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Analyze the purpose of various social media platforms: 8th grade Digital Citizenship

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Analyze the purpose of various social media platforms: 8th grade Digital Citizenship

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Congrats! You are now, officially, old enough for social media accounts. You might want to choose what your friends tell you to pick or might use what your parent/guardian suggests. Regardless of your choice, are you aware of what types of content you might encounter depending on the platform you choose? For this assignment, you will view different social media platforms for the same subject or user (use the example on Coca Cola to guide you) to compare and contrast the content provided. Likes vs. Hearts, Hashtags vs. @ts, Views vs. Interactions. Why pick one versus the other? Use the information you compiled, plus the resources you were provided, and present it with your group to your class.

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Learners develop and satisfy personal curiosity by:
1. Reading widely and deeply in multiple formats and write and create for a variety of purposes.

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Learn more about what social media consists of.

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On March 21, 2006, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey wrote that as the first tweet. It amassed a huge number of retweets and likes in the years since.

The team behind Twitter originally envisioned the service as a way to share status updates with anyone interested in your updates. You could "follow" other Twitter accounts, but they didn't have to follow you back.

That asymmetry leads to a social graph with multiple types of relationships between users:

Twitter was asymmetric from the beginning, but once other social networks saw the success of that model, many added on follow-like features. Now you can be a fan on Facebook, follow on Instagram, or subscribe on YouTube.

Viral spread

Lots of people still use social media primarily as a way to connect with their friends and family, but increasingly, people are using social media as a way to spread and consume information across wider networks.

Information can easily " go viral" on social media, since it's so easy to write a post and even easier to click a button to share a post with your network.

In May 2016, one woman streamed a live video to her Facebook fans where she gleefully unboxed and wore a Chewbacca mask. Within a week, the video had over 100 million views and she was invited to meet the Chewbacca actor himself.

The majority of social network users have a small number of followers, but it only takes a few super-connected users for a post to go viral.

News sharing

We don't use social media just for entertainment purposes; in 2018, the majority of Americans read news on social media. In fact, more Americans now get their news from social media than from print newspapers.

At the same time, 57% of US social media users expect news on social media to be largely inaccurate, and Europeans trust social media less than any other news source.

Some of the news is purposefully inaccurate, and that's been termed fake news. Other news articles may be accidentally inaccurate, based on unreliable sources, especially for breaking events.

Why does inaccurate news spread so easily on social media? Researchers think it's due to information overload; social media users can scroll through hundreds of posts in a short period of time, and there's just too much information for them to reason about.

Echo chambers

Researchers are also concerned about echo chambers. On social media, people tend to be connected to people with similar ideologies and thus are more likely to see content that aligns with their beliefs. They're also less likely to apply a rigorous accuracy check to that ideologically aligned content, so they are more apt to share it.

This visualization shows two disparate echo chambers on Twitter during the Brexit debate, an UK referendum which supported UK leaving the EU.

Social media has the potential to enable the free flowing of ideas between many different people, but yet the ideas don't seem to be flowing between groups with opposing beliefs. If we stay within our echo chambers on social media, we may never get the chance to understand other perspectives and have our own beliefs challenged.

Social media privacy

Social media networks vary in their privacy settings. Some networks default to sharing posts with friends and others default to sharing posts publicly (viewable by anyone on the Internet).

Here's part of the privacy policy from Instagram, a photo-sharing network:

"Any information or content that you voluntarily disclose for posting to the Service, such as User Content, becomes available to the public, as controlled by any applicable privacy settings that you set. To change your privacy settings on the Service, please change your profile setting. Once you have shared User Content or made it public, that User Content may be re-shared by others."

That policy is written in legalese, which can be a bit hard to follow. Put simply, Instagram defaults to public posts but gives users options.

In the Instagram settings, users can choose to share posts more privately:

How many users that sign up for a social media network are aware of who can see their posts-and aware of their options for changing that?

A 2019 survey asked people "How often do you click to accept a company's privacy policy without reading it?" The results:

The majority of people (56%) said they always or usually skip reading the policy before accepting it, with younger generations more likely to skip than older.

Risks of public posts

A publicly viewable post is a great way to share news, viewpoints, or just sheer joy with a wide audience. There are some definite risks, however:

Cybercrime: An attacker can use PII revealed in public posts to help them steal the identity of a social media user or hack into their accounts. They could also use geolocation information from public posts to physically stalk an individual.

Reputation damage: A social media user who has a public reputation can build up their reputation on social media, but they can just as easily ruin their reputation from a badly worded post. The social media world is often quick to pass judgment. For that reason, celebrities and companies may choose to work with brand agents to carefully craft their social media persona.

Job loss: Social media users have been known to lose their job over the contents of their posts, like posts that are disparaging about the company or offensive to many people. There are also likely many users that have lost the chance at a future job after a potential employers looks at their posts and doesn't like what they see.

Difficulty of deletion

If you're a social media user, you might be reading this and starting to wonder if maybe this is a good time to clean up your social media accounts: delete a few personal photos, remove some opinions you no longer hold, that sort of thing.

The good news: social media networks pretty much always give users an options to delete their posts or their entire account. That should delete the data from the network's servers and from being viewed directly on your profile page.

The bad news: once anything has been published online, it can be very difficult or impossible to delete. That's because of the many copies that might exist, due to mechanisms such as:

Web archiving services: The Internet archive is a non-profit that attempts to make copies of all the pages on the Web, and anyone can use their WaybackMachine to browse their archives.

Here's a snapshot taken by the Internet Archive of my personal homepage from way back in 1998 (when I was in eighth grade):

Automated bots: Search engines may copy pages they find online and keep a cached version, even if the page itself goes offline.

Other users: When another user sees a post they like, they could use the network's built-in mechanism for sharing it (such as retweeting on Twitter or regramming on Instagram). But they could also take a screenshot of a post or download a photo, and share it on that network, other networks, or even a news article.

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On March 21, 2006, Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey wrote that as the first tweet. It amassed a huge number of retweets and likes in the years since. The team behind Twitter originally envisioned the service as a way to share status updates with anyone interested in your updates.

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Read more on the impact social media features can have on users.

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Read more on the impact social media features can have on users.

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Think social media is just for fun? What effects could it have long term and how does every click we make affect us?

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CommonLit | The power of 'like' by Alison Pearce Stevens | CommonLit

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Saw the latest news on Tik Tok? You might not have the full story. Check out this video on how where you get your information matters and why you might want to source check that Instagram reel.

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With the advent of the Internet and social media, news is distributed at an incredible rate by an unprecedented number of different media outlets. How do we choose which news to consume? Damon Brown gives the inside scoop on how the opinions and facts (and sometimes non-facts) make their way into the news and how the smart reader can tell them apart. [Directed by Alisa Harris-Norico, narrated by Addison Anderson].

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Choose an interactive way to present your new findings!

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Canva is a free-to-use online graphic design tool. Use it to create social media posts, presentations, posters, videos, logos and more.

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Your parents aren't the only ones who use it. If you're unfamiliar with how Facebook works, check out this information.

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A social networking site originally created for Harvard students, Facebook is now open for anyone to join -- and it currently has 750 million active users. What features have made it such a big success?

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Coca Cola is a big brand that has various social media accounts. Check out how it utilizes them to advertise its products.

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I n 2019, the general state of play of social media for FMCG brands has transformed from its product-focused beginnings to a more content-driven approach.

As social media has evolved and matured , consumers' thirst and expectation for original, authentic content have increased exponentially... and the world's biggest brands are no t excused .

Coca-Cola is o ne such brand that has managed to navigate its way through this age of social media enlightenment within FMCG.

Coca-Cola has used various tactics to ensure it ha s maintained a healthy presence on social media and i n this piece, I'm going to look at three ways it keeps itself front of mind for consumers.

Consumers as creatives (UGC)

Coke launched # R efreshtheFeed in November 2018, by giving its social media a ccount s a complete factory reset.

We're celebrating #WorldKindnessDay by spreading a little love and positivity. ❤️️ #RefreshTheFeed pic.twitter.com/aneTjuLOQg

- Coca-Cola (@CocaCola) November 13, 2018

The revamp marked the launch of the brand's new social strategy "rooted in optimism, uplift and connection." and was conceived to celebrate World Kindness Day (observed annually on November 13th).

Coca-Cola went dark on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts on November 12th, only to re-emerge on World Kindness Day 2018 ; shar ing nearly 100 original images , with help from four popular street artists who embrace the brand's core values.

Following on from its success in 2018, Coca-Cola ran a similar organic social campaign for World Kindness Day 2019, called # KindnessStartsWith .

The brand partnered with artists on Instagram to create original Coke-inspired images, all responding to kindness.

Coca-Cola tagged the artists where possible, conveying a feeling of community and harking back to the campaign's original purpose of prioritising optimism, uplift and connection on social.

Another campaign using similar tactics, but engaging consumers rather than artists, was the brand's Share a Coke campaign, which involved Coca-Cola replacing the logo on the bottles of its Coke products with popular names.

In early 2013 Coca-Cola released the first 150 names in the UK. The company also sent some to celebrities and let the public find them for themselves in store, with the aim of them sharing their own personalised Coke bottle on social media.

The campaign was a social media success and within six months of its launch, Coca-Cola reported 330 million impressions on Twitter, with nearly 170,000 tweets from 160,000 fans.

#shareacoke with Wu ???????????? pic.twitter.com/MMM7VYKkdW

- Jasmine???? (@JASMINEZENG0221) November 25, 2019

The Share a Coke campaign is always on, with Coke expanding on the number of names, expanding to different countries and experimenting with interactive packaging in the years since.

Coca-Cola worked with Stranger things to promote the third season of the popular '80s-themed Netflix Original TV series' with a takeover style approach to its social media - including the introduction (or reintroduction) of New Coke.

So excited to finally try my @Stranger_Things "New Coke" pic.twitter.com/YIJ797596j

- TEPPEN | Maxwell (@mxwllbrbnll) June 15, 2019

For those not old enough to remember (myself included), New Coke was a sweeter version of Coca-Cola with improved taste, o riginally rolled out in the US, in 1985, as a response to the dwindling sales of the original product .

New Coke was one of Coke's most unsuccessful product launches , with clamour for a return to the original recipe impossible to ignore. But with Stranger Things' third season set in the summer of 1985 both Coca-Cola and Netflix recognised the authenticity the beverage could bring to the programme ( through product placement ) and Coca-Cola's online and offline promotion.

Recognising the power of nostalgia in marketing and by homing in on the fanfare and buzz surrounding Stranger Things, Coca-Cola gave its social media an '80s makeover through Stranger Things-inspired posts ahead of the new season.

In addition to the organic and paid social media activity, Coca-Cola and Netflix teamed up for some experiential marketing by launching a Stranger Things-themed pop-up arcade in London , presenting an opportunity for fans to feel apart of the launch and create some additional UGC (user-generated content) for Coca-Cola.

After an incredible ending to season 3 of @Stranger_Things @NetflixUK, I attended the brilliant @CocaCola #StrangerThingsArcade #CocaCola #PopUp #London Great to play some #classic #games, find the #UpsideDown and love the limited edition coke cans and palace arcade themed shirt! pic.twitter.com/5CTf4M7Dlz

- Brad Miller (@BradBMiller1) July 12, 2019

Stranger Things fans were transported back to Hawkins (the fictional setting for show) to experience its famous arcade and play original video games featured in the series.

In addition to the earned and owned social media coverage, t he campaign was successful financially too. Coke beat its second-quarter earnings estimates and boost ed its full-year 2019 revenue forecast , with some of that success attributed to the Stranger Things takeover.

This multi-pronged approach is like other takeovers the company has rolled out in the past. Take # ThatsGold , for example.

To celebrate the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio , Coca Cola Brazil launched the # ThatsGold campaign, which was designed to celebrate the feeling that comes with accomplishing something great.

thanks for @cocacola for having us down in rio! what a week, good game @nalbert12 #thatsgold ???????????? xox pic.twitter.com/g6PbYkJtve

- ALLI SIMPSON (@allisimpson) April 12, 2016

Anyone visiting the activation could have their photos taken with Coca-Cola props , merchandise and memorabilia, with the resulting photos creating some great UGC for the company.

Notably, Coca-Cola also took advantage of new features on Facebook, Messenger and Instagram Stories by allowing visitors to its 'Gold Room' to create 360-degree images of themselves to share on the social media platforms. In addition, influencers were encouraged to share content on (the then new) Instagram Stories.

The #HolidaysAreComing ????????
Can anyone else hear bells in the distance? ????????It's not really Christmas until you see the iconic truck on your TV, and tonight might just be the night. Let us know in the comments when you spot it! #HolidaysAreComing ????????

Posted by Coca-Cola on Friday, 22 November 2019

Kris Robben's, Marketing Director at Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland, commented: " This year, we've taken the iconic and much-loved campaign and made it the biggest yet by bringing back the elements people love and adding new partnerships, activity and special moments to bring it to life in even more ways that we hope our existing fans and new ones will love."

Coke arguably has the most famous Ch ri stmas TV ad of all-time, with its 'Holidays are Coming' advert from 1995 and, much like with the Stranger Things campaign, it harnesses the power of nostalgia by recreating the original ad.

Coca-Cola will be sending its famous truck on a tour to visit several UK Towns and Cities for Christmassy pop-ups, where consumers will be able to sample its limited-edition Coca-Cola zero sugar Cinnamon.

Someone that works @CocaCola told me the lit up Christmas trucks ???? are expected to make a comeback in T&T this year so look out for them!???? pic.twitter.com/RbQLA0Zo71

- Haydn Dunn (@HaydnDunn) November 24, 2019

Coca-Cola also partnered wi th homeless charity Crisis, with 10p donated for every Coke zero sugar Cinammon can sampled and recycled, throughout the truck tour.

In addition to the ad and tour, Coke has worked with SnapChat to create its own 'Coca-Cola Christmas lens' and worked with Waze to give drivers using the navigation app a Santa Claus voice assistant option.

Conclusion

For big FMCGs, approaches to social have morphed from being heavily product-based to more nuanced and varied and Coca-Cola has recognised this shift towards content and experiences to push its brand in a less celebrity-led approach than its major competitor, Pepsi.

Coca-Cola employs a successful combination of enabling its consumers to produce original user-generated content, tactically working on takeover-style activations, and capitalising on emotions such as nostalgia.
Read Econsultancy's Social Media Best Practice Guides

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Three keys to Coca-Cola's success on social media | Econsultancy

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I n 2019, the general state of play of social media for FMCG brands has transformed from its product-focused beginnings to a more content-driven approach. As social media has evolved and matured , consumers' thirst and expectation for original, authentic content have increased exponentially... and the world's biggest brands are no t excused .

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We are not trying to stop you from using Tik Tok, but you might want to know why you just can't stop.

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TikTok Claims It’s Limiting Teen Screen Time. Teens Say It Isn’t.

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This month, the company announced a new 60-minute “daily screen time limit” for users under 18. But for most young users, staying on the app takes just a few taps.

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You might be old enough to use Snapchat, but is it the best choice? Look at its features and what you should be careful with if you choose it.

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Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users exchange pictures and videos, called snaps, that are meant to disappear after they're viewed. The essential function is to take a picture or video, add filters, lenses, or other effects, and share it with friends. The app is free to download, and also has a premium subscription plan called Snapchat+.

How does Snapchat work?

All you need to sign up is your name, an email address or a phone number, and your birth date. To add friends, you can upload your contacts or search for people you know. You can also automatically add someone by taking a picture of their "Snapcode," a special QR code unique to each user.

After that, things get a little confusing. On Snapchat, you usually start the communication by sending a photo or video, not a text message. To begin a conversation, you tap the big camera circle and take a snap. There are all sorts of photo-editing tools, as well as filters to decorate your images and videos. Once you customize your "snap," you can send it to anyone on your friends list, add it to your story (which is a record of the day that your friends can view for 24 hours), and add it to Snap Map (which displays your photo on a map of your location that can be viewed by anyone on Snapchat).

Snapchat provides several options for sharing and managing snaps. In addition to individual messaging, Snapchat offers group chats that everyone in a group can contribute to. You can delete the text messages you send, though in a group chat the other people will see that you've deleted something.

How old do you have to be to use Snapchat?

According to the terms of service, users must be 13. You have to enter your birth date to set up an account, but there's no age verification, so it's easy for kids under 13 to sign up. Common Sense Media rates Snapchat OK for teens 16 and up, mainly because of the exposure to age-inappropriate content and the marketing ploys, such as quizzes, that collect data.

Do messages really disappear on Snapchat?

It depends. If you set a time limit on a snap, it will disappear after it's viewed. However, recipients can take a screenshot of an image using their phones or a third-party screen-capture app. If someone uses their phone to take a screenshot of what you sent, you will be notified. But screen captures from third-party apps don't trigger a notification. For these reasons, it's best for teens to understand that nothing done online is really temporary. Before sending a snap of themselves or someone else, it's important to remember that it's out of their control after it's shared.

What are Snapstreaks?

A Snapstreak represents the number of days users snap each other. To achieve a Snapstreak, two users must have snapped back and forth with one another in a 24-hour period for three days in a row or more. Once you've established a streak, special emojis and statistics display next to your names to show how long you've maintained a streak. Why do they matter? For one thing, they most likely add to your overall Snapchat score (basically a number that reflects how much you use the app).

Because of the intense bonds that children can form over social media, they can feel that a Snapstreak is a measure of their friendship...and that if they don't keep it up, they'll let the other person down. Teens have even been known to give friends access to their Snapchat accounts to keep a streak going if they can't do it themselves (for example, if their phone gets taken away for being online too much). This can lead to feelings of pressure, anxiety, and compulsion, so it's a good idea to talk with your kids about how they use the app.

What's Snap Map?

Snap Map displays your location on a map in real time. Only your Snapchat friends can see where you are. If your friends have opted into Snap Map, you can see their locations, too. You can turn this off or use it in Ghost Mode, which allows you to see the map but not be seen by others. Snap Map also features news and events from around the world. Kids can submit snaps to the Snap Map, and their name and location could appear on a public map. But the bigger risk with Snap Map is a teen having their location seen by all their friends -- since some of their Snapchat contacts may not be real friends. Unless there's a specific event where it's easier for friends to know each other's location, it's best to leave Snap Maps off or use it in Ghost Mode.

What's a Snapchat story?

A story is a collection of moments in the form of pictures and videos. On Snapchat, stories appear as circles, and when you tap them, they autoplay the pictures or videos the user collected. You can create personal stories that your friends can view for a 24-hour period. Snapchat+ subscribers can set them to expire after anywhere from an hour to a week. Or, if you think your snap is particularly interesting or newsworthy, you can submit it to be featured in the Spotlight section, which features a mix of snaps that have been identified as entertaining viewing. Snaps are curated and compiled by the company. While it's cool to have your story added to the Spotlight roundup, it's also very public, so kids should think carefully before submitting one.

What's a Snapcode?

When you sign up, Snapchat gives you your own unique QR code. When you meet a fellow Snapchat user and want to become friends on the app, you can just take a snap of the other person's code and they're automatically added to your friends list. Because it's so easy to find friends on Snapchat (depending on your settings) or exchange codes, teens may end up with virtual strangers on their friends list. For a variety of reasons, that can be risky, so it's best to talk to your teen about when it's safe to add people.

What's Snapchat Discover?

The Discover area of the app offers content created by celebrities, news and entertainment outlets, and other users. You can subscribe to specific Discover sources to receive their feeds. While Discover offers some legitimate news from publishers including the New York Times and Vice Media, the offerings can be promotional and are frequently mature or outlandish (such as people with extreme plastic surgery or rare medical conditions). But if your kid has signed up with their correct birth date, they'll miss the alcohol ads and other adult content that Snapchat filters out for underage users. Discover stories often feature promos that prompt kids to "swipe up" to learn more (which usually leads to ads) or take a quiz (which is usually a marketing tool). This section runs the gamut from harmless to shocking, so it's good to look around and get a sense of what your kids are seeing.

What are Snapchat's other features?

The more you use the app, the more points you get and the higher your Snapchat score goes. Snapchat awards high scorers with trophies and other perks. Here are a few other Snapchat features:

Cameos: These are animated GIFs featuring your selfie that you can send in a chat. Snapchat offers dozens of video options to add your image to, including "duets" where you and a friend appear together.

Face lenses and world lenses: If you've seen photos of people with cartoon cat ears and whiskers on their faces, those are face lenses. World lenses are augmented reality elements, such as rainbows, that look like they're part of the photo. Technically, lenses are "overlays" -- and they cost money on Snapchat.

Geofilters: These are location-specific elements that can only be unlocked by visiting a specific place. Businesses use geo-filters as a way for customers to check in and advertise for them. A kid could create a special geo-filter for their sweet-16 party for attendees to add to their photos.

Memories: If you don't want your snaps to disappear, you can store them to send and view again later. My Eyes Only is a way to save Memories behind a passcode so that no one else can see them.

Snap Store: This is exactly what it sounds like: a place to buy Snapchat-related items.

Scan: Users can find out what song is playing, scan a dog to identify its breed, and use this feature to locate other information.

Snap Games: Co-play games with voice/text chat and ads, launched from the chat section to play with friends.

Sounds: TikTok-like feature that allows users to include music with snaps.

Spotlight: This is another TikTok-like feature that collects snaps submitted by users into one giant feed. Once you send in a Spotlight, it's public and can be viewed by anyone on or off the platform.

Is Snapchat safe for preteens and teens?

Most kids use Snapchat to goof around and stay in contact with their friends-end of story. Yes, there's some mature content, but it's appropriate for most teens 16 and up. That said, there are three key risky areas:

The myth of disappearing messages. When Snapchat first started, it was labeled " the sexting app" because people sent intimate photos, assuming they'd self-destruct. Any app can be misused, but a lot of kids mistakenly believe that Snapchat has a built-in safety valve. Teens really need to understand that the content they share can be saved and shared and may never go away. It's best to have this conversation before they download Snapchat, but it's never too late. Talk about whether any of their friends have ever pressured them to send a sexy image, and discuss why someone who would do that does not have your best interests at heart. Kids should also ask permission before sharing a picture of someone else.

The time distraction. Snapchat is a ton of fun to use, and there's lots to discover on it. Snapstreaks and Stories add a time-pressure element that makes kids feel like they have to check in. If it ever seems like your kid is stressing out and not using the app for fun, it's time to step in.

Privacy and safety. Since it's so easy to add friends on Snapchat, you can end up with lots of people you don't know well on your friends list. And depending on your settings, the app can collect a ton of data about your habits in-and outside of-the app. Snapchat also works with a lot of third parties that they share your data with.

How do I monitor Snapchat and use the settings?

The app's Family Center gives parents and caregivers some visibility of their child's usage, including who their child has been communicating with. Adults have to install the app and link their accounts by adding their child as a friend. Their child then needs to accept an invitation to opt in to the Family Center functionality. You won't be able to see specific content your child has sent or received-just their friend list and who they've sent messages, photos, or videos to in the last seven days.

In January 2024, the app announced some new Family Center features. Parents and caregivers will now be able to view their child's privacy settings. Additionally, families will have the option to restrict their kids from using My AI, the app's AI chatbot.

If your kid uses Snapchat, talk with them about the privacy settings. Sit down with your child and together go into the app's settings. This is a perfect time to chat about using their Snapchat account safely and responsibly. Discuss when and how often you'll check in on how they're using it, and how they're feeling about it. Explain that you understand that social media is important to them, and that, at the same time, your role is to protect them. Don't forget to ask your teen to show you some of their snaps and some of the cool features they like in the app. That'll make it a little less scary for you-and send the message that you're on the same team.

Read Common Sense Media's full review of Snapchat to learn more.
Christine Elgersma, senior editor of learning content, contributed to this article.

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Is Snapchat safe for kids? How does it work? And what's with Snapstreaks? Everything curious parents need to know about this ultra-popular app. Advice from Common Sense Media editors.

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Twitter is one of the few school-friendly websites you can access. Look at its features and what it can post.

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Tweets by CocaCola

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It's in the title. Check out how Instagram works.

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Instagram is a free social media platform for sharing photos and videos with your followers.

It's become an especially popular way to connect with brands, celebrities, and friends.

Instagram has an array of features, from short-form videos to live streaming and private messaging.

One could argue that Instagram is a social media network like no other. The popular user base platform is built almost entirely around sharing images and videos. This visual twist is why Instagram is the cultural powerhouse it is today - "Instagramming" is officially a verb now.

With over a billion registered accounts, from small businesses to large institutions, news organizations to cultural hubs, celebrities, photographers, musicians, and not to mention the cottage industry of influencers - it's hard to remember a time when Instagram didn't exist.

So, if you've found yourself out of the Instagram loop, then read on. We'll give you a crash course on how the app works, how to get started, and eventually, how to get 'gramming like a pro.

How to sign up for Instagram

To help you get started, let's walk through some of the basics:

How to download Instagram

First things first: You'll need to download Instagram to use the app. It's available for free on iOS, Android, and Windows devices. While there isn't an app fully optimized for iPads, you can still enjoy the full IG experience on your iPad by changing your App Store settings to find the app.

How to create an Instagram account

Upon opening the app for the first time, you'll be prompted to create a new account, or log in with your Facebook account.

If you choose to make a new account, the process is straightforward: you'll be asked for your phone number or email address, full name, desired username, and password.

Once you create an account, it's worth noting that you can create - and switch between - multiple Instagram accounts without logging out, a very useful feature if you wish to run separate accounts for personal and professional use.

Even though Instagram is designed primarily for smartphones, the desktop experience - once very limited - has steadily improved over the years.

Today, you can get on Instagram from your computer and use a web browser to edit your profile, view your feed, like and comment on posts, and send and receive direct messages. You can even post photos and videos from the desktop app, thanks to a relatively recent update.

Setting up your profile

After you create your Instagram account, you're going to want to set up your profile. Your profile page is a hub for all your photos and videos where you can keep track of who you're following and who's following you. It's also where you can access your settings.

Profile pages are often the first thing people visit, so it's best to keep your username, profile picture, and bio up to date. Your profile picture is the icon that appears with your username all over the platform, while your bio is a space to offer a brief description of yourself or your brand. You can also add a link to your website, if applicable.

By clicking Edit Profile, you can make changes to your profile page at any time:

If you're running an Instagram account for your business, you can also add your location.

Customizing notifications

Keeping up with your friends and followers on Instagram means making sure you're getting the right notifications, at the right time. The platform gives you the power to choose what push notifications it sends to your device.

For example, perhaps you want to receive a notification when you get a new follower, or when someone comments on your post. Or maybe you're feeling inundated with pings and you would like to turn your notifications off completely.

You can adjust your notifications by going into your profile, tapping the three lines in the top-right corner of the screen and selecting the three lines icon in the same location , and then tap Settings followed by Notifications.

Now that you have the app downloaded, and your profile set up, it's time to start sharing.

How to use Instagram

At its core, Instagram is a social media platform, and a highly visual one at that. Every time you open the app, you'll be met with a main feed of recent posts from the accounts you follow.

At the bottom is a menu bar, which is accessible anywhere you are in the app.

Here's what each button does, from left to right:

Home: Your main feed where you can scroll through photos and videos posted by your friends.

Search and explore: The magnifying glass icon takes you to the Explore page, where you can search and browse content from accounts you don't follow but may be interested in.

Reels: This tab includes short videos (up to 90 seconds long) from users you may or may not be following. You can scroll to the next video by swiping your finger from the bottom of the screen to the top.

Shop: Here, you'll find a collection of Instagram posts that includes items you can buy through the app.

Profile: This icon navigates to your profile page that shows your bio and posts. It's also where you can access your settings.

Like other social media networks, Instagram is what you make it. For most people, checking Instagram is equal parts voyeurism and self-expression. For the entrepreneurial set, like business owners, brands, and influencers, Instagram is an indispensable marketing tool with unmatched reach.

But going back to basics, Instagram works off a simple premise: You follow accounts that interest you. In turn, people follow you. People can "like" and comment on your posts, and you can do the same to their posts. Whether you maintain a low profile or amass a following, how active you are is entirely up to you.

Uploading, editing, and posting photos

To share a photo or video on Instagram, tap the large plus button (located toward the top-right corner of the screen). From there, you can select photos or videos from your phone's camera roll to post.

Quick tip: Instagram allows you to to select up to 10 photos and videos to post at once - these kinds of posts are called carousels.

For every post, you can choose to apply a filter, which, depending on who you ask, is either essential to the Instagram experience or unnecessary, given that many other photo editing apps come with their own filters.

Filters make it easy to edit shots with different visual pre-set overlays. For example, some filters, like Mayfair, give everything a pink hue; others, like Willow, turn everything black-and-white.

You can adjust how intense (or not) the filter is as well using a slider when you select the filter and then tap it one more time.

Once your post is to your liking and ready to go, there are a few more options you can do before you hit the share button:

Add a caption: Captions are always a good idea. You can use words, emojis, or hashtags. Just like in comments, you can also mention friends by typing @ in front of their username. Keep in mind you can edit captions at any time - or delete posts.

Tag people: Instagram allows you to "tag" someone in your photos. When you tag someone, they'll get a notification in their activity feed. (This is separate from mentioning them in your caption.)

Add location: Location tags lets others know where your photo was taken. Clicking on a location tag brings you to its corresponding location feed, where you can peruse other public posts.

Also post to other social accounts: Instagram also gives you the ability to publish a post to other social accounts at the same time. By linking accounts, you can cross-post to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr.

Exploring and finding people to follow

The best way to find people to follow is by tapping the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the app. This will open the Explore page, where you'll find a feed of suggested posts based on what Instagram thinks you're interested in.

The Explore page can also be organized by topic - another great way for discovering content.

You can do this by selecting the suggested topics toward the top of the screen. Additionally, the page is where you can search for users by name, through the search bar at the top of the screen.

When it comes to interacting with others, Instagram works less like Facebook and more like Twitter. In most cases, you don't have to send a friend request or wait for the other person to accept it.

When you follow other people, Instagram will make sure you see their posts in your feed. For the most part, people can see who you're following and who's following you, at all times.

However, if you have a private account your followers are restricted and unable to view who currently follows you.

Sending and receiving direct messages

Instagram has a direct messaging system that lets you chat privately with anyone who follows you.

If you send a message to someone who doesn't follow you, that message will be sorted into its own "message requests" folder. To start the conversation, the person on the receiving end must accept the message.

Direct messages are also available in the app and on the desktop website.

To access your message menu, tap the paper airplane icon in your home feed. From there, you'll be shown all the people you've had conversations with in the past. You can also tap the pen and paper icon in the top right-hand corner to start a new conversation, or the camera icon to start a video chat.

Once you're in a conversation, you can send all sorts of messages. These include basic text messages, animated GIFs, and more. You can also share Instagram posts. And you can "like" messages, or delete messages if you no longer wish to see them.

The only users that you'll have to ask to follow are those who have made their account private.

When you tap Follow on a private profile, you'll have to wait for that user to accept you before you can officially follow them and send them a message.

You can also connect your phone contacts to Instagram, which can be another great way to find friends on the app.

Instagram features

As you might expect, Instagram rolls out new features regularly. From new content to an ever-expanding set of creative tools, Instagram offers plenty of opportunities for self-expression and creativity.

Here are the latest and greatest Instagram features worth knowing:

Instagram Stories

Many people use Instagram exclusively for creating and viewing Stories, which are customizable posts that only last 24 hours. These posts, which could be a mix of photos and short-form videos, are presented in a slideshow format and accessible through the top of the home feed.

And when we say customizable, we mean customizable. Unlike regular posts, which include only simple filters, Stories boast all kinds of creative elements, including:

There are several ways to add a Story, but the easiest is to tap your profile icon at the top-left hand corner of your home feed. From there, you can either take a photo or video live, or choose one from your phone's gallery. You'll then have the opportunity to draw, add text or any of those other creative elements we mentioned above.

While Stories are designed to disappear after one day, they're automatically saved to your private Archive (which we'll explain in just a bit) after expiring. You can also publish Stories permanently on your profile for visitors to watch at any time.

Instagram Live

Instagram Live is a feature that lets you livestream, or broadcast live video, from your device to anyone who wants to watch.

Viewers can send you messages and hearts while you stream, making this a great way to talk to all your followers at once, or broadcast an event.

To go live on Instagram, you'll need to open Instagram and, from your feed, swipe right and select Live from the options at the bottom of the screen. From there you can do things like add a title, select your audience, and schedule the live video, if desired.

You can go live for up to four hours at a time - after that, the livestream will end and you'll need to start again.

While you're streaming, viewer comments are visible by default, but can be disabled with just a few taps.

Whenever anyone you follow starts starts a livestream, you'll get a notification. If you're following a lot of people, this might mean a constant flood of notifications that you don't need.

Luckily, turning off Instagram Live notifications only takes a moment.

Reels

Built as a rival to TikTok, Reels is Instagram's dedicated video platform, letting users upload videos up to 90 seconds long in length. Once you record a video, you can edit it and add music, text, and special effects. Other users can like or comment on your Reels videos, so they can be a fun way to attract new followers.

To watch someones else's Reels, you need to tap the icon, located in the center of the bottom menu on the app. (It looks like a mashup of a play button and a clapperboard.) Here, you can watch videos that others have uploaded, create Reels of your own.

Instagram Shopping

Given Instagram's popularity, it's no surprise that brands are doing everything they can to turn Instagram users into customers. According to Instagram, nearly half of people shop on Instagram weekly.

Instagram tips and tricks

Instagram is simple to use, but can take a while to master. Here are some of our favorite tricks that aren't so obvious to beginners.

Schedule posts in advance

Instagram has become a massive part of nearly every company's online presence, and if there's one thing that social media brand managers love, it's scheduling a post in advance.

Instagram does have a native post scheduler - but that's reserved for those with professional accounts. Still, there are dozens of third-party programs, like Buffer, that can handle the scheduling for you.

Save Instagram videos to your phone

If you've found an amazing video on Instagram that you just need to save, you're in luck - there are several ways to save Instagram videos.

If you're trying to save one of your own videos, it'll just take a few taps to save the video directly to your camera roll. If you're trying to save someone else's video, however, you'll need to record your screen or use a third-party app.

Post different photo formats

When Instagram first launched in 2010, the edits were limited. You could only post square photos - anything else either wasn't allowed, or would be cut off.

Nowadays, the rules are a bit more lax. But if you want to post two common photo types - panorama shots and Live Photos - you may have to make some edits beforehand.

For a panorama photo, you can either zoom out so it fits in a single photo, otherwise you'll need to split up your shots beforehand using a third-party app. If you have an iPhone and want to post your live photos, you'll need to convert them into videos first.

Archive posts instead of deleting them

If you're unsure about deleting your post, Instagram offers an archive feature instead. This is great if you only want to hide a post temporarily.

To archive a post, open it, tap the three dots in the top-right, and then select Archive. The post will be hidden immediately.

Once you've archived a post, you can navigate to your private Archive with just a few taps.

Note: Every Story you post will be saved to your Archive automatically once they expire.

Privacy and security

It's also important to manage your privacy and security settings to your liking.

Manage who can see your posts

Like Facebook, Instagram allows you control who can see your posts. The easiest way to control your online presence is to set your account as "Private."

When you set your account as Private, the only people who will be able to see your posts and other activity are your followers. And before people can follow you, you'll have to approve them.

Another way you can do this is by setting up a Close Friends list. The Close Friends feature allows you to create Instagram Stories that can only be viewed by specific people. If you want to use Stories to send quick updates to your friends, this is the way to go.

Finally, if you run a Business account and you don't want users under a certain age following, you can set an age limit on your account - the minimum age you can set depends on where you live.

Change your personal account information

We've already mentioned that you can change your username whenever you like. But if you're unhappy with how you set up your account, you can edit other pieces of information too.

With just a few taps, you can change the email connected to your account.

If you want to make sure your account is secure, you can change your Instagram password at any time.

Download and back up your data

Like most social networks, Instagram has an obscure menu that lets you download every bit of content you've ever posted on the app. This includes your photos, videos, comments, messages, profile information, and more.

The only content you can't download are Stories you've posted and let expire without saving.

To download your Instagram data, head to the Settings menu in your app and then select Your activity followed by Download Data. Once there, fill out the form, and your data will be emailed to you within a few days.

If you don't want to download all your data, you can also simply view it in the app.

Protect yourself and others from harassment

Instagram has a long set of rules to ensure that all users have a safe and fun time in the app. But like all sites, it's not hard to find people who break those rules. Other users can comment on pictures and videos that you post to a public profile - but if you want to post something without leaving it open to comments, you can disable the comments on specific posts.

If you ever find a user harassing you or someone else, you can report them to Instagram.

There's no guarantee that Instagram will act on the report, but alerting them to it is better than doing nothing.

The bottom line

Whether you're an aspiring influencer, photography lover, or an everyday social media user, Instagram is a great place to be. It's easy to get started, so if this guide has piqued your interest, give it a try.

If for whatever reason you later decide it's not for you, you can delete your Instagram account at any time. No commitment needed.

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A beginner's guide to Instagram, the wildly popular photo-sharing app with over a billion users

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Instagram is a free social media platform for sharing photos and videos with your followers. It's become an especially popular way to connect with brands, celebrities, and friends. Instagram has an array of features, from short-form videos to live streaming and private messaging. One could argue that Instagram is a social media network like no other.

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CITE. YOUR. SOURCES!

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EasyBib®: Free MLA Citation & Bibliography Generator

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