Instagram, the photo sharing app owned by Facebook, now claims to have 300 million users – making its reach bigger than Twitter.
More than 30 billion images have now been shared on the program – and more than 70 per cent of its users live outside the US.
That 300 million milestone should galvanise into action all those businesses who have previously skipped over the social media platform to focus on Facebook or Twitter instead. Especially retailers, because Instagram is visual and retailing is all about getting visual exposure for brands and stock.
Richard Lazazzera, an ecommerce entrepreneur and content strategist at Shopify.com argues that – used correctly – Instagram “can be a highly-targeted, visual advertising channel for your brand”.
Lazazzera has written an easy to follow guide on getting started on Instagram, including how to use hashtagging to ensure you get the exposure you want from your posts.
He quotes a study by I2thinktank that found Instagram provides brands with 25 per cent more engagement than other social platforms.
“This mean that Instagram is a prime channel to build your brand for your eCommerce business. Like any social network out there, there are right ways to use it, wrong ways to use it, and clever ways to use it.”
Announcing its milestone this week, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom said that i ust four years, what began as two friends with a dream has grown into a global community that shares more than 70 million photos and videos each day.
“Instagram is home to creativity in all of its forms, a place where you can find everything from images of the Nile River to the newest look from Herschel Supply or a peek inside the mind of Taylor Swift.
“We’re thrilled to watch this community thrive and witness the amazing connections people make over shared passions and journeys.”
This month Instagram is introducing a new “verified badge” so users can be sure they are seeing genuine shares from celebrities, sports stars and brands. These badges will make it easier to connect with authentic accounts and will start rolling out over the coming days.
The platform is also cleaning up its content, says Systrom.
“As more and more people join, keeping Instagram authentic is critical – it’s a place where real people share real moments. We’re committed to doing everything possible to keep Instagram free from the fake and spammy accounts that plague much of the web, and that’s why we’re finishing up some important work that began earlier this year.
“We’ve been deactivating spammy accounts from Instagram on an ongoing basis to improve your experience. As part of this effort, we will be deleting these accounts forever, so they will no longer be included in follower counts.”
