Instagram Social Media Switch UP
The switch up. Hello and welcome back to my latest social media switch up. This week, we talk about Instagram, a photo-sharing site.
Upon the launch of Instagram, it seemed there was a significant migration of users to Instagram, and they were posting their newest photos on this new social media channel. Moreover, due to the changes, I felt like I had to create yet another social media account to keep up with friends and family posts. And then I realized, I did not!
Since Facebook owns Instagram, my friends can easily connect their Instagram accounts to Facebook, allowing their updates show up in both locations and allowing me to keep my friends on Facebook.
Second, I realized I wanted to use Instagram, but I did not want just to follow the same friends on Instagram. It just felt like more of the same if I did that. So, I choose to use Instagram to follow my favorite celebrities, fashion icons, brands and chefs to keep up with the latest trends via a very picturesque happening in each of the industries. Besides, I already have a ton of memories on Facebook. It is sort of my blog and photo album all-in-one so I did not see the point in starting over somewhere else.
Picture worthy. Pictures say 1000 words and that is how I use Instagram. I do not use Instagram for anything serious or news-worthy information. I mainly use Instagram to replace all my old magazine subscriptions to Vogue, House & Garden, etc. If you’re wondering if I’m missing out on those lengthy articles…my short answer is no. I basically used to surf thru the magazines to scroll thru the pictures anyway so now I have it all in one place and I can quickly get to the same information and video details summarized quickly by using my thumb to scroll.
Interesting Finds. More consumers are buying goods and services based on what they see in their Instagram feed, recent trends suggest.
Seeing what the celebrities are wearing or the latest kitchen remodels are driving consumer purchases in more creative ways. More editors in the fashion world are now turning into influencers to talk about, evaluate and showcase different products.
The #411. Per Business.com, Instagram has:
· 400+ million users
· 75 million daily users
· Approximately 30 percent of the U.S. population uses Instagram
· 49 percent of U.S. adults use Instagram daily
For the artists in all of us, it might seem like the perfect social media channel, but it may not be right for your business. Let’s compare my two favorite examples. A corporate financial company BlackRock vs. my favorite ice-cream shop. It is very likely the ice-cream shop is going to produce a variety of interesting pictures to post on Instagram that encourages engagement. Take a look and compare the two companies…it’s easy to see that kids and ice cream are way more fun! Remember, social media is not a one-size that will fit all needs.
Corporations and the Community. Who’s using it?
Many brands are opting to use Instagram vs the traditional Facebook ads. Brand are learning that they can increase adoption rate when using influencers. And while Instagram may seem trendy for the smaller organic-type shops and start-ups, the bigger corporations and brands are also starting to leverage Instagram with their own influencers.
"The influencers we feature tell an aspirational yet relatable story," Nancy Slavin, senior vice president of marketing at Macy's merchandising group, told CNBC. That enables the company "to connect with consumers in a more interesting and ultimately more engaging way than traditional marketing allows."
Thank you for visiting. I thank you all for visiting my weekly blog on the social media space.
Check back next time as I talk thru the next popular on the list – Pinterest.
p.s.
• Did you know that Instagram was sold for $1 billion in 2012.
• Did you know more than 40 billion photos have been shared in the Instagram history?
• Did you know that Instagram is projected to have one billion users within a few years?