Kaboodle, Dribble, Esty and TripIt. They are among the thousands of lesser known social networks that stand in the shadows of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. But just because they don’t have hundreds of millions of users – doesn’t mean they have no value. In this new series, we’ll walk you thru some of the lesser-known social media tools and why they are popular with their small fan base.
Instagram is quickly becoming a popular photo-sharing platform. A user can take a photo, add a filter that brightens or darkens, blurs or turns black and white; and share it with those following them. What makes this unique compared to other social networks, is the fact you can’t upload photos via your desktop or laptop. Instead, you must have the app that is only available for Android and Apple devices. You can access photos without being a member on any device or computer, provided you have direct link to a specific picture.
The history of Instagram, like all social media tools, is fairly short. It was launched in late 2010 for the iPhone, expanded to Android devices in 2012 and was sold to Facebook for a mere billion dollars shortly after that. It boasts 100 million users around the world.
Among the snapshots you’ll find is everything from cattle grazing to urban scenery to the popular trend known as ‘Food-stagraming’. This is where a person takes a photo of their meal before eating it. It provides a great marketing opportunity for a restaurant serving up astatically pleasing dishes, but certainly can be tough on those that aren’t. The ‘don’t judge a book by its’ cover’ line doesn’t apply here, because beautiful pictures get the most likes.
One man that gets a lot of likes for the pictures of his food, is Corey Meyer. Corey is the owner of ACME Meats and the ACME Meat Market in Edmonton. Looking at his photos you’ll find beautiful steaks, knives carefully laid out on a chopping block and roasts carved and crowned. Your mouth waters, and that is exactly what Corey wants.
“It takes people inside the store,” says Corey, “and they get a peak at what’s going on. It gives people a before and after look at breaking down different cuts, allowing them to see where the cuts come from.” That is big for Corey, who’s butcher shop promotes Alberta meat. But, he says you still have to think about the content you are posting. Obviously part of Corey’s job can get gory, which is why he is careful about what he posts. “You don’t want to be disrespectful of the animal.”
Corey also says that one of the nice things about Instagram is the very short learning curve. “There really isn’t one with Instagram. All you need is a smartphone (Apple or Android) and you are ready.” Besides that, Corey just tries to be relevant. “If it is something that I enjoy, I post it. It is about showcasing what we do.”
To see Corey on Instagram visit Instagram.com/CoreyTheButcher or find him online at www.acmemeatmarket.ca
Un exemple de photo publiée sur Instagram par Corey Meyer, sous le pseudonyme CoreyTheButcher.