#InstaWorthy
Updated: Aug 28, 2022
When it comes to Instagram, are you team curated and selective, team authentic photo dump or a bit of both? Personally, I have always used the platform to express my interests and passions through a semi-curated lens, in turn creating a more refined persona. However, what is it about Instagram that encourages us to convey a sense of self that is more curated in comparison to other platforms?
I remember for my 10th birthday in 2013, getting a new iPod Touch and being way too excited to post on Instagram for the first time. Some of my first posts included overly filtered photos of Katy Perry and selfies with random hand gestures. From a young age, I've been wired to use this platform as a space to creatively express myself and my interests through thought-out photography.
The platform's features have continually evolved to promote pure, authentic engagement through features such as reels (Hutchison, 2021) Although, I have observed that amongst its users many choose to continue posting in a selective manner.
A misconception about one having a curated approach, is that this term is correlated with an "aesthetic" feed filled with overly filtered and photoshopped selfies. I don't see this as true; I believe one can still create a semi-curated persona whilst keeping a sense of authenticity.
Instagram and It's Features
Instagram is a photo and video sharing application that was developed in 2010 by Kevin Systrom, primarily encouraging social networking through the sharing of photos (Blystone, 2022). Over the years, it has acquired and maintained features such as hashtags, reels, stories, group messaging and more simply, captions and tags on photos or the use of public and private profiles. All of which, allow the user to connect with other users on either a local or global scale.
According to Caldeira (2016 p.10), the simple incorporation of captions and profile pictures on the platform is allowing users to,
"Be their own author, inventing and reinventing themselves at each moment"
This heavily reinforces the idea that the platform is used by individuals to immerse themselves into an online community or audience their choice. Therefore, having a curated approach to the platform is desired as it clearly highlights one's interests, making it easier to connect with similar users.
In relation to the sense of self I illustrate, this can be examined when I post photos of my outfits and tag or mention the brand in the caption, aiming to connect with others who also love their pieces. I target 2 audiences, the first being family and friends and the second being individuals aged 16-25 who enjoy fashion globally and locally. I don't use the features of Instagram with hopes of becoming an influencer, but rather to connect with those who share similar passions.
Examples of my more curated posts that target a more global audience, using the tag feature
.
What makes Instagram Different?
When comparing Instagram to Twitter, Instagram's focus on photography as a core feature significantly promotes users to be more selective. This is resulting in users being able to visually establish a sense of self and taking a vainer approach to the persona they create. In particular, the predominance of selfies on this platform has been established as a paramount vernacular practice by its users (Meese et. al. 2015). This is due to the affordance of being able to control the way you appear, something that is partially uncontrollable in a real-life situation.
As Twitter is text based, it encourages a more authentic sense of self. This is similar to WeChat, a social media platform used in China for instant messaging and social networking.
Giphy Source: (Giphy, 2022)
Overall, I personally think that having a curated approach to social media isn't a bad thing if you are staying true to your own values and interests. What are your thoughts?
REFERENCES
Caldeira, SP 2016, 'Identities in Flux: An Analysis to Photographic Self-Representation on Instagram', Observatorio Journal, vol.10, no.3, 135-158
Meese, J, Gibbs, M, Carter, M, Arnold, M, Nanson, B & Kohn, T 2015, 'Selfies at Funerals: Mourning and Presencing on Social Media Platforms', International Journal of Communication, vol. 9, pp. 1818-1831.
Blystone, D 2022, 'What Is Instagram and Why Was It Successful?', Investopedia, 11 July, viewed 25th August 2022
Hutchison, A 2021, 'Instagrams's Chief outlines the key areas of focus for the app in 2022', Social Media today, viewed 24th August 2022
BLOG 3 Global Social Media - Task 1
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