Instagram’s Humble Beginnings
Instagram was one of the first social media platforms to popularize mobile photography, and it has been wildly successful in that regard. The company was founded in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger and they first named their app Burbn, which allowed users to “check-in” at various locations on a map.
Systrom and Krieger started in a small office in San Francisco, California in 2010. They initially planned to make a location-based service that would let people share photos with each other based on where they were at any given moment.
After realizing that this concept didn’t have the same appeal as what their competitors were doing, they decided to focus on mobile photo sharing instead. They built a prototype for an iOS app of Burbn, which was later changed to Instagram, which let users take photos and add filters, then share them with friends through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
In October 2010, Systrom and Krieger officially launched Instagram’s app on Apple’s App Store for iPhones running iOS 4 or higher. It was an instant hit among consumers just after it was released.
Timeline of Instagram
Instagram has grown a lot since it was first launched in 2010.
At first, Instagram was just a simple way for users to share photos and videos with their friends. But over time, the platform has evolved to become a powerful marketing tool for businesses of all sizes—and that evolution has been driven by user demand.
The timeline below shows how Instagram has changed over the years:
2010
March 2010, Kevin Systrom received financial backing from Baseline Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz as he was developing Burbn.
July 2010, the first photo posted was of South Beach Harbor at Pier 38.
October 2010, Instagram was officially released on Apple’s App Store.
2011
January 2011, Instagram introduced hashtags to its platform. This allowed users to mark specific topics or categories when posting photos, which made it easier for other users to find them.
2012
April 3, 2012, Instagram released a version of its app for Android mobile phones. The app was downloaded more than one million times in less than 24 hours after its release.
April 9, 2012, Facebook (now known as “Meta”) headed by Mark Zuckerberg acquired Instagram for $1 billion.
2015
June 2015, the company made changes to its web design, which included a new layout and improved colour scheme. These changes were made in an effort to improve performance.
October 2015, Instagram introduced Boomerang to its users. This feature allows users to record short video clips that play back in a loop.
2016
April 2016, the platform released an app for Windows phones and also introduced a “like” feature to allow users to respond to comments.
May 2016, Instagram updated its user interface and logo in an effort to modernize its brand and they also introduced IG Business Pages.
August 2016, IG Stories was launched. This feature enables users to share photos and videos with others that disappear after 24 hours.
November 2016, the app added a live-video-streaming feature. It was promoted as being able to connect users in real-time with their friends and family around the world, but it also allowed users to share whatever they wanted with anyone who was willing to watch.
2017
February 2017, multiple photos and videos can now be shared in a single post.
June 2017, Instagram introduced a new feature called “Paid Partnership” that is designed to promote transparency to sponsored content when influencers are paid to promote brands over the app.
November 2017, IG incorporated an algorithm into its system that takes into account several factors (such as engagement, viewing time, relevancy, etc.) when determining the order in which posts appear on users’ feeds.
The new algorithm was created in an effort to improve the experience for users by providing them with more relevant content.
2018
April 2018, the platform announced that it would allow users to download their data in compliance with GDPR regulations about data portability.
June 2018, IGTV was launched. The app allows users to upload long-form video content on the platform.
September 2018, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger stepped down from their roles on Instagram. Adam Mosseri was named the new head of the company.
2019
August 2019, Instagram removed the “Following” tab from its platform. This was a major change for users who were accustomed to seeing a list of accounts they followed.
October 2019, the platform limits the number of posts that users can see in their page-scrolling mode. This is to help prevent people from being overloaded with content.
2020
March 2020, Instagram launched a new feature called “Co-Watching,” which allows users to watch videos together in real-time. The feature is designed to increase engagement and interaction between users by allowing them to experience something together via social media.
August 2020, a new feature called “Reels” is launched. Reels are a way for users to share longer-form content with their followers. The feature is similar to Snapchat and Instagram Stories, but it has some unique new features that make it stand out from the crowd.
2021
February 2021, the company began to test a new feature called Vertical Stories. The feature allowed users to swipe up and down on the screen in order to navigate between stories instead of the usual horizontal swiping.
March 2021, IG launched a new feature that allowed four people to go live at once and started allowing its users to add pronouns to their profile page.
October 2021, Meta platforms underwent a major outage that brought down Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp for several hours. The outage was caused by technical issues with the company’s server infrastructure.
2022
March 2022, Zuckerberg confirmed that he planned to add non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to the platform. NFTs are unique items that can be used for a variety of purposes, including gaming.
September 2022, the company was fined $402 million by Ireland’s Data Protection Commission for violating the privacy of minors in violation of recently adopted European Union laws.
December 2022, a new feature called “Notes” was released in an effort to increase user engagement on the site. The feature allowed users to upload text-based posts that would appear in their feed as a note.
2023
February 2023, Instagram announced a new feature that allows users to search and includes animated GIFs in their comments, while Mark Zuckerberg also announced that the Meta would begin selling blue badges on Instagram and Facebook.
Conclusion
Instagram has grown a lot since its inception in 2010. It has become a valuable source of information and entertainment for users, as well as a valuable marketing tool for businesses and organizations.
There are many reasons why Instagram is so popular among users and businesses alike. The app’s ability to connect people creates an environment that users enjoy spending time in. This makes it an ideal place for businesses to promote their products and services, which helps them reach new customers and grow their business.
When used correctly, Instagram can be a powerful tool for growing your brand’s presence on social media. However, if you don’t know how to use it properly or don’t have a clear understanding of how the platform works, it is better to do your research first before diving into the Instagram world.
We hope that this information has been helpful and informative, and check out iDigic’s blogs for more helpful tips, tricks, and guidance like this!
