Since its inception in 2010, Instagram has become one of the fastest-growing and most-used apps year after year. What started as nothing more than a space to share fun photos has become a powerful marketing tool for businesses, brands, and people.
The app is great for businesses and their marketing, but it’s become so much more. Instagram has quickly become one of the best platforms for small and large-scale users to reach their audience. In this article, we’ll explore some of the ways you can personally use Instagram to inspire action.
With the rise of social media over the past decade, it’s never been easier to connect with others and have our message be heard. It allows users to communicate with people on the other side of the world, keep up with current news and events, and share ideas with like-minded individuals.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Instagram is priceless. Unlike some of its other social media counterparts, Instagram is a platform focused on sharing images and videos with the world. This is one of the main benefits of using Instagram for good, as sharing news and information through photos is often the best way to start conversations that lead to action.
Instagram’s primary audience also plays to the benefit of using the platform for inspiring change. Of the 1.2 billion visitors in October 2020, 24-34 year-olds greatly outnumbered all other age groups. The younger generations and people within this age group are the ones who will be tasked with addressing and finding solutions to the most pressing environmental issues in the future. So if you want to cater to those who will make the most difference in the future, utilizing Instagram is your best bet.
If you want to use Instagram to help, it can’t hurt to get a bit of inspiration beforehand. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of it, with thousands of individuals already using the platform to share their voice. Here are a couple of the best Instagram accounts to follow to inspire unique and engaging change:
Kathryn Kellogg uses her account to share tips and information about how to live a zero-waste lifestyle through her personal experiences. She uses her aesthetic feed to share solutions for reducing waste, such as countries to recently banning plastic, and utilizes her platform to create a better future.
With nearly 40 years of experience, Winona LaDuke is a charismatic leader on issues related to the environment, Indigenous rights, and regenerative farming. Winona uses her social media presence to start much needed conversations, create awareness, and inspire change.
Jihea Kim is an environmental blogger, business owner, and activist. She uses her account to share vegan recipes, fashion solutions, and tips on how to live a more conscious lifestyle.
Whether you’re planning on using an existing Instagram account or starting from scratch, there are a couple of things you should keep in mind in order to increase your impact.
One of the most important things you can do is to post frequently. Due to social media algorithms, it can be tough to get eyes on the content you worked so hard to create. That’s why posting frequently can help your content get more attention, which inevitably leads to more people making a change. While you don’t necessarily have to post every day, it’s important to create a consistent schedule and stick to it!
What was once used as nothing more than a pound symbol (what even is that?) has become more commonly known as a “hashtag.” A hashtag is a word or phrase preceded by the hash symbol (#) that’s used to identify digital content on a specific topic. But why exactly should you use them on Instagram? Data shows that a post with at least one hashtag gets an average of 12.6% more engagement.
While the social media app Snapchat was the first to implement “stories,” their great success led to other platforms adding the feature, including Instagram. Instagram stories are posts that appear on your profile page when someone searches for you. Although they disappear after 24 hours, stories are a great way to advertise news or products, share quick information with your followers, or even create polls and questions that increase engagement.
Engaging with your followers and other Instagram accounts is a great way to build trust and create lasting relationships. Whenever someone comments on your posts or sends you a personal DM, be sure to acknowledge them! If they ask a question, answer to the best of your ability. If they leave a suggestion, take it into account and thank them for the feedback. Engaging with your followers in this manner is the best way to build a relationship with your audience, making them more likely to spread your message and take action in the future.
While Instagram and other social media platforms have become remarkable tools, it doesn’t lead to much if your followers aren’t willing to take action outside of the platform. For example, while it’s great to share tips and information about a certain environmental topic, providing links to organizations or actionable solutions can be more beneficial, as this encourages your followers to take direct action that leads to lasting change.
Nowadays, anyone can make a large-scale impact. Through the power of technology and the use of social media, it’s never been easier to inspire lasting change that will benefit us, as well as the planet.
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