Social media platforms, such as Instagram, can be great places to become inspired, promote your business, gain exposure, and form connections with people that have the same interests as you. Even though it can be a positive place, it can also become very negative. Most people on social media share their wins and successes– which is awesome, but it can quickly have you feeling like you are inadequate. It can become a place of judgement, comparison and self doubt. These feelings can lead you to what is called instagram anxiety, where you are scared to post. As a content creator, I have suffered with instagram anxiety, but as I continue my journey I have found simple ways to curb my anxiety and post my content confidently.

What is Instagram Anxiety?

Like most people, when I post my content on instagram, I want it to be seen and I want it to get likes and comments. When I first started my “business instagram account,” It was all in fun, I really didn’t have a method to my posts and my captions were sub-par! It wasn’t until I started taking my brand seriously that I started to develop instagram anxiety. I wasn’t posting as much because I was comparing the quality of my content to other bloggers that have been in the game way longer than me. To make matters worse, I would get bummed out if my post wouldn’t get a certain amount of likes and I did the worst thing possible — I took it down! I was very judgmental of myself— critiquing every picture to a point where I just wouldn’t post it because it wasn’t good enough for me. This was causing major problems for me and developing my brand. One thing about being a content creator/ influencer is you must be consistent. I was simply lacking consistency because I felt my content wasn’t good enough!

How I Overcame Instagram Anxiety

Instagram, or any other social media platform, shouldn’t rule your life. I had to take charge and figure out what was hindering me from growing my brand. Here are some things I did to help me overcome my instagram anxiety.

1. Take off the Pressure

I had to identify the problem and dig deep: Why was I limiting myself? Why didn’t I think my posts were good enough? Once I identified the problem, I was able to turn things around. I was able to see that my issue wasn’t the content, it was within myself. I needed to gain confidence and that I did! The best advice I received from a fellow content creator is your content doesn’t have to be perfect! Her exact words were “just post your content sis!” She explained to me that, like with anything, you will get better with time.

2. Set Limits

Let’s be honest here, when we post on instagram we definitely want LIKES and FOLLOWERS! For me it was more so the likes that would give me gratification. I would often find myself constantly refreshing the screen and seeing if my post was doing well. And by a certain time if it wasn’t, I’d take it down! Taking down your post is a BIG mistake and messes with the instagram algorithm. It stunts your growth, and at one point I realized that what I was doing was silly!

Instead of stalking my phone after I post, I put my phone down and I find something productive to do. However, I must make a point that it is important to engage with your post within the first hour (it helps your post be seen more). If people are commenting, you should definitely respond back. What I usually do is pick a time within the first hour to respond– usually 30-45 minutes later. After that, I put the phone down and continue doing other things besides stalking instagram. It also helps to turn off your post notifications. Giving myself limits not only helps me with instagram anxiety, it also helps me be more productive.

3. Manage your Instagram Feed

I use an app called UNUM to plan out my instagram posts. It allows me to organize the pictures I have taken and see how they will look on instagram feed before I post them. I solely use UNUM just to curate my feed. There is an option to auto publish, but I prefer to post my content manually. Creating this ahead of time has made posting to my instagram less stressful. I already know what I want to post because I have planned it out ahead of time.

4. Plan Captions

One of the biggest reasons why I wouldn’t post my content, is because I couldn’t come up with a catchy caption. I’ve talked to other content creators, and we all agree that coming up with a caption on a whim can take hours. Sometimes I would find myself going back and forth on what caption goes with the picture. Often times, I really didn’t have much to say, so therefor I would put off posting for another day. This is the wrong thing to do, especially if you are trying to be consistent. Tomorrow turns into the next day, and the next day turns into the next day after that, and so on! Soon I would find myself not posting for weeks.

What I’ve learned is that all captions do not have to be lengthy. Some messages I wanted to tell were shorter than others and that is OK! I found that dedicating a day or two to plan out my captions allowed me to be more consistent than ever. Being transparent and authentic has helped me come up with engaging captions for my audience. When planning the captions, I look at the picture and the first thing that comes to mind when I see the picture is what I write about. Some captions are short and sweet and others are lengthy. Prior to doing this I would always look for a quote that I thought went with the picture. Using my own voice has allowed me to build greater connections with my audience and has allowed me not to sound so cliche. Quotes are good, but I think it is a good idea to mix it up and be authentic.

5. Build a Supportive Audience

Having a supportive and engaging audience has definitely helped with my instagram anxiety. I have met some very inspiring individuals through the platform. Building connections with your audience will give you the boost of confidence you need to continue to post. Find your tribe, they will keep you motivated and support your content.

I hope this post helps you with your instagram anxiety! Remember comparison is the thief of all joy. Think about the reason for your post and if you like it then thats all that matters! Post your content and don’t look back!

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