What I’d Do Differently If I Started Instagram Again Today

I started Instagram in 2016, shortly after I moved to Canada, back when Instagram looked very different and features like Stories didn’t even exist yet . Many of the creators who started around the same time are now at one million followers or more. I’m not , and a big part of that comes down to mistakes I made along the way. I’m sharing those mistakes here so you don’t repeat them, waste years figuring things out the hard way, or feel stuck the way I did for a long time.

My Instagram Today , Check it out here

The mistakes I made (and learned the hard way)

1- Closing comments and not following people

When I first started on Instagram, I didn’t understand how it worked at all. I just wanted to post photos. I remember having my comments closed and following only around 20 people literally my siblings, my husband, and a few close friends. I stayed like that for over a year. Looking back, this affected my account a lot. Social media is about interaction. Following people matters more than we think. Sometimes they follow you back, and even when they don’t, your name still shows up in their following list. That visibility is important, and I completely missed that in the beginning.

2- Not having a clear niche

Another big mistake was not having a clear niche. Even though my content leaned toward fashion at that time, I shared a lot of my personal life as well. People were confused about what my page was actually about. When I look back at my old stories now, my whole life was basically an open book , every emotion, every phase I was going through. Today, I keep my personal life much more private. People don’t need to know if I’m happy or sad just by scrolling through my Instagram, and this change made a big difference.

3-Caring too much about what people think

I cared a lot about people’s opinions in the beginning. If I heard someone say things like, “Who does she think she is?” or “She probably has fake followers,” I took it very personally. I felt the need to explain myself or defend my page. Now, I don’t do that anymore. If someone thinks I have fake followers or anything else, that’s their opinion. I know my truth, and that’s enough. Caring too much about outside noise only slows you down.

4-Missing the moment with new features

One of the biggest mistakes I made was not using new features early. When Reels first came out, they were available only in Canada, the U.S., and a few other countries for a long time. At that time, Reels were going viral very easily, and people were gaining thousands of followers quickly. I didn’t use Reels at all during that period. I waited until everyone around the world started using them, when the competition was already high. I completely missed that moment. That taught me something important: when a new feature comes out, especially if it’s limited to your region, use it ,even if you’re unsure.

5-Building an audience in the wrong location

Because I’m Lebanese, most of my early followers were from the Middle East and Egypt, where I was more known. At the time, Instagram didn’t prioritize showing content based on location the way it does now. When that changed, my engagement dropped a lot. I didn’t have enough followers in Canada, and I had to work very hard to rebuild local engagement. That also meant changing the tone of my content, because speaking to a Canadian audience is very different from speaking to an Arab audience in the Middle East. Many of those followers are still there, but they rarely see my posts now. This happened because I didn’t have a clear long-term strategy from the beginning.

What I’d do differently now, with everything I know if I Started Instagram Today

1-Understanding that being a creator is a job and needs a lot of work and effort

The first thing I understand now is that Instagram is not just for fun. Being a creator is a job. It takes knowledge, experience, and knowing how to do things properly. It’s not just posting and hoping for the best. Once I understood that, everything started to make more sense. This is also why I now offer 1:1 consultations, tailored to each person’s situation because every account is different.

2-Having a clear niche and protecting it

If I were starting today, I would have a very clear niche from the beginning. And now, if a collaboration doesn’t fit my niche, I decline it no matter how amazing it looks or how good the offer is. People notice. Followers are smart, and they can tell when something doesn’t align with your page and when you’re doing something just for money. Trust is everything, and once you lose it, it’s very hard to get back.

3-Treating Instagram as communication, not friendship

I also understand now that Instagram is about communication, not friendship. I don’t need to like everyone I work with, and I don’t need emotional attachment to people I deal with professionally. What matters is being respectful, communicating clearly, and protecting my brand. Separating emotions from business makes everything easier and much healthier.

4-Following trends that fit my page

I would absolutely use trends but I’d adapt them to fit my page instead of copying them exactly. Trends are powerful and they really do help with reach. You don’t need to change who you are or what you post just to follow a trend. Frame it in a way that matches your content, your niche, and your personality. When trends are used intentionally, they can bring new people to your page without losing the audience you already have.

5-Pitching brands without fear of rejection

Finally, I would pitch brands instead of waiting for them to contact me especially when you’re under 50K followers. Pitching is part of the job. Rejections are normal. Hearing no eight times out of ten doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. People don’t see the no’s anyway. They only see the yes.

Conclusion

When I started, there wasn’t anyone openly sharing what actually goes wrong behind the scenes, so I learned everything the hard way. That’s why I’m sharing this now openly so if you are starting Instagram today and you don’t have to figure it all out alone. If this helps you move a little faster or feel less stuck, then it’s already done its job.