Post like there is no algorithm
I’m as guilty as anyone for chasing likes. Don’t be confused though, I have never jumped on any bandwagon to become more popular. I would never do that. I have my own way of creating and my own way of thinking. This is something which I always try to convey onto the page. It’s what makes what I do unique to the next illustrator. I did however chase likes by obsessively posting everyday for the first few years or so, after I joined Instagram in around 2015. I was really obsessed, and if a particular post didn’t do so well, in terms of likes, I would always get a little jaded.
Fast forward to 2025
Thankfully now, I’m less involved with posting and how many likes I get. I really only post a few times a week these days. I feel really, it’s not mentally sustainable to do that much work continuously. I missed out on a lot life during my early Instagram days, trying to build a name for myself. I also don’t want to be a slave to validation and the social media machine either. I do respect the power that social media has had on my career. In any case, I’m human, and of course it’s nice when followers appreciate my work. That is if they see it. The dreaded algorithm of Instagram (which I don’t fully understand) has scuppered a lot what a user sees and when a user might see it. My feed used to be full of art from people I followed. Now my feed is made up of accounts I don’t know, adverts for things I don’t want to see and the occasional post from someone I actually decided to follow over the years.
The algorithm and Instagram game has changed. But will I stop creating and sharing my work? Hell, no!
Miles Davis was once asked if he would still make music even if no one would hear it? He said something along the lines of, of course. The same is for me with what I do. If there was no social media or internet, I would still create, draw and fill up sketch books with doodles because it’s innate to my very core. Hell, I probably have a couple of albums worth of acoustic songs I’ve made that no one will ever hear, but that doesn’t stop me making music.
Regardless of whether my work is seen (or heard), I will still create and post. My worth is not measured be social media validation especially if it’s at the mercy of some algorithm.
Some final thoughts for you
So to you I say, post like there is no algorithm. Don’t be disheartened by a lack of digital engagement and don’t let it affect or discourage who you are as an illustrator, or any type of creative for that matter. You don’t actually know who is viewing your work and how it speaks to them. Maybe we’ve just become so drained by social media, we’ve actually stopped engaging as much? Maybe, maybe not… who knows? At the end of the day, just keep doing your thing and keep being the best creative practitioner you can be and ultimately, enjoy yourself.
Thanks for reading. Pete :)