They are figures that are almost unimaginable, but Instagram has roughly 1 billion users each month and clocks up around 3.5 billions likes every day. So in order to get the most out of the platform who should you be following on Instagram? It’s a question we all ask at some point, but when we really think about it the answer isn’t actually that difficult.

Who Should You Be Following on Instagram?

When deciding on who to follow on Instagram there are several other questions you should ask to ensure that those users and accounts are the right ones for you:

Do you genuinely like the images they post?

Do they make you smile?

Do they inspire you?

Do you close the app and feel positive and optimistic?

Instagram is a social media platform, it is not a stick to beat ourselves with. It should be something we enjoy, not something that makes us feel like failures. Success and happiness are based on working hard, being honest and having a positive impact, not based on the number of online followers we have, or the number of likes a single photograph gets.

If you look at an image or read a caption and feel anything but happy, inspired, encouraged or content then these are not the images for you, and this is not an account you should follow.

Whether you follow an individual or a brand, if they are posting images or captions that are promoting an unfavourable mindset, negative terminology towards mental health issues and body image. These are not accounts that should be given a platform. There are thousands of accounts whose sole purpose is to deliver the warped  promotion of dieting, bullying, gambling, and alcohol consumption (and many other things) – These should also be avoided, reported and blocked. Do not give them a voice.

This is why it is important to read the captions posted. Users often post a beautiful picture to grab your attention but they are fully aware that the majority of people won’t read the caption. By simply scrolling and tapping without reading, how can you be sure that you aren’t allowing abusive comments to be seen by a wider audience.

There are people who treat social media like a popularity contest, wrongfully creating the illusion that the number of followers you have equates to happiness and success.

There is nothing wrong with looking at looking at a photo of someone and wanting (for a second) what they have, but it is important that you remember that a photo is an edited highlight. That person has specifically chosen that photo to show the world what they want it to see, which is not necessarily a true representation of events.

However, this is not to say that everything about Instagram and social media is negative. There are some incredible people who use it for good, honest, wonderful reasons.

They inspire people to make positive changes.

They create beautiful imagery.

They encourage positivity.

They protest and give voices to others.

These are the people you should be following on Instagram.

It isn’t just about who you follow though, you should also consider who you want to follow you. 

Do you really want hundreds of thousands of nameless, faceless accounts following you, leaving nothing but generic comments and likes against your posts, or do you want meaningful engagement and interaction? 

How do you decide who to follow on Instagram?

Let me know in the comments.