Instagram is frequently regarded as an essential part of our daily lives, enabling us to share photos and videos and connect with other users no matter where we are.
But what exactly is Instagram, and does the definition vary depending on whom you ask?
Instagram is a social media app founded in 2010 in San Francisco, USA. It was supposed to be an online photo album but has become much more – for some, it’s even a full-time job. You can use the app to share videos, 24-hour stories, and reels.
The story of this platform is long and intriguing, offering valuable insights into how our modern world operates.
That said, here is everything you need to know about Instagram.
Table of Contents
What is Instagram?
The best way to define Instagram is as a social media platform designed to help you store photos and videos in one location. It allows you to upload photos and videos, easily create albums containing multiple images, and promotes user engagement.
Originally launched in 2010 as an iOS app, Instagram was subsequently made available on desktop for PC and Mac users.
But how does it all work? Let’s examine Instagram’s key features.
Top 4 Instagram Features
1. Photo Sharing
Photo sharing is the primary and most significant feature of this social media platform and its associated app. The name Instagram itself reflects the ability to upload media for the public to view instantly.
This makes it an excellent way to keep your “followers,” or other users interested in your life, informed about your daily activities.
2. Video Sharing
In addition to uploading photos, you can upload videos to your Instagram page as well. Furthermore, you can create video albums by adding multiple videos to a single Instagram post, enabling you to upload longer footage than would otherwise be possible.
3. Instagram Stories
Another way to share your videos is through Instagram stories. These temporary uploads remain available for 24 hours (or until you remove them) and can be viewed by your followers at the top of their feeds.
Additionally, if your profile is set to public, anyone who visits your profile through the search or explore options will be able to see them by simply clicking on your profile picture.
Finally, some of these moments can be saved on your profile as permanent stories, which can be viewed by anyone who visits it.
4. Reels
The latest upload feature added to the Instagram app, reels, consists of 15 to 30-second videos that enable the creation of short yet captivating content.
These reels can be further enhanced with a variety of video and audio effects offered by Instagram or various third-party apps.
Instagram’s History
Having explained some of Instagram’s fundamental features and their functionality, we will now explore the platform’s origins, its founders, and its journey to success.
Who founded Instagram?
Instagram was originally founded by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, two American IT developers who worked on the platform for several months before launching it as an independent enterprise.
The platform was initially optimized for iPhone, but a few years later, it was expanded to include Android devices as well.
When was Instagram released?
Instagram’s two founders initially launched the platform on October 6th, 2010, after developing it for some time. At first, the platform was only usable on iPhone devices, as there was no Android support at that time, and the iPad was not yet compatible with it.
That being said, the platform experienced immediate success, primarily due to the iPhone’s popularity in the US at that time, which caused its value to skyrocket over the following two years.
Does Facebook Own Instagram?
Astounded by the platform’s success during its first two years, Facebook decided to acquire it, ultimately reaching an agreement with its founders in April 2012.
Since Instagram has been owned by Facebook, CEO Mark Zuckerberg has stated that he has permitted Mike Krieger and his team to continue developing the Instagram app independently.
The deal was valued at $1 billion in cash and stock, immediately giving the company a significantly larger budget to utilize, as the majority of the funds were directed towards Instagram itself.
Integration with Facebook Messenger and Android Release
Shortly after Facebook acquired Instagram, the integration of the two platforms commenced, aligning Instagram more closely with other social media platforms that were also starting to integrate at that time.
Initially, the capability to use your Facebook Messenger account as your Instagram account was introduced, followed by the application’s highly successful release on Android.
In fact, the app recorded over one million registered users downloading it on their Android devices in less than one day, which was unprecedented at the time.
Backed by the substantial profits of its parent company, Facebook, Instagram continued to draw in new users and dominate the social networking market.
Complete integration with Facebook and the development of the desktop app
When Facebook Inc. purchased Instagram, some feared it would mark the beginning of the end for the platform, as Facebook started to take control and hinder its development.
This was not the case at all. Even though the two social media platforms became increasingly integrated, Instagram continued to grow, ultimately reaching over a billion users in 2018.
Throughout its development, the platform experienced several changes based on the preferences of Instagram users, including reducing the app’s size by half for easier installation and introducing a significant visual redesign that enabled users to display more photos on their screens, enhancing the functionality of the news feed.
This photo-sharing app introduced additional changes as well.
In April 2016, a Windows app was launched, enabling desktop users to download and use Instagram on their computers without the need for an emulator, thereby opening the platform to a completely new user base.
Finally, a month later, on May 11th of the same year, Instagram released a significant update that completely transformed its visual appearance, user interface, and icon.
This is regarded as the largest update in the app’s history and has significantly contributed to its rapid growth.
Modern Era
The Instagram app and website continue to receive frequent updates over time, including features like Live TV and video sharing during calls. In addition to these enhancements, the virtual reality market and Oculus VR are also being explored.
That being said, the company is encountering more challenges than ever before. With the social media market continuously expanding and new platforms emerging globally, Instagram will face significant difficulties in keeping its users engaged and loyal to the platform.
How to Get Started on Instagram?
After that brief history lesson on Instagram and its origins, let’s discuss how to make the most of the platform as a regular user. Here are the steps:
1. Creating an Instagram Account
To start your Instagram journey, you need to create an account. You can do this either by visiting the website instagram.com in your browser or by downloading the app from your device’s store.
For Android, you will need to use the Google Play Store, while iOS has the App Store. Here is how the account creation screen will appear.
2. Getting started
After creating your account, it will be empty. You will have no posts or followers, and you will not be following anyone. These items should be the next steps on your to-do list.
First, if you have used your Facebook account or a phone directory on your mobile device, Instagram will automatically offer to connect you with people found within those sources. This integration is a valuable tool for quickly reaching out to your friends.
If you wish to follow more people, such as celebrities, business pages, or other users of interest, you can do so by utilizing the search and explore tabs. Here’s how:
3. Discovering People to Follow
After downloading the app and creating your account, you will need to find people you want to interact with. You can search for other Instagram users in two main ways:
The first method is to use the explore page, accessible via a button located at the bottom of your screen.
Additionally, you can use the Search bar located at the top of the explore page to find a specific user by entering their username. If you don’t know the full name, you can type a part of it: Instagram’s algorithm will handle the rest.
4. Explore the Options
Becoming an expert on using Instagram does not happen overnight. The most effective way to familiarize yourself with the platform is to use it personally. Experiment with all the various features, post photos and videos, and engage with other users by commenting on their posts. You’ll master it in no time!
3 Benefits of Using Instagram
The primary reason Instagram became so popular is that it offers a means to create an immediate presence for yourself or your business in the global market.
With its video-sharing capabilities and the large number of young people who spend most of their time on it, Instagram is an excellent platform for advertising various products and services.
Here is a list of benefits you can gain from maintaining an active presence on this platform:
1. Your content reaches a wider audience
Instagram is immensely popular, both globally and among various age groups. Additionally, many established businesses maintain a strong presence on the platform, making it an ideal place to attract new customers for any product or service you provide.
2. It simplifies tracking all the news
Due to people’s tendency to follow trending content and the way Instagram’s algorithm frequently prioritizes it in your explore tab, this platform provides a quick and easy method to stay updated on both local and global news without needing to watch TV or read a newsletter.
3. It helps preserve important moments
In a sense, Instagram can serve as a personal or family photo album that is also accessible to the public. The photos are stored securely on Instagram’s servers and are easily accessible, ensuring their protection in the event that your devices are damaged or stolen.
What Issues is Instagram Facing?
Instagram owes much of its vast user base to being the first social media platform of its kind, facing little competition for several years due to Facebook’s substantial budget.
As time progressed, however, and the number of social media platforms increased, Instagram’s advantage began to diminish. Today, partly due to the generational shift as Gen Z users replace millennials, Instagram is beginning to be perceived as an outdated platform, even if that is not the case.
Finally, the app’s integration with Facebook somewhat slows down the update frequency, as developers must ensure they do not disrupt the integration package when releasing new features.
3 Tips and Tricks for Using Instagram
1. You can set your Instagram account to private
If you want to control who can see your photos and videos, the best way to do this is to make your Instagram account private. This will not only make your account unavailable to the public, but anyone wishing to follow you will first need to send a request, similar to the process on Facebook.
2. Promote Your Account to Gain More Followers
If you are using Instagram for business or simply wish to showcase your large follower count, you can promote your account through the app or third-party websites. Additionally, you can link to your other social media accounts if desired.
3. Maintain the account’s activity
One of the primary issues facing young people today is their short attention spans. As a result, if you want to effectively utilize your Instagram account, you must post regularly.
Conclusion
As one of the first genuine social media platforms dedicated to photo and video sharing, Instagram has gained a significant head start in this industry, and it continues to maintain its popularity to this day.
This app is easy and simple to use, available on various devices, provides access to news and trending content, and can serve as an online photo album to preserve your memories.
Finally, the app is owned by Facebook, a company with a long and stable history that ensures its continued success in the future.
FAQ
What is the main purpose of Instagram?
While more and more businesses and influencers are coming to the platform, its primary purpose is to be a public photo album available to anyone, allowing you to share moments of your life with friends and family. However, that purpose has been heavily expanded, and nowadays, Instagram is also used as a news outlet, a way to follow trends, etc.
Is Instagram owned by Mark Zuckerberg?
Meta, the owner of Facebook, whose majority shareholder is Mark Zuckerberg, purchased Instagram for 1 billion USD back in 2012, taking over from its original founders. Thus, we can say that Mark Zuckerberg is the majority shareholder of Instagram.
Who was the first Instagram user?
The first person to register on the platform and make a post on it was one of its founders, Mike Krieger, back on October 6th, 2010. Since then, the platform has had several billion unique users.
