What's the value of marketing on Instagram in a saturated marketplace?

Does anyone else feel a sense of despair about marketing products on social media? Feels like everything is an ad nowadays. Even with tactics like "influencer marketing" that aim to build trust, it's clearly an ad. Or, like if you post a video vlog about "building in public" - isn't it obvious you're trying to sell something?

I could just be bad at marketing - but please, I'm looking for what TO do. Certainly it's possible to sell things?