Inspire Session: The Power of Instagram

“If Facebook demonstrates that everyone is boring and Twitter proves that everyone is awful, Instagram makes you worry that everyone is perfect – except you.” – The Guardian

 

We can’t avoid social media, it consumes our everyday life. With everyone ‘doing it for the gram’, are the negatives now starting to outweigh the positives?

Positives vs Negatives ✅❌

As we all play a huge part in the marketing world, what can we learn from our fast paced and social fuelled era? And how can we become ambassadors to help turn Instagram into a positive platform?

Positives:

• Creative inspiration through hashtags.
• Unique destinations through geotags.
• Stay connected to friends, family and the world.
  
• Free self promotion.

Negatives:

• Effects on our mental health and unhealthy attitudes towards expectations.
  
• FOMO.
• Not living in the moment, endless scrolling.
• Often promotes a materialistic and superficial lifestyle.

Geotagging 📍

“Instagram VS reality”

• Great for recommendations and trip planning.
• Queuing for the “perfect shot” in locations which can’t cope with high volumes of people.
• Impact on the environment and wildlife, visiting previously untouched places.

Influencers 🙋‍

How is Instagram shaping our world? 🌏

• ‘Instagrammable locations’.
• Picking restaurants which look good in favour of the food, providing a new challenge for businesses today to make their premises attractive to social media.
• Restaurant chain Dirty Bones offer an ‘Instagram kit’ including lights, chargers, and more to enable their customers to get the perfect #foodporn snap.
• Our increased carbon footprint as result of more flights to far away destinations. 

 “As we live our lives through the lense more and more have we stopped living in the moment and appreciating places for what they really are?”

What can Instagram do?

• A future without Instagram likes could mean brands and influencers will work a little harder at creating a community on the platform. It’s not a complete solution but it’s a step in the right direction to stop targeting vunerable and impressionable young people.

Personal accounts: What can we do?

• Follow like minded people and accounts that make you feel good.
• Before posting, think how your post can impact others.
• Inspire people by sharing creative achievements.
• Instagram should be a creative outlet and a safe space to connect with your friends and family.

Professional accounts: What can we do?

• Follow accounts that represent your brand ethos, create a community.
• Think about your diverse range of followers, educate and inspire with relatable and achievable content.
• Be honest and relatable to your followers.

Sophie Eggs
Senior Designer @ Action Rocket