Buying Love On Instagram

I’m curious… how are you guys feeling about Instagram these days?

When I started my account, I loved the simple, visually-focused, gallery format. I loved the ability to capture a moment in a photo, and pair it with my musings for the day. Most of all, I loved seeing everyone else’s photos, their thoughts, and a snap shot into their lives.

Maybe instagram has changed.

Or maybe it’s me. Maybe I shouldn’t check my email before I have coffee in the morning. But lately, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of messages that I have received trying to SELL ME FOLLOWERS… which I find offensive and just plain dumb. Real, authentic relationships (believe it or not) can be formed even from a digital connection if we take the time to make our conversations meaningful and interactions intentional.

(Can’t buy me love playing on repeat in my head – )

Now, I will be the first to tell you that there are ways in which I am the pot calling the kettle black here. Yes, I have received plenty of sponsored gear from companies whose interests align with mine. At times, I have shared these brands with you via social media. And I will continue to do so! Because they are brands (and more importantly PEOPLE) I believe in. They are organizations that I support with my dollars, and my influence – organizations with a conscience, creating sustainable apparel like Threads for Thought, or Raw Elements – making sunscreen that’s actually eco-friendly and non-toxic.

But what I find intolerable is the idea that I would want to spend $20 of my hard earned money to have my photo appear on another (slightly larger) account for all of three hours. What? Why?! Suffice it to say I responded to the email below with enthusiasm. Read on for all the gory details… and please, please weigh in! I am so curious how you guys think/feel about the changes in Instagram over the past year. I feel like it’s gone the way FaceBook went before, with an excess of advertising and too little valuable content.

But I want to know… What do you think?

From: “FashionistaView (80K+)” <info@shoutoutfactory.com> Date: January 8, 2016 at 5:45:45 AM PST To: “hello” <hello@stokedyogi.com> Subject: I love your instagram profile!Hey there,I just saw your Instagram profile and I love it 🙂 I think it will grow a lot in the furture!I just wanted to tell we @FashionistaView would be very happy to do a collaboration with you where we make a shoutout for your account.It’s very hard to gain real, interested followers on Instagram these days. The competition keeps growing and it is very hard to get noticed. The easiest way to gain exposure and followers is by promoting your profile on other related and large Instagram accounts.  We have more than 80K followers, and when we make a shoutout for an account, they receive at least 150 new followers! If we make a shoutout with our large packages it gives you at least 1,000 new followers (If not, we will keep promoting you until the promised amount is gained or give you a refund)   *We have several packages:*   3 hours – $19.00 (Your picture on our profile for 3 hours) 6 hours – $29.00 (Your picture on our profile for 3 hours) Forever  – $39.00 (Your picture on our profile permanently. You will get at least 1,000 new followers)   You can send us a picture of your liking including a caption. We can also write the caption for you. We will upload the promotion right away, or when you want us to 🙂   *Extra packages for even more exposure and followers:*   3 posts: $105.00 7 posts: $145.00 (We promise you at least 5,000 new followers) 14 posts: $240.00 (We promise you at least 10,000 new followers)   Let me know if you’re interested, or if you have any questions 🙂   Kindest, Mary http://instagram.com/fashionistaview

And for those who want to know what I’m like before I have coffee… the reply:

Wow. Thank you, but no thanks. I find this to be relatively offensive and actually the reason that it’s harder to gain interested followers – because so many people are using Instagram to sell influence rather than building authentic relationships with their respective communities. I am not interested in purchasing a feature on your account. You may also wish to change your verbiage as it’s somewhat patronizing to post that my account “will surely grow in the future.” It will, but not from buying a few hours on your profile. Good luck to you.

Amelia Travis, RYT-500

Stoked Yogi @ www.stokedyogi.com

Yoga Director @ Glide SUP

 

Tags: buying followers, digital community, influence, instagram, social media