Instagram for Business

The Making Of: @strght Skateboards For more photos from Strght...

Wed, 08 May 2013 20:18:03 -0700

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The Making Of: @strght Skateboards

For more photos from Strght Skateboards, be sure to follow @strght and check out their Photos of You section on your mobile device.

Gabe Willis is a surfer—or at least he was until he moved from sunny San Diego to landlocked Oklahoma for college. Facing a sudden lack of waves, Gabe bought a skateboard and took to the streets, only to be left with a broken board after a few weeks. Rather than dip into his student budget for a new one, Gabe decided to try his hand at making one himself. Drawing inspiration from old-fashioned wooden boards and his family’s engraving company, he set to work and documented his process on Instagram as he went.

As people saw the unique board he was creating, they wanted to figure out how to get one as well. Supported by the interest on Instagram, Gabe created the @strght account and began filling orders directly through Instagram. Now, seven months later, Strght has expanded to four full-time employees and has begun to sell in stores and through web retailers.

With the addition of Photos of You, Strght put out a call to action asking their followers to add the @strght Instagram account to their photos of the boards. As a result, they and their followers are now able to see photos from happy customers across Instagram brought into one neat place.

Introducing Photos of You Today, we’re excited to...

Thu, 02 May 2013 10:00:00 -0700

Introducing Photos of You

Today, we’re excited to introduce Photos of You and bring you a new way to share and discover stories on Instagram. When you upload a photo to Instagram, you’re now able to add the people in the photo as easily as you add a location and hashtags. Whether you’re a fashion designer sharing photographs of models wearing your designs or a sports team documenting athletes, this gives you a new way to tell your story on Instagram and to engage with your followers.

Photos of You also gives people a new way to explore photos of your business or brand. By navigating to the new Photos of You section on your profile, people can now browse all of the photos in which you’ve been added and have made visible. People can now add their favorite band to their concert photos from last night, the clothing brand they’re currently wearing or the coffee roaster who brews their morning cup of coffee. As a business or brand, Photos of You gives you a new way to curate and share the photos that best showcase your brand as documented by your biggest fans.

You have control over which photos you choose to share in the Photos of You section on your profile. If you allow photos to be added automatically, you will have the option to hide any of the photos at any time. If you decide to review all Photos of You before adding them to your profile, the only photos visible in the Photos of You section will be the ones that you manually choose to add.

Before your Photos of You section is visible on your profile, you’ll have until May 16th to get familiar with the feature. To make your Photos of You visible today, download the update and follow the prompts on your Profile Tab. You can find more information about how Photos of You works and how to control your visibility with this new feature in our Help Center.

Instagram for iOS version 3.5 is currently available for download in Apple’s App Store, and Instagram for Android version 3.5 is now available on Google Play.

Nike PHOTOiD integrates Customization with Instagram Nike...

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 15:55:00 -0700

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Nike PHOTOiD integrates Customization with Instagram

Nike (@nike) recently introduced a new way to customize your NIKEiD experience using your Instagram photos. Through the Nike PHOTOiD experience, you can now choose your favorite Instagram photo, and PHOTOiD will customize the Nike Air Max model of your choice based on the colors in the photo. From there, you can immediately purchase or share the photo of your custom-designed shoe.

Nike PHOTOiD emphasizes the social aspect of the NIKEiD experience. Nike PHOTOiD is easy to access via mobile, tablet or desktop devices where participants are encouraged to share their designs through social media channels including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Designs are also showcased in an online gallery where users can browse designs from throughout the Instagram community based on color and model.

Want to create your own Nike PHOTOiD design? Visit photoid.nike.com. To see the designs that have already been created, visit the gallery or browse the #photoid photos on Instagram.

Explore @SouthwestAir Headquarters on a Virtual Photowalk For...

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:40:59 -0700

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Explore @SouthwestAir Headquarters on a Virtual Photowalk

For more photos from the photo walk around Southwest HDQ, check out the #PhotoSWAlk hashtag

Last weekend, we challenged the Instagram community to participate in #WorldWideInstawalk. The goals were to go out, explore and be creative.

While groups of Instagrammers were exploring places like Johannesburg, Los Angeles and even the top of an Indonesian volcano, Southwest Airlines (@SouthwestAir) used the opportunity to take their followers on a virtual photo walk exploring their headquarters in Dallas, Texas.

As @SouthWest led followers through their 920,000 square-foot headquarters, they explained how their home base is more than just a center of operations, but the heart of their LUV Culture.

The tour began in the building’s lobby, which houses an impressive suspended model fleet of the company’s many planes. They continued through the hallways, upon which hang more than 20,000 framed pieces of the company’s history. The tour continues through their cafeteria, employee university and corporate culture centers until finally leading us to the in-flight crew training capsule (complete with vintage uniforms), dispatch center and maintenance hanger.

Through their Instagram photo walk, @SouthwestAir was able to give their followers a behind-the-scenes experience they may never have seen otherwise. To learn more about hosting your own photo walk, visit our blog post with tips on how to organize and throw a great event.

The Heritage of Johnnie Walker To launch the brand’s Instagram...

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 08:51:00 -0700

The Heritage of Johnnie Walker

To launch the brand’s Instagram account, Johnnie Walker (@johnniewalker) wanted to find a way to bring it’s heritage to life. To do this, it picked three aspects of the brand that it felt strongly represented what the Johnnie Walker brand was about. Johnnie Walker then chose three different Instagram users to be guest photographers for a week and document each aspect.

The first stop was a centuries-old distillery in Scotland, shot by Chris Ozer (@chrisozer). Ozer captured images of old whisky casks and the rolling fields of the Scottish countryside and gave followers a look into the distillation process.

The second aspect highlighted was the brand’s involvement in F1 racing. Johnnie Walker sponsors the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team and sent photographer Phil Gonzalez (@philgonzalez) to the track with the team. The photos take you behind the scenes with the team during final preparations, into the pits during the race, and even into the winners circle at the end of the race.

The final destination was the Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai. Athipan Wongsuebyut (@awnoom) from Thailand traveled to Shanghai to photograph the iconic site. During the trip, he shared images from inside the Johnnie Walker House of artifacts and memorabilia that showcased the heritage of the brand.

Over the course of the month, users following the account experienced the rich visual history of Johnnie Walker told through the eyes of the brand. To learn more about the heritage of Johnnie Walker, view the photos on Johnnie Walker’s Instagram profile instagram.com/johnniewalker.

Instagram Today: 100 Million People Instagram’s first office...

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:08:00 -0800

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Instagram Today: 100 Million People

Instagram’s first office had few redeeming qualities—and insulation was not one of them. There were only two of us, so we rented desks in a co-working space on a pier over San Francisco Bay. At night, it was common to find us working in winter jackets huddled over our laptops where the air was so cold we could see our breath. It was October 2010 when we launched Instagram, and San Francisco had dealt us a particularly unforgiving and chilly fall.

One night soon after launch, about a half-mile away, Giants Stadium was full of fans cheering on their team in a race for the NLCS against the Philadelphia Phillies. You see, having so little insulation in the office had an unintended consequence of being able to hear the crowd roar every time someone hit a long ball out towards McCovey Cove. Back in the office, we’d lift our heads up from code with every eruption of the fans, wondering who was at bat, what had happened, and whether the ball had made it or not. We never knew, but that wasn’t the point.

While we may only have had a few thousand people around the world using Instagram that night, we had a sense that maybe through Instagram we could tune in to what was happening just a few steps away. With a few quick commands at his terminal, my co-founder Mike’s screen filled with images of the game: the bullpen, dugout, concession stands, cheering fans and a panoramic view from somewhere up high. In a matter of hours, the people in that stadium had recorded moments in time through Instagram and allowed us to tune into an event while we sat a half a mile away, working—winter coats and all.

For the first time, we understood why Instagram was going to be different. We understood the power of images to connect people to what was happening in the world around them. And, although Instagram had a fraction of the user base it does today, that night we saw a preview of what Instagram would enable at a much larger scale down the road.

Now, nearly two and a half years later, over 100 million people use Instagram every month. It’s easy to see this as an accomplishment for a company, but I think the truth is that it’s an accomplishment for our community. Now, more than ever, people are capturing the world in real-time using Instagram—sharing images from the farthest corners of the globe. What we see as a result is a world more connected and understood through photographs.

Of the 100 million people on Instagram, there are stories that awe us: stories like Kathryn Mahoney’s (@nineteenfiftyone). Kathryn is an aid worker for the United Nations in the most remote refugee camp in Southern Sudan. She shares vivid photos of the day-to-day life of the people who live in Yida as well as the struggles and triumphs of the UN’s work there. From thousands of miles away, Kathryn reminds us of the power of images to educate and inspire.

There are love stories that move us, like the story of Cory (@withhearts) and Bethany (@bethanyolson) who began following each other a year and a half ago at the suggestion of a mutual photographer friend. After trading likes on photos, meeting for coffee, and finally joining up for a photowalk, a mutual interest in photography turned into dating. To this day, they still go on photography adventures and explore the world together with Instagram in tow.

And there are inspiring stories of small businesses and artisans. Mission Bicycle (@missionbicycle), a small, independent manufacturer in San Francisco, has amassed nearly 50,000 followers as they share the photos from their daily work of making beautiful bicycles by hand. Similarly, Sightglass Coffee (@sightglass) shares photos from their harvesting grounds in El Salvador and Ethiopia to remind us that even a local business has global connections.

Images have the ability to connect people from all backgrounds, languages and cultures. They connect us to aid workers halfway across the world in Sudan, to entrepreneurs in San Francisco and even to events in our own backyards. Instagram, as a tool to inspire and connect, is only as powerful as the community it is made of. For this reason, we feel extremely lucky to have the chance to build this with all of you. So from our team to the hundred million people who call Instagram home, we say thank you. Thank you for sharing your world and inspiring us all to do the same.

Kevin Systrom

Co-founder, Instagram

Photos from the Heart The Instagram API is a great way to...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 11:57:00 -0800

instagram.com/timessquaretsq#timessquaretsq

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instagram.com/situstudio#situstudio

Photos from the Heart

The Instagram API is a great way to surface the amazing content Instagram users share every second in fun and innovative ways. Use the API to access photos based on things like username, location or hashtag.

Heartwalk is an art installation in Times Square built entirely from wooden planks salvaged from the various boardwalks destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Over the past month, Situ Studio (@situstudio) brought their followers along as they visited demolition sites to reclaim the wood. Users were able to watch as the wooden planks were transformed into a beautiful work of art.

Now finished, the planks form a heart shaped enclosure where visitors can pause and reflect from within the heart of the city. Visitors are encouraged to post their photos to Instagram with the hashtag #HeartwalkTSQ. The photos are being pulled into a visualization created by HD Made (@hdmade) and displayed on www.heartwalktsq.com through use of the Instagram API.

Heartwalk was created by Situ Studio (@situstudio) with support from Times Square Alliance (@TimesSquareNYC) and Design Trust for Public Space. The installation was the winning proposal in the Times Square Alliance’s annual Valentine Heart Competition.

To view more, visit the Times Square Alliance or Situ Studio Instagram profiles or check out more #HeartwalkTSQ photos.

Introducing Your Instagram Feed on the Web

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:48:06 -0800

We’re excited to announce the ability to view and engage with your Instagram Feed on the web! I would encourage you to read the blog post below from our co-founder, Kevin Systrom, and to visit instagram.com today to try it out!

instagram:

Today, I’m very excited to announce the launch of a product we’ve been wanting to build for quite some time now. Since our launch in October of 2010, we’ve focused on building a simple app that has inspired creativity while capturing everyday moments through the lens of your mobile phone. In fact, our focus on building out a mobile-only experience is a unique path that we’ve chosen for many reasons, the most important of which is that Instagram, at its core, is about seeing and taking photos on-the-go. However, to make Instagram even more accessible to our growing community, at the end of last year we started to expand to the desktop web, giving you the ability to see profiles from instagram.com. To continue that path, as of today, you can now browse your Instagram feed on the web – just like you do on your mobile device. Go to instagram.com and log in to your account to give it a try.

Your Instagram Feed on the web functions much like it does on your mobile phone. You can browse through the latest photos of people whom you follow with updates as people post new photos. Like photos by double clicking on them or pressing the like button. Or, engage in a conversation around a photo with inline commenting. Browse through pages of the most recent images to keep up on what’s happening with the people you follow in realtime. And shrink your browser down to a single column for your feed to look more like your mobile feed. Simply put, we’ve brought a simple, powerful, and beautiful Instagram browsing experience to the web.

We believe that you should be able to access Instagram on a variety of different devices, any of which may be convenient to you at a given moment – including your desktop computer or tablet. We do not offer the ability to upload from the web as Instagram is about producing photos on the go, in the real world, in realtime. On the other hand, Instagram for the web is focused on making the browsing experience a fast, simple and enjoyable one.

This product was made possible by a small, talented group of engineers and designers on the Instagram team whose goal it was to make Instagram for the web be the most simple, straightforward, and beautiful web experience for the Instagram community. We look forward to hearing your feedback, and thank you as always for your support as we build this product and community together.

Kevin Systrom

co-founder, Instagram

Explore the World with The North Face Athletes The North Face...

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 11:35:00 -0800

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Explore the World with The North Face Athletes

The North Face (@thenorthface) is bringing their followers to places they will never ever be able to travel, in a very intimate way, via Instagram. They are giving users access to their favorite athletes and helping them discover new ones and new places.

The North Face established an Athlete Instagram Field Team to contribute photos from remote places around the world and to bring people to places they would likely never see. Their main goal is to inspire people to get outdoors and get after it, just as they see the athletes doing. The North Face tries to share as many action-oriented, face-melting images as possible and hopes that seeing the athletes exploring their potential in beautiful, remote places will inspire followers to challenge themselves as well.

Here are a few examples of the athletes you can find featured on the @thenorthface account:

World-class rock climber Conrad Anker (@conradclimber) took a self-portrait from 8,800 meters on the South East Ridge of Everest on the calmest day of the 2012 pre-monsoon climbing season. Conrad attempted the same climb 13 years prior in bad weather, but did not capture a photo.
Snowboarder Moss Halladay (@mosshalladay) posting from atop a mountain on a snowboarding trip to Cerro Bayo, Argentina.
Ultrarunner Nikki Kimball setting the current women’s speed record on Vermont’s 273-mile Long Trail. Kimball completed the trail in 5 days, 7 hours and 42 minutes, putting her in the top five speed records of all time.

Through the eyes of their athletes, The North Face is taking users on unparalleled adventures all around the world. Follow @thenorthface to see more photos from The North Face athletes.

Instagram Now in 25 Languages We’ve got some exciting new...

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:05:00 -0800

Instagram Now in 25 Languages

We’ve got some exciting new things in store with this update, including new and improved language translations, a new filter and the ability to share to Facebook Pages from an Android device!

Translations for 25 Languages

Today, we’re introducing new and improved translations for 25 languages on Instagram! Many more users can now navigate Instagram in their native language—on both mobile devices and the web—making it easier for anyone around the world to sign up for an account.

The additional language support makes it easier for both global brands and for local businesses to interact with followers around the world. Although Instagram photos themselves speak every language, translating the application helps all users understand how to use the product by explaining concepts like: following, liking, hashtags, photo maps & locations. By introducing 25 new and improved languages, we can welcome even more international users into the Instagram community!

Supported Languages:

Afrikaans — Afrikaans
Chinese — 中文 & 台灣
Czech — Český
Danish — Dansk
Dutch — Nederlands
Finnish — Suomi
French — Français
German — Deutsch
Greek — Ελληνικά
Indonesian — Bahasa Indonesia
Italian — Italiano
Japanese — 日本語
Korean — 한국어
Malay — Bahasa Melayu
Norwegian — Norsk
Polish — Polski
Portuguese — Português
Russian — Русский
Spanish — Español
Swedish — Svenska
Tagalog — Filipino
Thai — ภาษาไทย
Turkish — Türkçe

iOS

In addition to 25 new and improved translations, we’re introducing a beautiful new filter—Mayfair! This filter has a warm pink tone, subtle vignetting that brightens the center of the photograph, and a thin black border. Mayfair works great with evenly and well-lit scenes in conjunction with the Lux feature.

Instagram will also recognize if you’ve enabled Facebook integration with iOS 6 now, allowing people to easily sign up for an account or quickly connect an existing Instagram account with Facebook. This means you’ll no longer be brought to the Facebook app or a web-view to connect your account. Read more about this new feature in our Help Center.

We’ve included the following updates based on your feedback, as well:

Photos taken utilizing the front-facing camera will no longer be mirrored
The ability to select photographs from an album other than the Camera Roll
Various bug fixes and improvements surrounding camera performance

Android

In addition to 25 new and improved translations and the new Mayfair filter, the latest version of Instagram for Android allows Facebook Page moderators to connect and share directly to a brand page from their Android device.

Instagram version 3.4 is available for download in Apple’s App Store and Google Play today!

From the Kitchen to Instagram: Learn to Cook with Tyler...

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 15:14:00 -0800

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From the Kitchen to Instagram: Learn to Cook with Tyler Florence

Celebrity chef Tyler Florence (@tylerflorence) can be seen cooking on the set of the Food Network (@foodnetwork), in his world-renowned restaurants, and now from his very own kitchen. Through Instagram, Florence is bringing followers into the kitchen with him to demonstrate some of his favorite recipes.

Florence starts by posting an image of the ingredients required and a description of the dish he is about to prepare. He posts photos at every step in the preparation so that fans can follow along. The end result typically consists of 8-12 photos per recipe, topped off with a mouth-watering image of the finished product.

Florence showcases a broad range of recipes, from German Pancakes to Ricotta Gnudi. He also gives followers a glimpse into his daily life, highlights of the projects he’s working on, and previews of the dishes he serves up in his restaurants. Follow along with the Peach-Blackberry Pie recipe above and get your fix of Florence’s behind-the-scenes shots on his Instagram profile page.

Instagram 3.2 - Improved Camera with a New Filter

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 13:13:00 -0800

Today we’re excited to announce the release of the largest upgrade to our Instagram iOS camera since it was revamped just over one year ago. The camera has been the core part of the Instagram experience since the day we launched and as a result, we’ve made significant improvements to its look and speed.

Camera Redesign

We’ve brought the look of Instagram’s camera up to parity with the rest of our application. You’ll notice the following changes:

Instagram-themed shutter & shutter release button.
A preview of the most recent photo on your camera roll.
Improved Camera Roll image selector (iPhone 5 only) for quick access to your last photograph.
Optional grid guide for live photos and a permanent grid guide for the scale & crop screen.
Speed and reliability improvements.

New Filter: Willow

You’ve asked for more filters, and we’re excited to announce a brand new filter in both the latest iOS and Android releases! Willow is a monochrome filter with subtle purple tones and a translucent glowing white border. This filter works well on portraits, still life and architecture photographs with contrast.

Improved Tilt-Shift

In the past, there had been vast differences in the effective strength of the blur between the preview screen and the output in your feed and camera roll. With this update the blur you see is now the blur you’ll get! We’ve also completely overhauled the blur algorithm to increase quality and accuracy. Tilt-shift now gives a vastly more realistic rendering of depth of field because of these improvements and subtle tweaks to how we render the image.

No tilt-shift (left) versus high quality tilt-shift (right).

Other Improvements

News Feed redesign that’s easier to digest, in addition to larger images.
Beautiful new welcome screen design.
Infinite scroll on user profiles and other grid views.
Filtered photos are now saved to a separate album called “Instagram” in the iOS camera roll.
Foursquare button on location pages that opens the Foursquare application, or mobile website, with details about the venue.

Get the App NOW!

Instagram for iOS version 3.2 is currently available for download in Apple’s App Store, and Instagram for Android version 3.3 is now available on Google Play. Be sure to view the iOS/device requirements in our Help Center.

The Making Of: @Mastersons Selvedge Denim Shirts The Making Of…...

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:35:56 -0800

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The Making Of: @Mastersons Selvedge Denim Shirts

The Making Of… Local businesses are using Instagram to give followers a peak behind the scenes and to showcase their handiwork. Check out more examples on the Instagram Blog.

Michael Masterson, who has spent the past 3 years making clothes by hand, is embarking on his latest venture—Masterson’s, a limited-run batch of US and Japanese selvedge denim and chambray shirts—and bringing his Instagram followers along for the ride at @mastersons.

“I have a collection of over 25 machines, most more than 50 to 70 years old. It takes a lot of finesse and dexterity to keep the machine and stitch working properly,” he says. “Instagram is a quick and easy way to share the production process with people during a busy day. And I think it also helps give people an idea of the time that goes in to producing these shirts.”

To get a peek at the process, visit @mastersons. Because of Masterson’s limited production capacity, they will only be available through Trove General Store.

CBS InstaMeets on the set of VEGAS Visit the Instagram Blog to...

Wed, 28 Nov 2012 07:58:00 -0800

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CBS InstaMeets on the set of VEGAS

Visit the Instagram Blog to get tips on hosting an InstaMeet and to view photos from past events or visit Meetup.com/Instagram to find an Instagram Meetup group near you.

CBS kicked off the new television drama VEGAS by hosting a set of InstaMeets. The series, based on the life of former Sherriff Ralph Lamb, is set in Las Vegas in the 1960’s. Before the series premiere, CBS held two simultaneous Instameets - one 60’s themed photo walk on the film set in Santa Clarita and one modern-day photo walk on Freemont Street in Las Vegas.

On set, participants were given behind the scenes tours and exclusive access to the set. Actors Dennis Quaid, Jason O’Mara and Taylor Handley dropped by to take photos. Executive Producer Greg Walker gave a tour and provided exclusive details about the lot. In Las Vegas, Sheriff Ralph Lamb himself met with the group to share some of his own personal stories.

CBS announced the events on both the CBS and VEGAS Instagram accounts (@CBSphoto and @Vegas_CBS). InstaMeet participants were encouraged to tag photos with the hashtag #InstameetCBSvegas.

Introducing Instagram Badges

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 10:30:00 -0800

We’ve launched Instagram badges to help you link to and promote your Instagram web profile. Instagram web profiles help you showcase your brand and the content you share on Instagram. Now, with the introduction of badges, we’re making it easy to create a direct link to your Instagram web profile from any website or blog.

Instagram badges are designed to fit in with the other social media badges you are already using. Instagram badges are available in a range of sizes and can be added to your website, blog or anywhere that you want to link to your Instagram web profile.

Creating an Instagram badge for your brand or business is easy. First, make sure you are logged in online to the brand or business account and navigate to the Badges page by one of the following methods:

Visit your Instagram web profile page. Click on your username to access the drop down menu and choose “Badges”
Visit instagram.com/accounts/badges

From there, simply select the badge you’d like to use, copy the code and paste it into your site.

Instagram badges are an easy way to direct new followers to your Instagram web profile. Add them to your brand website, campaign promotions or personal blog to help users discover and engage with your Instagram content.

Tips for News and Media Organizations Millions of people around...

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 10:22:49 -0800

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Tips for News and Media Organizations

Millions of people around the world are documenting their lives on Instagram every second of every day. From personal moments to major world events, Instagram is the place to instantly communicate through images.

As a news or media organization, the ability to tap into the conversations and the content that people are sharing around the world can be incredibly powerful. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of your Instagram presence:

Use compelling images to drive traffic: Capture users’s attention on Instagram and direct them to your site for deeper engagement

Post compelling photos that capture attention and generate excitement
Use your Instagram account to build your brand and establish connection with your audience through images
When posting a photo on Instagram, include links to articles or photo galleries in the comment and share to other social networks. View the links on Twitter, Facebook and Webstagram

Leverage the Instagram API to crowdsource photos: Use hashtag and location targeting to find relevant user generated Instagram photos for news reports or articles

Create on-going conversations or repeated calls to action
Use hashtags and location tags to source photos surrounding breaking news and world events

Curate images to tell a story: Curation is more powerful than aggregation. Use tagged photos to gain insights and present the content in a meaningful way.

Create galleries of images or interactive maps to show where photos are being taken
Use Instagram photos in your print publications
Feature guest photographers

Instagram Profiles on the Web

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:08:00 -0800

Instagram profiles on the web are the perfect way to showcase your brand and the content you share on Instagram. The new profiles feature a rotating display of your recently shared photographs just above your profile photo and bio.

Instagram profiles on the web are also a great way to promote and grow your Instagram following. You can now easily direct fans to your Instagram profile with all of your photos by simply adding a “Follow me on Instagram” link or icon to your website, social media profiles or consumer outreach. From there, users can browse the images you’ve posted, comment and like photographs, and even start following your account directly from the web.

Instagram profiles on the web are easy to navigate. To view your profile or to explore another user’s profile, simply go to instagram.com/[username]. For example, in order to view the official @nike profile, you’d navigate to instagram.com/nike on the web.

Instagram profiles on the web will be rolling out over the next week. You can find more information on Instagram profiles on the web at help.instagram.com.

Take a look at some of these beautiful profiles to get a taste of the new Instagram experience:

@nike:

@missionbicycle:

@ralphlauren:

Instagram @mentions now translate to Twitter

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:46:22 -0700

It can be cumbersome sharing a photo to Twitter and @mentioning someone whose Twitter username is different from their Instagram username. Today, we’ve rolled out a change that will make sharing to Twitter more seamless.

For photos shared to Twitter, Instagram now translates @mentions for users whose Twitter username and Instagram username differ.

If the @mentioned user has connected Instagram to Twitter:

The user’s Instagram username will appear in the photo caption
The user’s Twitter username will appear in the tweet

If the @mentioned user has not connected Instagram to Twitter:

The user’s Instagram username will appear in the photo caption
The @ sign will be removed from the username when shared to Twitter

For @mentions that do not match any Instagram usernames, the @ sign will remain when shared to Twitter.

API Highlight: Tiffany’s #TrueLovePictures For 175 years,...

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:47:00 -0700

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API Highlight: Tiffany’s #TrueLovePictures

For 175 years, Tiffany & Co. has played a role in the world’s greatest love stories. The spontaneous expressions of romance by Tiffany’s Instagram fans and the company’s belief that some of the most romantic love stories come from real life inspired its #truelovepictures campaign.

For this campaign, Tiffany (@tiffanyandco) asked its audience to share their love stories through a series of photos and captions with the hashtag #truelovepictures. Tiffany provided romantic phrases like, “My heart skips a beat when…” inviting users to creatively fill in the blank and share photographs inspired by these unique captions. Users were also able to submit their moments of true love through Tiffany’s iPhone app and its microsite, WhatMakesLoveTrue.com. To kick off the campaign, Tiffany launched the gallery with images by The Sartorialist and Garance Doré and invited Instagrammers with a romantic sensibility to participate, too.

For a brief time during the campaign, Tiffany offered to turn users’ digital submissions into physical postcards—and mail them “to that special someone.” Later, it introduced Love Notes, a personalized way for fans to send their photos and captions via e-mail, Facebook, and Twitter. All of this content joins other celebrations of true love on WhatMakesLoveTrue.com. One recent highlight is #TiffanyPoetry, a romantic poem written by three poets exclusively for Tiffany and unveiled this month on Twitter. The site also offers Love is Everywhere, an interactive map that allows users to share places important to their romance.

Tiffany accepted thousands of submissions for #truelovepictures. The effort created such memorable, moving stories that Tiffany has launched a follow-up campaign called #TimelessTrueLove, which invites users to share images with a nostalgic feel.

View more #truelovepictures in the True Love in Pictures gallery.

A Day in the Life with Billboard Billboard is an international...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 17:08:00 -0700

instagram.com/p/Wheof/#billboard

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A Day in the Life with Billboard

Billboard is an international music publication that features information on trends and innovation in music and provides popular music charts, breaking music news and artist interviews. Following @billboard on Instagram will get you access to behind the scenes coverage and original music photography from live events, exclusive portraits, festivals and fashion.

One of Billboard’s regular features is a “Day In The Life” series that uses its exclusive access to give followers a glimpse into the lives of their favorite artists. They shadow popular bands and artists such as Waka Flocka Flame, Soulja Boy, B.o.B. and One Direction as they go through an average day.

The series is a great example of how to use Instagram to highlight the work that your brand is already doing and to ultimately drive traffic back to your site. Billboard posts mobile highlights to Instagram in real-time to give fans a sneak peak, then follows up with a full DSLR gallery on Billboard.com the next day. They give their Instagram followers exclusive content within the app and use it to build anticipation for the full story and image gallery on Billboard.com.

View all of Billboard’s Instagram photos or visit their website to view more photos from their Day in the Life series.