Designing for likes
On the whole, I do like Instagram. As a platform, I think it’s a great place to be inspired (if you know where to look) and equally to inspire. However, sometimes looks can be deceiving, and this is only being fuelled by something I like to call ‘Instagram Design’.
I must spend a good few hours a day scrolling (hold your judgement please, we all do it). Ironically, inventor of the infinite scroll - Aza Raskin, apologised in an interview with The Times last year for its creation! Saying he regrets what his invention has done to society. Doesn’t that say something...
It can be a great tool for creatives to keep up with their respective communities, or to find new business and provide a platform to sell products. But does this constant feedback loop of creative work actually do more harm than good?
Instagram & mental health
In 2017, a study done by RSPH (Royal Society for Public Health) found that Instagram was the most detrimental social media platform for young people's mental health. Shirley Cramer, Chief Executive at RSPH comments...
“Social media has been described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol, and is now so entrenched in the lives of young people that it is no longer possible to ignore it when talking about young people’s mental health issues.”
For creatives of all disciplines, it’s hard to scroll through Instagram and not compare ourselves to others. Whether it’s the quality of their work, achievements, (perceived) success, or simply work ethic.
Which leads me on to an issue most of us creatives face throughout our career - Imposter Syndrome. Instagram is a place for our ‘highlights’. To show off the shiny, finished product. A verdict from the scroller on whether to ‘like’ it or not, is made in milliseconds. So if you’ve just posted a photo of your brand new, recently published book, the book will very literally be judged by it’s cover, not it’s content.
But by chasing likes, we’re not showcasing (arguably) the best bit about our art. The messy, rugged process of reaching that end product. The thought progression behind the design or for example; the choice of colour, the tools used to print and so on.
Scattered across the platform, there is awareness of this though. A handful of big league influencers have made an active attempt to show their ‘unfiltered’ lives too. But when left in the fate of the algorithm, will your rough and ready post perform as well as the neat and tidy alternative?
The Designfluencer
Aside from the obvious negative impacts social media has on our mental health, the effect Instagram has on a creative’s livelihood is equally as concerning. Some creatives are voicing concern over clients judging creators, based on their following rather than their portfolio and skillset.
Jon Cockley, co-founder of Handsome Frank, an Illustration agency in London spoke to Lecture in Progress about the issue, stating...
“One trend that concerns us greatly is an increase in clients getting in touch and overtly requesting illustrators with ‘a big social following’...”
It’s no longer enough just to be talented. What these clients are essentially asking for in this scenario is a ‘Designfluencer’. A creator and a marketing tool, all conveniently and cost-effectively rolled into one. So when livelihoods are in danger, as extremely experienced and talented creators are overlooked for projects for not being ‘Insta Famous’, are we meant to sacrifice our values and jump ship?
Enter...The Instagram Designer
Designing content solely for Instagram is a trend that has been around for years now. Whether it's visually appealing typographic posters, or the new era of Acid Design, the work is aesthetically pleasing and shamelessly sucks up to the algorithm.
Don’t get me wrong, this content is nice to look at, and design itself is an incredible tool to experiment with and provide an emotional outlet. The problem lies in our feed saturation, with this type of disposable, short-life span design.
The main issue with designing for Instagram, is it’s devaluing the output of ‘real’ designers. It takes for granted the legwork that goes into researching a concept, experimenting with layouts, colour-testing on different materials and telling a visual story.
By churning out meaningless, trend-driven designs daily, it champions unoriginality and demonises innovation.
Making this sort of content however is a sure fire way to get likes. Providing positive validation and propelling you to make more of the same for that oh so good dopamine rush! But when it comes to the real world, designing at a studio or in-house, these skills will most likely fall flat in the face of a real client brief. You cannot rely on trends for design, design is adaptive and you need to switch up your attitude for every client and every brief you get.
Copy and paste design won’t stand the test of time, and the fact that some clients are now actively seeking these creators, choosing people with higher followings, is something that needs to be addressed.
How to strike a healthy balance
So what can we do to combat the mental impacts of being a creative on Instagram, as well as the issues surrounding longevity and quality of content?
01: Take everything with a pinch of salt
For me personally, what works is reminding myself that the work you see on Instagram is just that. It’s polished and made to look aesthetically pleasing, solely for Instagram.
02: If you’re proud of your work, then post it
Likes do not quantify success. One thing I was told recently, that really helped, was to put your phone away or turn off notifications for at least an hour after you post. This way you get less hung up about the likes rolling in and can’t be tempted to take it down after 5 minutes.
We are always our own worst critics.
03: Go offline
Finally, an easy way to keep a healthy balance is to spend less time on social media as a whole. Comparing yourself to others is a futile habit and endless scrolling through your feed can become unhealthy and time consuming. If this isn’t an option for you, consider unfollowing or muting any accounts that don’t inspire you or make you smile.
