Instagram is positively teeming with new users.
Within weeks of the announcement that the company will be acquired by Facebook and the launch of an app for the Android platform, the number of Instagram users ballooned from 30 million to 50 million.
The
influx of novice Insta-fans has caused a bit of a stir among more
seasoned users, as newbies run into questions about community etiquette
as they figure out how to use the app and its features. What infuriates
established users; what should never be posted; how can more followers
be acquired?
Hey! That's Mine
One of the app's ultimate sins?
Copycating. Make your own content and respect your fellow
Instagrammers. It's not polite (or entirely legal) to take a screen shot
of another person's photo, change the filter, and pretend like it's
your own.
Avoid The Cliche
There are things you're going
to want to snap a picture of -- cats, the shoes on your feet, greasy
food, an artsy shot of nothing, etc. -- but beware of falling into an
Instagram cliche. Followers don't mind these pictures every once in
awhile, but give your fans something new to keep them coming back for
more.
#ThatsAnnoying
Hashtags help Instagramers
categorize pictures, or are used ironically much like on Twitter. For
example, if you take a picture of the Statue of Liberty, a proper
hashtag might be #nyc. But drowning a photo in irrelevant hashtags will
only frustrate viewers. There is such a thing as #toomuch.
Show A Little 'Selfie' Control
Pictures you take of yourself
might be fine, but too many "selfie" shots annoy followers. Who wants to
see three or four Instagrams of a face in different positions? Refrain
from taking MySpace pictures and flip that camera around on someone else
occasionally.
Be My Friend
It's okay to want more
followers on your social media sites, but isn't it a little desperate to
type "please follow me!" in the comments box of pictures and throughout
your "About Me" section? Create great content, regularly participate
with other users, and you are guaranteed to earn followers without
begging for them.
Baby Overload
Your children are adorable, and
who wouldn't love that dog always featured on your Instagram? But
similar to selfie shots, these objects of your affection may begin to
grow old for your friends... particularly if you upload 16 photos of
little Sue daily. Sometimes one picture says it all.
Like, Like, Follow, Unfollow
If you "like" a photo, then
it's assumed you found that picture to be aesthetically pleasing. What
is not assumed is that you expected a "like" or a "follow" in return.
And don't even think about unfollowing someone because they didn't
follow you back. This sort of middle school behavior is not appreciated.
"Like" worthy pictures for the sake of liking them.
Don't Draw Something
Your followers want to see your
beautiful or surprising photos. What they don't want to see is
something that won't make sense to them, like an inside joke that you
drew about a donkey and a pancake. In this case, it's best to just keep
your doodles to yourself.
The Catch-All Rule
Here are Instagram words to
live by: Document life, show off your quirky moments, and tell a
vibrant, filter-filled story. Post those pics you're proud of, and your
followers will probably "like" them, too.
0 comments:
Post a Comment