For this week's Instagram Thursday post, I have to ask you:
Is there such a thing as posting too many photos to Instagram when traveling?
What do you say?
I say yes. Sometimes when I travel I have to sit on my hands so I won't post too many photos to Instagram of the sights I am experiencing at the moment. I think it's fun to share things we like, or see. However, I do believe that a person can certainly overshare their experiences on social media, especially bloggers who may be on a trip as a guest of a tourism board or public relations firm.
There have even been studies on oversharing, and why we feel the need to share things on social media. A Harvard study revealed that sharing our thoughts actually activated the brain's reward system, and made us feel good.
Here is the flipside though. How does it make that person who is at home seeing your Instagram feed feel? I usually view my Instagram feed in the kitchen before I load the dishes at night. I get annoyed if I see a photo from the same person every five minutes when they are traveling.
Am I jealous? I don't think so. I get annoyed because it clogs up my feed.
What would you think if I posted this photo from Williamsburg....
and then five minutes later, posted this photo.
I may have liked or commented on the first photo in my feed, but the second photo I'm going to scroll right by it. No comment. No like. Honestly, It's just too soon for me to see another photo from the same person in my feed, especially a photo that looks almost like the first one. Show me another photo an hour or two later, and I'm more likely to react and engage.
Katja Presnal is an Instagram expert, and she believes that an effective Instagram user tells a visual story on Instagram without saying much at all. It's best to take a lot of photos then post your best one.
When looking through my photos, I decided this photo would be more interesting on Instagram, and shared this one instead. It told the story of colonial life in a colorful way.
It was average on popularity with only 19 likes and 3 comments, but if I had posted those same three photos in a row within 30 minutes, I imagine that the engagement and likes in my feed would have been even less. I may would have received an unfollow, too.
When Katja Presnal travels, she only posts six photos a day to her Instagram account. That is max for her. I post a little more than that because my brain must love it and it thrills me, but I've certainly learned to hold back photos from when I first started using the app.
For one day of sightseeing in Williamsburg, Virginia, I posted eight photos that were spread out over a 12 hour period. I post to tell a story, and I try not to overshare.
And truthfully, those people in your feed, the non-bloggers, probably post even less than Katja. My sister-in-law and her family spent a week in France in June. I actually found myself stalking her feed daily to see if she posted anything on her trip. I was so curious. Some days, I didn't even get one photo at all from her. On a good day, I got maybe three. I found myself wanting to see the inside of her house rental, and perhaps the restaurant they dined in while in Sarlat.
As a follower of her feed, I wanted more, and found myself going to her home Instagram page to make sure I didn't miss anything.
I hadn't.
Is that an example of less being more effective, if you are a brand or blogger? I think so.
What do you think? Let's talk more about Instagram on Twitter.
Today is an exciting day for Instagram Travel Thursday because the weekly hosts are hosting a Twitter chat at 12:00 p.m. EST today to discuss our views on how Instagram can be an effective tool for travel planning. My Skimbaco editor, Katja Presnal, who has authored the book, Instagram as your Guide to the World - How, What and Who to Search and Follow on Instagram to Help You Travel the World, will be on hand to lead the discussion. We will be offering Katja's book as well as a Marimekko iphone case as some of the prizes during the chat. Join us, if you are available.
Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.
For more information on travel to Greater Williamsburg, and to see colonial life in person like my family did, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.
Is there such a thing as posting too many photos to Instagram when traveling?
What do you say?
I say yes. Sometimes when I travel I have to sit on my hands so I won't post too many photos to Instagram of the sights I am experiencing at the moment. I think it's fun to share things we like, or see. However, I do believe that a person can certainly overshare their experiences on social media, especially bloggers who may be on a trip as a guest of a tourism board or public relations firm.
There have even been studies on oversharing, and why we feel the need to share things on social media. A Harvard study revealed that sharing our thoughts actually activated the brain's reward system, and made us feel good.
Here is the flipside though. How does it make that person who is at home seeing your Instagram feed feel? I usually view my Instagram feed in the kitchen before I load the dishes at night. I get annoyed if I see a photo from the same person every five minutes when they are traveling.
Am I jealous? I don't think so. I get annoyed because it clogs up my feed.
What would you think if I posted this photo from Williamsburg....
and then five minutes later, posted this photo.
I may have liked or commented on the first photo in my feed, but the second photo I'm going to scroll right by it. No comment. No like. Honestly, It's just too soon for me to see another photo from the same person in my feed, especially a photo that looks almost like the first one. Show me another photo an hour or two later, and I'm more likely to react and engage.
Katja Presnal is an Instagram expert, and she believes that an effective Instagram user tells a visual story on Instagram without saying much at all. It's best to take a lot of photos then post your best one.
When looking through my photos, I decided this photo would be more interesting on Instagram, and shared this one instead. It told the story of colonial life in a colorful way.
It was average on popularity with only 19 likes and 3 comments, but if I had posted those same three photos in a row within 30 minutes, I imagine that the engagement and likes in my feed would have been even less. I may would have received an unfollow, too.
When Katja Presnal travels, she only posts six photos a day to her Instagram account. That is max for her. I post a little more than that because my brain must love it and it thrills me, but I've certainly learned to hold back photos from when I first started using the app.
For one day of sightseeing in Williamsburg, Virginia, I posted eight photos that were spread out over a 12 hour period. I post to tell a story, and I try not to overshare.
And truthfully, those people in your feed, the non-bloggers, probably post even less than Katja. My sister-in-law and her family spent a week in France in June. I actually found myself stalking her feed daily to see if she posted anything on her trip. I was so curious. Some days, I didn't even get one photo at all from her. On a good day, I got maybe three. I found myself wanting to see the inside of her house rental, and perhaps the restaurant they dined in while in Sarlat.
As a follower of her feed, I wanted more, and found myself going to her home Instagram page to make sure I didn't miss anything.
I hadn't.
Is that an example of less being more effective, if you are a brand or blogger? I think so.
What do you think? Let's talk more about Instagram on Twitter.
Today is an exciting day for Instagram Travel Thursday because the weekly hosts are hosting a Twitter chat at 12:00 p.m. EST today to discuss our views on how Instagram can be an effective tool for travel planning. My Skimbaco editor, Katja Presnal, who has authored the book, Instagram as your Guide to the World - How, What and Who to Search and Follow on Instagram to Help You Travel the World, will be on hand to lead the discussion. We will be offering Katja's book as well as a Marimekko iphone case as some of the prizes during the chat. Join us, if you are available.
If you are a blogger, link up with us. Take a look at the link-up rules below before linking, and please link back to a host so others can find everyone's links.
Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.
Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.
The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.
Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms. Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most. My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.For more information on travel to Greater Williamsburg, and to see colonial life in person like my family did, visit www.visitwilliamsburg.com.
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