Before we dive in, did you know that the app was initially called Burbn? Yes, obviously enough, it does have something to do with the creator’s love for whiskeys or, more specifically, bourbons.
But guess what? It was renamed Instagram after they realized that the focus should be switched to the photos. And what a great decision they made!
Easy - connecting with people through sharing photos. At that time, life was simple. We were just capturing images of our daily lives and activities. No digital marketing and influencer marketing was happening on the online platform, just photos of our meals, pets, travel, and even random photos we found in the gallery. In fact, I remember that the first photo I posted on Instagram was just a photo of a can of Coca-Cola. No overthinking, no making sure that my insecurities are not visible, just an ordinary photo with the highlight of my day.
And that’s not all! What drew us all in were the filters. Let’s be honest - our Facebook feed was full of boring quotes and statuses. But the filters on Instagram made us feel cool with those vintage camera effects. Actually, this was the defining feature of Instagram. And we all absolutely loved it!
And it all changed once Instagram's new technology - ads were launched globally, bringing us one step closer to today’s reality and to what the industry has turned into.
The online platform has suffered various changes - just an ordinary trajectory. However, the transformation that significantly modified the way the app works was the transition from a chronological feed to an algorithmic one. At first, this might not seem such a big deal, but this changed the way we interact with the platform. Why, you may wonder? Well, this is how advertisers were able to target their campaigns based on our search history and interests.
But let’s establish one thing – influencer marketing is no new technology or even a new concept. On the contrary! Believe it or not, it can even date to 2000 years ago. You might not believe it but the Romans used billboards to promote the winner of gladiator bounds.
Other famous, old advertisements have been used by Josiah Wedgewood, an English potter who convinced the Queen to allow him to bill himself as the “Potter to her Majesty”. Pretty cool, don’t you think?
Now that we established that, let’s jump to more recent times to the so-called Influencer Revolution. This movement started not so long ago when people with simple lives became famous with the help of social platforms, Instagram being one of them.
In more recent studies it is shown that influencer marketing can be useful, being used by the biggest brands on the market like Coca-Cola, Dior, YSL, and many more, and yes, they even have separate budgets for social media marketing.
More and more brands are switching to influencer marketing, and it makes sense! Influencers have a special power - they are trusted by their followers, and they have an authority that was observed even by the Digital Marketing Institute. Influencers are like a catalog, you open their feed and see different products that might interest you. And what’s more? They are considered extremely reliable – it’s like you would ask your friends’ or family’s opinion, so it’s clear that they have a bigger influence than a standard TV commercial or a normal advertising post.
Let’s face it – each influencer has an audience. The marketing ads that they promote are targeting that specific audience, promoting products that seem useful for them. Let’s think about the teens that follow a specific influencer. Having a strong platform even makes their audience look up to them in a sisterly or brotherly way.
So how do they do that? By asking questions and making their followers feel that they matter. By doing this the influencer will seem trustworthy and give their followers the impression that they are listened to and that they matter.
Here’s the deal: Instagram is a business and so is Influencer marketing, they are both trying to make as much profit as possible. They will analyze and seek the most profitable way and make the necessary changes. So, next time Instagram will make a big change, or a big brand will launch a new campaign, don't you worry there will always be an influencer who will talk about it.
Here’s the deal: Instagram is a business and so is Influencer marketing, they are both trying to make as much profit as possible. They will analyze and seek the most profitable way and make the necessary changes. So, don’t you worry about it!
.webp)
.webp)
.webp)
