Tag Archives: instagram

Applications, Social Media

How to Grow Your Instagram Followers (Ultimate Guide)

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 1.5 billion monthly active users. If you want to grow your brand, business, or personal profile on Instagram, you need to have a solid strategy and follow some best practices. In this blog post, we will share with you some tips and tricks on how to grow your Instagram and followers in 2023.

Optimize your profile

Your profile is the first thing that potential followers see when they visit your page. Make sure you have a clear and catchy bio, a high-quality profile picture, and a link to your website or other social media accounts. You can also use keywords and hashtags that are relevant to your niche and audience.

Create engaging content

Content is king on Instagram, and you need to post consistently and creatively to attract and retain followers. You can use different types of content, such as photos, videos, reels, stories, and live streams, to showcase your personality, products, services, or values. You can also use captions, stickers, filters, and emojis to add some fun and flair to your posts.

Use hashtags and geotags

Hashtags and geotags are powerful tools to increase your reach and visibility on Instagram. Hashtags are words or phrases that start with a # sign and describe the topic or theme of your post. Geotags are locations that you can add to your post to show where you are or where you took the photo or video. You can use up to 30 hashtags and one geotag per post, and you should choose them wisely based on your niche, audience, and goals, preferably 2-4 general hashtags like # trending, viral, reels and reelsfeed alongside some targeted and more specific ones.

Interact with your audience

One of the best ways to grow your Instagram and followers is to engage with your existing and potential followers. You can do this by liking, commenting, sharing, and saving their posts, as well as replying to their messages and comments. You can also ask questions, create polls, quizzes, or challenges, or host giveaways or contests to encourage more interaction and feedback.

Collaborate with others

Another effective strategy to grow your Instagram and followers is to collaborate with other influencers, brands, or users in your niche or industry. You can do this by tagging them in your posts, mentioning them in your stories, or featuring them in your IGTV or live streams. You can also do shoutouts, takeovers, or cross-promotions to expose your account to their followers and vice versa.

Managing multiple social media platforms can be time-consuming and overwhelming. That’s why you need a social media management tool that can help you plan, create, publish, monitor, and analyze your social media content. Whether you are a small business owner, a marketer, or an influencer, you will find a tool that suits your needs and budget. Read more: https://technologer.net/best-social-media-management-tools

Instagram features

How to create engaging content?

Engaging content is content that captures the attention and interest of your audience, and makes them want to interact with you and your brand. Engaging content can help you grow your Instagram and followers, as well as increase your brand awareness, loyalty, and conversions. But how do you create engaging content? Here are some tips and tricks to help you out.

  • Know your audience: The first step to creating engaging content is to know who you are creating it for. You need to understand your target audience, their needs, preferences, pain points, and goals. You can use tools like Instagram Insights, surveys, or polls to get more insights into your audience’s demographics, behaviors, and interests.
  • Define your goals: The second step to creating engaging content is to define what you want to achieve with it. You need to have a clear and specific goal for each piece of content, such as increasing your reach, engagement, followers, sales, or traffic. You also need to have a way to measure your results, such as using analytics, tracking codes, or feedback forms.
  • Choose the right format: The third step to creating engaging content is to choose the right format for your message and goal. Instagram offers a variety of formats for you to choose from, such as photos, videos, reels, stories, IGTV, and live streams. You should experiment with different formats and see what works best for your audience and niche.
  • Be creative and original: The fourth step to creating engaging content is to be creative and original. You need to stand out from the crowd and offer something unique and valuable to your audience. You can do this by using your own voice, style, and personality, as well as adding some humor, emotion, or storytelling to your content.
  • Add value and call to action: The fifth step to creating engaging content is to add value and call to action to your content. You need to provide useful information, tips, advice, or solutions to your audience’s problems or needs. You also need to encourage them to take action after consuming your content, such as liking, commenting, sharing, saving, following, or visiting your website.

Some examples of call to action are:

  • “Tap the link in bio for more details”
  • “Swipe up to shop now”
  • “Tag a friend who needs this”
  • “Share your thoughts in the comments”
  • “Follow us for more tips”
Instagram analytics

How to check Instagram analytics?

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms in the world, with over 2 billion monthly active users. If you are a business owner, influencer, or content creator, you might want to know how your posts and stories are performing on Instagram. That’s where Instagram analytics come in handy.

Instagram analytics are the data and insights that show you how your audience is engaging with your content, what kind of content they like, and how you can improve your Instagram strategy. In this blog post, we will show you how to check Instagram analytics in 2023, using the latest features and tools available on the platform.

Step 1: Switch to a professional account

To access Instagram analytics, you need to have a professional account. This can be either a business account or a creator account, depending on your goals and needs. A business account is suitable for brands, organizations, and online shops, while a creator account is designed for influencers, artists, and public figures.

To switch to a professional account, go to your profile and tap on the menu icon in the top right corner. Then, tap on Settings > Account > Switch to Professional Account. You will be asked to choose between a business account or a creator account, and then to select a category for your profile. You will also need to connect your Instagram account to a Facebook page if you haven’t done so already.

Step 2: Go to the Insights tab

Once you have a professional account, you can access Instagram analytics by going to the Insights tab on your profile. Here, you will see an overview of your account performance, including your reach, impressions, profile visits, website clicks, email clicks, and call clicks. You can also see how many followers you gained or lost in the past week, and what are the top locations, age ranges, genders, and active times of your audience.

Step 3: Explore the Content, Activity, and Audience sections

The Insights tab has three main sections: Content, Activity, and Audience. Each section provides you with different metrics and insights about your Instagram posts and stories.

  • Content: This section shows you how your posts and stories are performing in terms of engagement, reach, impressions, saves, shares, comments, and likes. You can filter by time period (7 days or 30 days), content type (photos, videos, carousel posts, stories), or interaction type (likes, comments, etc.). You can also tap on each post or story to see more detailed analytics.
  • Activity: This section shows you how your account is driving traffic and actions on Instagram. You can see how many people visited your profile, clicked on your website link, called you, emailed you, or got directions to your location. You can also see how many people discovered your account through different sources, such as hashtags, explore page, home feed, or other accounts.
  • Audience: This section shows you who your followers are and how they interact with your content. You can see the demographics of your audience, such as their location, age range, gender, and language. You can also see when they are most active on Instagram by day and by hour. You can use this information to optimize your posting schedule and target your content to the right audience.
Instagram Reels

Step 4: Use additional tools and features

Besides the Insights tab on your profile, there are some other tools and features that can help you check Instagram analytics in 2023. Some of them are:

  • Reels Insights: Reels are short-form videos that you can create and share on Instagram. To see how your reels are performing, go to the Reels tab on your profile and tap on the menu icon on each reel. You will see metrics such as plays, likes, comments, saves, shares, and reach.
  • Live Insights: Live is a feature that allows you to broadcast live video to your followers. To see how your live videos are performing, go to the Live tab on your profile and tap on the menu icon on each live video. You will see metrics such as viewership peak, comments, shares,
    and reach.
  • Guides Insights: Guides are a feature that allows you to curate and share collections of posts,
    products, or places on Instagram. To see how your guides are performing, go to the Guides tab on your profile and tap on the menu icon on each guide. You will see metrics such as views,
    saves, and shares.
  • Shopping Insights: Shopping is a feature that allows you to sell products directly on Instagram.
    To see how your shopping posts and stories are performing, go to the Shop tab on your profile and tap on the menu icon on each post or story. You will see metrics such as product views,
    product clicks, and product purchases.

Conclusion

Instagram analytics are essential for understanding your audience and improving your Instagram strategy. By using the tools and features mentioned above, you can check Instagram and optimize your content for maximum engagement and growth. Happy Instagramming!

Marketing

The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Business with Influencer Marketing

Today, the world’s most rising form of marketing is influencer marketing. About 40% of companies have started allotting a huge budget for influencer marketing and 80% believe that influencer marketing helps them achieve their company objectives. With the internet being accessible to almost everyone in the US, plus some of the biggest ISPs like Xfinity and Spectrum internet offering cheap internet, there are a lot of influencers with huge followers online. However, still, most of the people are unaware of how to take advantage of them.

What is Influencer Marketing?

The fusion of traditional and modern marketing methods is influencer marketing. It is a technique that corporations use by working with prominent bloggers, vloggers, or social media users to market their goods and services. These influencers hold a large following and a dedicated audience with which brands can gain recognition and even generate sales.

How does it work?

Influencer marketing is considered to successfully work with companies of all types and sizes, irrespective of whether you are a startup and want to create awareness, or a major company trying to promote a new line or push a particular product to offer. Brands would typically approach an influencer and pay them to make content regarding the products or services offered by a company. The influencer subsequently updates and shares the contents with their social network – typically Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, etc.

The price is traditionally negotiated and paid before the content has been produced to the influencer –generally based on the following size of the creator and surprisingly not on content quality.

Creating the Plan

Since 47% of users now use Adblock technology, influencer marketing is by all means the fastest and most efficient way of creating premium content for the consumers it is intended to attract. The strategic marketing approach can instantly boost brand awareness and supercharge sales.

Only ask yourself some crucial questions to get going first…

Why Use it?

In a survey carried out by the Keller Fay Party, 82 percent of respondents indicated that they were likely to obey an influencer ‘s advice. And, 70 percent of the young generation prefers goods promoted by non-celebrity influencers, according to a major Cultural Prejudice poll. Consumers are mostly attracted by micro-influencers because they are relevant, intriguing, and amiable – promoted by real people who themselves use and are satisfied by the brand and item. The engagement rates of micro-influencers have been shown to be higher than other big celebrities. Although major celebrities can set a massive network, it is highly likely that most of their followers won’t be in your brand – most of them being passive spectators instead of being active.

Micro-influencers, on the other hand, have devoted followers that are primarily engaged in their work. According to research, 3k to 10k is the ‘top pick’ for marketing, since, the engagement rate is inversely proportional to the audience size.

What is your Objective?

It is important to provide a specific campaign goal as it tells the content creator precisely what you expect of them. The first step towards creating exclusive, entertaining content for your brand is to prepare your approach and to identify your goals. It is all down to discovering out which technique best suits you.

Try to figure out what you want: is it boosting sales? Establish the image of your brand? You want to meet customers who are unaware of your company, or engage in the main target market?

For good quality material, a simple, succinct summary is important. This may be an inspiring vision across the board of your mood, a connection to a website, a discount code, and a submission that builds visibility and dedication.

How To Choose Suitable Influencers For Your Business?

After making a list of influencers, it is about time you find out who is worth talking to about partnering with you. You surely did some of this already while creating the list, but you ought to focus on discovering the right influencers for your company.

You have to deal with trustworthy and appreciable people. People who are effective and match your style and objectives. Therefore, observe their audience engagement, the audience must match well with the people you are targeting. Perhaps you should not spend time dealing with influencers that do not have a strong identity, your best option is to create a positive product experience – growing engagement levels and the impact of your potential relationship.

How To Sustain Healthy Influencer Relationships?

Influencers are smart enough to know how to best utilize their channels to boost the message of a brand in a way that works effectively for their followers. It is also very important to address the influencers with courtesy and compassion while choosing them – it is a partnership after all!

Final Thought

Most of influencer marketing lasts a couple of months only. However, taking the right approach with planning can prove to be extremely successful for your business, fulfilling all your goals be it creating brand awareness or generating profitable sales revenue.

Social Media

Facebook Privacy: 5 Settings Every User Needs to Know

Social media has caught up in mysterious ways! No matter how addicting it gets, we still can’t go for a day without using our social media accounts, especially Facebook. Yes, that’s right! Checking Facebook’s news feed is literally the first thing we do, and yes even before we get out of our bed. We somehow love to see what our friends have been up to, where they have partied this weekend or whether our favorite celebrity crush has uploaded any recent picture or not. Facebook is about everything!

But what about privacy? Don’t you think the over-dosage of social media accounts sabotage our privacy and increases the risk of being exposed online? We love uploading pictures and videos on our Facebook accounts and yes, we almost never forget to upload a status checking-in at our favorite restaurant or any place we visit. Well, the more you share, the more is the risk of exposing your privacy online. Wondering how can you secure your Facebook account while you can keep doing all the things we love ? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! Here are some of the best Facebook tips and tricks that can make your social media experience a pleasant one while making a few tweaks in Facebook privacy settings.

Image Source: Abine

Let’s get started and explore a few Facebook tricks that can enhance the privacy and security of your account.

Facebook Tips and Tricks to Boost Privacy

Run a Privacy Checkup

Before we dig any deeper, first you should get an overview of your current Facebook privacy settings. As a responsible Facebook account user, one should be aware of all actively applied settings like who all can view your posts, which all third-party apps can access your basic account information, how does

your profile appear to someone who is not added in your contact list and so on. Well, what we do recommend you is to keep your posts restricted to minimum friends and followers who are a part of your inner circle. Don’t make all your posts public, unless if you’re a business page or a celebrity or social figure.

To review your privacy settings, log in to your Facebook account and open Settings. In the Settings window, select the “Privacy” section from the left-hand side menu pane. Here you can get a quick glance of your Facebook account setting and you can customize it to make your account more secure. You can choose who can see your future posts and also limit the audience of your previous posts.

Enable Two Factor Authentication

Talking of privacy, next on our list of Facebook tips and tricks comes enabling Two-Factor Authentication on your account. Enabling Two-Factor Authentication on your Facebook account will add an extra layer of protection where you’ll be prompted to enter a security code (via SMS) each time you wish to log in to your account.

To enable 2FA on Facebook, open Facebook Settings and switch to the “Security and Login” section. Scroll down until you find the Two-Factor Authentication option and tap on it. So, in case if you’ve not already opted for 2FA, tap on the “Get Started” button, follow the on-screen instructions and add an extra layer of security to your account.

View How Other People See your Profile

Well, this may sound obvious but if anyone wants to stalk you, checking your Facebook profile is one of the easiest things to do. Our Facebook account includes our entire history, from our birthday to places we visit, the music we like, family info, educational background, work info, and almost anything. Sharing all this info with your inner circle is fine, but not with strangers and stalkers, right?

Image Source: The Mac Observer

So, to make sure your Facebook account is secure one should be completely aware of how your Facebook profile appears to someone who is not added in your contact list. To check this, head on to your profile page, tap the three-dot icon on the bottom right corner of your cover picture and select “View as”. Here Facebook will tell you how your profile appears to public and you can review all your posts and content that is easily accessible on your account. Doing so can give you an upper-hand where you can customize who all can see your posts and info, and you can change the privacy of shared posts accordingly.

Third-Party App Settings

As Facebook has a gigantic user base that connects millions of people worldwide, it’s not just confined to connect with our friends and in fact, it has become a lot more than that! Facebook is also used as a promotional tool by marketers where they target us with advertisements and offers based on our interests and likes.

Image Source: CNET

So, to review which all third-party apps and services are associated with your Facebook account, here’s what you need to do. Head on to Facebook Settings> Apps and Websites to see which all third-party apps are being accessed through your Facebook account. If you wish to revoke the permission of any third-party app, tap the cross icon next to it!

Recover Deleted Messages on Messenger

Next on our list of Facebook tips and tricks is recovering accidentally deleted messages on Messenger. Yes, it does happen with all of us, right? So, let’s cut to the chase and explore one of the best Facebook Messenger tricks that will allow you to easily recover deleted messages within no time.

Well, all you have to do is open any active Facebook conversation on Messenger and tap on the gear icon placed on the top-right corner and select the “Archive” option. Yes, that’s right! Archiving your Facebook conversations is a great solution to keep all your conversations preserved. Even if you accidentally delete a text in a conversation, it will still stay preserved in Facebook data history.

Also, for more detailed information, tap on this link to know all about how to recover deleted messages on Facebook Messenger to keep your precious memories intact!

Wrap Up

So, fellas, this ends our quick list of Facebook tricks to ensure more privacy in your account. We would still recommend you limit the visibility and share restricted content on your Facebook account. Try to keep all your pictures, videos, and posts private, so that there’s a lesser risk in being exposed online. Privacy is a crucial concern and you should certainly not ignore it any cost especially while accessing social media accounts like Facebook and Instagram. Follow these above-mentioned Facebook tips and tricks to add an extra layer of security to your account.

Good luck and stay safe!

Summary: Checking Facebook’s news feed is literally the first thing we do to start off our day, right? But don’t you think the overdosage of social media accounts sabotage our privacy? Here are some of the best Facebook tips and tricks to protect your account.

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 Author Bio: – Chandra Shekhar Choudhary is working at Systweak Blogs, as an SEO analyst and technical Content Writer. His potential of writing is PC tips, Android and Mac tricks and he is anxious in writing other technical blogs. You can also find Chandra Shekhar on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

 

Mobile, New, Phones

Why Smartphones are Such a Popular Tool

These days, everyone who has a pulse has a smartphone. When they first came out, only the people who had a ton of money had it, and it was a tool that people have shown off with. However, the smartphone has become one of the most common tools among many different people. As a matter of fact, the other types of phones have become increasingly rare. It is not just a sign of status that attracts people to the smartphone. There is also the use that the smartphone offers.

Surf the Internet

With the popularity of the internet, the smartphone has become popular because of the ability to surf the internet and do some of the same things that are done on a full sized computer. As a matter of fact, many mobile carriers double as internet service providers in order to provide you with the services you need. Smartphones are often used to access apps. Often times, people use their smartphones in order to access their favorite video streaming sites and apps.

Connect With People

Smartphones seem to have become very popular at the same time that social media has become mainstream. People use smartphones to connect on social media. However, there are other things you can do with your smartphone as well as social media. Once you develop enough of a following, then you can use the smartphone to make money in various ways. The smartphone has resulted in more people becoming connected than ever. This has also provided people with opportunities to network and build something that is going to be great for their lives.

The Types of Smartphones to Look For

As with many other products, not all smartphones are equal. As a matter of fact, you might want to be careful with the type of smartphone you are purchasing. Some smartphones are going to be very useless when it comes to battery or other aspects of the phone. Before you decide on the type of smartphone you are going to use, you want to make sure that you are getting a phone that you can handle. You want a battery life that is reasonable and not liable to leave yo constantly looking for a charger. While you don’t necessarily have to pay a fortune for the latest smartphone, you might want to look at the features and the performance of the phone before trying to move forward with one.

High Quality Entertainment

One thing that the smartphone has done was open people’s mind when it comes to how they can watch shows. While people still look to a big screen with a large sound system, the high quality image and sound has also been translated to the smartphone. A reasonable sized smartphone is good enough to watch a show. Also, if you want high quality sound, the streaming sites have a great sound quality with really good dynamic range that translate well to your headphones. There are also some phones that support multi-channel surround sound.

Watch TV

Speaking of entertainment, the internet and the mobile web has advanced to the point where you can watch TV. This includes all of the programs and the advertising from channels in the palm of your hand. There are plenty of streaming services that offer television service with a few different channels that you can choose from in order to watch your favorite shows. You can watch them in the highest possible quality with your device and headphones.

One of the reasons that smartphones have become so popular is that there is just so much you can do with a smartphone besides connect with others and talk. It can actually be your only source of entertainment if you want it to be. This is one of the reasons that people find them to be very fascinating. Some people may find themselves struggling to live without a smartphone. Fortunately, smartphones can be used for reasons that are related to productivity as well so that they can be of greater benefit.

Marketing, Social Media

How to Use Social Media to Boost In-Store Sales

Most retailers will have at the very least set up the main social media profiles. The problem is that not many people use their social media profiles effectively and they generally only update sporadically. This infographic from Colourfast will hopefully help as it looks at how retailers can use social media to boost in-store sales. The reality is that a well-managed social can help to drive your business forward so it really isn’t an area that should be ignored.

Communicating with your customers on social media has become just as important as over email or over the phone so it might be worth hiring a social media manager or at the very least have someone within the company who has experience with social media keeping them updated.

See the full infographic now to learn about how your store can use social media more effectively. Hopefully you will learn a few things from it.

Social Media

The Latest Trends In Social Commerce

Social media has completely turned our lives upside down. You can find there almost anything. Everything from funny dog memes to serious issues like the coverage of elections and more.

People spend more and more time on their social media pages. It is fun to be able to share something and get instant validation in the form of likes or shares. You see something you like, share it and get kudos from others in your circle.

It is something that is unique to social media and something that big brands are capitalizing on big time. And, who can blame them? Getting something to go viral means big bucks. Add in a “Buy” button enabling clients to buy instantly on that page and it’s as if you are printing money.

Take industry giant Nike Football, for example. With over 45 million followers, all that the company needs to do is to release the latest Nike promos or Nike vouchers on social media, build a little hype and watch the sales come in.

The benefit of enabling a “Buy” feature on social media is that it makes the process of buying just that little bit more effortless. Making buying easier for clients is something that was first proven to be successful by Amazon when it introduced the “one-click” buying software.

With 28.1 million followers on Facebook, it has become clear that even Amazon acknowledges the importance of social commerce. It is more than just the flavor of the month now and you ignore the concept at your own risk.

Would you like to know more about social commerce and social networks? We have summed up for you the highlights in the infographic below.

General

How to Upgrade Your Smartphone Camera Using Apps

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Nearly all of us take photos using our phone’s camera; those who don’t are likely pro photographers with separate professional DSLR cameras and some very bulky lenses. For the rest of us, taking a good picture depends on two factors: the quality of our phone and the right apps to fill in the blanks.

Buying a good phone isn’t the harder of the two things to figure out; most of the more expensive phones come with the better cameras. Assuming you’re at the second step, you’d probably like to know which apps to use so you can take awesome photos for your Instagram account or to keep to yourself.

Look no further; here are some great apps to make your photo dreams come true.

Android Users

taking-a-picture

Camera Zoom FX

Of all the photo apps available for Android, few come with higher recommendations from professionals and everyday users alike than Camera Zoom FX. With a host of features and a friendly interface, this app helps avoid common pitfalls that default apps frequently leave our cameras suffering with, including:

  • Reducing blur with image stabilization
  • Maximizing resolution with your phone’s megapixel count
  • Dozens of filters and frames for altering a photo’s mood

Moreover, Camera Zoom FX also hosts one of the simpler control schemes, complete with voice activation and full manual DSLR options to make your camera work overtime. The professional version only costs a few dollars, and it’s sure to be a purchase worth your while. In 2014, it was Lifehacker’s choice and remains the favorite of millions to date.

Open Camera

As a huge fan of open source software, I can’t recommend Open Camera enough because it truly has the best interests of its users in mind. With full support for Android’s Camera2 API, it hosts a variety of features that seem to be growing with every passing day. Its open source nature means that the only limits the app has are the ones you impose on it.

Like Camera Zoom FX, Open Camera allows you to adjust ISO, exposure time, and focus distance manually. It also allows for GPS tagging when you take a shot and comes with a considerably better price tag: free! The downside may be that it seems to have fewer effects, but as an open source app, that’s always something that can be added down the road.

PicSay Pro

Sometimes taking the picture isn’t enough. Having a good photo editing app can complete your photographic masterpiece, and you won’t find one much better than PicSay Pro on Android.

With most of the features that a desktop photo editor has, PicSay Pro allows you to fix issues with red eye, sharpen blurry shots, and apply numerous effects and edits to spice up otherwise dull images. The free version has quite a few options as well, but with the pro version you get a much more complete package.

iOS Users

take-photos-with-iphone

Camera+

Not only is Camera+ an old staple, it also continues to dominate much of the iPhone photo world because it really does work that well. Thanks to Camera+’s manual option, you’ll have considerably more control over how your photos turn out. Even if things don’t look so great at first, the post photo touchup tools are enough to bring any picture you take back to life.

For Apple Watch users, there’s also support for controlling your camera from a distance.

Manual

Users seeking a cleaner, yet more technical, camera app might consider using Manual, as it not only allows you to take total control of your shots, but it also allows you to look at past photos to see the settings you were using at the time. This can be especially useful as you learn to make your phone’s options work for you.

Notably, Manual remains one of the easier to use apps despite having unique technical options.

Snapseed

While it might seem a tad ironic that one of Apple’s best photo editing apps is published by Google, it doesn’t make Snapseed any less powerful. Snapseed is one of iOS’s most popular apps for good reason: It’s easy to use for beginners, yet has features that can be fully put to work by more professional photographers.

Its filters focus on classic, tasteful touchups rather than cheesy effects. As with any editor, it has all you’ll need to fix up color distortion, sharpness and the dreaded red eye.

Best of Both Worlds

Just because Android and iOS run on separate platforms doesn’t mean there aren’t apps that work for both. For those with more than one type of device, it’s nice to be able to transition using the same app on both platforms.

Instagram

Despite being predominantly a social media platform, Instagram has really made strides since its inception in 2010, both as a powerful source of influence in the fashion world and as a genuinely decent camera app.

While Instagram may not be quite as potent as some of the more focal camera apps, it still offers enough filters and effects to liven up your photos. More importantly, Instagram also makes the transition to sharing your works of art with the world that much quicker. If you haven’t tried using Instagram for photos, it’s worth a shot.

ProShot

As versatility goes, ProShot has quite a bit to offer. Not only is it available for iOS and Android, but it also works for Windows devices as well. Like the other services above, it has all the manual options available (ISO, etc.) but also an in-between setting for convenience and less advanced users, which they call “semi-manual.”

While not specifically for photography, I’m a big fan of ProShot’s video options, which support up to 4K quality and even have options for dealing with audio problems.

Adobe Lightroom Mobile

It should come as no surprise that Adobe continues to be one of the best photo editing apps out there. With loads of professional options, Lightroom is especially unique because it works together with Lightroom CC, another excellent tool to use if you bounce between your camera and your PC.

But don’t let the integration keep you from thinking the app itself isn’t feature rich; most of what you’ll find in Lightroom CC is in the mobile version, from gradient alterations to dehazing. The only real disadvantage is the cost, as Adobe runs this app on a subscription.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to improve your phone’s camera. Camera apps and photo editing apps are a great way to do it on the cheap, particularly if you’re not interested in buying a third-party lens.

Just don’t forget to protect your device. Particularly if you’re using your phone in an urban setting with tons of free WiFi, you should also consider a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to keep your photos secure. Public WiFi is practically a nesting grounds for hackers waiting to steal valuable data, and your photos could be a prime target. Using a VPN ensures you won’t lose out on hard work by encrypting your internet connection and keeping criminals out.

Have thoughts about mobile photography? Tell us how you take great photos on your phone in the comments section.

 

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Author Bio: Cierra enjoys taking photos on her phone daily. Between playing with filters and settings, she also writes about internet security and how best to take care of your devices and accounts in an increasingly mobile world.

General, Social Media

How Powerful is Instagram When it Comes to the Fashion Industry?

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Major fashion retailers now use Instagram to source niche brands to service customer demand. Take Selfridges, the iconic British department store chain. Instagram has been key to the brand stocking its “Everybody” section, a specialist fitness brand section. Its buyer’s source boutique labels such as Kiini (which does a range of crocheted swimwear) and the Muzunga Sisters (who do a range of beach cover-ups with pom-poms) by viewing Instagram content. For Selfridges, sourcing niche brands on Instagram is about buying into a particular lifestyle to best serve its customers.

Major high fashion luxury brands now use Instagram to create brand awareness and engagement online. Take Chanel as an example. For the French brand’s Fall 2015 fashion show, Chanel erected an over-the-top set design, a supermarket with 100,000 faux Chanel products on the shelves. Audience members were given access to take ‘supermarket selfies’ on the set prior to the show. One image posted by the fashion blogger Susie Bubble, who has more than 272,000 followers on the social platform received more than 2,670 “Likes”.

For more insights into the power of Instagram and its influence over the fashion industry, have a look at this infographic created by Evoke.ie

Social Media

The Future of Social Media [Infographic]

 

Since the dawn of social media, it’s been evolving and growing at a rapid pace. As we move through 2016, that trend will continue, but where is all of this going? More importantly, if you’re trying to market a business or a blog, how can you stay ahead of the curve?

Today we’ll look at the future of social media, followed by an infographic that helps you make the most of your efforts on today’s platforms.

Predicting the Future of Social Media

Over at on blast blog, I’m always looking to the future, whether it’s in the world of blogging, social media, or anything in between. I’m a big fan of staying ahead of the curve. So, let’s look at social media’s upcoming trends.

The first trend we’ll see coming down the pipeline is more integration in the workplace. For years, companies tried to keep their employees off of Facebook during work hours, but now those same social tools will become crucial to the business.

Things like Facebook For Work are allowing employees to utilize the connected nature of social media to increase their efficiency. While most businesses are also using blogs, we’re going to see a lot more people stop working in offices, and instead work from home.

Entrepreneurs are beginning to see the potential of their blog post ideas in the realm of business, and that’s leading to more bloggers promoting their content on social media. In addition, new types of content like video and virtual reality will become important to implement into your online strategies.

Becoming a Social Media Master (Infographic)

Knowing the future is only half the battle. Now you should use the infographic below to understand the how’s and why’s behind social media platforms. Let us know how it helps you in the comments below!

Social-Media-Image-Sizing-Cheat-Sheet (6)

 

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This is a guest post by Matt Banner. You can read more from him on his blog, OnBlastBlog.com

General, Internet

Looking For a Way to Completely Delete your Embarrassing Photos From Social Media? Here’s How

You know how it is with the youngsters these days, they go to a party, have a few drinks and laughs, take some awkward selfie photos and then immediately post ’em on their favorite social media hub (e.g Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or even Google Plus). So what happens next, you may be wondering? Well, it’s getting to be very embarrassing when they finally realize how critically harsh and incredibly painful these social networks can possibly be. Just try to imagine the high volume of inflammatory comments and the damage which might result from it. Not exactly what they would have expected, eh?

Perhaps too late for some, but it is only then when they get to know the proper ways on how to manage their social media life. But how can you minimize the damage caused by your own actions (or others)?

As scary as it may or may not sound, there are a few options out there to get this done.

Check out the infographic below to learn more about the steps you can take when you find embarrassing photos online.

how-to-remove-photos-from-socialmedia

General, Mobile, Video

13 Brands and Institutes That already Use Instagram’s New Hyperlapse App

Instagram-hyperlapse

Instagram has recently released Hyperlapse, a standalone app for taking time lapse videos on the iPhone and iPad devices. The app which already ranks #3 on the Apple App Store, is a very simple, yet sophisticated tool that lets you capture high-quality time lapse videos at a lower frame-rate than usual, but with a built-in stabilization technology that lets users create moving, handheld time lapses at a glance. Simply open up the app, tap to record video, and then choose the video speed, which can be varied from 1x to 12x, and tap again to end the session. Videos are given the opportunity to be shared directly to Facebook or Instagram.

We designed Hyperlapse to be as simple as possible. You don’t need an account to create a hyperlapse. Instead, you open up straight to the camera. Tap once to begin recording and tap again to stop. Choose a playback speed that you like between 1x-12x and tap the green check mark to save it to your camera roll. You can share your video on Instagram easily from there.

Instagram says that inner technology behind the Hyperlapse app is based on a video stabilization algorithm called Cinema, which basically helps us regular users to smooth our shaky videos out in a snap, and make them look very slick and professional. It’s like a “$15,000 video setup in your hand” said Wired and we couldn’t agree more.

[vimeo id=”104409950″]

We also witnessed a few popular brands and institutes that immediately decided to try the new app. It’s definitely a risky move from the marketing perspective, but you should know that whether you win or lose, at least you’ve done your best to engage with your audience in a fun and creative way.

Here are 13 brands already using the Hyperlapse application:

 

MERCEDES

Bud Light

THE WHITE HOUSE

Sonic Drive-In

NAKED JUICE

Polyvore

Sydney Opera House

Burton Snowboards

Taco Bell

Mountain Dew

Drink Arizona

Foot Locker

COSMOPOLITAN

If you have stumbled upon any other great examples of brands using Hyperlapse, please post them in the comments below.

General, Mobile

8 Instagram Web Services That Can Help You Manage and Organize Your Photos

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Instagram, the most popular photo-sharing service these days, has officially hit 80 million users who have uploaded more than 4 billion photos, since its launch  in October 2010. Acquired by Facebook for a staggering $1 billion, the San Francisco-based startup behind  the popular mobile photo application, was initially built for iPhone, and got extended to Android users in April of 2012.

Regardless of their popularity, If there’s one thing missing from Instagram, is a simple and intuitive web-based user interface. And while the company appears to be committed to find a decent solution for the average user, more and more third-party companies are jumping on the Instagram bandwagon.

To remedy this problem, we have gathered a list of eight Instagram web services to help you manage, sort, organize, and share your digital images, as the photo space heat up. Check it out after the break.

 

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