Instgram Review

 The web/mobile app I decided to review was Instagram. One thing I love about Instagram is how much it has grown over the years. From when it first started as just an app where photos were shared to now where you post pictures, videos, and stories, It's an app I use a lot since moving to Arizona with no friends or family near; it was nice to have an app where I could see pictures and or videos of my friends and family and still feel like I was there or posting a little of what I experienced since moving to Arizona. The usability of Instagram is effortless to use as the App has a very clean yet straightforward layout to make it easier for users to see their follower's posts and create posts. On the iPhone, they make it very easy to post as you have three ways to make a post. The first option is to swipe right, bringing you to a screen where your face and background are showing; at the bottom, you can either take a picture post, A story, a Reel, or go live. On the side of the screen, The Instagram app allows you to add text to your posts with different fonts and colors; you can also do a boomerang post, a feature that lets users make a video with a looping effect. The other option is clicking the plus box in the middle of the home screen, which brings you to another screen where you can add a picture from your photo library, take a live shot, or make a post that includes multiple images or videos. You see a bar with post, story, Reel, or live in the right corner. The last option is when you go to your profile at the top right, you will see the plus box again, and from there, it gives you different options to create whatever you want, such as a story, going live, making a post with a fundraiser attached and more.

When it comes to the design of Instagram, it's effortless, which I love; when it comes to using it on the App, you have bubbles of the people you follow at the top. Clicking on those bubbles lets you see the stories of the people you follow, including videos, pictures, or re-posts. The backdrop of your IG can be either white or black, depending on if you have changed it to dark mode or not. Over the years, Instagram has changed a lot for the better option. A few functionalities that made the App more popular is the ability to go live, often used when it comes to different celebrities to engage with their fans. Still, it's also a great tool to connect with friends or family. Instagram also allows you to have multiple accounts linked to the same device without logging out of one account to get to another. Instagram also is great if you have a business, blog, or social media star. It allows you to have a business page where you can engage with your followers; on the business side of Instagram, you can see a lot of different analytics, such as your demographics, how many people visit your page a day, your most liked or viewed post, and more.

Another thing I love about Instagram is that you can link your Facebook and IG together to allow you to post from Instagram. It gives you the option to share that post on Facebook as well without having to create posts for both of the apps. You can do it all just from one App now.

If I had to improve Instagram, one of my recommendations would be to make it easier to start back from where you left off. Often when you leave the App either from taking a call or doing something else on your phone, it brings you back to the top, and if there was a video or a picture you were trying to find, it's not as easy to see it, unless you know the person @ handle. Another improvement is that at this time, Instagram starts filtering people or posts they think you might have from people you are not following. This is annoying because while you may want only to see posts from the people you follow now, you have to filter through random profiles to locate the post of people you want to see. The last Improvement I would like to make is the live function; while it is easy to use and a great tool, it can also improve. When it comes to adding people to the live, I would love a function if you could send a request to add a person to join you on live; even if the person is not watching your live, they should have a button where it brings up the profiles of the people you follow and follows you back. You can request to add them to your live. Instagram is a great app that can be used for more than just posting pictures; you can do a lot there, depending on your needs.