What Social Media Platforms are Doing Right (from a Teenage User’s Perspective): Part 2 — Instagram
Hello! I’m Amy, and in this series, I’ll be reviewing several social media platforms I use, why I use them, what makes them special, and what exactly I like about them that keeps me, and all of my friends, avid users.
Part 2 — Instagram
Instagram is a massive social media platform. Founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, Instagram is one of the most well known social media names today. With around 995 photos uploaded every second and over a billion monthly active users, there’s no doubting Instagram is popular. (https://www.omnicoreagency.com/instagram-statistics/)
It’s become one of the most used social media platforms for kids and teens around my age, not only for personal photo sharing anymore but also for housing over 25 million businesses and countless influencers.
So what helps make Instagram such a widely popular platform?
Innovation
A big part of Instagram’s sheer popularity can be, in my opinion, accredited to its constant innovation. Instagram is always coming out with something new. There have been new additions to Instagram that I see used a lot (like the questions sticker for stories or Instagram Reels). And while there were also a few that faded into obscurity (IGTV anyone?), Instagram’s dedication to new features keeps the app fun to use. With Instagram, there’s always something new to try out.
A big part of this innovation is the filters. Instagram filters are one of the places where users have complete control, something I think is really cool. Allowing users to create their own Instagram filters means that hundreds of new filters are constantly coming out without Instagram having to put in the hours of work behind each one, as well as giving users so much more to choose from when posting stories or photos.
Community
Instagram has a lot of users. As a social media, it does a great job of connecting people. Instagram lets people find content creators for things they love, and to discover and meet new people.
Instagram has helped so many communities grow, especially with its Explore page.
Many artists share their work on the platform to gain a following and share the content they’ve created. Some have even become full-time artists thanks to Instagram, and support themselves via stores, donations, or Patreon.
This was actually one of the main things that kept me a fan of Instagram, the ability to aimlessly browse Explore and find new content creators about subjects I loved. I follow several artists that I discovered through Instagram. Its ability to connect users with each other is truly amazing.
Instagram’s ability to build communities not only helps the content creators gain a fanbase and support themselves, but it’s also beneficial for users of Instagram looking for ideas or inspiration or art, making it much easier to find the content you love.
Personalized Content/Intuitive Algorithms
One of the biggest parts of Instagram that keep users active and on the app is its Explore page, something I myself am guilty of spending hours mindlessly scrolling through. Instagram’s Explore feature allows you to discover all kinds of new content and make new connections through the platform.
Instagram recommends content it thinks you might like based on your likes, views, and saves, ensuring that what you see is what you’re interested in.
Instagram knows my interests in aesthetic clothing, anime, and among us memes, and provides me with a wonderful combination of all my interests while still introducing me to new content creators I might like. Every time I look at my Explore page there’s always so much new content for me to see. It’s through my Explore page that I’ve discovered several art accounts I adore.
Other Things I Like:
Instagram offers you control over who sees the content you share, something I’m a big fan of. Accounts on Instagram can be set to public or private, allowing the entire platform or just people you approve to see the photos and videos you post. This doesn’t just go for your entire account, but also individual posts. You can block specific people from seeing specific stories or posts, allowing what you post to only reach the people you’re comfortable seeing it.
Hashtags! Hashtags are a great way to share specific content, as well as find content that might otherwise be rather niche. Scrolling through a hashtag lets you see lots of new content about a topic you love. Hashtags also allow artists to do Draw This In Your Style challenges or to group together all the photos from a certain event.
Summary
So what helps make Instagram such a user-friendly and interesting platform to use?
- Innovation. Instagram is always looking towards the future, coming out with new stickers, methods, and filters for posting that keep the platform interesting to use and explore.
- Content Sharing. Instagram’s content sharing is easy, simple, and reaches a large audience. Instagram helps build communities and aids content creators in finding ways to support themselves. Hashtags help group communities as well!
- Personalized Content. Instagram’s Explore page and recommendations algorithm means you’re discovering new content creators in genres of content you enjoy and are actively interested in, something that will keep you scrolling for hours at all of the exciting new posts.
- Control over your privacy. Settings for a public or private account allows you to control who sends you messages, who can see your posts and stories, and who can leave comments on your content.
That’s all for my review on things I like/things that are special about Instagram.
