But why is this so? First off, there is a massive user base on Instagram, more and more people use it on a daily basis and due to this, there became an influx of companies on it.
Instagram makes it more and more enjoyable to be on it- people who like to follow their favourite celebrity or those who like the live stream option or the story one too. The platform has diversified the things they offer, making it more likely to gain more users on a daily basis.
But what is the problem here? Why are there so many advertisers? Why is the platform not just for casual activities? Why does there have to be so many means to sell things or make profit?
In Marwick's article, she talks on how web 2.0 is just to maximize profit and it just benefits these corporations and not users. Though its a little bit extreme to make that argument, I believe companies like Instagram is really commodifying their users and making the platform a business as opposed to something of leisure.
https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/22/instagram-grows-to-1m-active-advertisers-plans-to-add-more-data-and-direct-booking/
A cultural history of Web 2.0- Alice Marwick
As an avid Instagram user, the never-ending advertisements annoy me!!! I like to choose what comes up on my feed and when ads pop up it actually makes me feel frustrated and not interested in whatever product/service they are trying to sell me. It's like those annoying tv commercials... yes they get your attention but they are so irritating that you associated that feeling of annoyance with them I steer clear of their product.
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the main reasons advertisers look to Instagram as a platform for advertising is, as you mentioned, the steady recent increase in users. Instagram provides these companies will millions and millions of individuals scrolling their phones in hopes of feeling fulfilled and happy and I am sure that some people may be attracted to advertisements on various media platforms but since I like to tailor what comes up on my feeds to what interests me, this tactic does more harm than good for me.
I actually came across this article recently too! I agree with Bethany, the endless advertisements are a pain. Since instagram has been extremely popular over the last couple of years, its clear that advertisers are taking advantage of this. I have actually noticed that if I go on a website or clothing site, within the next hour, that same company will show up as an advertisement on my newsfeed. I not only find this annoying, but slightly scary due to the fact that my little move is being monitored all the time.
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ReplyDeleteAlthough Instagram launched in 2010, I personally did not download the application until roughly 2012. For this reason, I have been able to witness Instagram's slow progression over the years, in terms of the application’s updates, additions, and promotional activities. Fast forwarding to 2017, my feed currently consists of various indirect and direct advertisements. Through the use of celebrity endorsements, individuals are exposed to advertisements through their favourite celebrities. This has gone even further with university students being hired as brand ambassadors to promote specific products on their page. This leads users of the application to question the validity of the posts they encounter every single day. Most often, these individuals are paid to promote these products, which in turn leads to false advertising, through lies and manipulation.
ReplyDeleteInstagram has experienced tremendous success since its initial launch date, which has sparked the attention of many business owners. Old media outlets such as newspaper or radio have become obsolete, as we fully transition into the digital age. Therefore, organizations must look towards new outlets to promote their products and services. Instagram currently released that Instagram has “150 million users a day,” which makes it an easy decision for many business owners to advertise on this application. Unfortunately, this has transformed the application into a tool for business marketing and self-promotion (models, actors etc.).