Instagram launches video

In mid-June, Instagram announced on their blog that they were launching a video feature on their exceedingly popular sharing platform. The feature went live later that day, allowing users to record and share videos of up to fifteen seconds, with newly added filters to continue to “share the world’s moments simply and beautifully”, as Instagram says.

The added feature on Instagram could not have come at a more crucial time; Since Facebook’s acquisition of the software in April 2012 it has seen 500% growth, increasing from its original 15 million users in January 2012 to more than 130 million users today, making it the fastest growing social network. It has become more socially accessible, and as a result, more brands are connecting to the app. Instagram is increasingly being made a partner in several brands’ social media marketing strategies thanks to its likeliness to go viral via linking to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and other connected networks.

The video feature is already seeing a lot of added potential for Instagram, helping it stand out from other social networks to both brands and users as one of the only, and certainly the most popular, solely-visual sharing platforms. Its sharing capabilities have already been used by some leading brands and small businesses, from media as varied as general advertisements, campaigns and competitions, and even a web-series. Its ‘Cinema’ mode helps create high-quality video, and the ability to add hashtags increases interactivity, awareness and the chances of going viral. Furthermore, Instagram is now more than ever reaching a wider audience, playing on the creativity aspect of the app in addition to the social aspect