If you stop for a second, it doesn’t really make sense that Instagram would take the world by storm. After all, what does it do that other social media programs didn’t already do? It’s simply a medium for sharing pictures – a strong medium, sure, but nothing that special. Despite this fact, there’s no denying that Instagram really is one of the most important platforms for social media and marketing, especially among certain segments of the population. It’s far outstripped Facebook and Twitter among younger users, so it’s definitely not a passing fad. What’s important to understand, though, is that Instagram’s still growing – and why.
A good deal of Instagram’s success has to do with the fact that it’s not really a pioneer. Before Instagram, there were dozens of ways to share pictures online – and even several ways to share pictures from your phone. Facebook has allowed photo sharing for years, for example, and so too has Twitter. Instagram, however, had the bright idea of combining other great ideas instead of trying to create something new. It takes Facebook’s social media presence, blends it with Twitter’s followers and hashtags, and creates something that feeds directly into the average user’s need to get his or her name out there.
That’s not to say that Instagram didn’t innovate – but rather that innovating on the platform, it innovated on access. Instagram was one of the first truly mobile social platforms, born in a way that made it make sense on a smartphone. As smartphones have become more popular, so too has Instagram – the entire company brilliantly foresaw how important mobile users would be in an era where most sites were still struggling to get their heads around the idea of “mobile friendly” pages. This put them head and shoulders above the competition quite quickly.
From a social media marketing standpoint, Instagram is one of the most truly important platforms out there. It’s a little less personal than Facebook, but a great deal more accessible. It’s very easy to amass hundreds or thousands of followers by posting clever images, and the company seems to make it a point to make sure that its interface is friendly enough for even tech-deficient users to master. This means that a great social media program can be run from the platform without requiring a huge learning curve – a major plus for any company looking to hit the ground running.
Instagram is definitely here to stay. It’s not just a social fad – it’s a bonafide social media marketing wonder. If you wnat to make sure that your next campaign works successfully, you really need to think about making use of this photo platform. The world of social media is always in flux, but one thing’s for sure – those who don’t use the most popular platforms in their marketing strategy will be at a loss. If you want to stay on top of your game, you have to go where the users are – and today, that means going on Instagram.
At Convergent1, we know how to use social media sites to benefit your marketing strategy, and we can help you see what Instagram can do for your business. Contact C1 today!
