InstaChat - Instagram launches Instagram Direct

Instagram announced on its blog yesterday that it was joining the direct message party, allowing users to send messages as well as pictures and videos in private to 15 of their followers. They have jumped on the bandwagon to try and complete with similar platforms such as Snapchat and Whatsapp. But the history of social media suggests it won't be easy at all for Instagram to attract users away from platforms that have had this function.

Facebook revealed the new features on Thursday, showing off the new private messaging features, and 'the extent of its Snapchat envy', as Scott Marlin and USA Today put it. Instagram direct is widely thought to be a reply to the rise of Snapchat. For those that don't know, Snapchat allows friends to send pictures and videos which deletes themselves after a few seconds, similar to the messages Tom Cruise receives in Mission Impossible! But it also begs the question; did Facebook implement this feature as their offer to purchase Snapchat was turned down?

Instagram doesn't directly rip off the Snapchat features, as these pictures that are sent privately won't delete themselves. You can only send the direct message to 15 people as well and they must follow you. Still though it still feels like a response to Snapchat's ever growing popularity and as history suggests it's going to be hard for Instagram to take a chunk out of Snapchats following.

Social media history has proven that once something has been successful, the competitors that try to copy and recreate it, just don't have the same success. For example, look at Google+; this has been Google's most successful attempt at competing with Facebook and, although the amount of users is growing, its still not in the same league. There is a long list of competitors that tried copying what others are doing and that have just failed; the likes of Google Buzz, Yahoo Buzz and Apples Ping have all failed however Ping is being incorporated using Facebook and Twitter.

So the question needing to be asked is why have some of the largest tech companies failed at creating a social network. One suggestion is that online networks grow like offline networks. So just copying what your competitors means you won't get the same audience, nor create the same culture successful networks have been able to create.

But, obviously, we don't know if Instagram Direct will fail; it could be a huge success. What has happened in the past suggests that just copying similar features won't be enough to attract an audience. So this could cause Facebook to go back and try to purchase Snapchat again in 2014; however, it seems Google will be looking into this as well after reportedly having a 4 billion dollar off rejected as well.

Instagram Tips: 5 Unmissable Techniques To Get Massive Likes On Instagram

#1 Using popular hashtags

Hashtags provide a good way to get likes on Instagram for your photos. Hashtags can be based on the subject matter, the style of photography or processing, Instagram filters, location or your apps. You can also choose from one of the popular tags used frequently, such as #photooftheday, #instagood or #tigers. Explore the hashtags used by other users. If you feel that adding these tags from your phone is difficult, you can post your photo from the phone. Then using Instagram's web based interface, copy and paste the hashtags from a draft in your email, a saved document or use Tagstagram.

#2 Participate in community activities

Innumerable Instagram activities on mobile social networks provide options for you to participate. One of the biggest community activities is perhaps JJ's daily forum that was started by Josh Johnson, an Instagram user with nearly 280,000 followers. With thousands of members, his forum has expanded to now include a network of editors working to highlight photos every day. To participate, follow Josh Johnson, find out the daily theme and submit your photos. The themes are generally based on style or content, such as black and white or reflections. Other Instagram communities include Steetphoto bw, Photooftheday, Ampt, EyeEm and many others.

#3 Give and take

The most important element for success at Instagram is engagement, just like any other community or social network. The more you give your time to other members and interact with them the more they would do the same for you. Like others' photos and leave thoughtful comments to catch their attention. Paying more attention to photos by people outside your immediate group of friends will get you more likes and followers. In turn, their friends will notice you and your network will expand faster. Be selective about the photos you like, since it pays to engage with Instagrammers interested in similar kinds to photography.

#4 Be creative with photo-editing

You might want to try Instagram's filters, but don't stop there. Although they are amazing, there are unlimited options with Android and iOS apps for enthusiastic mobile photographers. Use Adobe Photoshop Express or Snapseed for photo-editing, or PicCollage or Fuzel, creative apps that let you generate striking collages. Create your signature style and add your mark to your photos. Once you establish your distinctive niche or style, you will get noticed more easily and soon build a substantial following.

#5 Get featured by Instagram

While getting featured by Instagram is rather difficult, this could get you thousands of followers in a day. Instagram has not disclosed its policy or criteria for choosing users for their suggested users' list. If you do get selected, you would stay on for one week, giving you the greatest possible exposure on the social network. If you don't know about the suggested users' list, you can check it out in settings-find and invite friends-suggested users. The list varies immensely and you could feature on it for an interesting perspective, a unique style or for your niche.

Social Media News - The Decline of Facebook

Is Facebook in decline as the main social media website? Although the number of Facebook users is increasing and there are over 1.5 billion active Facebook users in the world (a 23% increase from March 2012) people are increasingly turning to other forms of social media as a way of socialising with friends, family and keeping up to date with the latest developments in the news and media. Facebook use is not declining because teenagers and young people are all going to one particular social network, but because they are turning to a selection of applications instead. What social media websites are people turning to in place of Facebook? And for what reasons are they choosing these sites over Facebook?

Alternative social networks are attracting the attention of social media users who are looking for a new and exciting way to socialise with their friends online. People have always found a thrill in trying out new things and this is no different for social media websites.

In the US and the UK most people who want to sign up for Facebook have already done so, and it is increasingly becoming a saturated market. However, newer social media platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat and Vine have seen great increases in popularity especially among younger age groups. Facebook itself has noticed how there has been a decline in the time that is spent on its pages from those sitting in front of personal computers as people are switching to using their smartphones and tablets as a method of accessing social media websites. Therefore it is not surprising that people are also turning to new social media websites which have specifically been designed for use on phones and portable devices, as it allows them to update their profile whilst on the move and as the events happen. The increasing number of people with smartphones also means that people also tend to keep in contact with their friends by using instant messaging more. Smartphone apps like Snapchat and Whatsapp help to make this easier and mean that people need to keep in contact with their close friends via Facebook less.

Furthermore, there has been a decline in the amount of time which is spent on Facebook due to the people choosing to use more specific social media sites. For instance, the visual content posted in Facebook is often the most popular, gaining the most likes and the most shares. This has led to a greater number of people shifting to using specific sites for sharing images and videos, such as Instagram and Pinterest. In June 2013, Instagram added a new video feature to its app, which allows users to take up to fifteen seconds of video through the Instagram camera. The Instagram video feature is a competitor to Twitter’s video app, Vine, showing the popularity of new applications to enhance existing social media websites. These new developments in more recently created social media sites are keeping people entertained and is helping to draw in a new following of people who are bored of Facebook and are looking for something more visually appealing. It is no wonder that Facebook was keen to invest in Instagram and capitalise on the growing popularity of visual based social media sites.

It has been found that teenagers and young people are the main demographic who are shifting away from using Facebook as their main social media site. Teenagers in particular are progressively trying to find new social media sites which they can make their own – away from the prying eyes of their parents and other relatives who are now on Facebook. Teenagers have therefore found a greater level of privacy by using other social media websites, and also have the option to create a username so that you do not have to be known by your actual name as you are on Facebook, as this would make you instantly more searchable.

Others are turning to different social media sites in an attempt to create exclusivity, and privacy away from the vast numbers of Facebook users. For instance, Path, a social media networking site, has focussed on a more personal approach to social networking stating that: “We believe it’s not your public, professional, or social life that matter most, it’s your personal life”. Their aim is for individuals to create a network in which you can only have 150 friends, creating an environment where you will only speak to the people you like and want to remain in contact with. They are creating a positive approach to exclusive social media networks stating that they believe in “Authenticity, Happiness, Simplicity”.

This links to the idea that Facebook is causing young people to feel a sense of dissatisfaction, as they are constantly receiving updates of what others are doing and therefore comparing their own lives to the constant influx of new photos, posts and comments which amplify the positive aspects of their friend’s lives and can elicit a feeling of envy. A recent study has concluded that the more its subjects used Facebook over a two-week period, the more their “life satisfaction levels” dropped. The move away from Facebook could therefore represent a subconscious acceptance of the way that constant use of this social media website can make you feel, and that a greater enjoyment can be felt by using Facebook less.

Although people may be using Facebook slightly less than previously, its power as the top social media website does not seem to be waning. Other social media websites may provide new and exciting ways to engage with friends and find out updates on news and media but Facebook is still the most significant platform which people use to connect with others.

What do you think?