If you haven't caught on to the Instagram (IG) craze, then you're sadly missing out because surprisingly enough, there are a few reasons to use Instagram over competitors like Facebook (FB). This ‘selfie' enriched social media site has some amazing perks to it—especially for businesses, entrepreneurs, and marketers. Here are seven useful reasons to use Instagram over Facebook.
One of the reasons to use Instagram over Facebook is because it's a great learning tool for all you amateur photographers. Following some of your favorite celebrities, artists, or role models gives you an idea of how to creatively and professionally capture a photo. However, it can also be a great tool for already established photographers who want to build up a nice fan base. FB isn't solely for photo sharing. Its purpose is to engage through dialogue by the use of statuses, url links, videos, and photos.
IG is definitely not a hard app to get around. When viewing someone's gallery, you have the option to click on a photo or video, like, and/or comment underneath it. There's not much else to do really. You can't add url links or upload a photo to the comment section, so this reduces clutter. Also, it allows you to scroll down your newsfeed with ease. Unlike FB, the only updates you will see are photos—not three statuses, then a random cat video, and then a nightclub party flyer. The layout on Instagram is always consistent.
O.M.G. One thing I dislike about FB is its privacy settings. It's mainly because every time they modify the website's layout, they also reconstruct the account and privacy setting buttons. Then you have to learn how to set your profile on private, how to block a person, or how to hide your wall all over again. However, with IG you have one very easy choice. You can set your entire photo profile on private. Unlike FB, this denies anyone access to your photos unless you approve them. You don't have to go through each album or individual photo option to set a privacy setting.
This may seem juvenile, but I think IG has a better “like” button. IG's heart-shaped “love” button is a stylish way to show someone that you sincerely enjoy viewing his or her post. Not only can you choose the icon from underneath the image, but double-tapping is also a more convenient option. Plus, I'm still not over the fact that FB hasn't added a thumb down dislike button (cough…YouTube…cough). I think people would leap for joy.
Providing hashtags underneath your photos links you to other IG users with the same interests. Of course social media sites like Twitter uses the same concept, but IG organizes their hashtag pages a little better. Each page just shows rows of photos, so there's no way you should become overwhelmed with browsing through all the posts. Also, hashtags build communities of people. For example, #instacute has over 8 million photos uploaded from various IG users. Hashtags are mainly used to congregate a population of amateur photographers.
One of the greatest benefits of using IG is that your brand and/or business will receive a lot of attention. According to social media blog Simply Measured, a video posted by Red Bull on FB received 2,000 likes in comparison to 30,000 likes on IG. Fans and followers obviously love posts that show instead of tell. Therefore, IG is perfect for uploading photos that illustrate what your brand is all about. Photos also tend to get around a lot faster with hashtags, inviting more contributors to your page. Well, sure, FB has fan pages for the same purpose. However, it's harder building an established fan base that will be involved in your posts.
Overall, photos are more of an attention-grabber. It's like reading a children's book accompanied by fun illustrations. The main difference between FB and IG is the latter highlights imagery first and then context last. FB is just a profile that shares your life-story, interests, and resume. Really, there's a great deal of writing that comes with it. IG, on the other hand, teaches you to use your critical eye and to figure out what story or idea a photo is trying to convey. Without the text immediately at eye's view, it gives you a chance to like the post based off what you see and not what you're reading.
Instagram is all about visuals and that's it! Although Facebook incorporates a lot of visuals as well, Instagram only concentrates on one pastime and that's photography. This makes the app more inviting and intimate because not only are you sharing personal pictures with others, you are also telling a story with them. Do you think Instagram is better than Facebook? What are some cons when it comes to using the app?
Sources: simplymeasured.com, blogs.chapman.edu