Back in February I wrote about Instagram changed the visual design of their profile pages, breaking years of multi-post collages. I created large images, sliced them up into squares, and then posted each square individually. Each post would be a detail or cropped image, while the full design only appeared on my profile.

It was a fun creative outlet, but you can’t count on social media to be reliable.

After the change, I deleted everything from my feed and locked down my account for a while. I took a pause and considered whether I wanted to be on the platform at all. After a break I acknowledge that Instagram does two things for me:

• Helps me stay in touch with distant friends and family
• Helps me share my creative work

Instagram is also an addictive toxic waste pit of algorithmically optimized slop and reposted TikTok videos. Without careful curation, Instagram will happily serve up the worst content from the worst people.

So if I’m going to use this thing, I need to be mindful about how I use it and why I use it.

Secure the perimeter

I did this a long time ago, but I think it’s important to share. Turn on 2Factor authentication for your Instagram account. I’ve known too many people have their account compromised or stolen. Instagram has no real customer support. If you lose access to your account, it’s lost. Instagram won’t help. They don’t care.

No phone zone

The first way I keep social media from becoming toxic is to keep it off of my phone. Uninstalling Instagram means it can’t become a fidget spinner every time I’m waiting in line at the supermarket. At first I thought I might try to replace Instagram with a eBook or just skimming the news. I found, though, that my phone actually just stays in my pocket.

I check Instagram on the web, from my desktop computer, once or twice a day. That’s enough to catch up with real people. Rule of thumb: Close the browser tab after seeing my first ad.

There are many features of Instagram that aren’t available on the web version. This is fine. Those features are crap.

To fully manage your account, it is usually necessary to use the mobile app. I try to set things up, and then delete the app. I can always download it again.

Post what, post how

My Instagram posts are an extension of my writing here. I create 5-10 posts in advance, usually on a weekend, and schedule them to be posted. I use Buffer’s free plan to do this. To use Buffer, or a similar platform, you’ll need to convert your account to a Business or Creator account.

I create my posts in Sketch. I pull in a quote from something I’ve written along with a photo, and create a little blog snippet. Otherwise I share a photo of some art that I’m working on. I’ll export these as high quality images, and upload them to Buffer. Posts go out at 7am and I don’t think about it.

Results

I am posting more often, but I am not engaged with Instagram when I do it, thanks to scheduling my posts in advance. Regular posting has increased my engagement a bit, and that’s nice. After all, the whole point is to share my creative stuff with other people.

Once or twice a day is plenty to see what’s happening with people in my life. I feel connected, but I am not drawn into a doom scrolling black hole.

I am free(er) of slop content and ads. I am not tempted to tap onto a post by an internet hottie, and then corrupting my feed with a million more posts of the same thing. The algorithm does not forgive. It pounces on every weakness.

My suggested posts are more art and musicians, and occasionally things like advanced woodworking. That’s irrelevant but inoffensive.

This is positive, overall. I stay in touch, I get my stuff “out there” and I’m not inundated with garbage.