Instagram is an app that allows users to share photos and videos. It’s pretty straightforward. Or is it? With Instagram, you have the ability to add captions, edit filters, tweak settings, engage with others and so much more. But there is so much you can do with Instagram. In this post, we are going to give you an in-depth look at what you can do with Instagram. You might be surprised on all the things you’ve been missing out on.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is nearly 8 years old and has somewhere around 800 million subscribers. Over the years, it’s become the go-to social network for sharing photos and videos of whatever you’ve got going on in your life. The app wasn’t always owned by Facebook. In fact, Facebook didn’t purchase Instagram until 2012. While the original format of Instagram was a lot simpler than the one you see today, the premise still remains the same. Videos shared on Instagram used to be limited to 15 seconds in duration; video posts can be much longer today.
How Does it Work?
After you set up your Instagram account, you can start by following your favorite celebrities, your best friend or even family members. The choice is yours, really. Your profile will also show you how many followers you have. If you want, you can set your profile to be private, meaning that people need to request to follow you and need you to approve them in order for them to see any of your content. Keep in mind that if your profile is private posts that are hashtagged will not show up on the trending/public page, no matter how many likes you get.
The best advice for Instagram? Follow people you really like and fill your feed with content you love. Don’t be afraid to unfollow someone at the risk of losing a follower if they’re not posting content that blows you away! Instagram can get very overwhelming, and with its latest algorithm change, you might not even see everyone you’re following.
What are Instagram Stories?
Instagram Stories are Instagram’s response to Snapchat/Snapchat Stories, which are a series of photos and videos strung together in a content package that disappears after 24 hours. While some people find this type of posting a bit redundant and silly because it’s only temporary, the trend of 24-hour social media posts has taken off in a big, big way with things like Stories features.
This is how Instagram describes Stories:
You’ll see stories from people you follow in a bar at the top of your feed — from your best friends to your favorite popular accounts. When there’s something new to see, their profile photo will have a colorful ring around it. To view someone’s story, just tap on their profile photo. It’s easy to view stories at your own pace: tap to go back and forward or swipe to jump to another person’s story. If you want to comment on something you see, you can tap and send a private message to that person on Instagram Direct. Unlike regular posts, there are no likes or public comments.
What is Boomerang and Hyperlapse?
Boomerang and Hyperlapse are two apps developed by Instagram that work in tandem with the original, root app. Boomerang works by taking a super short, super fast burst of photos and stitching them together into a mini video that plays forward and backward and forward and backward and—well, you get the idea. Think of it as a GIF of sorts, but in video mode. Hyperlapse works by creating and sharing smooth, clean, time-lapse videos.
Instagram is a free app, and there aren’t any in-app purchases or upgrades. Instagram is available on iOS and Android, and you can download it from Google Play or the App Store. It’s that easy. Instagram is one of my favorite apps, and I don’t give that title lightly. If you haven’t tried it out, you need to ASAP. After all, what have you got to lose?
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