I Posted an Instagram Reel EVERY DAY for a YEAR - Here's What Happened

Over the past year, I embarked on a unique challenge: posting a reel on Instagram every single day. This endeavor was inspired by the advice from various successful personalities who claim that consistency is key to social media growth.

 As a landscape photographer, the need to grow my audience is essential for my livelihood, and with the rise of short-form video content, I decided to put this advice to the test. In this blog, I will detail my strategy, analyze the results, and share the valuable lessons I learned along the way.

Creating a Daily Reel: My Strategy

To make this challenge manageable, I developed a straightforward formula for creating my reels. The process began with selecting a photo from my extensive catalog that fit the 9x6 aspect ratio. I then added typographical elements to the image, including the project name, location, and series number, followed by some simple animations.

This approach was crucial for saving time, as social media has never been my favorite aspect of content creation. I often find myself preferring to focus on my photography and video projects rather than the grind of social media. However, I recognized that not participating in the social media landscape could hurt my business, so I committed to posting daily for a year.

Batch Processing for Efficiency

Initially, I selected random images from my catalog. However, I soon realized that organizing my content around specific themes made the process much easier. Themes could include natural elements like mountains, trees, and oceans or specific locations such as Alaska or Europe. This not only streamlined my workflow but also allowed me to reuse images multiple times, provided there was sufficient time between posts.

The process involved going through my photo collections, selecting images that fit the chosen theme, and importing them into Premiere Pro. I would then apply my established formula, export the reels, and airdrop them to my phone. This method enabled me to create 30 to 60 reels in a single day, making my daily posting routine much more manageable.

Evaluating the Results: Did It Work?

With a year of daily posting behind me, the crucial question arose: Was this endeavor effective in growing my business? Unfortunately, Instagram's analytics only provide follower data for the last 90 days, but I could access more comprehensive metrics through Meta's business site.

From May 28 to October 20, I gained approximately 775 followers. If I extrapolate from this data, it suggests I gained around 1,800 followers over the entire year. While this may seem like a decent number—averaging a few followers daily—it's important to consider the business perspective. The return on investment from this effort felt disappointing.

Engagement Metrics

Throughout the year, I created reels that averaged around 1,000 views, with some performing better and reaching 2,000 to 3,000 views. I appreciated that these reels showcased my photography, wrapped in a simple animated format. I focused less on trending music and more on selecting calming audio from Instagram's suggestions, which saved me time and allowed me to concentrate on other aspects of my life.

Reflections on the Experience

With all this data in hand, was my year-long commitment a waste of time? The answer is a resounding no. However, the reasons may not align with what one might expect. This project was more about personal growth and challenge than about achieving significant social media results.

For years, I struggled with social media, often feeling that my self-worth was tied to the number of likes and followers I received. This project was a means of redefining success for myself. The only measure of success I set was achieving the goal of posting every single day without missing a beat, regardless of follower count.

Disconnecting Self-Worth from Social Media

One of the most crucial lessons I learned was that the value of my photography and creativity has no correlation to my social media reach. It's vital to understand that your worth as an artist isn’t defined by likes or followers. In a world dominated by algorithms, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that engagement metrics directly reflect the quality of our work.

The Real Secret to Social Media Success

Interestingly, I discovered a significant insight during this journey. Not too long ago, I created an 8-second reel from a visually captivating video clip and added trending audio. This simple post garnered around 180,000 views and resulted in over 500 new followers. In comparison to my year of consistent posting, this highlighted an essential truth: the frequency of posting isn’t the only factor in success.

Perhaps the content itself—or what people desire to see—plays a more prominent role. I spent countless hours capturing and editing my photography, yet the algorithm often favors different types of content. This realization serves as a reminder to all creators that the quality of your work doesn’t guarantee visibility.

Playing the Game of Social Media

Think of social media as a game of chess. You can be skilled and know the rules, but if you choose to play suboptimally, you can’t expect to win. During my year of posting, I opted for a strategy that suited my needs and allowed me to avoid burnout, even if it didn’t align with the best practices for engagement.

Ultimately, we must separate our self-worth from our performance on these platforms. Social media is just a business tool. For some, it may be worth it to play the game optimally, while others might choose to focus on what brings them joy.

Conclusion: The Takeaway

As I reflect on my year of posting daily reels, I hope to inspire others to recognize the importance of their art beyond social media metrics. Your creations are valuable, regardless of how they are received online. It’s about finding the balance between engaging with the algorithm and staying true to your passion.

In the end, whether you choose to play the game or not is entirely up to you. Maybe the key lies in focusing on what makes you happy while still being mindful of the rules of the game. If you found this journey insightful, consider exploring other content where I capture images that may not perform well in the algorithm but are meaningful to me. Remember, your art matters, and so does your happiness.