Too Short for a Blog Post, Too Long for a Tweet 283

 

Here are a few excerpts from a book I recently read, "No Filter: The Inside Story of Instagram," by Sarah Frier.

If Facebook was about friendships, and Twitter was about opinions, Instagram was about experiences—and anyone could be interested in anyone else’s visual experiences, anywhere in the world. 

Facebook was like a constant high school reunion, with everyone catching up their acquaintances on the life milestones that had happened since they’d last talked. Instagram was like a constant first date, with everyone putting the best version of their lives on display. 

On Instagram, people wanted to post things that would attract the adoration of an audience. If an image was beautiful, well designed, or inspirational, it would do well on the app. So people changed their behavior, seeking out more things that would do well, appreciating well-plated meals, street-style fashion, and travel. Phrases like “outfit of the day” and “food porn” and “Instagrammable” entered the vernacular as the company grew. Nobody said “Facebookable.” Instagram had a higher bar.

Around the world, Instagram’s biggest fans—the people who have become famous and rich through the app—have spoken out about how difficult it is to keep up appearances. Instagram has been privately advising its stars to stop trying so hard to be perfect, and start posting more raw and vulnerable content. They explain that perfection is no longer novel. Vulnerability now gets better engagement, because it’s more relatable.