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If you’re not utilizing Instagram either for individual or business purposes in the present, you’re missing out.
For an individual, Instagram is a great platform where you can express yourself through pictures or videos. It’s also a great way to connect with your friends and stay up to date with what’s happening in their lives.
On the other hand, businesses utilize Instagram as a platform where they can connect with existing/potential customers. They accomplish this by producing content as a means of storytelling.
An integral part of social media for businesses is that it helps to increase their brand awareness, reach bigger audiences and drive engagement. This has a huge upside as it can lead to conversions.
For individuals
Here are a few reasons for the importance of Instagram for Individuals.
#1: Expression
Instagram is a platform where you can express yourself through photos, videos, or stories. It’s where you can show your artistic, creative, or fun side that people aren’t really aware of.
In other words, Instagram is an opportunity for you to be bolder and express yourself more creatively.
#2: Gratification
One of the more common ways why it’s a great idea to grow your Instagram followers is the amount of gratification you’re going to be receiving. This can be either the number of likes or positive comments that you’re going to be getting from each post.

If you are driven by clout, status or compliments, Instagram can serve as an ego-boost.
But of course, you have to have a decent follower-base and good engagement rates to receive gratification. So growing your followers is vital for this to pan out.
If you’re looking for ways the most current and effective strategies to grow your followers, you can read this article.
#3: Leverage
This term is rather vague as there are many different factors to discuss.
Firstly, Instagram is a great way where you can establish your personal brand. Personal branding is important because it gives you an opportunity to establish your identity.

The content that you’re posting on Instagram has the power to elicit people’s perception of you before you even meet them in person. Consequently, this makes it easier for your audience to connect with you on a personal level and vice-versa.
The second point is the support network. The support network on Instagram is expansive. For example, a non-profit organization can utilize Instagram’s donation sticker to fundraise for a particular cause.

Lastly, Instagram is free publicity to whatever cause you’re advocating, endeavors you’re promoting or interests you’re expressing. The amount of conversions you’re going to be getting is predicated on the number of active, engaged followers you have. So the more followers you have; the better.
For businesses
Here’s why Instagram is important for businesses.
#1. Brand awareness
Storytelling plays an important role in content marketing, and Instagram enables businesses to accomplish this in multiple ways.
Posts and videos allow businesses to visually showcase their products/services. General photos can also be reinforced by captions for conversion purposes, such as referencing a link to the bio.
Additionally, IG stories are a great way to get conversions especially if you have the swipe-up feature. However, this feature is available to business accounts that have over 10k followers.
#2. Reach bigger audiences
This one’s a no-brainer. Instagram allows businesses to reach bigger audiences and a bigger audience = more conversions.

If your business has a large number of followers, you can post something to announce a product/service launch or a sale. It’s a quick and easy way to market something on a global scale.
#3. Drive engagement
For businesses, creating content on Instagram is an opportunity to drive engagement from your customers. This is a great way where you can interact with your customers on a personal level.

Moreover, this establishes both trust and recognition which is essential for any business.
Summary
If you’re Instagram famous as an individual (for the right reasons), your followers are prone to becoming your fans. This makes them very likely to be influenced by anything that you do. Some of them are willing to do anything for you. This is why brands are attracted to individuals with large amounts of followers and engagement rates.
On the other hand, Instagram reinforces businesses with tools to promote their products/services like no other.
At the end of the day, Instagram is vital for individuals and businesses alike because it all revolves around one word – Influence.
Extras
If you liked this article, feel free to read my other ones:
List of Instagram engagement groups in 2020
Follow for follow on Instagram: Tips and Tricks
Author: Lim How Wei. Lim How Wei is the founder of Followchain, a community that simplifies growth and networking for Instagram users. Feel free to follow him on Instagram.