Instagram, the digital polaroid

Instagram, is the insanely popular app used on mobile phones and tablets for sharing photographs and has an interesting link with the good old Polaroid camera from the last century.

Instagram was founded on October 6, 2010 in San Francisco by Kevin Systrom and Michel Krieger. The app was initially only to be supported for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch but Instagram is also currently available on Android.

In April 2012, eighteen months later, Facebook bought Instagram with its 12 .... staff members for $ 1 billion in cash and stock. ... Now that’s a quick turnover!

olde Instagram logo

Why is Instagram so popular?

For outsiders it is a mystery why this simple application has been downloaded over 100 million times.

For the young generation of users this application is a quick editing solution, you have a photo retouching in minutes always giving it that professional look. Combine that with the social media aspects and the simple way of sharing on Twitter & Facebook and its success is explained. The special feature of Instagram is that it also acts as a social network. Like for example Twitter, you can follow other Instagram users (Instagrammers) and others can in turn follow you again.

Instagram was identified especially at the beginning with the Polaroid camera, the instant camera from the last century and can be recognized by the first logo. The filters in Instagram created the ready result, which in turn created the polaroid effect.

The connection Instagram initially chose with the Polaroid camera has now been replaced by the new Instagram logo.

polaroid camera

Instagram photo editing

You do not have to be creative in any way for a creative looking result. You can choose from a large number of ready-made filters: just a touch of a button is enough ...

Instagram filters

Instagramwalk
In a number of locations there has been organized special Instagramwalks. Here a group will walk together making photos of surrounding beauty and points of interest along the way, which can then be instantly shared with the location.

Instagram voor bedrijven
While some marketing experts wonder whether a profitable business model exists for Instagram, there are more and more of the larger companies who choose to create an account sharing pictures regularly. "Starbucks Coffee" for example, has 204 photographs and 781 000 followers.

Instagram Stories
The Instagram Stories was launched in 2016 with the aim to rival Snapchat, the app is increasingly popular among young people. What is Instagram Stories? Instagram Stories is a compilation of photos or videos that are visible to your followers for one day only.

If you just googled the "most liked photo on Instagram's" you'll see why! Selena Gomez seems to do very well as does the pregnant Beyonce.