Let's Talk About "IG" | Instagram

 What is “IG”?

“IG” is the abbreviated way of saying Instagram. I think we can all agree that we have heard about this platform at some point in our lives.

Instagram is a well-known and widely used social media platform, that has been around since the year 2010. The first prototype of Instagram was originally called “Burbn” as the creator, Kevin Systrom, had a deep love for whiskeys and bourbons. 

It seemed like Kevin would have had the best experiences in the world since before launching “Burbn”, now known as “Instagram”, Kevin was a graduate of Stanford University, he worked as a corporate development associate at Google and was an intern at Odeo, which is now developed referred to as “X”.

It makes sense that he would be the one to create Instagram. Think about it!

My Life as an Instagram Addict

I first downloaded Instagram onto my android in June 2019 and ever since then, it has become a part of my daily activities. Everyday I spend at least 1 hour on Instagram just scrolling through reels, watching stories, making posts, and more. It might not be this way for everyone, but I find the platform quite easy to navigate and addictive. 

The platform has many features including:

• Stories
• Highlights
• Posts
• Hashtags
• Reels & Reel Templates
• Image & Video Editing
• Live Videos
• Ads
• Broadcast Channels
• Subscriptions
• Threads (Newest Update)
• AI Stickers
• Collaboration features

Personally, my most favourite feature is the highlights. I have a admiration for nature and mermaids so I highlight them on my profile page all the time.

12 Best Ways to use Instagram

PERSONAL

• Instagram is a social media platform that grants communication and socialization through their multiple features. You can use “IG” to communicate with friends, family or individuals outside of your circle.
• You can share your memories and best moments as photos, videos, edits, etc.
• You can follow your favourite accounts (celebrities, influencers, pages that interest you).
• You can share your opinions on topics through your posts, comments or using the new threads feature.
• You can save posts you like and create different folders/ collages.
• You can find businesses and places of interest in your area.

BUSINESS

• Businesses can showcase their products and services through posts and highlight important information such as price listings, list of products, promotion sales, etc.
• Businesses can run ads to reach their target market, create sponsored content and engage in collaborations with other businesses or influencers, etc.
• Businesses can track performance, views and interactions (like, comments, shares) using Instagram’s analytical tools.
• Businesses can set up an online shop for customers (making it more convenient and quick sales).
• Businesses can communicate with customers through comment sections of posts or private chat messages. Businesses can also deploy AI chat bots to respond to private chat messages.
• Businesses can also use this platform to keep watch of their competitors when they post.

Conclusion

From my standpoint, Instagram is one of the best social media platforms there is to exist. It may have a few similarities regarding some of the features like threads being similar to tweets on X platform, or the ability to post stories, which we can agree is similar to Facebook. However, compared to everything else that makes Instagram the platform it is, those similarities are minor. The platform is unique in its own way and I think everyone should try it out!  

What are your thoughts on Instagram?

~Naomi Browne 

References

Blystone, D. (2022, October 22). Instagram: What It Is, Its History, and How the Popular App Works. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102615/story-instagram-rise-1-photo0sharing-app.asp#:~:text=Instagram%20is%20a%20photo%20and,of%20fine%20whiskeys%20and%20bourbons.

Verma, S. (2023, April 25). Instagram Business Account VS Instagram Personal . Chat360. https://chat360.io/blog/instagram-business-account-vs-instagram-personal/#:~:text=Instagram%20personal%20accounts%20are%20typically,and%20follow%20your%20favorite%20accounts.