An Instagram image is definitely worth more than 140 words. In August, Instagram officially passed Twitter in daily active users on mobile for the first time, according to new comScore data provided to Mashable. Instagram had 7.3 million daily mobile users for the month, while Twitter had 6.9 million. The merits of mobile photography are clear.
The data reveals that the average Instagram user spent 257 minutes accessing the site via mobile devices in August, while the average Twitter user over the same period only spent 170 minutes viewing. That’s a lot of connected, photo-sharing users coming back to the site often! Unlike Twitter which maintains a website, Instagram is mobile-first and mobile-only. This enables easy access to sharing features. That’s exactly why many media savvy companies have used Instagram as part of their online marketing strategy.
Consider this:
When we shoot a picture with our iPhone, we can share it with our followers within minutes. It really is Insta…gram. Plus, we’re moving. We may be traveling or shooting another gig, or visiting our family for dinner. No matter how busy we are, our mobile devices are always ready to capture fleeting moments. There’s no need to think about what you’re going to say, no verbal roadblocks to sharing. Just shoot, add a filter and…whoosh…share with your world.
A few months ago, two professional photographers shared their visions of mobile photography with The Photo Life. Based on the adage, the best camera is the one that’s with you, each photographer honed in on their love for mobile photography. Their articles were heartfelt and reminded us why we must differentiate between the moments that need to be photographed versus the ones that need to be lived.
To read more about these photographers who shared their perspectives on mobile photography, check out their articles on The Photo Life:
“The Merits of Mobile Part One”, by Will Jacks
The Merits of Mobile Part Two, by Amber Holritz
Instagram’s validity as an image-sharing platform can no longer be called a “fad,” or a “passing trend.” Instagram is here to stay. We need images to jog our memories; images deserve to be memorialized and shared. That’s one big reason why Instagram has been so successful in engaging both professional and hobbyists. It’s a fair playing field where anyone can get in the game!
Game on.