Ask the Audience: Growing Arlyn Says…Good Idea or Losing Something Special?
Project 365, Day 154/365
Just today, I realize that I haven’t posted anything to my personal Instagram since May 2—essentially one month ago. On the one hand, I was surprised that much time had gone by. I barely believed it. But on the other, I was like “well yeah…”
Instagram is a funny thing. I know how integral it is for reaching people. It’s where people spend their time on the internet, where they discover, where they interact. Now that I crossed over into month six of Project 365, my mind is trying to figure out how to grow this little corner of the web more. There’s something here, and I know that “something” is good, but I struggle with sharing it. Any time something grows, it changes. It feels less personal, less cozy. I know this because I’ve been at the helm of helping websites and publications grow. I understand firsthand how different the vibe is. But I’ve also seen firsthand how much more of an impact something can have when it blossoms.
I can’t place exactly how much I’ve shared about what I do for a living to give you some context for what I’m going to say next. From 2007 to 2020, I was a magazine editor, making my way up to Executive Editor at a high-end, trusted design publication. From there, I pivoted to digital content, and worked really hard to transform a certain niche of the website Apartment Therapy. I was their very first Design Editor, and that’s really where I cut my teeth in all things digital, social, growth. Then, I landed at Style by Emily Henderson. I was her Editorial Director/Chief Content Director, and it was my job to take it from a one-person blog to a robust website. Now, and for the last year and a half, I’ve been the Director of Brand Marketing and Content for an e-commerce furniture brand, which I’ve helped to grow in the past year.
Walking you through my resume is not the point. What I’m trying to say is…this is what I do and have done for a living. I know how to do this, to grow things. But everything I know that needs to be done, I do not do for myself. Maybe because if I did, it would feel like work, not like a passion project. Having a buttoned-up editorial and social media calendar, creating “content” for all the platforms just to push to this content I’ve created here on Arlyn Says…that sounds exhausting. But I know I have to do it to get this blog to where I feel like it can and deserves to be. It brings me immense joy (even on days when I write about how grouchy it makes me…those moments are fleeting), and I know that sharing it with even more people and building this amazing community of smart, supportive, caring readers would be the greatest pay off for me.
BUT UGH I HATE INSTAGRAM.
Rather, I hate the time commitment I know Instagram can be from a “behind the curtain” perspective. There are so many politics involved in terms of how to get seen, how to grow, and I detest playing games like that. I might feel different about it if it were the Instagram of yesteryear, where you posted a nice photo and wrote up a nice caption, and people would just follow you.
Is it just me or does everyone have to all of a sudden be some kind of performer or comedian on Instagram Reels just to get noticed? Honestly, it’s like a freaking circus over there, and I’m not sure I want to be part of that?
I want to throw it to you, my dear, beloved, trusted readers, because I know there is wisdom amongst you. I know there is space on a place like Instagram to just be really authentic, and write good things, and share useful or thoughtful stories, because I really connect with accounts that do that, but tell me, from your perspective, how much does that interest you? How much do you connect with other creators on Instagram truly these days, or is it more a place to bookmark some pretty things, have a laugh at some baby goats, and then move on with your day?
Should I decide to try to build that out, share more of myself, my writing, my design, would you be interested? Or do you like the warm little hug that is Arlyn Says in its current state? I flip flop almost hourly on this. I’d love to just hop on an Instagram live and cook dinner and chat about things. Important things. Not important things. Bring on other people I know who are brilliant in so many different areas of life and talk to them. There are ideas I have, but I struggle with how much of it would have to be done in the name of growth, and how much of it would be done out of joy. That’s for me to answer, I know, but just thinking out loud. 🙂
What say you, my dearest dears?
See you tomorrow, FOAS. (Oh, and don’t forget to pop over to this post from Tuesday if you haven’t already to enter June’s Rabbit, Rabbit Day giveaway!)