Life

Why The Unfollow Button Should be Your Best Friend

by Olivia

We have all used the beloved unfollow button at some point in our lives, and don’t lie to me and tell me you haven’t. There is a reason why the unfriend button is there on every single social media platform.

Personally I utilise the unfollow button on almost every social media platform I own. I am always clearing out my online friend lists. Just like in offline life, we don’t hang around or be-friend people who are bad people, so I am a firm believer in not inviting them into my online space either. If I wouldn’t be friends with them in life then I won’t be friends with them online. We really need to normalise removing people from our social media platforms. So many people get upset and offended if they find out that you unfollow them. But alot of the time it’s just because of the content they post. If I don’t like it, I’ll unfollow you. It doesn’t mean anything other than that.

Today I’ll be sharing some reasons as to why the unfollow button should be used more and how it can help filter out that bad stuff!

DO IT FOR YOUR OWN SANITY

Firstly and I think most importantly, unfollow them for your own sanity. Sometimes you can get into a trap in your mind and compare yourself to the people you follow online, which can be so detrimental to your mental health. I went through a phase where I followed alot of fashion/clothing accounts. It made me think I needed new clothes and really made me feel insecure. I started having clothing deliveries almost every day because I thought I needed to keep up with how fast fashion is.

Over the last year I have removed so many people from my online space and I feel so much better for it. One of the best forms of self-care is clearing people and things in your life that are no good for you and if that involves removing people from your social media then do it. You’ll probably find that it helps you get a better state of mind from doing it. It’s like having a de-clutter.

IT’S YOUR POWER

Remember you hold the power of who you allow into your online and offline lives. You are in control of that. It’s up to you who you are friends with online and its also up to you if you don’t want to be friends with them anymore. Ultimately the choice is yours. Don’t let people make you feel bad for making those decisions. You have the power of what you allow your mind to consume, and if you feel as though following certain people or brands/influencers aren’t good for you then you have the power to remove it.

I think personally people take it too seriously when they find out that you unfollowed or unfriended them.They think it means that you no longer want to be friends with them or that you don’t like them. And from personal experience that is not the case. Being friends with someone in person is far more important than being friends with them online too.

SOME PEOPLE DESERVE IT

In some circumstances people deserve to be unfollowed, especially if they aren’t nice people or have shown negativity towards you. They don’t deserve to be in your space if they aren’t nice people. If anything, do it for you.

How often do you utilise the unfollow button? Why do you tend to use it?

As a private person I keep my personal instagram account private and only allow people into it if I know them. And I prefer it that way. unfollowing people gives me a sense of control and sometimes it’s needed especially when social media is a big part of our lives.

Olivia x
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100 thoughts on “Why The Unfollow Button Should be Your Best Friend”

      1. I’d like to refer to your blog in one of my blog posts and put in a link to this post so that people can come and have a look at your blog here? It’s not a problem if you’d prefer not. I noticed that you don’t have a reblog button hence asking. 🙂

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  4. This is very very true. On my Instagram I try to be as supportive to many account, and end up following them back if they follow me. The trouble in doing that is sometimes 1. They unfollow straight away. 2. I end up having content on my feed that I would not normally would search to look for. I do feel guilty if I unfollow someone I don’t know and it’s so silly to feel like that. Great post. I’m so glad you brought it up. X

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    1. You’re so right and its another great topic to mention here. Those people who just follow you so you follow them back. I think when people do that, their intentions are wrong. This is not what social media is for. It just shows that numbers mean more to them ! x

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      1. Exactly my thoughts. I’m a person that likes to champions others. Those that unfollow to gain follow your right are only out for themselves. Which I can understand to a degree. However like you said that’s not what social media is about. The intention is to be that social and interact with people that follow you. I think follow for a follow back only works for a short period. In the long term gain you need those that follow you because they want to. I don’t think you get any interaction from those just making up numbers. Xxxx

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      2. Yep! Agreed! Thats why you won’t see me participating in follow loops or follow for follows. No judgement to those that do, but I’d rather grow an organic audience! XX

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      3. I agree with you completely, of course no judgement to those that like to use loops each to their own. But your completely right organically is far much better to grow and more awarding xxx

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  5. What a great post Olivia! I am not on social media unless Pinterest counts 😆 but in my college days I did have Facebook. People always want to follow to be nosy about everyone’s lives. It is nice to have some privacy!

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  6. You are totally right. Instagram is highlight reel. And some people might unintentionally affect us in a negative way, and when that happens unfollow is a handy tool.

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  8. The follow button=Friendship is more valuable than all Ships, and the unfollow button=You can be most sure of anything except People!!

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  9. This post is so true! I liberally use the unfollow button when I don’t enjoy someone’s content. Bc if not, they’re taking-up space from someone else who I would enjoy. And since I have full control over my social media, I prefer to use for people and posts that make me feel good. That little button makes it so easy. 🤗

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  10. You are so right✨Social media is such a big part of our life we need to utilise the unfollow button. We need to look at our social media “followers” as we would do with real life friends —if we do not hang around with them what’s the point of having those people on your feed.

    I really enjoyed reading this🧡 xx

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    1. We really do. Our online friends should be no different to our offline friendships. If you wouldnt associate yourself with them offline why do it online!

      xx

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  11. This is so true! It’s so easy to follow anything and everything on Instagram. I made it my mission to decrease how many I’m following little by little. And it hasn’t had a negative impact! Now I see content that’s actually meaningful to me!

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  13. Totally agree! If someone isn’t my cup of tea or I don’t enjoy what they post, I have no problem hitting unfollow. And I expect other people do the same to me. It’s exactly that. You have to curate your world

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  19. Love this. I’ve unfollowed a lot of influencers and fashion bloggers because I feel like I should have what they have and all and it’s so unhealthy for me so I’ll rather not see it than to be pressured into wanting everything they own. I don’t know if it’s just me.

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  21. So much I relate to in this post. I like the part about it being our power. Sometimes it’s the only real control we have online. I use the unfollow or mute option to declutter especially where content I’ve seen from certain people doesn’t align with my spirit or my mental state. One of the things I started doing recently is unfollowing a lot of celebrities on the gram as i find few of them don’t post things of substance. Thank you for sharing the knowledge

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    1. Yes I did that too. Back in the day I must have followed a bunch of celebs and I ended up unfollowing most of them due to their lack of content or because their content wasn’t good for me. I think its one of the best things we can do to protect our mental health.

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      1. I agree, most definitely. Usually it’s hard to relate to their content when their either trolling or just rubbing their lifestyle in your face. I’m also a fan of real connection and it all seems too robotic and unnatural. What we consume is important to be mindful of for sure.

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  24. I agree that unfollowing people who bring negativity or unrest in our lives is crucial. However, sometimes I utilise the Mute button wherein I don’t see their posts and yet be friends with them. That way we’re both happy! 🙂

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  26. Earlier in the year I had a social media clear out, I only kept “online friends” that are friends in real life too. It’s scary how many people just befriend you to gossip or peep in your life. That’s unnecessary negative energy. Unfollow button is my best friend now! 🙈

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  28. It’s not mandatory to have myriad of followers/ friends in social media cuz it doesn’t matter. What matter is that, Fewer is good rather than having a lot but they tend to give you full of negativities.

    #OURACCOUNTOURFREEDOM

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  29. Thanks for this post! I have felt guilty for cleaning out my social media accounts like this, but I have become a big believer in not being “friends” online with people I don’t know or speak to in person.

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  30. We should use the unfollow button for own use! Things that aren’t benefitting us and won’t provide value to our lives. We should be constantly around things that provide us value and things that provide worth in our lives!

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  31. Great post! I sometimes go through a defriending spree and sometimes I get punished by other people for it but you’re so right! Why should it matter? We arent friends in real life and I try to keep my online content positive! Thank you for this! 💛

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    1. Yes me too! Its so good for you to clear out the bad stuff. And more importantly to not care about others opinions of you doing this. Its your social media not theirs!💛

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  33. I’m a firm believer in the wise saying, “ bad association spoils useful habits” (1 Corinthians 15:33). I love the unfollow button for all of the reasons you listed. It’s important to monitor what you take in and any negativity, discouragement or peer pressure isn’t allowed in my personal space.

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  34. Love this! Definitely a good way to stay sane. I like to do a quick “de clutter” every few months or so just to make sure my social is the way I want it to be! Great advice! Thanks, girl 🧡

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  35. Absolutely correct. I totally agree with your viewpoint. Also I would like to say that along with the unfollow button, we are blessed to have the option to Block the one whom we want. Block them whose toxicity is entering in your mind even after unfollowing them. Please do it not because I’m requesting but for your own sanity. And thank you Olivia for this important and wonderful post.

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  37. Great read! I find I utilize the unfollow button on Facebook much more than the unfriend (it’s not that I don’t LIKE you, it’s just that I don’t want to see your posts for some reason). You have to be kind of a jerk for me to outright unfriend you.

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  40. Seeing negative posts in my feed all the time made me dread social media. Eventually, I started unfollowing pages that shared content that I didn’t want to read about everyday and it changed my perspective!!

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  46. I concur, Olivia! I am so sick of everything about FB, I seldom visit the platform anymore. As for WP, I unfollow bloggers when I spend time reading, liking, and commenting on their site without reciprocation. Kindness should beget kindness in my opinion! 🌞

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