Best Nine 2019
Best Nine 2019
It's that time of year again for the Best 9 of Instagram. Best 9 generates the top 9 posts of your Instagram, based on likes, for the year. I enjoy seeing my grid at the end of each year. The results are a fun addition to the bigger story. Everyone approaches Instagram differently. I’ve changed my approach & mindset to the app a lot over the years. So, let’s dig in!
2019
5.2k likes in 90 posts
55 likes/post
I’ve increased likes/post each year since 2016. This year is an exception — my likes decreased by 30 per post. I’m proud of this. It means my time on Instagram was reduced. I disabled my account the first quarter of the year, was a private account for 6 months and removed 75% of accounts that didn’t bring me joy. A private account allowed me to decline friend requests from people I don’t know, avoid spam accounts, & remove accounts who follow to lurk and judge. I also didn’t give my students access to my personal account. Digital boundaries are important. It’s healthy, safe, and takes up less mind space.
Original photo via Schoolhouse
This year my top photos were warmer & brighter thanks to Liz Galvan’s LMB presets. Over 50% of the photos were personal moments — our dream of owning an A-frame someday, my love for Michigan and colored glass, our favorite wedding of the year (rosé very much included!), and Joel teasing me about my mirror pics. I’m pretty sure his single mirror pic was more popular than all of mine combined!
Kherington & I chatting at Lyon Street Café. Photo by Leigh Ann Cobb
The rest of the photos were career moments — my studio refresh, a celebration of 6 years as a freelance designer, and two dedicated to the annual women’s day event I co-host.
My main 2019 goal was more personal life, less career chasing. It’s fun to see my grid reflect my goals. Especially in the sense that everything was reduced. Less followers, less likes, and less screen time. More LIFE.
Maybe 2020 will bring me even less, so I can be present even more.
2020
In last year’s post I said, “…I recognize it's time for a mindset shift. I am BURNT. OUT.” I shifted my mindset in 2019 and I’m so happy with the results. If you’re an artist, small business, or anything visual to profit from your creativity, Instagram sucks you in big time. I stepped away and lost nothing I needed in terms of financial security or friendships. If anything, I received more in genuine friendship, career clarity, & a stronger sense of self.
In 2020 I hope to have more of the same. Instagram is so different now with paid partnerships, brand exposure, and retail sales. There’s great value in this but everything in moderation. What we see is how we translate our world. In the coming year I plan to follow accounts with unpopular opinions, strong messages, & inspiration. I’m not so concerned with my IG community. The people I spend real-life time with in all our messy humanness is my community. They are who make up my life. Who are there when life is joyful, tough, & ordinary. They remain my focus. I hope the same for you.
2018
15.5 likes in 177 posts
—
88 likes/post
2017
9.2k likes in 113 posts
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81 likes/post
2016
3.1k likes in 95 posts
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33 likes/post
Enter your Instagram handle [here] to see your Best 9. It will generate your results within seconds. Pretty cool! What are you most proud of this year?
