What is the purpose of Instagram? By now, we’re all familiar with it. And in today’s day and age, if you’re not easy to find on Instagram it can be tough to socialize or do business
But what is the purpose of Instagram? We get so caught up using it day-to-day it’s hard to quantify what Instagram really could, and should, be used for.
Take a read through this quick guide and you’ll come out on the other side with a better understanding of “The Gram”.
Instagram Basics
Instagram is one of the many social platforms available on our computers, tablets, and smartphones these days. It is constantly mentioned in the same breath as Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
Instagram started out as a more photo-based version of social media. People could share their photos with captions and hashtags, and their friends and instagram followers could respond by liking or re-sharing.
What is The Purpose of Instagram
Because Instagram is more heavily-linked to photographs, it’s a platform made for visual communicators. Facebook is a platform of mostly words with some photos, and Twitter has gravitated toward a platform of mostly words (typically short quotables).
There is some debate on how to best leverage Instagram. The platform has changed as its grown, and the best way to approach it has evolved as well.
From its inception, Instagram was designed for pictures with very short captions. Over time, however, influencers realized that they could “hack” the algorithm of the platform by posting longer captions underneath their photos.
Instagram also gave rise to the hashtag. At first, people thought nothing of “#livingmybestlife”, but over time following hashtag activity and trends has become a viable internet marketing strategy. In fact, the rise of Instagram marketing has given rise to 3rd party “hashtag sites”.
Online marketers and influencers can use these sites by typing in an industry they want to target, let’s say “golf” for example. Once you type in the industry you’re targeting, a list of the 30 most popular hashtags for that industry will be given to you. The idea is to use some, or all, of these hashtags in your own marketing, and people from your target audience will be able to find your business.
Instagram marketing has become so targeted that influencers can even track their follower count via a follower count checker like Followerwonk.
Instagram Today
What is the purpose of Instagram today? Honestly, not much has changed. Instagram is still the premier visual platform. If your business does better with visual marketing and story-telling, then Instagram is the place for you.
Tweaks are constantly being made to all social media algorithms, including Instagram. We don’t think it’s anything major, but if you want to be successful on “The Gram” it’s something to keep an eye on.
The other major change to look out for is that Instagram, along with other platforms like Snapchat and Facebook, are moving more toward “short-form video”. If you play around on Instagram, you’ll notice a lot more video advertising being done.
Most of these videos top out at 1 minute long. That is short-form video, and social media platforms love them.
Lights Camera Action
We’re in the midst of a social media revolution, and marketing revolution in general. What is the purpose of Instragram? Well, it may be changing.
With a push toward the short-form videos being made, Instagram will be valuable real estate, as the premier visual social media platform. Instagram’s purpose will evolve more and more as this evolution of social media takes place.
Are you currently on Instagram? What changes are you seeing? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear!