Happy birthday, Instagram!
It has been a decade since Instagram was launched, can you believe that!
You have to evolve to stay relevant, and this exactly what Instagram has done. Let’s look back and see how the application has become from 2010.
2010
- October: The first very picture:
The application has officially started in October 2010 and gained 25k users on the same day of its launch! Co-founder of Instagram, Kevin Systrom uploaded the first picture on Instagram of his Golden Retriever setting at a taco stand and the caption of the photo was ‘Test’. This picture was the start of everything. 10 years later, the number of pictures tagged #dog is 278M!
2011
- January: Hello hashtags:
Instagram has added hashtags to make it easier for users to discover each other and photographers as well. The application motivates users to make tags relevant and specific, instead of tagging general words like “picture” to make content attract like-minded users and to stand out! The most used hashtag of all time on Instagram with 1.824 posts is #love.
2012
- April: Facebook buys Instagram
Mark Zuckerburg, the CEO of Facebook, bought Instagram for 1 billion dollars, although Instagram had no revenue stream and had just 13 employees! - June: Instagram goes Exploring
A new page section has been added to the application “Explore”, it allows users to find new accounts to follow or engage with. It also allows users to scroll Instagram content in a whole new way, not only by hashtag or username but also by content suggestions made to users’ interests.
2013
- May: Tagged photos
Instagram started photo tagging and a new tab on profiles ‘Photos of You’, collecting every tagged photo of a user in one place. - June: Video sharing
Users were only allowed to upload images on the platforms before Instagram started the option that allows them to upload videos that are no more than 15 seconds long. This option made users even more creative. - December: Sliding into DMs
Instagram added a DM feature that makes users send texts, pictures, and videos in a private direct message on the app. In 2014, and after only 7 months of being released, Instagram declared that DM had surpassed 200M active users monthly.
2014
- June: New editing tools released
The update of editing images was added to allow users to edit images with tools rather than Instagram filters. Such as contrast, brightness, shadows, and highlights, all in the same application.
2015
- September: Small screen ads
Instagram started to allow advertisers to share videos of 30 seconds in video ads, twice the limit given for users.
2016
- March: Minute video shares
Instagram allowed users to add videos up to 60 seconds long and the advertiser privilege is no longer here. - May: Time for a revamp
- Instagram has introduced a new look including the icon and the design inside the app.
- June: RIP chronological feed
Instagram has changed from being a chronological feed to be an algorithmic feed, based on the users’ interactions and interests. - August: Story feature launches
Instagram started its own version of Stories. This feature was game-changing! it allowed users to share videos or photos that vanish after 24-hours, just like Snapchat Stories. With more than 500 million users every day, Instagram Stories is currently one of the application’s most popular features. - November: Instagram becomes shoppable
They started to make their way into e-commerce, and it released shoppable tags. Brands are able to tag their products in their posts. When users click on tags, it will display them the item and its price, and it also gives them options to go to the brand’s website to continue shopping.
- November: Instagram goes Live
Instagram started the Live feature which allows Instagram users to broadcast a live video that stays up to an hour.
2017
- February: Adding Carousel posts
That was the best update for hesitant people, this feature allows users to post up to 10 photos or videos in the same post.
2018
- June: The release of IGTV
Instagram stated IGTV to double down on video with a new feature that allows users to post a long video that is up to 10 minutes, and users that have more followers are allowed to upload hour-long videos. - June: Instagram hits one billion monthly active users
Instagram has made a massive achievement, it reached a billion active users monthly, after being 800M in September 2017, being the third behind Facebook which is the top of social media with 2.23B and Youtube the second with 1.9.
2019
- March: Checkout on Instagram
Instagram made changes in Shops that takes it to the next level by releasing the checkout function. Now, rather than viewing the product on the website, users are able to checkout from Instagram directly that gives chance for fast decisions - November: Hidden likes go global
The application’s test of hiding like went global. A part from the focus of users’ wellbeing, the hiding test started in Canada, and now it’s all over the world, only the user can see his own likes.
2020
- May: The monetization of IGTV
Instagram announced that it will make users make money from their IGTV content. They approved that ads will start playing in IGTV for 200 selected English speakers and advertising partners such as Sephora and Ikea. - August: Instagram competes with TikTok
Instagram released Reels, which is a short video feature that makes users discover and create short videos up to 30 seconds long. Reels can be shared on the Explore Page besides being shared on the creator’s feed.
