5 Ways People Are Using Instagram

Instagram has become much more than a platform for sharing what's happening in the moment. It's become a place to publicly share the absolute best photos possible, often professionally captured and edited. 

Go to Instagram's Explore tab to check out the most popular Instagram photos being shared. Many are high-resolution photos, without filters, that were likely taken with a good quality camera and edited professionally.

Video is a relatively new feature on Instagram, but it's widely used and hugely popular. Upload pre-recorded 15-second videos, as well as live video.

The pre-recorded video-upload feature allows individuals and businesses to film videos using a real camera, edit it on a computer, and then post it later to Instagram. There are also countless video-editor apps for mobile devices that showcase numerous clips in a professional style and even add all sorts of fancy effects.

Young people are often the first to start using a new social network. Once it starts to catch on a bit, everyone else joins in. Businesses are now taking advantage of Instagram's reach and power so they can stay relevant on the web and grab more eyeballs.

Instagram offers businesses a great opportunity to show off their logos, product lines, current event snapshots, storefront locations, and anything that generates likes and comments from followers.

Following the brand-building trend, many businesses launch contests on Instagram to generate more buzz about their offering, drive up interaction, and reach more potential customers.

Business accounts will sometimes offer the chance to win something for free if users agree to take some kind of action, such as following them on certain social media sites, tagging a friend, and reposting content. Instagram contests help businesses go viral and keep their current followers engaged.