Now I am much more restrictive with whom I follow (back). People are approaching me instead of the other way around. You just need to get over a certain threshold where you become attractive. Yes, I am following some of the lesser gods, but their fraction of the total is decreasing.
I have just now laboriously counted how many imaged I have "liked": that comes to 2,001 images. I have "linked" only images that I really like, not on a quid-pro-quo basis. That, to me, is a more meaningful way of engagement — and this gives me something uiseful: when I look at the images I "liked", I find that I see the direction of where I want my photography to ge, because I find that these "liked"images are generally "farther out" than my own and, in this way, help me to critically look at my own work.
There is something to say for that, but few likes are exchanged if your connections think along similar lines. No interaction results in fewer views and likes.
I don't know how IG was in the past, but today you need to engage to remain visible.
RustyBug wrote:
Which raises a question for me ... why would I even care about the number of "likes" I get (or not)? What tangible value do "likes" provide? I realize we have our own "likes" system here within FM, and they can be validating of sort, or they can be a social courtesy. Do IG "likes" offer anything more tangible?
IG likes propel you forward on feeds and hashtag lists. They simple increase exposure. You appear in more feeds, so more people get to see your work.
Toothwalker wrote:
...I don't know how IG was in the past, but today you need to engage to remain visible...
Again, at some point the game is not worth the candle. At some point, the type of engagement required becomes an uninteresting and unpleasant chore.
The import of this thread is that, last year, the IG algorithm for engagement changed a lot—and that change resulted in less interest in photographs and more for reels, although as some people have explained it's more complicated than that. For me, that means 2-4 likes of my posts (and reels) against 20-40 a year ago.
That, coupled with two things — the facts that IG was no help in 2019-2021 in selling my book and that Grids, which allows me to use IG on my Mac has become abandonware —mean that, for me, the candle has burnt out. I'll stay on IG but, when Grids no longer works and I have to access IG on my iPhone, I'll probably drop out.
The following video, posted two years ago, questions the value of IG for photographers. It may be of interest to some, although it's not essential viewing:
Toothwalker wrote:
...I don't know how IG was in the past, but today you need to engage to remain visible...
Mitch Alland wrote:
Again, at some point the game is not worth the candle. At some point, the type of engagement required becomes an uninteresting and unpleasant chore.
IMO it basically boils down to becoming a job that you have to dedicate time and effort to keep up with whatever changes the platform throws at you and to remain relevant to your audience. Basically it means appeasing your boss(es) (the platform and audience). IMO this is primarily because the focus of these platforms and many of its users revolves around monetization. For those who don't care or don't want to monetize, but still want to have interactions, they get dragged into the whole mess.
Mitch Alland wrote:
This is an update on earlier post concerning an IG reel that I posted. Since then, I posted the same reel on flickr. The reel is 89 seconds and shows 28 images from an exhibition project, with music.
_______________ Instgram — 273 followers — reel posted 5 days ago
74 views, 4 likes, 0 comments flickr — 946 followers — reel posted 3 days ago
78 views, 2 likes, 1 comment
________________
Not to beat a dead horse but looking today the number of views went up as follows:
—Instagram: from 74 to 79
—flickr: from 78 to 320
p.6 #11 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Where at Fred Miranda can there be an actionable discussion on getting better results with Instagram for still photography? There are precious few threads in existence here. Is this simply the wrong web site for people to share best practices for Instagram?
The kind of thread I am looking for would tilt less toward discussing advantages and disadvantages of the platform as a whole.
Less debate, more how-to.
For example, I learned today that Instagram is increasingly oriented toward photography done in portrait, rather than landscape, orientation. This is not how I (or most photographers, probably) usually shoot. I need to learn to adapt.
p.6 #12 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Rainbow Chaser wrote..
For example, I learned today that Instagram is increasingly oriented toward photography done in portrait, rather than landscape, orientation. This is not how I (or most photographers, probably) usually shoot. I need to learn to adapt.
You have to consider how the vast majority of people are viewing content. On their phones which are held in the portrait orientation.
p.6 #14 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Rainbow Chaser wrote:
Where at Fred Miranda can there be an actionable discussion on getting better results with Instagram for still photography? There are precious few threads in existence here. Is this simply the wrong web site for people to share best practices for Instagram?
The kind of thread I am looking for would tilt less toward discussing advantages and disadvantages of the platform as a whole.
Less debate, more how-to.
For example, I learned today that Instagram is increasingly oriented toward photography done in portrait, rather than landscape, orientation. This is not how I (or most photographers, probably) usually shoot. I need to learn to adapt....Show more →
There is literally no way to do it for stills. Everything you see on IG is FAKE. Look at any big account and you'll notice they can barely break 1% engagement rates. IG is DEAD. Use your eyes and a shred of critical thinking and the mask gets ripped off immediately.
I'm having fun making shitty little videos on Youtube and seeing what happens! 2000 views on one beats the pants off of anything IG has done for me lately. That said, it's extremely clear I'm getting those views because something about the video pleases the YT algo...my other videos are DOA.
Also been posting to Reddit a bit, which has gotten me some YT subs. Average pic is seen 10,000 times.
p.6 #15 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Desmolicious wrote:
You have to consider how the vast majority of people are viewing content. On their phones which are held in the portrait orientation.
Thanks. I'm aware of that. I was just asking if there's a place to discuss Instagram in a more action-oriented manner. This was a less urgent example of what I'm thinking about. I'm also interested in the optimal technical specs of image files.
This particular thread, on the other hand, is preoccupied with metrics and whether Instagram meets one's approval. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Really!
But let's say I wanted to start a fresh discussion that has more to do with technical questions or photographic vision in Instagram. Where would I even go? This thread was posted under Leica. (I don't use Leica, though I might wish I did.)
p.6 #17 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Just to say that, since the last post above (October 2024), the view count and reaction to my Instagram posts have gotten even lower in numbers, perhaps ½ of what I was getting then. For example, the last image that I posted on Instagram (September 1, 2025) has 40 views, 2 likes and 0 comments; on flickr this image got 302 views, 17 likes and 4 comments.
This image is also the last image that I've posted on FM, here, where it got 7 likes. Considering that this is one of my images that I like the best, it only indicates that my taste is different than that of the majority of people on FM — but I knew that before. The point, overall, is that there is little point in my bothering with Instagram.
p.6 #18 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Mitch Alland wrote:
Just to say that, since the last post above (October 2024), the view count and reaction to my Instagram posts have gotten even lower in numbers, perhaps ½ of what I was getting then. For example, the last image that I posted on Instagram (September 1, 2025) has 40 views, 2 likes and 0 comments; on flickr this image 302 views, 17 likes and 4 comments.
This image is also the last image that I've posted on FM, here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/920070/2656#16882056, where it got 7 likes. Considering that this is one of my images that I like the best, it only indicates that my taste is different than that of the majority of people on FM — but I knew that before. The point, overall, is that there is little point in my bothering with Instagram. ...Show more →
Between the crappy algorithms and people getting fed up with Meta apps and owner, it is not surprising that your views have dropped. Seems like a big waste of time to maintain an IG page and also for viewers who are looking for authentic content.
p.6 #19 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
bjhurley wrote:
I keep hearing people say this but I don't understand it. I've had over 300,000 views of my photos on Flickr over the past 3-4 years, often get more than 2,000 views per day, and my photography is nothing special; none of my photos have been featured on Explore and I don't put them in many groups. Flickr always seems like a thriving community to me.
The "hard core" on flickr must be decent in size, explore selections of mine get thousands of views, I have no idea of the economic viability of Flickr but there does seem to be a fair amount of activity in larger groups and explore, the specialized groups- things like lens specific are much less, there are many tiny groups that have few posts ever, the leica groups do not seem to veery large or active, maybe not leica users thing? Some groups are too large with hundreds of thousands of posts, and so on given day there are more than I might want to look at, especially multiplied by a number of groups. I guess the experience on flickr depends on which groups you might join and participate.
p.6 #20 · Getting less and less views on Instagram
Stop caring about likes and just freely share your work without expectations.
Mitch Alland wrote:
Just to say that, since the last post above (October 2024), the view count and reaction to my Instagram posts have gotten even lower in numbers, perhaps ½ of what I was getting then. For example, the last image that I posted on Instagram (September 1, 2025) has 40 views, 2 likes and 0 comments; on flickr this image 302 views, 17 likes and 4 comments.
This image is also the last image that I've posted on FM, here: https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/920070/2656#16882056, where it got 7 likes. Considering that this is one of my images that I like the best, it only indicates that my taste is different than that of the majority of people on FM — but I knew that before. The point, overall, is that there is little point in my bothering with Instagram. ...Show more →
