Instagram Isn’t Broken — It Just Changed

I’ve been sitting with this realization for a while, and I finally feel ready to share it.

For context, I worked at Meta for four years on the design team, back when Reels was just getting started. I had a front-row seat to how the company thinks about growth, attention, and where social media was headed.

And here’s the honest truth — Instagram is no longer the platform many of us artists built our lives on.

From Connection to Attention

When I started my Instagram account in 2015 (when I used to go by the alias @sparkletters), the app was simple. You followed people you liked. You saw their work chronologically. It was images-first and connection-first.

It felt human.

Fast forward to today, the biggest shift isn’t just that we see more videos than photos. It’s the switch from the connections graph to the interest graph.

Instagram today doesn’t care about who you follow. It only cares about showing you the next viral video that will keep you on the app for 2 seconds longer.

Tiktok pioneered this model. Meta adopted it. And it worked.

Instagram’s CEO, Adam Mosseri, also shared this openly: Instagram has changed. And with AI-generated content flooding feeds, discovery is only getting harder.

This is why you can have twenty thousand followers and less than 1% of them actually see your work. 🥲

The Frustrating Reality

For the past year, I’ve done everything Instagram and social media managers have told me to do.

I recorded talking-head videos.

Created mini vlogs.

Shared process clips.

Used trending audios.

Posted carousels.

And while I genuinely enjoy making these things, I also need to admit — it’s a looot of work. And the sad truth is, most of these posts disappear in a day — sometimes hours.

So the other day, I had this epiphany… if the people I want to serve never see my content, what am I doing?

My Goal for 2026

Here’s what’s true in today’s social media landscape — followers matter, but follower count doesn’t.

What actually matters is ownership, subscribers, and direct relationships.

I’m not quitting Instagram. I still have a large community of artists and creators there that I love supporting. But I need to remember that Instagram is no longer good for building deep connections.

So in 2026, I’m doubling down on creating long-form, evergreen content. I’ll be publishing on platforms like beehiiv and youtube where my work can live and be revisited months or years later.

I know long form takes more effort.

But it allows for storytelling and real connection, and that’s worth so much more.

Thanks for reading. More soon! 👋

Cheers,
Chie