Decade Samosa: How Instagram got us clicking
Ever since the launch in 2010, Instagram has grown manifold. As part of the Decade Samosa, we trace its journey to becoming a part of Facebook, and our lives.
Instagram started off as a means to share pictures with people you know and love. Over the last ten years, it has grown as a platform that supports businesses worldwide. Snapchat is a platform, quite a few of its recent upgrades are known to have been inspired from. As a part of Decade Samosa, we take a look at how the platform has flourished, resiliently, like a thorn in a dessert.
The polaroid logo has found a home in our lives. Scrolling through the feed, tapping to show appreciation and tagging to increase the content’s reach is an integral part of an average Instagram user. It is hard to be a passive consumer on this platform for it gives people ample space and tools to be content creators with ease. And, earn money while at it!
While Instagram had managed to create a global appeal through a loyal user base, the social media app garnered a mass appeal post-Facebook acquisition. Soon after the acquisition, Kodak Moments become Instagram Moments. More and more features came in. Content creation became more pictorial and crisp and so did influencer marketing.
Instagram now, is a hub to SMBs, creators, influencers and pretty much everyone who has a story to narrate.
Customisation is at the core of this platform, it is helping people learn design aesthetics and pay attention to the smaller details. The fact that users are shown guidelines while placing Stickers on Stories is a testament to this fact.
As we sit in wonder how this Facebook-owned platform evolved, let’s take a look at its journey so far.
October 2010: Instagram launched as a photosharing app for iPhone
January 2011: Hashtags enter the world of Instagram
December 2011: Instagram hits 14 million users mark in 14 months
February 2012: iOS photosharing app gets tappable notifications, better UI
April 2012: Community at 30 million as Instagram adds Andriod
April 2012: Facebook acquires Instagram for $1 billion
July 2012: Instagram community becomes 80 million strong
August 2012: As photo-sharing grows, platform concentrates on safety
September 2012: Instagram revamps mobile webpages
November 2012: Now, link your Instagram everywhere!
December 2012: With improved camera features, Instagram launches 3.2
December 2012: Facebook-owned photo app updates Terms of Service
February 2013: Instagram.com comes to life, extending app scope
February 2013: Instagram becomes 100 million monthly users strong
June 2013: Now you can share videos on Instagram
July 2013: Image post curation made easy with web embed links
December 2013: Instagram Direct to facilitate private image sharing
June 2014: With the new creative tools, edit your photos easily!
August 2014: Hyperlapse, a new way to make time-lapse videos
August 2014: James Quarles to be Instagram’s new Global Head of Business and Brand Development
November 2014: Now you can edit captions on Instagram
December 2014: Instagrammers share over 70 million photos daily
December 2014: Launching new filters, Instagram fuels creativity
March 2015: Instagram launches Layout, a photo collage app
April 2015: You can now create your own emoji hashtags!
August 2015: Instagram starts supporting portrait and landscape uploads
September 2015: Over 75% Instagrammers live outside the US
October 2015: Launching Boomerang, a step up to GIFs
February 2016: View counts to be now displayed beneath videos
March 2016: Soon, you can share up to 60-minute long videos
March 2016: Instagram updates algorithm, to show important pictures first
April 2016: Explore gets a new feature: Videos You Might Like
May 2016: With a new logo, Instagram rolls out revamped app
June 2016: Number of Instagrammers climb up to 500 million
August 2016: Instagram launches new in-app feature: Stories
August 2016: Pinch and zoom to better experience pictures on your feed
September 2016: Instagram to allow users to moderate comments
October 2016: Stories: A new section in Explore
November 2016: Add-on features for Stories: Boomerangs, Mentions, Links
November 2016: Users can go live on Stories, send disappearing pics on DM
December 2016: Instagram announces new tools to ensure safety on app
December 2016: Saved Posts: Instagram’s version of bookmarking posts
December 2016: 100 new million users join Instagram in six months
December 2016: Holiday gift for users: Stickers for Stories
February 2017: One post can now accommodate ten pictures
March 2017: Instagram starts rolling out Geostickers for Stories
March 2017: Now you can save Live Videos to your phone
March 2017: Instagram celebrates 1 million monthly active advertisers
March 2017: Sensitive content to now come with a disclaimer
March 2017: After UI rejig, home feed to give easy access to Stories
March 2017: Stickers menu expands to include weekday specific options
April 2017: Instagram strengthens the fight against revenge porn
April 2017: Instagram revamps Direct Messaging option
April 2017: Now organise your Saved Posts in Collections
May 2017: Instagram to help people connect with mental health resources
May 2017: Face filters introduced for users of Stories
May 2017: New category additions on Stories: Hashtag and Location
May 2017: Instagram Direct to support links
June 2017: Now you can archive posts on profile, hiding from view
June 2017: Instagram introduces Paid Partnership disclaimers
June 2017: Live Videos can now be shared in Stories
July 2017: Stories to allow photo and video reply
August 2017: Stories complete a year of existence
August 2017: Now you can go Live on Stories with friends
August 2017: Instagram launches threads in comments
August 2017: Users can now see Stories on Mobile Web
January 2018: GIF Stickers have arrived on Stories!
February 2018: Now express textually on Stories with Type Mode
March 2018: Express yourself better with hashtags and links in bio
May 2018: Listen on Spotify, Share on Instagram!
May 2018: You can now measure reactions using Emoji Slider
May 2018: Increase reach of feed posts by sharing on Stories
May 2018: Don’t want to unfollow? Mute them!
June 2018: IGTV: New way to share longer videos
June 2018: Instagram Music: Videos with background sounds
June 2018: Now video chat while scrolling through pictures
June 2018: Tag friends with @mention sticker
June 2018: Now shop on Stories with Shopping Sticker
July 2018: New feature alert: “You’re all caught up!”
July 2018: New way to engage with followers: Questions Sticker
August 2018: Instagram now allows you to track app usage
August 2018: Stories turn two!
September 2018: Instagram brings GIFs to DMs
October 2018: Adam Mosseri becomes the new head of Instagram
November 2018: Feed pictures will now come with alt text
November 2018: Share on Stories selectively with Close Friends
December 2018: Countdown to your Moments in Stories
February 2019: Won’t allow self-harm depiction: Instagram
March 2019: Instagram introduces Checkout
May 2019: IGTV Now Supports Landscape Videos
August 2019: Facebook opens Instagram AR Filter tool for users
August 2019: Now you can schedule IG posts with Facebook Creator Studio
September 2019: Music on Stories now available in India
September 2019: IGTV to support branded content
October 2019: Instagram gives users more control over data
October 2019: Facebook launches Threads from Instagram
October 2019: ‘Following’ tab no more on Instagram
November 2019: IGX to help businesses discover creators
November 2019: Spark AR studio gets new features
November 2019: Reels: A new Instagram product for Brazil
December 2019: Instagram to verify age before account creation
The role of Instagram in users’ and brands’ lives or the platform itself is bound to change, evolve every passing day and we shall make sure to report it.
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