Instagram (█)
Instagram is the dominant social platform for sharing images and short (up to 60-second) video. In August 2016, the platform introduced Stories, a feature similar to Snapchat stories that put your day into a slideshow of photos and videos.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Large community of users. | Can't insert links in posts. |
| Hashtags and geolocation make it easy to search | Does not allow posting from desktop computer |
| Integrated with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr for automatic cross-posting. |
Pro tip: Use the Repost app to repost Instagrams from other users. As of August 2016, you can also pinch and zoom on photos on the iOS app.
Audience
Instagram has 800 million users share 60 million photos and videos every day
on Instagram. More than half of 18-29-year-olds and a quarter of
30-49-year-olds in the U.S. use Instagram. This is the go-to social
platform for any visual professional (fashion, design, etc.).
Metrics
Within Instagram, you can see how many people have liked or commented on
individual posts, but the app doesn't give summaries of statistics over
time. There are, however, companies that provide this service at a cost.
For example, to track metrics, use an outside app like Iconosquare, which lets you track data about your posts (filters, hashtags) and viewer engagement (likes, comments, follows), and also gives tips for optimizing your feed (when is the best time to post? What effect do filters have?) Note that after Instagram's API update, you can no longer browse your Instagram feed using Iconosquare.
Privacy
Account
Instagram accounts can be private or public. If private, only people you've explicitly added will be able to see your posts and stories. If public, everyone will be able to view your profile and photographs/stories.
Above and beyond this, though, there are other steps you can take to protect your privacy online with Instagram, especially if your profile is public.
Stories
Under "Story settings", users have options to hide stories from a pre-selected group of people, restrict replies, and opt into allowing others to share their stories. If someone isn't following you, they cannot see your stories.
On Live (and on Stories), it's worth remembering that even if you don't explicitly state where you are, there can be visual and audio cues that can give away your location.
Posts
When it comes to posts, before sharing, users have the option of adding their location. If location services is enabled on your device, Instagram will give you a few options that allows you to set your location with a single click. While convenient, again, this means that your location is in the public domain. Sometimes, on the other hand, you might want the location to be public to show that you are in the area covering a story (e.g. the women's march).
Security
Supports Two-Factor Authentication: Yes
In Instagram Settings, there is an option for "Two-factor Authentication". At the moment, users have to provide their mobile numbers in order to get the backup codes (which should be stored safely, as it'll be the only way to get on Instagram if you don't have any mobile service).
Case Studies
Newsroom
National Geographic has a few Instagram feeds, which are updated throughout the day by dozens of
photographers. Up to ninety photographers have the password to the main
feed at any time. Their only rule for sharing the feed is to space posts
at least an hour apart.
The Chicago Tribune uses Instagram to resurface archived photography collections. Read about
picture editor Mike Zajakowski’s Instagram workflow here (scroll down).
Journalist Jeff Sharlet has been a vocal supporter of Instagram as a tool for literary journalism.
Classroom
Dody Tsiantar, Mike Hoyt, and Simon Surowicz’s City Newsroom class posts photos to Instagram with the hashtag #nycitylens, and publishes some of them later to their website. During the two days of blizzard Jonas in 2016, for example, students were charged with keeping the feed alive.
Additional resources
Tutorial\/help: Instagram tutorial on
Lynda