Thank you, VERO, for helping the photo community ♥️ We will all grow and bring back the community, it’s just a matter of time and patience, but we will get there.
Instagram almost immediately killed my creativity. I was just posting stuff up there then I started caring for the likes more than what I was photographing and I soon lost all interest in photography. I missed taking photos for myself and not for the masses.
I stopped using hashtags just to have a place for pics I take. I just setup a Vero account yesterday so I'm curious if I'll find others to respark my motivation.
Sadly, Instagram will no longer give you that sense of community like it once did. Now it just feels like you're walking into a public market filled with approaching solicitors.
To the small content creators, Instagram destroyed us, taking away our visibility. Regardless of whether or not you want to make money by the platform, that people can't see your work that you did with so much pride and commitment, is frustrating
@@Roman_4x5 That's right, that's why I specified "used to make money or not". As is my case, I do not sell my photographs, I am only interested in generating a certain popularity on the networks. But yes, in its golden days, instagram managed to generate many "businesses"
This is a ridiculous take, reels are hugely beneficial to new creators as is the explosion of short-form video content in general. I understand the annoyance/fear/effort in learning a new medium but it's just more convenient and engaging for the average user. People talk about the algorithm like it has a will of its own and is negative towards creators, it just decides what content users of the platform spend more time engaging with and does better with advertisers(which also gives money back to creators.)
@@Kyle_Fall You are literally confirming what everyone is complaining about, the platform forces you to make the content that suits her just for compiting with tiktok. Why should a photographer be forced to make videos if that's not what they do? for instance.
@@Ledolfii They're not forced to but then you lose the right to complain about being irrelevant and having no reach if you refuse to adapt your content to the format most people find pleasing.
Nailed it absolutely 100%, especially when it comes to mental health. I don't want an app to bombard me with content it thinks I want to see sparsely intermingled with irrelevant adverts, I want an app to present images that I'm actually interested in, content that is engaging, allow me to explore other people's work at my own pace and in whatever direction I want to go, and allow me to stop when I want to. I'm relatively new to Vero, but it seems to do all of those things whilst IG allows me to do literally none of them now.
Thank you for your comment Richard and I couldn't agree more. For now, Vero seems to tick a lot of boxes for different creators and personally I am really enjoying the platform. Thanks for watching!
I'm a film director and get most of my gigs through instagram. Even though I direct and edit videos, I don't like posting videos to social media. Instead, I much prefer posting stills from my productions. So recently, instagram shadow banned me and won't show any of the things I post in feeds. It's sad because as a woman director of color, we NEED more visibility in order to inspire future generations of filmmakers to feel like they can thrive in this hyper masculine industry. Personally, one reason I didn't get into directing film sooner was because I hadn't seen many directors out there who looked like me, and a big reason I became a director was to help change that. So these changes to the algorithm are really disheartening. I like Vero though and agree with a lot of what you said - it's a breath of fresh air. I'm starting to post and might give up instagram altogether soon.
Hi Lee I'm interested to find out how you correlated insta shadow baning you because of your demographic as a woman of color? I think you should evidence this with legal advice to insta so they can apologies publicly and correct their algorithm as I'm sure it's against their (and any social media) required ethical standards and operation as a global service. All the best. Adam
My experience on Vero has been: people will "like" all my photos but then not follow me. It's been a consistent pattern. I'm not sure what it's about tbh. Thank you for the video, I enjoyed it.
Vero is a breath of fresh air! Completely agree with what you said about finding the app so peaceful. I didn’t realise how much the algorithm had affected my work until I started posting on vero! It has brought back a sense of freedom, posting what I want when I want and not having to worry about it fitting the algorithm or using the right hashtags! Peace and serenity all the way 🙌☺️
Totally agree! It was a sense of relief that I discovered Vero. Instead of being shoe-horned into IG, Vero enables a sense of personal expression in photography.
I loved this! I started using Vero a few weeks ago and actually made me want to start the 365 challenge. I’m sharing the same things on Instagram and comparing the two. I have to say, Vero is just a much more pleasurable experience. The only “problem” I see with it is that it connects people in a niche but it’s really difficult to get out of that, meaning that your work is only seen by people who generally are doing the same stuff. Instagram still keeps its relevance because it has a general public, you can have your photos seen by a great number of people (if they look you up, because there’s no hope to reach them otherwise 😂), while on Vero you get seen mostly by fellow photographers. I think the same goes for TikTok. Those platform have a huge number of users that are only there to consume content, while Vero is mostly populated by creators. I really hope it grows, as I can see it being a social platform where everyone can find what they’re interested in.
@@QuicknStraight yeah maybe I didn’t explain my point properly. I know you can see whatever you want to see, I was just pointing out the general lack of users on the consumer side.
Thank you so much for your comment Luca! I know what you mean, but hopefully the more visibility the platform gets the more people from all sorts of realms (and general public) will start joining. I understand it must have an impact on whether you monetise your social media on say Instagram or whether you just want a space to share your work. However, there is always the issue that if Vero grows quickly it may start getting rid of all the features that we love on the app to keep up with demand and make money themselves. We'll just have to see what happens but so far, ticking a lot of boxes. Thanks for watching :)
Yeah, that's the problem with all these sites like 500px, 1x etc. There are only photographers and similar people. I started today, thanks to this video and sure, everyone is liking each other's posts but we need other folks who will likely be buying our work.
I do wish they had some sort of algorithm. Not for photos that show up on your home page, but kinda of like the explore page. IG was great before because if you wanted to you could only see content from those you follow, but if you were looking for something new you could go to the explore page. I'm finding that it takes more effort for me to find content that I like on the app.
Then go to instagram. That’s the whole problem! “Oh lets take bits and pieces of all the platforms and mix them all together! That will make everything better!” Which brings us right back to the same problem we have with instagram. You want it then stay with instagram. And yes you’re being mocked.
@@christophersmith4782 What? Wanting a means to find content you want to view easier is a valid point to make? I don't understand why you'd be a douche bag about it 🤣Instagram use to do this incredibly well. Instagram's issue isn't the fact that it took 'bits and pieces of all the platforms and mix them all together! That will make everything better!”. It's because Insta switch itself from predominantly Still Image content to video/shorts & fucked the algorithm up. The reason is obvious, you get way longer total screen time per person with video content then still Image. It was the easiest way to compete with TikTok, but in doing so destroyed what a lot of creatives loved about the app and made it a lot harder to grow IF your a photographer/use still image content
@@christophersmith4782 The whole problem is a photo app that makes it easier for the user to find fellow photographers and content that suits them? If you're into landscape photography, the app suggesting photographers and photos in the area that interests you is a logical feature to have. That's not a problem. That's a solution to a problem. That's what instagram used to do and now no longer does because it wants to push stuff on users that may not interest them but drives up their numbers. Amara's point is valid, and your douchey reply was rude and condescending for no reason.
I’ve seen a lot of photographers on CZcams mentioning VERO. And you’re the first one that really has me curious to check it out doesn’t feel like you’re just hopping on the trend. You nailed it perfectly where Instagram doesn’t even care who you follow or don’t follow - they just care about hitting you with things that cause you to engage in their platform (whether it’s a negative or positive emotion is irrelevant to them) hence they hit you with food photography. It benefits them, and hurts you and they don’t care. Thank you for making this and sharing your experience.
Things I love about Vero: 1. Zoom! I can zoom a photo without having to keep my fingers on the screen! 2. Landscape! I can flip my phone and see a landscape photo as it should be 3. Yeah, Chronological and it keeps track! I pop in exactly where I popped out and start scrolling up until I’m done! 4. No algorithm is sweet! IG “strategists” would always tell you to stick to one thing, don’t clutter your channel with other genres. 5. Intros! 6. No ads! 7. Nothing forced on me. 8. Community Unfortunately some old school IGers have gone back to follow/unfollow to chase the elusive follower numbers. Soon we will have apps that watch all that, but I’m hopeful Vero figure out a way to combat that.
I quit Instagram months ago and currently quitting TikTok. I have been missing a platform to inspire me to create and get better at my craft within photography, illustrating, animation...etc and I feel Vero gives me that kind of community and inspiration. It really does feel so much more relaxing. It definitely gives my brain a break from it not being overstimulating like mainstream social media apps/sites, which I really appreciate.
Well said. With Instagram you need to «create for Insta». On Vero you can post what you created and not only 4x5 or 1x1. I also get the peace part about Vero. Insta is just stress…
It’s interesting that I found your channel on CZcams because of an algorithm. I don’t do food photography and I don’t search for it, but CZcams knows I’m into all kinds of photography. So this time, I like the algorithm.
I hate Instagram these days. I found Vero a few years ago, but nobody wanted to use it. Thankfully, now that big accounts like Peter McKinnon talked about it, people start switching to Vero. The only thing that really needs to change for me, is the design. I feel kind of claustrophobic when using the app, because of the dark color and the tight UI.
I totally agree with your views. I have never been on instagram because I heard all the negative stuff about the algorithms, Facebook is one of the worst platforms now. I heard about Vero from a CZcams photography channel last night, and joined and after only one day I find it to be a breath of fresh air. A place to share and view in a peaceful environment without any negativity.
Leonora, I felt like on Instagram i was just throwing my photos into a bottomless pit. It also started to go away from actual photos and started to feel more like Tik Tok! I only got an account because people would ask "Are you on Instagram" not that you ever heard from them again! I'm new to VERO but it feels completely different, I feel somehow more linked to those who work hard at what they do and can appreciate perhaps better what I strive for in my photography.
Yeah I understand the whole frustration of the 'are you genuine' assumptions just by having (or not having!) a social media account. Great to hear you're enjoying Vero! Thank you so much for watching :)
I love Vero. Same as many other photographers, I joined Vero last week, and I feel at home. I can see it growing to something unique. I love the fact we can also share links to our videos or portfolio. Let's hope it will stay this way. Keep up the excellent work. Subscribed 👍😀
True, I started using more Vero some months ago and leaving Instagram. Not only because of the "Tiktok" tendency it is taking but also because of the huge amount of sponsored ads unrelated to photography.
I've become more and more dissatisfied with Instagram lately and I am 100% with you. So many ads and unwanted content popping up on my feed. I rarely see posts from the people I follow. Lately the problem has been that posts on my feed are only staying up a few days and then they are gone. When releasing new music projects, I feel like no one is seeing my content anymore. I think Instagram could gain back some of its lost charm if they confined the ads to the REELS section or even better the shopping section. And bring back the feed from a few years ago. I think the ap would be a little better balanced. I will definitely be giving Vero a try.
I love Vero. Got on about 10 days ago now and I absolutely love it. I actually get more engagement there instead of the Instagram algorithm not showing my stuff to anyone. The no ads is fantastic. I'd happily pay Vero sub per year basis for the way it is now. The only gripe I have is the app needs updating. It's a bit slow for me and acts weird sometimes. But that's all.
If you press on „Instagram“ in the top left corner you can select „Following“, which will give you a chronological feed of only people you follow. This is pretty much the only way I use Instagram now, besides scrolling some niche photography hashtags. I think that way the experience is still fine. Sure my photos get shown to less people, but I never really cared about that anyway. Vero sounds nice, but I couldn’t care less about setting up a second social media presence.
Hey Leonora, love your take on vero and I honestly share your feelings. So much actually, that I made a video myself a few days ago, because I feel like people need to know that vero really is a platform to share art and built a community which I never felt in 4 years of Instagram… My favorite two parts about vero are: you can post 3:2 photographs in portrait orientation. No more 5:4 nonsense for no particular reason 🤪 And you can watch landscape oriented photographs in fullscreen by turning your phone 🤌 Have a nice day. Sven
I will have to try Vero out. Instagram and Facebook are about the same, where I used to receive engagement but not anymore. I uploaded 2 videos to Instagram recently but have no idea where they went, just vanished. Meta has encouraged me to post more elsewhere mainly on my website and my analytics have improved tremendously over time which is good as I plan to promote my products there shortly.
I'm a hobbyist photo/videographer and 15 years ago, flickr was the place to be. But then they messed with it trying to squeeze money out of it and that was that. Instagram just doesn't do it for me. I'll have a look at vero; it sounds like it might have a bit of that old flickr vibe about it, but composing for smartphone screens is something I'm resisting right now.
Thanks for this, totally agree. I once liked a couple of photos on IG that weren't my main interest and ever since I've been bombarded with stuff related to them. The people I follow are rarely in my feed, and there are so many ads. Have dabbled with VERO but am now going to be focussing more on the platform, like you say, peace and serenity ;-)
Nice video, things like this need visibility, does a lot for some people, mental health etc so easy for people to get lost in the sauce of instagram, it's actually a horrible place to be and people are literally tolerating it at this point and nothing more, i don't know anyone who genuinely loves or enjoys using it.
The irony is that, let's say we all move to Vero today. 2 years later it'll become the same as broken Instagram today because to stay relevant in that time, they'll end up doing same terrible copy copying Instagram is doing. It's less of Instagram and more of typical corporation and affinity for money. It's a numbers game. Even if running themselves into the ground for creators is what helps with revenue, a corporation will do it. So as evil as this sounds, I wish Vero doesn't ever become big like Instagram. In fact, it should be like 1/10th the size of today's Instagram. That way, they're not too big to go offrail, neither are they too small to not be sustainable.
Great video, Leonora. just subscribed to your channel. I totally agree that Instagram is now a useless app for creatives to share their creativity. I started using Vero and its just so awesome! The platform is so inviting and there is no algorithm and its extremely user friendly. Just the way a social platform for all creatives SHOULD BE.
Amazing!! I absolutely love your honesty. Your viewpoint for how instagram affects your mental health is huge. I have struggled with the same and had to remind my self of my WHY!
I absolutely feel the same as you, I've stopped posting on IG, it's a horribly toxic place, full of scams, weirdos, and just bad vibe all around. I see everything you say and feel the exact same, I'll give Vero a shot and check you out. Thanks for this video!
Totally agree with your view.. Instagram has lost the quality they once stood for.. too many bad quality videos,, they don't push real beautiful photos with art and craft...
Just signed up at Vero and it is a user interface design nightmare. Ok, it's still beta and we'll have to see what improvements we'll get over time. But already the decision to not have a website but being forced to install a desktop application just to use the service (when not on mobile) is incredibly stupid. I don't see right now why this should be the next big thing.
It’s been almost 5 years now. It’s funny how they were hit with controversy. Sort of died, popped back up, died, and now for some reason it’s back. I’m think vero was smart and wrote a check to some influencers to push it again.
I was starting to think that my friends hate my posts, even worse, my posts are a flop... While I don't want to blame the algorithm as the reason why I don't get as much traffic... I treat IG like a real musician treats top 40 music...
Great video! I first heard about Vero from Peter McKinnon, who voiced the same concerns you did regarding Instagram. Your comment about finding peace with Vero is spot on; it's so much more enjoyable to view photos from photographers I like, compared to endlessly scrolling through reels from people I don't follow, nor have an interest in. A technical detail that I like about Vero - "clicking" a photo in your feed with your finger makes it go full screen on the phone. How has Instagram gone this long without adding such a basic piece of functionality? Again, shows their interest is not in making Instagram the place for photography. Followed you on Vero. Great images!
Thank you so much for watching! So happy to hear that you've joined Vero, and yes it just feels like a peaceful place that so far calms the mind and helps to gather inspiration! I really like that feature too :)
I knew going in that Vero wasn't going to be a place to push my business. It's not business driven. I knew it was just going to be a place to share my work and if people saw it, awesome; if they didn't, that's good too. To me, it's just a place where other creatives can see my work, maybe people might get inspired by it and go out and do something similar. Maybe that'll get them work on some other platform. Awesome. If not, at least I'm enjoying putting my work out there. And it doesn't have to be my best work or anything. Just stuff I enjoy! That's the best part!
the problem with social media sites is everyone wants to be so popular that whatever is trending they will focus on that, so if videos are trending they will push that so people will stay connected,, i however if i wanna see videos i go to tik tok if i want to talk to friends i do that on facebook etc... what they are trying to do is have one app that can do everything which wont make much sense cause trends fade away until something new comes along that is doing the same thing , people just like change that all.
there is however lots of pornography on Vero as well so be cautious if you have kids at home ... I'll be making video about it today... and it is not censored or anything. You cannot block it off in settings and when you register the app they don't ask you to be 18 plus...
Vero was already hyped a few years ago and I couldn’t get comfortable with it, honestly, I couldn’t figure out how their algorithm works. I have the same problem with all that social media 💩, also Instagram, Facebook, CZcams etc. When I open Vero, always the same photographers pop up and I even don’t follow them. Make a video how to get popular on social media, that will go viral.
I hadn’t heard of Vero before your video was recommended to me. Is Vero only for photography? Or is it a platform other artists use too? I’m more of an illustrator in both traditional and digital methods, and I’m frustrated with Instagram….. never mind 😅 as I was typing, you answered my question! Thank you for bringing this app to our attention. 😃
Trying to get a feel for Vero, it's an adjustment as I don't really use social's but did want to share what few things I do take. I think making the connections is going to the be the toughest part.
I created a vero account in 2015 it was still pretty new, i was still a kid and ran into creepy guys that were into little boys so I deleted it and remained scarred for a couple of months. Surprised to see its still around.
I echo ever single feeling you have hah. I cannot be arsed to make things i don't care about to get attention on things I do care about, and not too long ago the platform did as well. SO vero is a breath of fresh old air, i was on there the first exodus and now again.
Thank you so much for your video! Instagram has been losing me all this time, but I was a bit skeptic about Vero. Thank you for your honest video, I'll be joining and see how it goes! Following you right away :D
You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. --Maya Angelou[
I miss community and a slower pace. I hope more people head over there, as it feels quite empty right now (or am I just not used to the quiet yet and the constant bombardment of stuff??)
VERO I am not a professional photographer but I love share my drone footage and learn new techniques of it. I’ve been trying so hard to get a attention and new followers on insta and I just gave up. I barely got 20 likes on really nice pictures. I’ve opened account on VERO after your video and Peter McKinnon and eventually some did appreciate my work. I love the way VERO works. No more stupid videos, algorithms which proposing you people you don’t know and account you don’t follow.
For me Vero is app to follow and comment photographers. I bought new lenses for my camera and figured it would be nice to follow merely photographers. I can do that on Instagram and Twitter but I follow lots of content there already. So those are too crowded as of now. Its easier to "isolate" photography accounts only to Vero. Its not perfect app. It bugs and glitches but has very focused content I want to see.
I thought I was the only one that realized just how “aggressive” the IG algorithm could be. It’s like, if it manages to figure out whatever might get you hooked to the app, that’s it, that’s the one thing they will start feeding you most. Regardless of if you change your mind latter. I’ve spent a whole 30 minutes flagging a specific type of content as “not interested” but nothing. 😪 it’s a cancer. Eager to try Vero as a New photographer 👌🏾
I remember the day the insta algorithm changed, suddenly my feed was full of video clips of random stuff, clickbait, and "daily dose of internet" style posts. Also posts that are clearly reposts or "algorithm gaming" posts that are by some foreign account
I would highly recommend watch the Veritasium video on how viral content is created. It talks about how platforms work and why this will inevitably happen on pretty much any platform that grows past a certain size. A few things: A - People who use a platform often follow MANY people. On Instagram most people follow 1000+ channels after just a year or two of use. In a strictly chronological feed you are fighting against a LOT of competition even before recommendations. Recomendations atleast allow you to get in front of pelple if you reframe or optimize your content. B - REELS are an answer for TikTok yes, but it's also a MASSIVE opportunity for photographers. You'll find one common thread amongst the photographers who are angry at TikTok. They didn't really try to adapt to the new format or algorithmic focus. Meanwhile a ton of photographers decided to turn their photos into videos that tell a atoey behind the photo or contextualize the photo in some way and are growing faster than ever. Getting more opportunities & business than ever before. C - Vero will face the same struggle if it grows. Platforms cost money to maintain so the drive to monetize becomes stronger the more people there are who sign up. They advertise no algorithm, but give it a year or two of reasonable success and there will 100% be algorithms. Count on it. The game will really be more about how effectively they can maintain creators interest. What kind financial incentive can they offer? This will either make or break them. I've been making content for the internet sine before CZcams existed. Have done it professionally since 2010. Seen the rise & fall of many platforms. Vero has potential, but the battle it's fighting right now is a losing one until they can offer both growth & stability to it's users. Also, as a side note, if you're making photos for yourself and not for others, then why does it matter if Instagram is prioritizing other content? I make content both for myself and for my audience. It's a two way street ya know? All that said, I am hoping Vero succeeds. They seem like a cool platform and definitely have a place in the market if they handle their cards right. I will probably use them for a while and test how much I like using it as a platform. We'll see!
I agree with you about the negative aspects of IG towards photographers. However, my audience is not other photographers but rather, the subjects in my photos and their friends. Sadly, they are not yet on Vero.
Creators need to unite in order to protect their work. Vero can use an author's work in any way they want is my understanding of the contract users sign to get onboard. This has to change. If they find a buyer for a photo via for example a stock agency, the creator should have a right if they allow its use and get a percentage of the revenue. The owner of VERO has a shady past and needs to prove to us that VERO is a fair and legit social platform.
Totally agree with you, hated the 1x1 crop that IG started out as, I like watching some of the reels, but I'm not changing my photography to fit IG. That's why I've never paid for a business account. I started Vero a year ago, but rarely used it. Will jump back to it again.
Very well presented video, I do agree with your thoughts. I am currently checking out Vero myself .. Seems like a very well designed app for photographers with a strong community. Great video! keep the content coming 😉
Just watched this and couldn’t agree more. I’ve been slowly steering away from Insta and more towards Vero for a little while now. It’s such a great community for photographers to share their work and meet likeminded creatives. Thanks for linking, I gave you a follow with my photography account.
I agree that I'm most sick and tired of pleasing this thing on IG. Some people are good at jumping up when FB says "how high". I'm simply tired as well. Thanks for sharing. Ive been working on a podcast on this subject. (Followed you btw... )
Thanks for your kind words Michaux! I agree, tired of it all. Let me know when your podcast is out, would love to give a listen and thanks for the follow!
People forget that IG can switch to Favorites or Following feed. Which makes it into chronological but ppl are lazy and don’t do it. So it is bad. As for the algorithm pushing your content - yes. Reels are priority. But if you care more about who you follow, should be okay. Ppl should just start using the feed change
hi Leonora thanks for the information vero vero proved to be very competent and much friendlier than the other networks You gained another subscriber and VERO TRUE too TKS
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been close to ditching IG for a few years but I didn’t want to cut myself off from local photographers that I follow. The past few months I’ve barely opened the app, but then this week I had a quick scroll and saw so many people posting their Vero profile info. I was going to go back to Flickr, but I think I’ll give Vero a try first. It sounds like just the thing to get me excited about sharing photos again.
This is exactly what it did for me. I stopped posting due to feeling so discouraged and knowing my photos wouldn't even reach my own followers who are genuinely interested in my content. Vero has been so great and created that excitement for me again! Hope to see you there!
Leonora..thank you so much for posting this video at such a timely point for me. As a photographer who has avoided/chosen not to use Instagram despite numerous people (including marketing consultants) suggesting/recommending that it's an essential tool of the trade, I have been umming and arring about this for some time. During that time I've seen the noticeable change in peoples views about Instagram, driven primarily by an increasing dislike of the change from a friendly platform for displaying and exchanging images to a heavily algorithm- directed toy with a strong emphasis on sharing mindless crap in the form of "reels" and short videos (fundamentally because they are obliged to compete with the even bigger pile of crap called Tic-Toc). After a recent event a Musician friend (who was performing at the same event) said he'd produced a "reel" and wondered if I was going to put any of my output (photos) on a reel. He was surprised to learn that I couldn't access his "reel" because I have never had any enthusiasm about using Instagram. Consequently, I have spent the last couple of days researching (especially CZcams videos from photographers) to see if I should bite the bullet and join the herd. Your video and comments have encapsulated and confirmed the view that I have been drawn towards. It looks like I'm going to create a VERO account, fundamentally because it is better geared to images and photography than having to wade through limitless flotsam and jetsam of stuff that does not interest me or which I have no intention of following. If my images are not going to find the right audience and are going to be buried in reels of people feeding their cat, then what's the point of Instagram? I also understand that you can use VERO on the desktop as well as the pocket computer (sorry phone), whereas Instagram is limited to mobile use. Frankly my images are not designed for viewing on a two inch screen , nor do I think that my market is someone who only looks at a photo for a few seconds on a phone. So thanks again and good luck with your business and your Vero account. Maybe could find you on that platform once I've signed up. Best wishes Terry.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment Terry. I completely agree with all you’ve said and it is so discouraging to put so much effort into your craft just for algorithms to decide that videos do better. Sadly it is expected from so many people (and clients!) to have a social media account but hopefully this starts to change too. As I mentioned, I barely use mine at all and it is not once ever given me a client lead so I’m not bothered and don’t want to waste precious time on it. You don’t need it to have a successful business at all and I will say that over and over. If anything, focus those efforts on mastering your craft and finding clients. Thanks again Terry and I look forward to seeing you on Vero!
Totally agree with you. Deleted my Vero account some three years ago...started over today. Look forward to using it again. Instagram is still an important source to get traffic to my webshop, but I'm for sure broadning my horizon with Etsy and Vero. See you there! Cheers, Jop Hermans Photo
Oh nice, thank you. If there wasn't this aftertaste. Funny that all influencers are now written to for advertising Vero and even paid. Thank you so much for the support VERO!
I downloaded the App and it seemed promising, but it's incredibly very very buggy, both on Android and Mac OS. It's got a ways to go in stability and speed before I'd give up IG. You can really tell it's in BETA.
i have Vero since 2018 and i hoped it would work instead of IG, but i abandoned it. This year everyone remembered about this app, by that time i already tried Artfol and Bubblehouse. The last one has just huge amount of features i love (before and after that changed as a gif, evolution slider etc), but they decided to dive into this NFT sht and it ruined everything, like literally, including interactions, comments, only NFT spam. Now people get back to Vero and i hope this will work this time and platform will add more features specifically for photographers
Thank you so much for your time, energy and support ❤️
Thank you, VERO, for helping the photo community ♥️
We will all grow and bring back the community, it’s just a matter of time and patience, but we will get there.
Not available in indonesia yet 🤕
Thank you so much for the support VERO! Meant every word!
Thank you so much Vero :)
Joined vero few days back @hitzphotography
Instagram almost immediately killed my creativity. I was just posting stuff up there then I started caring for the likes more than what I was photographing and I soon lost all interest in photography. I missed taking photos for myself and not for the masses.
Get on vero bro
What a good description! I'm feeling the same way, but couldn't put it to words like you :)
I stopped using hashtags just to have a place for pics I take. I just setup a Vero account yesterday so I'm curious if I'll find others to respark my motivation.
Sadly, Instagram will no longer give you that sense of community like it once did. Now it just feels like you're walking into a public market filled with approaching solicitors.
This analogy is spot on Joel! Thanks for watching :)
💯
🤣🤣🤣🤣 It's true!
The platform started going downhill when Facebook bought them.
Exactly!! 👌🏻👏🏻
To the small content creators, Instagram destroyed us, taking away our visibility. Regardless of whether or not you want to make money by the platform, that people can't see your work that you did with so much pride and commitment, is frustrating
Exactly, sharing your work is a huge part of the craft!
@@Roman_4x5 That's right, that's why I specified "used to make money or not". As is my case, I do not sell my photographs, I am only interested in generating a certain popularity on the networks. But yes, in its golden days, instagram managed to generate many "businesses"
This is a ridiculous take, reels are hugely beneficial to new creators as is the explosion of short-form video content in general. I understand the annoyance/fear/effort in learning a new medium but it's just more convenient and engaging for the average user. People talk about the algorithm like it has a will of its own and is negative towards creators, it just decides what content users of the platform spend more time engaging with and does better with advertisers(which also gives money back to creators.)
@@Kyle_Fall You are literally confirming what everyone is complaining about, the platform forces you to make the content that suits her just for compiting with tiktok.
Why should a photographer be forced to make videos if that's not what they do? for instance.
@@Ledolfii They're not forced to but then you lose the right to complain about being irrelevant and having no reach if you refuse to adapt your content to the format most people find pleasing.
Nailed it absolutely 100%, especially when it comes to mental health. I don't want an app to bombard me with content it thinks I want to see sparsely intermingled with irrelevant adverts, I want an app to present images that I'm actually interested in, content that is engaging, allow me to explore other people's work at my own pace and in whatever direction I want to go, and allow me to stop when I want to. I'm relatively new to Vero, but it seems to do all of those things whilst IG allows me to do literally none of them now.
Thank you for your comment Richard and I couldn't agree more. For now, Vero seems to tick a lot of boxes for different creators and personally I am really enjoying the platform. Thanks for watching!
I'm a film director and get most of my gigs through instagram. Even though I direct and edit videos, I don't like posting videos to social media. Instead, I much prefer posting stills from my productions. So recently, instagram shadow banned me and won't show any of the things I post in feeds. It's sad because as a woman director of color, we NEED more visibility in order to inspire future generations of filmmakers to feel like they can thrive in this hyper masculine industry. Personally, one reason I didn't get into directing film sooner was because I hadn't seen many directors out there who looked like me, and a big reason I became a director was to help change that. So these changes to the algorithm are really disheartening. I like Vero though and agree with a lot of what you said - it's a breath of fresh air. I'm starting to post and might give up instagram altogether soon.
Hi Lee
I'm interested to find out how you correlated insta shadow baning you because of your demographic as a woman of color?
I think you should evidence this with legal advice to insta so they can apologies publicly and correct their algorithm as I'm sure it's against their (and any social media) required ethical standards and operation as a global service.
All the best.
Adam
So basically you choose you carrer based on the genre and race, not because you like what you’re doing ? Good luck to succeed…
My experience on Vero has been: people will "like" all my photos but then not follow me. It's been a consistent pattern. I'm not sure what it's about tbh. Thank you for the video, I enjoyed it.
Vero is a breath of fresh air! Completely agree with what you said about finding the app so peaceful. I didn’t realise how much the algorithm had affected my work until I started posting on vero! It has brought back a sense of freedom, posting what I want when I want and not having to worry about it fitting the algorithm or using the right hashtags! Peace and serenity all the way 🙌☺️
Couldn't agree more Dave! It's been over a week and love going on there without the sense of stress or overwhelm. Just feels right :)
Totally agree! It was a sense of relief that I discovered Vero. Instead of being shoe-horned into IG, Vero enables a sense of personal expression in photography.
Couldn’t agree more, and actually helps my inspiration instead of killing it!
47 yrs old, no social media, thank you for giving me hope in my photography endeavor.
Thanks JayCarl! Of course, always here to cheer you on!
I just downloaded Vero straight away. You had me at chronological feed.
So happy to hear this Jessica! See you on Vero :)
I loved this! I started using Vero a few weeks ago and actually made me want to start the 365 challenge. I’m sharing the same things on Instagram and comparing the two. I have to say, Vero is just a much more pleasurable experience. The only “problem” I see with it is that it connects people in a niche but it’s really difficult to get out of that, meaning that your work is only seen by people who generally are doing the same stuff. Instagram still keeps its relevance because it has a general public, you can have your photos seen by a great number of people (if they look you up, because there’s no hope to reach them otherwise 😂), while on Vero you get seen mostly by fellow photographers. I think the same goes for TikTok. Those platform have a huge number of users that are only there to consume content, while Vero is mostly populated by creators.
I really hope it grows, as I can see it being a social platform where everyone can find what they’re interested in.
No really. You can see everything that get's posted, just follow those that interest you.
@@QuicknStraight yeah maybe I didn’t explain my point properly. I know you can see whatever you want to see, I was just pointing out the general lack of users on the consumer side.
Thank you so much for your comment Luca! I know what you mean, but hopefully the more visibility the platform gets the more people from all sorts of realms (and general public) will start joining. I understand it must have an impact on whether you monetise your social media on say Instagram or whether you just want a space to share your work. However, there is always the issue that if Vero grows quickly it may start getting rid of all the features that we love on the app to keep up with demand and make money themselves. We'll just have to see what happens but so far, ticking a lot of boxes. Thanks for watching :)
Yeah, that's the problem with all these sites like 500px, 1x etc. There are only photographers and similar people. I started today, thanks to this video and sure, everyone is liking each other's posts but we need other folks who will likely be buying our work.
What is the 365 challenge?
I do wish they had some sort of algorithm. Not for photos that show up on your home page, but kinda of like the explore page. IG was great before because if you wanted to you could only see content from those you follow, but if you were looking for something new you could go to the explore page. I'm finding that it takes more effort for me to find content that I like on the app.
Then go to instagram. That’s the whole problem! “Oh lets take bits and pieces of all the platforms and mix them all together! That will make everything better!” Which brings us right back to the same problem we have with instagram. You want it then stay with instagram. And yes you’re being mocked.
@@christophersmith4782 What? Wanting a means to find content you want to view easier is a valid point to make? I don't understand why you'd be a douche bag about it 🤣Instagram use to do this incredibly well. Instagram's issue isn't the fact that it took 'bits and pieces of all the platforms and mix them all together! That will make everything better!”. It's because Insta switch itself from predominantly Still Image content to video/shorts & fucked the algorithm up. The reason is obvious, you get way longer total screen time per person with video content then still Image. It was the easiest way to compete with TikTok, but in doing so destroyed what a lot of creatives loved about the app and made it a lot harder to grow IF your a photographer/use still image content
@@christophersmith4782 The whole problem is a photo app that makes it easier for the user to find fellow photographers and content that suits them? If you're into landscape photography, the app suggesting photographers and photos in the area that interests you is a logical feature to have. That's not a problem. That's a solution to a problem. That's what instagram used to do and now no longer does because it wants to push stuff on users that may not interest them but drives up their numbers. Amara's point is valid, and your douchey reply was rude and condescending for no reason.
I’ve seen a lot of photographers on CZcams mentioning VERO. And you’re the first one that really has me curious to check it out doesn’t feel like you’re just hopping on the trend.
You nailed it perfectly where Instagram doesn’t even care who you follow or don’t follow - they just care about hitting you with things that cause you to engage in their platform (whether it’s a negative or positive emotion is irrelevant to them) hence they hit you with food photography. It benefits them, and hurts you and they don’t care.
Thank you for making this and sharing your experience.
Things I love about Vero:
1. Zoom! I can zoom a photo without having to keep my fingers on the screen!
2. Landscape! I can flip my phone and see a landscape photo as it should be
3. Yeah, Chronological and it keeps track! I pop in exactly where I popped out and start scrolling up until I’m done!
4. No algorithm is sweet! IG “strategists” would always tell you to stick to one thing, don’t clutter your channel with other genres.
5. Intros!
6. No ads!
7. Nothing forced on me.
8. Community
Unfortunately some old school IGers have gone back to follow/unfollow to chase the elusive follower numbers. Soon we will have apps that watch all that, but I’m hopeful Vero figure out a way to combat that.
Great points Scott! Thanks for watching :)
I quit Instagram months ago and currently quitting TikTok. I have been missing a platform to inspire me to create and get better at my craft within photography, illustrating, animation...etc and I feel Vero gives me that kind of community and inspiration. It really does feel so much more relaxing. It definitely gives my brain a break from it not being overstimulating like mainstream social media apps/sites, which I really appreciate.
Can so relate to this Eyesha! Thanks for watching 🌟
I was waiting for a platform like Vero, hope they can keep it going! I can't stand IG anymore
Same, just deleted the Instagram app off my phone this morning. Done with it :)
Thank you for watching Gian!
@@leonorabrebner following u on Vero, I also am a food photographer mainly so it was great to find your Vero handle!
Well said. With Instagram you need to «create for Insta». On Vero you can post what you created and not only 4x5 or 1x1. I also get the peace part about Vero. Insta is just stress…
Agreed Ragnar! I also love being able to upload a full size picture and not having to crop it! Thanks for watching :)
It’s interesting that I found your channel on CZcams because of an algorithm. I don’t do food photography and I don’t search for it, but CZcams knows I’m into all kinds of photography. So this time, I like the algorithm.
Thank you so much this really mean a lot! 🌟
Around 3:30 you summed up why I love Vero the most, well said! You aren't the only one who felt that
I hate Instagram these days. I found Vero a few years ago, but nobody wanted to use it. Thankfully, now that big accounts like Peter McKinnon talked about it, people start switching to Vero. The only thing that really needs to change for me, is the design. I feel kind of claustrophobic when using the app, because of the dark color and the tight UI.
I totally agree with your views. I have never been on instagram because I heard all the negative stuff about the algorithms, Facebook is one of the worst platforms now. I heard about Vero from a CZcams photography channel last night, and joined and after only one day I find it to be a breath of fresh air. A place to share and view in a peaceful environment without any negativity.
Yes completely agree with you Mike! There’s also no highlights of peoples lives or people trying to be something they’re not. It’s just pure art!
Leonora, I felt like on Instagram i was just throwing my photos into a bottomless pit. It also started to go away from actual photos and started to feel more like Tik Tok! I only got an account because people would ask "Are you on Instagram" not that you ever heard from them again! I'm new to VERO but it feels completely different, I feel somehow more linked to those who work hard at what they do and can appreciate perhaps better what I strive for in my photography.
Yeah I understand the whole frustration of the 'are you genuine' assumptions just by having (or not having!) a social media account. Great to hear you're enjoying Vero! Thank you so much for watching :)
I love Vero. Same as many other photographers, I joined Vero last week, and I feel at home. I can see it growing to something unique. I love the fact we can also share links to our videos or portfolio. Let's hope it will stay this way.
Keep up the excellent work. Subscribed 👍😀
Couldn’t agree more Georgi! Thank you for watching :)
Thank God the message is finally getting through.
Vero is definitely a better platform.
Zack Snyder was repping Vero for years. He’s a cinematic guy. Glad there’s love for Vero!
True, I started using more Vero some months ago and leaving Instagram. Not only because of the "Tiktok" tendency it is taking but also because of the huge amount of sponsored ads unrelated to photography.
Exactly, constantly being fed content/ads we have no interest in is surprisingly exhausting. Thanks for watching John!
I've become more and more dissatisfied with Instagram lately and I am 100% with you. So many ads and unwanted content popping up on my feed. I rarely see posts from the people I follow. Lately the problem has been that posts on my feed are only staying up a few days and then they are gone. When releasing new music projects, I feel like no one is seeing my content anymore. I think Instagram could gain back some of its lost charm if they confined the ads to the REELS section or even better the shopping section. And bring back the feed from a few years ago. I think the ap would be a little better balanced. I will definitely be giving Vero a try.
Been using Vero for 2 weeks now, I am really enjoying it, my feedback is far greater than on Instagram, and the community aspect is much better.
I love Vero. Got on about 10 days ago now and I absolutely love it. I actually get more engagement there instead of the Instagram algorithm not showing my stuff to anyone. The no ads is fantastic. I'd happily pay Vero sub per year basis for the way it is now. The only gripe I have is the app needs updating. It's a bit slow for me and acts weird sometimes. But that's all.
Glad to hear you love Vero Lee, hopefully some of the glitches get sorted! Thanks for watching!
If you press on „Instagram“ in the top left corner you can select „Following“, which will give you a chronological feed of only people you follow. This is pretty much the only way I use Instagram now, besides scrolling some niche photography hashtags. I think that way the experience is still fine.
Sure my photos get shown to less people, but I never really cared about that anyway.
Vero sounds nice, but I couldn’t care less about setting up a second social media presence.
Hey Leonora, love your take on vero and I honestly share your feelings. So much actually, that I made a video myself a few days ago, because I feel like people need to know that vero really is a platform to share art and built a community which I never felt in 4 years of Instagram…
My favorite two parts about vero are: you can post 3:2 photographs in portrait orientation. No more 5:4 nonsense for no particular reason 🤪
And you can watch landscape oriented photographs in fullscreen by turning your phone 🤌
Have a nice day.
Sven
Thanks for this. I just started on VERO and still don't understand how it works. But looking forward to learning it.
Vero feels like in between Flickr and IG. So far so good. Let's enjoy it for as long as it lasts
I will have to try Vero out. Instagram and Facebook are about the same, where I used to receive engagement but not anymore. I uploaded 2 videos to Instagram recently but have no idea where they went, just vanished. Meta has encouraged me to post more elsewhere mainly on my website and my analytics have improved tremendously over time which is good as I plan to promote my products there shortly.
I'm a hobbyist photo/videographer and 15 years ago, flickr was the place to be. But then they messed with it trying to squeeze money out of it and that was that. Instagram just doesn't do it for me. I'll have a look at vero; it sounds like it might have a bit of that old flickr vibe about it, but composing for smartphone screens is something I'm resisting right now.
Thanks for this, totally agree. I once liked a couple of photos on IG that weren't my main interest and ever since I've been bombarded with stuff related to them. The people I follow are rarely in my feed, and there are so many ads. Have dabbled with VERO but am now going to be focussing more on the platform, like you say, peace and serenity ;-)
I gave up Instagram a few days back went over to this and I too love it!
Nice video, things like this need visibility, does a lot for some people, mental health etc so easy for people to get lost in the sauce of instagram, it's actually a horrible place to be and people are literally tolerating it at this point and nothing more, i don't know anyone who genuinely loves or enjoys using it.
The irony is that, let's say we all move to Vero today. 2 years later it'll become the same as broken Instagram today because to stay relevant in that time, they'll end up doing same terrible copy copying Instagram is doing.
It's less of Instagram and more of typical corporation and affinity for money. It's a numbers game. Even if running themselves into the ground for creators is what helps with revenue, a corporation will do it.
So as evil as this sounds, I wish Vero doesn't ever become big like Instagram. In fact, it should be like 1/10th the size of today's Instagram.
That way, they're not too big to go offrail, neither are they too small to not be sustainable.
I agree.. I’ve followed you on Vero. Keep creating!
Thank you Jay, see you there!
Great video, Leonora. just subscribed to your channel. I totally agree that Instagram is now a useless app for creatives to share their creativity. I started using Vero and its just so awesome! The platform is so inviting and there is no algorithm and its extremely user friendly. Just the way a social platform for all creatives SHOULD BE.
Couldn’t agree more Chuck and so happy you’re enjoying Vero! Thank you so much for the support, I really appreciate it 😊
Amazing!! I absolutely love your honesty. Your viewpoint for how instagram affects your mental health is huge. I have struggled with the same and had to remind my self of my WHY!
Thank you so much DaeQuan! Exactly, it's so important to set our own boundaries on social platforms 🌟
Your channel is going to go to the moon!
Thank you so much :)
I absolutely feel the same as you, I've stopped posting on IG, it's a horribly toxic place, full of scams, weirdos, and just bad vibe all around. I see everything you say and feel the exact same, I'll give Vero a shot and check you out. Thanks for this video!
Thanks for watching Oberon! Hope to see you on Vero!
We teach each other to be individuals. Funny how the platforms mimic each other rather than standing apart.
Totally agree with your view.. Instagram has lost the quality they once stood for.. too many bad quality videos,, they don't push real beautiful photos with art and craft...
Vero is a really good thing. Don't change a thing, Vero!
Agreed J A!
Just signed up at Vero and it is a user interface design nightmare. Ok, it's still beta and we'll have to see what improvements we'll get over time. But already the decision to not have a website but being forced to install a desktop application just to use the service (when not on mobile) is incredibly stupid. I don't see right now why this should be the next big thing.
It’s been almost 5 years now. It’s funny how they were hit with controversy. Sort of died, popped back up, died, and now for some reason it’s back. I’m think vero was smart and wrote a check to some influencers to push it again.
I was starting to think that my friends hate my posts, even worse, my posts are a flop... While I don't want to blame the algorithm as the reason why I don't get as much traffic... I treat IG like a real musician treats top 40 music...
That said, I'd love to connect with anyone who is trying to create a sense of community and grow together! Connect with me ✌🏽😁@yafff
Great video! I first heard about Vero from Peter McKinnon, who voiced the same concerns you did regarding Instagram. Your comment about finding peace with Vero is spot on; it's so much more enjoyable to view photos from photographers I like, compared to endlessly scrolling through reels from people I don't follow, nor have an interest in.
A technical detail that I like about Vero - "clicking" a photo in your feed with your finger makes it go full screen on the phone. How has Instagram gone this long without adding such a basic piece of functionality? Again, shows their interest is not in making Instagram the place for photography.
Followed you on Vero. Great images!
Thank you so much for watching! So happy to hear that you've joined Vero, and yes it just feels like a peaceful place that so far calms the mind and helps to gather inspiration! I really like that feature too :)
Peace and serenity. Well said. I felt the same when I started using Vero.
The one platform that does not cause overwhelm! Thanks for watching 😊
I knew going in that Vero wasn't going to be a place to push my business. It's not business driven. I knew it was just going to be a place to share my work and if people saw it, awesome; if they didn't, that's good too. To me, it's just a place where other creatives can see my work, maybe people might get inspired by it and go out and do something similar. Maybe that'll get them work on some other platform. Awesome. If not, at least I'm enjoying putting my work out there. And it doesn't have to be my best work or anything. Just stuff I enjoy! That's the best part!
the problem with social media sites is everyone wants to be so popular that whatever is trending they will focus on that, so if videos are trending they will push that so people will stay connected,, i however if i wanna see videos i go to tik tok if i want to talk to friends i do that on facebook etc... what they are trying to do is have one app that can do everything which wont make much sense cause trends fade away until something new comes along that is doing the same thing , people just like change that all.
Thank you for this vid. Just downloaded the app and yes It's peace up here.
there is however lots of pornography on Vero as well so be cautious if you have kids at home ... I'll be making video about it today... and it is not censored or anything. You cannot block it off in settings and when you register the app they don't ask you to be 18 plus...
Vero was already hyped a few years ago and I couldn’t get comfortable with it, honestly, I couldn’t figure out how their algorithm works. I have the same problem with all that social media 💩, also Instagram, Facebook, CZcams etc. When I open Vero, always the same photographers pop up and I even don’t follow them. Make a video how to get popular on social media, that will go viral.
I hadn’t heard of Vero before your video was recommended to me. Is Vero only for photography? Or is it a platform other artists use too? I’m more of an illustrator in both traditional and digital methods, and I’m frustrated with Instagram….. never mind 😅 as I was typing, you answered my question! Thank you for bringing this app to our attention. 😃
Downloading Now! Gonna Check It Out This Week. Thanks for sharing
Hope you love it!
Trying to get a feel for Vero, it's an adjustment as I don't really use social's but did want to share what few things I do take. I think making the connections is going to the be the toughest part.
I created a vero account in 2015 it was still pretty new, i was still a kid and ran into creepy guys that were into little boys so I deleted it and remained scarred for a couple of months. Surprised to see its still around.
You made so much sense in this video. You articulated things so many people are feeling.
So happy to hear this and thanks for watching :)
I echo ever single feeling you have hah. I cannot be arsed to make things i don't care about to get attention on things I do care about, and not too long ago the platform did as well. SO vero is a breath of fresh old air, i was on there the first exodus and now again.
Thank you so much for your video! Instagram has been losing me all this time, but I was a bit skeptic about Vero. Thank you for your honest video, I'll be joining and see how it goes! Following you right away :D
So happy to hear this and thanks for watching 😊 see you on Vero!
You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can’t take their eyes off you. --Maya Angelou[
I miss community and a slower pace. I hope more people head over there, as it feels quite empty right now (or am I just not used to the quiet yet and the constant bombardment of stuff??)
VERO I am not a professional photographer but I love share my drone footage and learn new techniques of it. I’ve been trying so hard to get a attention and new followers on insta and I just gave up. I barely got 20 likes on really nice pictures. I’ve opened account on VERO after your video and Peter McKinnon and eventually some did appreciate my work. I love the way VERO works. No more stupid videos, algorithms which proposing you people you don’t know and account you don’t follow.
Thanks for the heads up Leonora...will take a look at VERO
Hope you love it Chris! Thanks for watching 🌟
Going to be giving Vero a go very soon. Thank you for the encouragement to give it a go. x
Happy to hear this! Thanks for watching Tony 😊
For me Vero is app to follow and comment photographers. I bought new lenses for my camera and figured it would be nice to follow merely photographers. I can do that on Instagram and Twitter but I follow lots of content there already. So those are too crowded as of now. Its easier to "isolate" photography accounts only to Vero. Its not perfect app. It bugs and glitches but has very focused content I want to see.
I thought I was the only one that realized just how “aggressive” the IG algorithm could be. It’s like, if it manages to figure out whatever might get you hooked to the app, that’s it, that’s the one thing they will start feeding you most. Regardless of if you change your mind latter. I’ve spent a whole 30 minutes flagging a specific type of content as “not interested” but nothing. 😪 it’s a cancer.
Eager to try Vero as a New photographer 👌🏾
I remember the day the insta algorithm changed, suddenly my feed was full of video clips of random stuff, clickbait, and "daily dose of internet" style posts. Also posts that are clearly reposts or "algorithm gaming" posts that are by some foreign account
Wonderful insight..Thank you..would you ever do like a quick run down or tutorial on the basics of Vero.thanks
I have been hearing a lot about VERO. Im going to give it a try. This is the first time i saw your channel and i subscribed. Thank you for the info.
Thank you so much Manta005! Hope you love it and see you on Vero!
I would highly recommend watch the Veritasium video on how viral content is created. It talks about how platforms work and why this will inevitably happen on pretty much any platform that grows past a certain size. A few things:
A - People who use a platform often follow MANY people. On Instagram most people follow 1000+ channels after just a year or two of use. In a strictly chronological feed you are fighting against a LOT of competition even before recommendations. Recomendations atleast allow you to get in front of pelple if you reframe or optimize your content.
B - REELS are an answer for TikTok yes, but it's also a MASSIVE opportunity for photographers. You'll find one common thread amongst the photographers who are angry at TikTok. They didn't really try to adapt to the new format or algorithmic focus. Meanwhile a ton of photographers decided to turn their photos into videos that tell a atoey behind the photo or contextualize the photo in some way and are growing faster than ever. Getting more opportunities & business than ever before.
C - Vero will face the same struggle if it grows. Platforms cost money to maintain so the drive to monetize becomes stronger the more people there are who sign up. They advertise no algorithm, but give it a year or two of reasonable success and there will 100% be algorithms. Count on it. The game will really be more about how effectively they can maintain creators interest. What kind financial incentive can they offer? This will either make or break them.
I've been making content for the internet sine before CZcams existed. Have done it professionally since 2010. Seen the rise & fall of many platforms. Vero has potential, but the battle it's fighting right now is a losing one until they can offer both growth & stability to it's users.
Also, as a side note, if you're making photos for yourself and not for others, then why does it matter if Instagram is prioritizing other content? I make content both for myself and for my audience. It's a two way street ya know?
All that said, I am hoping Vero succeeds. They seem like a cool platform and definitely have a place in the market if they handle their cards right. I will probably use them for a while and test how much I like using it as a platform. We'll see!
I agree with you about the negative aspects of IG towards photographers. However, my audience is not other photographers but rather, the subjects in my photos and their friends. Sadly, they are not yet on Vero.
Creators need to unite in order to protect their work. Vero can use an author's work in any way they want is my understanding of the contract users sign to get onboard. This has to change. If they find a buyer for a photo via for example a stock agency, the creator should have a right if they allow its use and get a percentage of the revenue. The owner of VERO has a shady past and needs to prove to us that VERO is a fair and legit social platform.
Mark Zuckerberg is always shady, and it shows out of the open; but it seems not too many people are aware for some strange reason.
That's it then, moving to Vero. Gonna follow you when i've made one.
Totally agree with you, hated the 1x1 crop that IG started out as, I like watching some of the reels, but I'm not changing my photography to fit IG. That's why I've never paid for a business account. I started Vero a year ago, but rarely used it. Will jump back to it again.
Thanks so much for making this video, you're voicing the thoughts of so many creators- small and large who have lost love for instagram
Thank you so much for watching Morgan, I really appreciate it!
Very well presented video, I do agree with your thoughts. I am currently checking out Vero myself .. Seems like a very well designed app for photographers with a strong community. Great video! keep the content coming 😉
Thank you so much Hamoud! I hope you love Vero, I find the sense of community there the best I have experienced so far without pressure or stress :)
Just watched this and couldn’t agree more. I’ve been slowly steering away from Insta and more towards Vero for a little while now. It’s such a great community for photographers to share their work and meet likeminded creatives. Thanks for linking, I gave you a follow with my photography account.
I agree that I'm most sick and tired of pleasing this thing on IG. Some people are good at jumping up when FB says "how high". I'm simply tired as well. Thanks for sharing. Ive been working on a podcast on this subject. (Followed you btw... )
Thanks for your kind words Michaux! I agree, tired of it all. Let me know when your podcast is out, would love to give a listen and thanks for the follow!
People forget that IG can switch to Favorites or Following feed. Which makes it into chronological but ppl are lazy and don’t do it. So it is bad. As for the algorithm pushing your content - yes. Reels are priority. But if you care more about who you follow, should be okay. Ppl should just start using the feed change
hi Leonora
thanks for the information vero vero proved to be very competent and much friendlier than the other networks
You gained another subscriber and VERO TRUE too
TKS
Thank you so much for watching Hilaindie, see you on Vero!
@@leonorabrebner Cool, I'm already following you friend
Thanks for posting this. I’ve been close to ditching IG for a few years but I didn’t want to cut myself off from local photographers that I follow. The past few months I’ve barely opened the app, but then this week I had a quick scroll and saw so many people posting their Vero profile info. I was going to go back to Flickr, but I think I’ll give Vero a try first. It sounds like just the thing to get me excited about sharing photos again.
This is exactly what it did for me. I stopped posting due to feeling so discouraged and knowing my photos wouldn't even reach my own followers who are genuinely interested in my content. Vero has been so great and created that excitement for me again! Hope to see you there!
I've downloaded Vero but haven't set it up yet. Thanks for your insight. Can't wait for no algorithms.
Its the best! Don't realise how much of an impact it has until it is gone!
Leonora..thank you so much for posting this video at such a timely point for me. As a photographer who has avoided/chosen not to use Instagram despite numerous people (including marketing consultants) suggesting/recommending that it's an essential tool of the trade, I have been umming and arring about this for some time. During that time I've seen the noticeable change in peoples views about Instagram, driven primarily by an increasing dislike of the change from a friendly platform for displaying and exchanging images to a heavily algorithm- directed toy with a strong emphasis on sharing mindless crap in the form of "reels" and short videos (fundamentally because they are obliged to compete with the even bigger pile of crap called Tic-Toc). After a recent event a Musician friend (who was performing at the same event) said he'd produced a "reel" and wondered if I was going to put any of my output (photos) on a reel. He was surprised to learn that I couldn't access his "reel" because I have never had any enthusiasm about using Instagram. Consequently, I have spent the last couple of days researching (especially CZcams videos from photographers) to see if I should bite the bullet and join the herd. Your video and comments have encapsulated and confirmed the view that I have been drawn towards. It looks like I'm going to create a VERO account, fundamentally because it is better geared to images and photography than having to wade through limitless flotsam and jetsam of stuff that does not interest me or which I have no intention of following. If my images are not going to find the right audience and are going to be buried in reels of people feeding their cat, then what's the point of Instagram? I also understand that you can use VERO on the desktop as well as the pocket computer (sorry phone), whereas Instagram is limited to mobile use. Frankly my images are not designed for viewing on a two inch screen , nor do I think that my market is someone who only looks at a photo for a few seconds on a phone. So thanks again and good luck with your business and your Vero account. Maybe could find you on that platform once I've signed up. Best wishes Terry.
Thank you so much for taking the time to write this comment Terry. I completely agree with all you’ve said and it is so discouraging to put so much effort into your craft just for algorithms to decide that videos do better. Sadly it is expected from so many people (and clients!) to have a social media account but hopefully this starts to change too. As I mentioned, I barely use mine at all and it is not once ever given me a client lead so I’m not bothered and don’t want to waste precious time on it. You don’t need it to have a successful business at all and I will say that over and over. If anything, focus those efforts on mastering your craft and finding clients. Thanks again Terry and I look forward to seeing you on Vero!
I immediately signed up to VERO and it does feel less stressful :)
Hope you love it Otto :)
Not only is this a great video, I could listen to you talk all day 🖤
Let me know if you ever want to do voice over work.
Thank you so much :)
Totally agree with you. Deleted my Vero account some three years ago...started over today. Look forward to using it again. Instagram is still an important source to get traffic to my webshop, but I'm for sure broadning my horizon with Etsy and Vero. See you there! Cheers, Jop Hermans Photo
Oh nice, thank you.
If there wasn't this aftertaste. Funny that all influencers are now written to for advertising Vero and even paid. Thank you so much for the support VERO!
It's so nice to come across a female photogrpaher on YT! Really helpful video!
Thank you so much :)
Thank you for this discovery. Much appreciated.
Thanks for watching Paul 🌟
Agree!!! Joined VERO about a week ago, absolutely love it! No regrets!!
Feel the exact same!!
I downloaded the App and it seemed promising, but it's incredibly very very buggy, both on Android and Mac OS. It's got a ways to go in stability and speed before I'd give up IG. You can really tell it's in BETA.
Thank For Suggestion.
This is a great video that massively resinated with me. I refuse to change my craft to suit an algorithm that favours reels over photographs.
i have Vero since 2018 and i hoped it would work instead of IG, but i abandoned it. This year everyone remembered about this app, by that time i already tried Artfol and Bubblehouse. The last one has just huge amount of features i love (before and after that changed as a gif, evolution slider etc), but they decided to dive into this NFT sht and it ruined everything, like literally, including interactions, comments, only NFT spam. Now people get back to Vero and i hope this will work this time and platform will add more features specifically for photographers
To my thinking, VERO sounds like the place I'd like to be. I never have shared my photos much at all. I'm too "normal" with my photography.