When the Camera’s Off

Being an Instagram influencer sounds glamorous — free trips, fancy brunches, and perfectly timed golden-hour shots. And yes, sometimes it is exactly that. But most of the time? It’s me sitting on the floor in sweatpants, surrounded by half-open PR boxes, trying to find decent lighting and the motivation to smile for a photo I’ll delete ten times before posting.

People see a highlight reel, not the bloopers behind it. Like the time I spent two hours shooting a “candid” coffee photo that ended with a spilled latte and a burnt tongue. Or the travel vlog where I looked calm and radiant, even though I’d missed my flight that morning and hadn’t slept in 30 hours. It’s funny — how something that looks effortless can take so much effort.

What most don’t realize is how lonely it can get. You spend hours online connecting with thousands, but sometimes forget to look up and connect with the person sitting right next to you. I used to chase likes like they were validation, thinking success meant numbers. But the truth is — the best feeling isn’t when a post goes viral, it’s when someone messages me saying, “Hey, what you wrote helped me through a bad day.”

Over time, I’ve learned that influence isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being real. The internet doesn’t need another flawless face — it needs more people who are okay admitting they’re figuring things out too.

So, when the camera’s off, I still try to live the moments I post about — messy, unfiltered, and genuine. Because someday, I want my followers to remember not how my feed looked, but how my words made them feel.

After all, beyond the filters, hashtags, and edits — I’m just another person trying to make sense of life, one post at a time.

The Pressure to Be Perfect — Mental Health in the Influencer World

Being an Instagram influencer might look like a dream from the outside—sunlit photos, brand trips, luxury collaborations, and a life that seems effortlessly curated. But behind the filters and hashtags, there’s a growing conversation that deserves more attention: the mental health struggles that come with constantly being online.

When your life becomes your content, boundaries start to blur. You wake up thinking about engagement rates and go to bed worrying about reach. Even a small drop in likes can trigger self-doubt. The dopamine rush of “notifications” can quickly turn into anxiety when the numbers don’t match expectations. It’s a cycle that’s hard to escape.

As influencers, we’re told to be “authentic,” yet perfection sells. That contradiction creates silent pressure—to always look good, sound confident, and stay positive. But the truth is, no one’s life is that perfect. We all have off days, insecurities, and burnout moments. Unfortunately, admitting that online sometimes feels like breaking the illusion people expect to see.

The turning point for me came when I stopped treating Instagram like a performance and started treating it like a space to share, not prove. I began talking about real struggles—creativity blocks, loneliness, the pressure of comparison—and that’s when my community truly connected. It reminded me that vulnerability isn’t weakness; it’s what makes us relatable.

Mental health in the influencer world needs more open conversations. We need to normalize taking breaks, saying no to unrealistic campaigns, and setting limits on screen time. Social media can be an incredible platform for expression, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of peace of mind.

At the end of the day, influence isn’t about numbers—it’s about impact. And the best impact we can make is reminding people that it’s okay to be human, even online.

Why It’s So Hard for Me—an Instagram Influencer—to Decide About Marriage

I never imagined that my marriage prospects would be so complicated because of building a life around Instagram. I am a 27-year-old, living in chennai, managing collaborations, creating content every day, and caught up with life so much around social media, that now when my relatives ask me “when do you plan to get married?” I dread my life. Everything in my life probably looks perfect for someone who wants to start out as an influencer, travelling, fashion, brand recognition, follower base, etc., but what they dont see is behind all these filters and content lies a constantly confused soul. Now that I have a well-sorted after career, my only worry isn’t about marriage, it’s about who I am supposed to marry. As a Mudaliyar community member, caste has always played a significant role and is a constant conversation you can’t avoid. Although it’s not very openly acknowledged, my parents do hope that I find someone from my caste and “settle down”. They are still in the process of accepting that I have a very well-established online presence and that when I marry, I want to continue to pursue this. It’s a hefty task to find somebody willing to accept that their better half will be online constantly and consider this a primary job.

They even suggested I register on mudaliyarkannalam.com, a matrimonial site dedicated to our community. And while I understand where they’re coming from, I can’t help but feel a little boxed in.

Dont get me wrong, I’m not against traditions or cultures, I love where we come from, I’m well-versed with all of our rituals. I speak fluent Tamil and celebrate Pongal with my family every year; I even draw the attention of my followers to these customs and traditions. But that being said, I dont understand the concept of love must happen within the caste, it’s hard to digest for me. What is the person I connect with who isn’t a Mudaliyar? Or what if the person who respects me, understands my career, and supports it, is from another background? These questions have haunted me for quite some time.

Many people would say that dating is a great option to figure out who is compatible with me and understands my life. But as a public figure, it’s hard to date or even go out to meet someone for a coffee chat. People notice a lot, why I went out, who I go with, even when I dont post. Although my work is about my life, I think it’s necessary to draw boundaries around it. And if I share too much, it’s gossip for people. If I stay quiet, people have the space to assume things. Either way, I’m always the one in trouble in such situations, so I make sure to remain neutral. And on top of that, if we add the caste expectations, the pressure is definitely unbearable.

And for influencers who are women, like me, there’s always an unsaid rule that you should avoid few content after marriage, not to post bold pictures, or not to outshine your husband. The worst part is, they dont even appreciate it if you earn more than your husband, which is ridiculous. All of the efforts that I put in for so long, just for it to be avoided later, that’s not something I look forward to.

I know that I’m not alone here, I’m pretty sure many young women like me are every day fighting the world to balance personal ambitions and family expectations, it’s not an easy task. It’s about identity, freedom, the future we want to have, not just the marriage part. There are days I just want to give in to my parents’ expectations, maybe I’d find someone decent on a site like mudaliyarkannalam.com and settle down quietly. Other days, I feel, its better to look for someone who genuinely gets me, forget the damn caste.

Maybe I’ll figure it out eventually. For now, I’m still creating, still growing—and still hoping that when the time comes, I won’t have to choose between love and being myself.

How I Batch-create Instagram content without losing my mind

Let’s face it,

Creating and posting daily on Instagram is like a year-round self-imposed group project on steroids. You’re the planner, editor, writer, on-screen talent, creative director, and sometimes even coffee runner. I do enjoy creating content, but there was a time when I spent more time trying to figure out what to post than posting.

To combat burnout, I chose to take action and do something fun.

Gone are the days when I would create a reel 10 minutes before posting, edit on a 4% battery, and eat in between drafts. But now, I batch everything out in 2–3 days and hang out the rest of the week.

Here’s how I batch-create content and stay sane while doing it:

Begin with a brain dump, not a creative brief

Every Sunday, I go to my Notion page, “chaotic ideas at 2 a.m.,” and dump. There is no strategy, and you don’t need to be an artist or designer to do this; sometimes, just showing up is enough.

Group & theme your content

Once the crazy is out, I slam them into these three buckets.

Relatable reels creator
Helpful stuff (tools I use, growth hacks, behind-the-scenes)
Personal/feel-good (examples, stories, book recommendations, inspirational carousels)

This structure helps me ensure that I’m not scrambling and posting for the sake of posting. I’m crafting a cohesive narrative from day to day throughout the week.

Batch Create — make it flexible

Batch Creating can create a lot; it can be the highest-possible-impact way.

Day 1 – Shoot day: Hair/makeup/wardrobe, lighting, stand setup, audio check, lip-sync practice, and going through TikTok trends.

Day 2 – Edit + caption + schedule day CapCut + Notion + Preview App = content creator power trio.

What’s living up my life right now: getting 3–4 reels filmed in a row when my hair is still done. There’s no need to jump around state to state or race the sun across the country daily.

Leave room for random creativity

Batching may sound robotic, but it’s not. It’s about having freedom and time for yourself. Sometimes, I am guilty of following the trends and following what others do just to be on the loop, but in the long run, it never works. It only reduces your credibility. So leave some room for the creative side of you to pop, now and then, so that it looks realistic.

Batching takes care of that foundation, and then I can add spontaneity when I choose to.

Take time to look back

Every Sunday night, I reflect:

So what was successful this week?

What failed and for what reason? Was I happy while producing it?

I adjust if it starts to feel like a work-for-hire gig that I need to go through because I’d much rather build at a slower pace and enjoy myself than fizzle out in a quest for perfection.

And most importantly-

You can batch evergreen content and still be that spontaneous, in-the-moment content creator. Surprise, surprise—authenticity isn’t the opposite of planning ahead. It’s about making room for happiness.

Your turn: Have you ever worked in batches with your content? Or are you more of a “post-what-I-think” type of content creator?

Until next time, batch smart, sleep smarter.

Instagram content creator 101

Hello there!

Whether you’re looking to expand your storytelling skills to include more visual mediums or just want to get a better sense overall of how to move through this timely transition to hybrid and virtual formats, our new track is designed for you. The built environment at this scale invites us all to create interventions that elevate, connect, heal, and flourish. influencer 101

You might be reading this blog post right now on Instagram, soaking up all the free education reels, and at some moment in time, you’ve wished I want to create content online. You are in the right place.

I was just like you, a person who started with no knowledge, a few followers, a phone, and a dream to put out something tangible, relevant, and a little drama.

Who qualifies as a “content creator”?

It feels a lot like being a one-person band with your own brand, because you create all the content in-house, everything from video to photography to copy to memes, stories, everything. It may be a fashion transition or a funny, relatable reel.

But a big part is more than just going viral daily or looking pretty.

You need to be consistent in what you do. Use your imagination and be as creative as possible to tell your story. Be real and speak the facts.

Is this an actual career?

Many people will say no, this isn’t a full-time career, and it cannot give you as much as any job would. But I say, yes, it is, and I will state the reasons why it is sometimes better than a full-time job-

You learn fundamental skills by applying them practically here

Writing captions improves your communication. Designing posts boosts creativity. Talking to a camera is all about confidence

Build a personal brand

Finding the right frequency of posting that works with your schedule and capabilities will help you be recognized as that unique voice that people want to listen to. This is personal branding, or how your presence is affected online.

Making a profit

We have these brand collaborations, or you could sell your own merchandise, create your own courses, become an affiliate marketer, and do many other things. There are endless opportunities, provided that you learn how to make the most of them.

Work at your own pace for quite some time

You do have control over who you collaborate with and how extensively you decide to collaborate. You’ll have lots of flexibility to make your own choices. As terrible as it sounds at first, the reality is that it’s less stressful than a nine-to-five job.

So, how do you get going?

Establish your overall theme right from the start.
Avoid chasing trends and leaning too hard into the new thing; instead, lean into where your energy is.
You don’t need a team or a DSLR. Your smartphone and natural daylight are plenty.
Post regularly. Even just once or twice a week is amazing in the long run.

That’s ultimately why I got into content creation—to create change, empower and uplift others, and educate in the process. I was so enamored with the idea of folks employing creativity to create something from absolutely nothing. And now it has turned into a space where I surprise them, make them think twice, and evoke an emotion.

So if you’re reading this and you happen to be one of those people who’ve been hoping for a “sign” that it’s time to begin your creator journey, this is it!!

5 Free tools every Instagram content creator needs in 2025

Today, with how quickly Instagram moves, it’s not enough to slap up some pretty pictures. You need strategy, consistency, and the right tools to simplify your life. Be it with style guides, uplifting messages, or documenting life’s recurring moments, we recognise the magic in how influencers leverage cost-effective products to enhance their work.

It’s easy to get burnt out when working alone, so using tools to achieve the most impact with the least effort is essential.

All content creators should use five easy, free tools:

These help to plan, design, edit, and grow your page.

Canva– your design bestie

Imagine creating time-saving, pre-made posts for your feed in just a few minutes, and having an entire library of templates and designs that give you creative freedom. That’s Canva in a nutshell.

It’s a set of compelling styles, layouts, fonts, illustrations, and even pre-made stickers that’s simple to customize. Canva also has a vast library of stock photos readily available for use on your designs.

CapCut – the easy reels editor

I spent hours editing every video in different apps, which led me to try this video editor. The difference has been incredible. It’s now my secret weapon for producing viral reels. It’s super intuitive, allowing you to learn and craft your video. It lets you cut down video clips, introduce background music, and auto-generate captions in fun and flashy fonts.

It also lets you know the secret to making those smooth fly-through transitions from your phone.

Preview App – for planning your grid

Unlike other tools, this one allows you to preview your future posts without waiting until they are published to your profile. You can drag and drop your posts to preview them.

You can pre-write your captions and hashtags and schedule all of your posts in advance. This can help you identify which posts are doing a good job and which may need a refresh.

Notion – for brain dump & ideas

It functions as a digital corkboard, too, my personal favorite. It’s like a magic tool in how it helps me outline and structure my ideas, efficiently reminding me what I should be doing, what I need to plan for, and how much time I can save if I get my act together and do X sooner rather than later.

From custom templates and trackers to keep your brand collabs on track and plan your content calendar, to save your 2 am random thoughts — it’s all in there. The most exciting part is that you can make it your own.

Snapseed – your photo editing sidekick

Those days are over with Photoshop. Snapseed is a potent tool and easy to use when it comes to editing your photos. Whether you need to repair the light, make your colours more vibrant, or even blur the chaos of your home office, we can help!

There’s a very nifty healing tool to remove your photo bombs or unexpected t-shirt stains, which is cool. Honest to goodness, if you can avoid checking these boxes during a shoot, you can get one gorgeous shot right out of the box! An absolute game-changer

It’s simple, free, and takes your photos to the next level.

You can create something extraordinary with Canva, CapCut, Preview, Notion, and Snapseed in your toolkit!

Strategies that deliver results for growth on Instagram

When I first began developing content for Instagram, I believed that increasing reach was about virality. Similar to how we know when a post goes viral up to 1k views, and you just became that overnight success instant, with collabs pouring in the inbox and DMS spilling over. What I didn’t realise is that you can’t only go viral in the hopes of creating long-term growth on the platform.

Growth happens over time, and you need to have the patience to wait for it to happen.

So if you keep asking yourself, “How can I grow if I’m not trending or going viral?

This is for you.

Here’s what we found to be effective.

Build a movement, not a moment

You know what keeps me lingering on someone’s profile? It matters—not the culture, the art, or the photograph on the wall. It’s the first caption that reads like an actual narrative. It’s not just their images or even their sound. Though it is in the sound, it’s in the experience of how their narrative resonates with us because that’s the most basic level of storytelling.

Remember, nothing drives growth like a person who knows you care, and your audience will be seen, heard, and appreciated.

Stop ghosting folks in your DMS

Use the story as an opportunity to question and return to the present.
Share and celebrate these small wins with your followers and provide an inside peek into the work your organisation is doing.

Storytelling > Marketing

Stories are back, and despite all the algorithms, trends, and most incredible stuff out there, the only thing that will stop someone in their scroll and get them to watch is a story.

Explain what inspired you to take that shot, explain how your product saved the day at the hour of need, elaborate on the day you saw or heard that quote you’re tweeting about. Your personal stories create the emotional gut punch. How do we make that connection? It is a much more potent force than any algorithm.

Create save-worthy posts

We’ve moved beyond the sharing age and into the save for later age. Curate your content posts in a way that inspires people to come back to them time and time again.

Take a crack at writing something that’s

Bright and hopeful
Poetic or aesthetically pleasing

A moment before you hit share, pause and consider: Would you save this post to your favorites or scroll by quicker than your case of the Mondays?

Pay attention before you demand their attention

One thing that enabled me to continue to grow despite having a low organic reach: intentional engagement.

So, spend 10–15 minutes engaging with other people’s posts before you post.
Follow accounts you mesh with and start those conversations by sliding into their DMs with something nice.
Share and save Content from other members, as well.

When you do come, everyone is paying attention and looking to you. They return with them.
Real engagement isn’t about trying to get something; it’s about giving something. Meet them where they are, lead with value, and be authentic.

Sometimes growth doesn’t mean a 10K increase in a week. At other times, like right now, it feels like three new followers who understand what you’re doing. Or a DM from somebody who no longer feels alone after reading what you shared.

How I started creating content on Instagram with zero followers

For most of us, to begin as a total noob can be overwhelming and intimidating. We have no followers; we have little audience, actually, and we post fairly consistently, for quite a while now, and it feels like we are talking into a void. We need to keep in mind that every creator has many followers , starting out with none. This is a part of mutual travel on the path; It all begins now.

But here’s the real deal:

Every person with a million followers created zero videos today. Which means you are not behind in your quest; you are simply beginning.

So, here are a few things I wish someone had told me before I started out as a complete newbie;

I gave up waiting to be “Ready”

Never think that you’re going to be ready one day and you’re just going to wait until everything is going to be perfect before getting started, because it ain’t going to happen; waiting makes you want to stay even more, and it doesn’t get you anywhere. So, just begin wherever you can.

One day, I simply grabbed my phone, made a quick video about something that interested me, and published it. There were no filtration systems, and there was no pressure.

The only way to start is to start. It’s okay if your first video isn’t perfect.

Choose a niche that represents you

Ask yourself what I love to talk about, even if no one is listening?

Your niche is the thought that popped into your head. Whether you love gaming, journaling, music, memes, or even ranting, it’s your best call rather than blindly following the trend.

Don’t put yourself through the stress of chasing views every round

Refreshing your reel views and allowing the algorithm to determine how exciting your content is was a big misstep. Yes, views matter, but when you’re at the initial stages, they can be overwhelming and make you feel worthless.

Some videos receive 100 views, others 1000 views. The important thing, though, is to make sure you continue to create content.

I learned as I posted

Pretty much all I learned was through the process of actually putting it out there on social media.

I think that’s because most people start on an entry-level creative content path, or honestly, maybe just digital marketing in general, and go from there. While learning by doing may not be flashy, it certainly is a better step forward.

I was then able to discover the optimal time of day to post by referring to a chart of when my followers were most active. I learned what hooks the audience latched onto. I pushed the envelope with trends and made them my own.

Sometimes,

A mobile phone, a crazy idea, and an intense chip on your shoulder are all you need to begin.

Sure, you might be at follower level zero in your first week, but you’ll soon be beyond that.