Instagram announced it now has 300 million active users. They’ve added 100 million actives just nine months after announcing its 200th—but that doesn’t mean it’s making money. Too bad a picture isn’t worth 1,000 dollars—instead of 1,000 words!
The photo sharing company, which was bought by Facebook in 2012 for a $1 Billion, now says 300 million people use its photo app every month, with 70% of them coming from outside the United States. That makes Instagram officially bigger than Twitter, which boosted that it had 284 million active users as of six weeks ago.
It bodes well that the super photo and video posting site continues to gain popularity. Some popular hashtags include: ManCrush Monday (#MCM); Transformation Tuesday (#TT); WomenCrush Wednesday (#WCW). And for businesses—marketing on Instagram can have BIG results. Nike on Instagram gets potential customers to design (and buy) their shoes online. In 2013 they had gathered more than 1 million followers and 6 million posted photos at #Nike on Instagram.
Also good news for marketers and users: Instagram is cleaning up their act by trying to remove spam-like posts and fake accounts from the platform. Plus they are rolling out verified badges for brands and public figures. And marketing your brand on Instagram can generate a lot of attention.
“As more people join, keeping Instagram authentic is critical—it’s a place where real people share real moments,” said Kevin Systrom, CEO, Instagram on the company’s blog post. ”We’re committed to doing everything possible to keep Instagram free from the fake and spammy accounts that plague much of the web, and that’s why we’re finishing up some important work that began earlier this year.”
Instagram says it’s now gone from deactivating spammer and fake accounts to full-on deleting them, which in effect may decrease follower counts for some. However, the fake accounts weren’t included in the company’s 300 million user calculation, meaning there’s still a vibrant authentic audience for brands to entice.
“We’re thrilled to watch this community thrive and witness the amazing connections people make over shared passions and journeys,” said Systrom. “We can’t wait to see what [the community] does next.”
