Growing up I remember the first time I was introduced to social media was probably in year 6 or 7 when I got Myspace. My addiction to social network basically started then. I loved editing my profile, looking up new music and constantly talking to people without running out of credit. Then I got Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Instagram, Gifboom, Vine, Snapchat, Jump In and even tried to start my own blog. I have always wanted and craved for the latest gadget or the newest app (except game apps, never been addicted to gaming). Out of all of these social network platforms, I have found Instagram to be my favourite.
Twitter (2006) and Facebook (2004) were created several years before Instagram burst onto the scene in 2010. By this stage avid technology consumers like myself were waiting for the next big thing. It was something totally new that we hadn’t seen before. Uploading single images to tell a story was not what we were used to. We were used to lengthy boring status’ and a minute by minute account of what someones cat was doing (although I guess we have started do this now on Instagram). We had never even seen someones meal being posted on Twitter or Facebook either or their legs while they were tanning (legs or hotdogs?). A simple image could tell a thousand words with this app. Instead of a 300 image photo album we just got to see the best of the best and the great thing was was that having a 50 comment long conversation on Instagram was and still is social suicide (BIG NO NO).
It’s not just the content of Instagram that is revolutionary it is the fact that this single app is one of the most powerful marketing tools. The brand Michael Kors was recently one of the first brands to be advertised through Instagram. After the ad, the brand received a staggering 34,000 new followers in 18 hours, nearly 16 times their normal rate of followers (Taube 2013). Since the Instagram brand was bought by Mark Zuckerberg in 2012 I have feeling we will be seeing more and more ads appearing on our once ad-free app. Since Zuckerberg has owned Instagram, the app is constantly having Facebook characteristics added to it such as being able to tag people in the photo and instant messaging. The question is, will Instagram keep on changing into something consumers will not enjoy anymore or become too alike to previous social network sites?
Check out the rate of growing Instagram users
Sources:
Taube, A 2013, Michael Kors’ Widely Hated Instagram Ad Was Actually A Massive Success, Business Insider Australia, viewed on 15th March 2014, http://www.businessinsider.com.au/michael-kors-wins-with-first-instagram-ad-2013-11
Oh Madeline 