Saturday, January 19, 2013

Instagram: Review, Tips, and Tricks

It appears the latest (and currently hottest) social networking app is Instagram. It has been popular with the iPhones for about two years now. Two things happened last April 2012:  Instagram became available for Android phones, and Facebook bought Instagram. They thought it would be great to integrate the two networks.  So far, it seems to be a smart move

Instagram has really captured some of the greatest things about modern smartphones: taking and sharing photos, networking with others, sharing photos with and to other social media outlets, and the ability to simply express yourself. It is photo based, but people use other apps such as Textgram and Versagram to post quotes. Instachat is even available for the iPhone users, and should be available in the Google Play market before long. You can also geotag your photos, allowing folks to know the location of the photos/images posted. Consider it a combination of Facebook and Twitter, or even a more visual Twitter.

Here are some tips I've picked up in my short time on Instagram to help others just beginning, or those already on to improve their overall Instagram profiles.

1. Have a variety of images

Don't just have a bunch of quotes, self-shots of yourself, or pictures of food. Strike a nice, healthy balance.

2. Participate in monthly photo challenges and Throwback Thursday #tbt

This makes Instagram more fun, and makes your IG more diverse and exciting. It can be like a scavenger hunt completing photo challenges, finding unique photos to fill out the month. Also, Throw back Thursday is always nostalgic. You can even post photos of old TVs, shoes, phones, and memorabilia. I look forward to Thursday to see what appears on my news feed.

3. Interact with others.

This is self-explanatory, but show your followers love. Like and comment on their photos. Repost when they have cool images and quotes. Also, when a person likes four or more of your photos in a row, screenshot them in your notifications (if your phone has this feature) , post that as an image, and shout them out.

4. Keep the hash tags to a minimum.

One thing that can be messy and cluttered is those photos with about 30 hash tags, often these being long, random words. Choose your hash tags carefully, and keep them to a minimum of five or six.

5. Remember it is social media so,

Enjoy it and have fun.  However, be careful how you want yourself portrayed. A picture is worth a 1,000 words. Therefore, you want images that are unique to you, but present you in a positive light. You can attract the wrong type of attention, or turn away certain people for your posts. Yes it is YOUR Instagram. However remember there are decorum and a Terms and Conditions clause. You do not want your account being flagged.

Follow me at my popular nickname/handle @drewhouse74. As I say in my headline, mine is an Instagram like no other. I believe I have held true to that thus far.

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