How to Use Instagram: A Beginner’s Guide
Over the past few years, Instagram has seen exponential growth from one million users at its inception to over one billion in 2023.
Assuming you’re keen on getting an Instagram account, or just made one yet doesn’t know how to utilize it, fortune has smiled on you. Here, we will cover every one of the fundamentals, so you can realize the reason why Instagram is the top online entertainment stage for commitment today.
What is Instagram?
Instagram is an online entertainment stage that stresses photograph and video sharing by means of its portable application. You can take, alter, and distribute visual substance for the two supporters and non-devotees, as long as your record is public. Clients can associate with your substance by means of preferences, remarks, offers, and saves.
Recalling a period before Instagram is hard. At one at once, “for the ‘gram” was a typical saying, which implied, basically, “Follow through with something so we can snap a photo and post it to Instagram.”
From that point forward, Instagram has put a bigger and heavier accentuation on record. So you never again hear the expression “Do it for the ‘gram.” I bet, however, that a second rendition of the expression will before long follow. (Perhaps “Do it for reel?”)
In the event that you’re not piece of the one billion clients on Instagram, you should reevaluate. The application is an incredible opportunity to draw in with top brands and remain a piece of companions’ lives. At the point when I need to perceive how my school companions are doing, I don’t check Facebook, I actually look at Instagram. In addition, you can follow your #1 superstars or political figures to see real photographs of their regular daily existences.
Moreover, it’s a sensational stage for researching what different brands are doing for example, Nike utilizes the Instagram Stories’ element to advance moving competitor stories you won’t find elsewhere.
How to Sign Up for Instagram
To sign up for Instagram, all you need to do is download the Instagram app on your phone and click the ‘Sign up’ button. You can choose to sign up through Facebook or use your email or phone number. After you choose a username and password, you’re ready to build your profile.
If you’re ready to sign up for Instagram, follow these steps below:
- Go to the Instagram site on your desktop, or download the Instagram app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android).
- If you’re on desktop, click “Log in with Facebook”, or fill in the form with your mobile number or email, name, username, and password. Then click “Sign up”.
- On Android, click “Sign Up With Email or Phone Number”.
- On iPhone, select “Sign Up”.
- Enter your email address or phone number, then click “Next”. Alternatively, you can sign up with your Facebook account.
- Once you’ve filled out your username and password, you will be instructed to fill out your profile info. Then, tap “Done”.
- If you register with Facebook, you’ll need to log into your Facebook account if you’re currently logged out.
How Do Instagram Notifications Work?
When your account is created, you’ll want to adjust your notifications so you only receive the information you want. For instance, you can choose to receive notifications when you get likes from everyone but, alternatively, you might decide to only receive notifications when you get a like from someone you follow. Or, you might turn off notifications for likes altogether.
You can adjust notifications to “Off”, “From People I Follow”, or “From Everyone”, for the following categories Comments, Comment Likes, Likes and Comments on Photos of You, Follower Requests, Accepted Follow Requests, Friends on Instagram, Instagram Direct, Photos of You, Reminders, First Posts and Stories, Product Announcements, View Counts, Support Requests, Live Videos, Mentions in Bio, IGTV Video Updates, and Video Chats.
If you’re overwhelmed by that list, I get it — I am, too. If you’re unsure what notifications you want to receive, you might start with your notifications on “From Everyone”, and if certain notifications begin to annoy you, you can turn them off later.
Upload, Edit, and Post an Image
Now, for the most important part of Instagram — how to upload and post an image.
Instagram is an entirely visual platform. Unlike Facebook, which relies on both text and pictures, or Twitter, which relies on text alone, Instagram’s sole purpose is to enable users to share images or videos with their audience.
On Facebook, you might choose to post 100 photos on an album. On Instagram, you need to be choosier about which photos you post. There are a few reasons for this first, you don’t want to post more than once a day (typically). And you don’t want to post too many similar photos.
For instance, it would be odd for you to post fifty photos from the same beach vacation on your Instagram profile. Instead, you might choose five or six, and place them all within the same post.
(These are called carousel posts, and they allow you to share multiple photos in one post only. Carousel posts are awesome for posting similar pictures in one package while keeping your overall profile aesthetic diverse.)
Curious about creating an aesthetic? To learn more about Instagram account themes and get inspiration, take a look at these Instagram themes. Additionally, if you want to embark on a deep-dive, you can take HubSpot’s Instagram Marketing Course.
Now that we’ve covered that, let’s explore how to upload, edit, and post an image.