Fhotoroom Better Option Than Instagram for Windows Phone Users

Windows Phones are designed to offer great photography, as the camera settings are amazing. It is even better than what the iPhone has to offer. A user has a choice to pick lenses while shooting and other such camera apps including white balance and ISO for enhancing shooting experience. However, if you are told that as a Windows Phone user you have a better option than Instagram for better pictures and numerous filter effects then you might be surprised. There is an app called Fhotoroom that is appropriate for you if you are using a Windows Phone. Let us find out details about this app and understand how it is better than other existing photo apps.

How to begin?

Initial phase of installation of Fhotoroom requires permissions that will allow to locate your phone, tap 'yes' to proceed further. The app would require 9 MB of storage space to sit on your Smartphone. Now next thing that you require is an account with the app before installation. You can use your Facebook ID for creating account or register from scratch including your picture.

User Interface (UI)

The welcome screen consists of handles that are similar to Twitter. When you tap any of these you will be directed to the page of a user where you will find Instagram-like collection of pictures. You will also have the option of following a user who is already there on Fhotoroom. One more interesting thing to look at is the ability to switch between three options including Interesting, Popular, and Recent when you start following people. The camera button is placed at the bottom of the app available for shooting.

Capturing

The hassle-free part of using this app is the blue shutter button that helps you capture picture. As soon as you tap the button located at the bottom of the screen, picture will be captured. If you want to access options then tap the gear icon that will reveal Point EV that helps in setting exposure, overlay, timer, Scenic view, Macro and Portrait settings. The front and back buttons will help in choosing different angles for shooting; similarly, flash settings too will enhance your pictures. Fhotoroom offers you Lens app by the name of Fhotolens which is available for $1.49. This gives you the option of shooting with Fisheye and gives you the HDR mode. Just hold the camera firmly to make it work perfectly, as any amount of shaking will ruin the effect.

Editing

Fhotoroom gives you options like Frames, Styles and Editing for enhancing your pictures. Other tools include contrast, brightness, vibrancy sliders, sharpening and clarity. You can choose to make changes by setting b/w points, which helps in creating color balance within a picture containing bright and dark areas.

Basic options like tilt shift, bokeh effects, double exposure and light leak effects are provided. Using the feature of tilt shift, you can adjust any area where you are focusing. You can even utilize it for specific focus area. A circle, an oval or a rectangular focus can be chosen to highlight a specific area in a picture.

Other things include Styles in Filter effects that help in creating distinct look for your picture. You will get 26 filters to choose from as compared to Instagram that only gives you 19 filters. You are given the option of monochrome to cold look including Classic Pro look. You can easily adjust the strength through the slider functionality. For frames you have a huge variety of 24 frames to choose from that include, glass backgrounds, white borders, film sprockets, and much more.

Sharing Options

Sharing options given in Fhotoroom are simple including Skydrive, Facebook and Flickr. You can comment, heart like and follow users. This does sounds similar to what Instagram is offering, however the unique part is that you will be able to have an HD zoom by tapping on a picture. There is a huge user community of this app already; when you join, you will be easily able to find many familiar faces there.

This app is available for free, so, it seems worth it. However, you will need to register to get this app and permit for sharing your phone location to install it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8496245

How Is Instagram Important To SEO?

If you are too busy with your enterprise that you care less about Twitter and Facebook, how much more should you be engaged with Instagram? You believe it is only a complete waste of time-but you are awfully wrong. Social media can significantly play a role to your Internet marketing efforts. According to the 2012 Social Media Marketing Industry Report of Michael A. Stelzner, 85% of marketers revealed that social media marketing has helped them grow their business exposure while 69% disclosed that it advanced their traffic. So, do you still have to make inquiries on how is Instagram important to SEO?

Instagram Has its Share of the Market

Forbes released the report of Instagram that it has 90 million of active users every month. Forty millions of images are posted every day. These beautiful photos receive 1,000 comments and 8,500 likes each second.

The Marketing Value of Photo Sharing

Instagram started out as people's way to share their lives via various images. However, businesses, including those that offer Search Engine Optimization (SEO) solutions, were quick to distinguish its importance to making brand awareness and linking with consumers. By posting attention-grabbing photos to their accounts regularly, they educate people about their existing and brand new products, as well as their upcoming and present promos. Occasionally, enterprises also share photos about their firm events and social activities, which in turn play a role in developing the company's representation. Riding on the public attention towards Instagram, some organizations even hold photo contests to enhance consumer participation and improve consumer base.

Instagram and Your Search Engine Ranking

But more than these, Instagram offers business owners like you a further value to search engines like Google. By making an Instagram profile that links to other social media accounts and company websites, you are consequently sending a concept to search engines that you give increased value to social media. In addition, you provide them to affiliate the profile with your company site through links (or hashtags).

Developing Your Online Presence through Instagram

How is Instagram important to SEO? This photo sharing site enables you to build your online presence through these techniques:

1. Distribute photos of your goods and company events on a regular basis.

It is vital that you publish images regularly (no matter if these are about your goods or company functions) to build organization and brand awareness, as well as to boost their interest and stimulate purchase. During this process, you are also improving the likelihood of your site to position higher in search engine results.

2. Employ hashtags to increase your followers.

Hashtags create more exposure for your brand. They likewise make it simpler for people to locate your products. Most significant, hashtags can help you increase the quantity of your followers.

3. Link up Instagram to your Facebook page.

All the photos that you will share to Instagram ought to be seen to your Facebook page via the share settings. This is like striking two birds in one stone. You get the attention of your followers and friends through the images.

Instagram might not be as huge as Facebook-at least not just yet but it will soon be. Businesses are beginning to see this opportunity as they are now including this photo sharing site in their search engine marketing campaigns. They will no more ask "How is Instagram important to SEO?" How about you?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7516593

High-Velocity Business Growth: Instagram

I love it when a company consciously learns from real world users, then takes off like a rocket ship. That's exactly what's happening to Instagram, a hot photo-sharing startup.

It only took three months for the mobile application vendor to capture one million users, and a month later they had two million users. In case you're wondering, that's a faster ramp than Facebook or Twitter - and it pushed Instagram to become application of the week for Apple's store. It's no wonder that Instagram received a healthy influx of $7M recently from venture capital firm Benchmark Partners.

But it wasn't always like this. Instagram started as a mobile location and sharing application called Burbn. Burbn received a lot of attention because it was an application in the location space, just as the space was taking off. Burbn also garnered a lot of tech attention because it was written in HTML-5. The initial 'stealth' product had a number of reviewers and testers. But even the CEO of Instagram would tell you it was no big success. It had too many features, didn't have a clear marketing position and frankly was trying to be too many things to too many people. Now that's a mistake too many businesses make - trying to shoot at 360 degrees instead of focusing on a niche where they can win.

Instagram says that was part of the plan. According to them, the plan was to 1) release a product that had many features, 2) monitor how people used it and what features they were most attracted to, then 3) realign the application and strengthen its distinctness, in the areas where buyers were most interested.

That's exactly what happened. Burbn strategists immediately recognized that the photo sharing application, combined with location, was what was "hot" about Burbn. And Instagram was born.

Today, the application only runs on iPhones. Yep, that means that two million iPhones are using the application in its first four months of availability. Instagram is expected to deliver an application for Google Android-based phones soon. In February, the company announced an API that enables developers to link to their photo platform for all kinds of interesting applications. Instagram is preparing to launch a new website that will feature the power of Instagram location-tagged photos combined with a sample application it developed.

This little company is set to be a rocketship. All because Burbn strategists listened to their audiences, focused on the value that their buyers wanted and followed their best markets to success.

That's a perfect example of Zero Gravity thinking, for all of us...

Rebel Brown consistently challenges the status quo whether it be in her personal life, or to deliver optimum solutions and high velocity growth for her clients and readers. She combines the lessons learned from over 20 years as a global Corporate Strategy, Launch and Turnaround Expert, along with the strategic expertise, tactical savvy, leadership and motivational skills needed to get the job done.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6073077

Custom Video In Instagram Tutorial

Don't Do These 5 Things on Instagram

The world has gone visual, and Instagram is leading the way with 150 million users.

Yes, this is less than Facebook. But if the two were on a homecoming court, Instagram would take the crown. Why? Because the users are more engaged-meaning more activity for your brand, and more popularity votes!

If that doesn't convince you, here are some other social media marketing stats.. Get ready for the wow factor!

40 million pictures are uploaded daily.
1000 comments are made every second.
16 billion photos have been shared overall.

So what does this mean for your business? You have a major opportunity to tell your brand's story, create relevant marketing, and interact with your customers in a way they will appreciate! (Side note: Customers crave meaningful interaction!)

Before that awesomeness can be created, let's talk about what you shouldn't be doing on Instagram. I asked my fellow teammates for their feedback on the "don'ts" of Instagram, and here is what we determined:

Instagram mistakes survey results graph

1. Hashtags
- Keep them simple and relevant. Typically this involves only one or two words.These allow other users to easily find your photos. If you upload a picture of an ice cream cone, you may want to hashtag #icecream instead of #icecreamyouscreamweallscreamforicecream!

2. Over-Posting
- We know you are super excited about whatever you are capturing. But more than a couple photos uploaded at once-relating to the same thing-goes against Instagram etiquette. Get one or two photos you are proud of and leave the rest for Facebook!

3. Selfies
- I am all for feeling great about yourself and showing the world your best smile, but sometimes a selfie is just unnecessary. Let's say you and your colleagues are attending a conference. Your followers would probably appreciate seeing a group shot of you standing in front of a banner or sitting at a table-rather than just your smiling face in a mirror!

4. Asking for Follows
- This may gain you more followers but not the quality kind. Plus it comes across as desperate. Your best bet is to have your employees follow your profile and followers will come organically through your network.

5. Last But Not Least: Food Photos
- Surely your company has more interesting things to post than just your lunch every day. Unless you are a chef or restaurant owner displaying your piece of work, I would abstain from food pics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8165607

Instagram Marketing: Building Brand Awareness and Followers

With the integration and growing importance of social signals to Google algorithm, more and more are encouraged to use social media platforms to skyrocket their advertising efforts. One of the venues that has been gaining considerable attention from SEO specialists and internet marketers is Instagram. But like any other business strategy, you can't just jump into the bandwagon and see results. Know the right way to do Instagram marketing, then build brand awareness and gain more followers.

Instagram has taken the lead in making the web more visual, creating avid photographers from average users and brand specialists from businesses who have seen the potential of such platform. Photo-sharing has proven to be a great way to attract a good following, increase customer relations, and inspire active participation and discussion from users. To enjoy all these promising benefits, what does it take to make your marketing campaign a success?

1. Set up and manage your account professionally. If you are not outsourcing social media optimization, you have to take the time to set up and manage an account... professionally. Think of how you would want people to remember and see your business. One good Instagram marketing strategy to look into is that of Burberry's-a British luxury fashion brand. Among the photos that they share are taken during their events, behind the scene. By doing so, they make the followers enjoy the "experience" through insider photos of glitz and glamour. This involvement ignites interest and sharing.

2. Set up schedules. No internet user would want to follow an account that uploads 30 photos at a time, each day. Though flooding your feed with everything you have in your camera can be tempting thought to make the brand stick, this move can only lead to annoyed followers who'll decide to unfollow your account and even marking your posts as spam. Just focus on quality and creativity, and your one single photo would be able to bring your message across more efficiently than the longest article you can write.

3. Upload Actual Photos. The success of your Instagram marketing campaign lies heavily on the creativity of your photos. Never populate your feed with photos of texts telling of news, events, or promotions. Share real, creative photos and if you have to include some text then that is what the caption is for. And if you are having a hard time figuring out what to post next, here are several ideas for content strategy:

· Images of your products in various sets or backdrops.

· Images of people, famous or average, using your products- can be the usual, candid, funny, or unconventional.

4. Hashtags. In social media optimization, hashtags mainly help categorize posts. These can also be used to create communities within the photo-sharing platform that holds the same interests. Another way to maximize the use of hashtags is through staging contests with prizes at stake.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7503442

Handy Tips on Strategic Instagram Marketing

As a business owner always on the lookout for new ways to market your products and services, you'd want to consider Instagram for your social media marketing plan. As one of the world's fastest growing social networks, Instagram has over 100 million active users worldwide, generating 40 million images per day. If these figures don't impress you, we don't know what else would! Needless to say, this image-based social network provides countless of possibilities for brand marketing. Use this site to engage and influence existing and potential customers. Below, you'll find some tips on how to market with Instagram.

· Post authentic content. This is a no-brainer tip that many still fail to follow. Content should always be real, about real people and things. Imaginary and made-up stuff have no room in any social media site. These would discredit you and negatively affect your business image.

· Share high quality content. What defines high quality? Posts that are not only attractive but also interesting, informative, and engaging can be described as such. Also, you'd want to post something that would be of great help to your audience. Post a step-by-step photo on how to refurbish an old piece of wooden furniture if your business is a home improvement shop.

· Be consistent. The problem with some business owners is that they don't have the time to post as often as necessary. Or some are just too lazy to do that. Whatever is the reason behind your inconsistency, you should do something about it. Maximize Instagram's marketing prowess by being consistent with the frequency of your posts. If business keeps you away from the computer during most of the day, consider hiring a social media specialist to do these things for you.

· Use relevant hashtags. Hashtags help make your posts more visible to your audience. Be sure to use a lot of it, but choose those that are highly relevant to your business, and are suitable to the context of your posts.

· Build relationships. As with other social networks, Instagram is also a great place for connecting with other people, particularly potential customers. Seek to cultivate relationships with them. Converse with other users and thank them for sharing images related to your brand.

· Give the right response to negative feedback. Not all images associated with your brand are positive. Some would be sharing negative images. Don't seek out a war against these users. Instead, take time to reach out to them and find out what's causing the hostility. Address their concern and issues, and thank them for helping you build a better brand. Your professionalism would surely go a long way beyond being admired.

Surely, there are lots of wonderful opportunities for marketing on Instagram. Just make sure that you're on the right track so you can maximize its potential fully. Have fun!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7874477

Use Instagram to Boost Your Marketing Plan and Score Big

Instagram has grown to own 90 million Monthly Active Users, with over 40 million photos per day. Users love Facebook's free photo sharing tool (and who doesn't want to see all of those cute baby pictures and weird dog tricks?) How can you take this seemingly simple to use app and turn it into a key component of your business's marketing plan? It may be easier than you think.

Why Bother?

You say you've had enough of the social media scene and do not feel like learning yet another new application? Don't overlook the power of Instagram for your campaign. It is a perfect solution for on-the-go business owners who want to spruce up their marketing as they move through the day. It is an excellent tool for all of the free resources it can offer in real time.

How Can You Use It?

Look at a few tips on how businesses are using Instagram to really drive home sales and boost their brand awareness. You may find that you've put off using this tool for too long.

1. It's perfect for product or service promotion. Use real pictures of your products, right there on your store shelves, to get people talking. You don't have to worry about tracking down a stock photo. Customers love real pictures. Get a close up of the finished petals on your cake as a baker and they will flock to your business.

2. Get real and show customers what you are all about.Another way to use Instagram as a marketing tool is all about the behind-the-scenes. People want to know who you are and what you are really doing. They want to see a real person. Social media through this method can work very well. Simply take some photos of the people working in your office. Show them where the magic happens behind the bar at the club. Get them interested in how you are prepping their dish with up close photos.

3. Let your customers do the work for you.Because so many are using this free photo sharing tool, you can encourage them to show how they are using your products and services. For example, perhaps you are a coffee shop with a chic following. Host a contest for the best photos your patrons can produce with them enjoying a cup perhaps with your logo.

Build brand awareness. Get people talking about who you are as an organization. Create a must-share photo without having to go through the trouble of having your marketing team make it up for you. Your organization may even become instafamous.

Instagram is a powerful tool but it's also super simple to use. Since it is already on your smartphone, make it work for you. It can be an ideal way to market your business without actually having to do a lot of work.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7515846

SEO Tips For Using Instagram

Search engine optimization is simply a process of making your blog more visible to search engines for particular targeted keywords or phrases. In other words, SEO is just a popularity contest among websites. The question is always which website is the most popular and relevant for specific keywords or phrases, according to a particular search engine? If the question is placed in this way and not in terms of SEO strategies and techniques, you will realize that SEO goes beyond quality content and link building.

It is not surprising that with the growth in social media networks, many people are utilizing these social media websites to reinforce their SEO efforts. The good news is that you do not need SEO training to make use of these social media websites because it takes very little to get the hang of these sites. Although some big companies hire an SEO company to manage their social media pages, there is no reason why you cannot do it to increase the popularity of your own website.

One particular social media site that has grown in popularity since it made its debut in 2010 is Instagram, a photo sharing social media website. Instagram started out as a mobile application for Apple users but then support was added in 2012 so that Android users can use it as well. Although the effect of Instagram on actual search engine rankings is debatable, it is a great tool for promoting your website, products, services, and basically, increasing your website's popularity and generating organic traffic. Below are some tips to help you use Instagram in promoting your website.

• Create a focused theme. If your Instagram account is for your website or business then make it evident from the get-go. Make sure that another Instagram user visiting your profile page will have no doubt in his or her mind what your account is all about. This means limiting your non-website related posts.

• Describe your images. Since Instagram is a photo sharing service, the only way to put content is to accurately describe your images or photos. Never post a picture that has no description. Even a single-word description is much better than none.

• Make proper use of hash tags. Hash tags are popularly used to associate your image to a particular topic or subject. You can think of these hash tags as keywords in the usual way you would promote your website.

• Engage with other users. Go beyond just posting images. Connect with other users by commenting on images of others and by responding to comments on your images.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7816757

Don't Do These 5 Things on Instagram

The world has gone visual, and Instagram is leading the way with 150 million users.

Yes, this is less than Facebook. But if the two were on a homecoming court, Instagram would take the crown. Why? Because the users are more engaged-meaning more activity for your brand, and more popularity votes!

If that doesn't convince you, here are some other social media marketing stats.. Get ready for the wow factor!

40 million pictures are uploaded daily.

1000 comments are made every second.

16 billion photos have been shared overall.

So what does this mean for your business? You have a major opportunity to tell your brand's story, create relevant marketing, and interact with your customers in a way they will appreciate! (Side note: Customers crave meaningful interaction!)

Before that awesomeness can be created, let's talk about what you shouldn't be doing on Instagram. I asked my fellow teammates for their feedback on the "don'ts" of Instagram, and here is what we determined:

Instagram mistakes survey results graph

1. Hashtags

- Keep them simple and relevant. Typically this involves only one or two words.These allow other users to easily find your photos. If you upload a picture of an ice cream cone, you may want to hashtag #icecream instead of #icecreamyouscreamweallscreamforicecream!

2. Over-Posting

- We know you are super excited about whatever you are capturing. But more than a couple photos uploaded at once-relating to the same thing-goes against Instagram etiquette. Get one or two photos you are proud of and leave the rest for Facebook!

3. Selfies

- I am all for feeling great about yourself and showing the world your best smile, but sometimes a selfie is just unnecessary. Let's say you and your colleagues are attending a conference. Your followers would probably appreciate seeing a group shot of you standing in front of a banner or sitting at a table-rather than just your smiling face in a mirror!

4. Asking for Follows

- This may gain you more followers but not the quality kind. Plus it comes across as desperate. Your best bet is to have your employees follow your profile and followers will come organically through your network.

5. Last But Not Least: Food Photos

- Surely your company has more interesting things to post than just your lunch every day. Unless you are a chef or restaurant owner displaying your piece of work, I would abstain from food pics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8165607

Instagram Marketing Tutorial For Business | How to Use Instagram For Marketing

How Instagram Can Help Promote Your Businesses Marketing Strategy

When forming your social media strategy for your business, Instagram is an excellent mobile marketing app that can effectively carry over your companies marketing strategy. While Instagram is not the only tool that has been proven effective for businesses, it is hard to ignore as it is currently valued at One Billion dollars and 80 million+ users. There are many ways that Instagram can be a huge benefit when promoting your businesses: marketing strategy, philosophy, and brand image. Here are a few key tips to keeping your Instagram account consistent with your marketing strategy

Create your own unique hashtag

Creating your own unique hashtag is a simple way to build a loyal following on your businesses Instagram. Once you establish a name for your hashtag, make sure that you are promoting it to your audience by posting it across all social networks and as a caption on every Instagram post. Instagram also makes it very convenient to monitor which followers are actively using your businesses hashtag. I recommend engaging with the users who post your hashtag by either thanking them personally or re-posting their photo, and tagging them. By recognizing the users who are actively using your hashtag, new users will be encouraged to post as well.

Geo-Tagging Your Photos

Geo-Tagging your photos on Instagram, will allow your business to involve your community on a completely different level. By Geo-tagging photos, your followers will be able to view the location(s) of your business if you happen to be a: retail store, restaurant, or office location. Geo-tagging is another great way to build your businesses following. If you and a co-worker go out to lunch at Chipotle, you can geo-tag your photo at the location you are dining at. By doing so, Instagram users who also geo-tag this same location will be able to see your photo, which will hopefully encourage them to follow your businesses account.

Encourage Employee Posts

Some of your most loyal promoters should be your employees. Encourage your employees to be actively involved in posting photos on your businesses account a few times a week. By having your employees on board, users who are following your account will appreciate the ability to get to know more about your company's employees. As long as you set clear guidelines of what is appropriate to post, you should gain a following rather quickly due to the variety of different types of posts your account will consist of.

Connect your Social Media Accounts

Be sure to sync all of your businesses other social media accounts to your Instagram every time you post a photo. Having all of your social media accounts connected, your audience has a high potential to expand, because not all of your fans and followers will follow your other accounts such as: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr. Syncing up all your other social media accounts not only allows for additional content but an opportunity for more frequent posts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7277004

5 Ways Instagram Helps Market Your Business

With its recent launch on Android last year, Instagram has seen a steadily growing popularity as a social network. It is an easy way for fans to engage with their favorite celebrities and brands in addition to their own friends and followers. Data from Instagram's press page shows that there are 1,000 comments and 8,500 likes every second and its 100 million monthly users are posting 40 million new pictures every day.

As a business, including Instagram among your social networking cache can be a huge boost in forming bonds between your brand and your fans. You can use it as a platform to introduce new products and promote your existing ones to your target audience.

There are several ways that you can use Instagram to help market your business in order to grow loyalty from fans and gain more exposure for your brand:

Photo Contests

If you want to see a quick spike in followers on Instagram, holding a contest is the way to do it. The key, though, to keeping those followers is to encourage engagement. You can offer a prize of one of your own products and ask followers to post a photo of their own marked with a unique hash tag or company name.

Create a contest and offer prizes that make sense for your business. You want to promote your own products and not someone else's. So, while you could definitely see a huge increase by offering an iPad as a prize, you will only be earning short-term followers.

If you are a custom jewelry designer, offer one of your pieces as the prize. For the contest, you can ask followers to post a picture of them wearing their favorite accessory. Remember, the goal is to build a strong fan base, not to just give away expensive gifts.

Photo-a-Day Engagement

Something that has grown in popularity with Instagram is the "Photo-a-Day" Challenge. Many bloggers and businesses will create new lists and post them at the start of the month, encouraging followers to create new photos every day. You can easily find samples of these photos a day lists online to get some inspiration. You can also tie a contest in with these challenges to gain even more exposure for your brand.

Unique Hashtags

Twitter has long-used the hashtag to make it easy for users to find tweets that refer to a specific topic. Instagram uses hashtags in much the same way. They make it easy for users to enter contests and for businesses to locate those entries. Find hash tags that fit with your business and any contests. You can find a list of the most current popular hashtags with sites like Top-hashtags.com.

Cross Promote

When you set up your Instagram account, it is a good idea to link up your other social networks to it as well. For instance, linking to your Facebook account and Twitter will allow your photos to be posted to those accounts automatically. This means increased exposure and higher user engagement.

Personalization

Instagram gives businesses a simple way to personalize their brand. It gives users an inside look at their favorite brands and celebrities. In addition to photos of your products, use this platform as a way to give your followers an inside look into how you operate. If your small business is in your home office, share pictures that shows your workspace, your cat included. If you are a larger business with a brick-and-mortar location, shoot a few pictures of your employees at work. Give your followers an inside perspective of how your business runs and you will create more of a bond.

Has your business been using Instagram to grow a strong following? What are some of the ways that you use the social network?

Dawn Pigoni of Be Social Worldwide is a certified social marketing specialist and a social media virtual assistant. Dawn offers superb social networking, social marketing and social bookmarking to WAHMs, Small Business Owners, Internet Marketers, Affiliate Marketers, and Coaches who desire to bring stunning internet presence through social networking to their businesses. Get Dawn's free report, Social Networking today & see how she can assist you with being Social Worldwide!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7762902

How To Make Your Instagram Photo Look Great

In this digital age, everyone is a professional photographer or at least things that they are or should be. If you're one of those creative individuals who loves using his Smartphone to take pictures, then you might fit into this category.

There's nothing wrong with a love of taking photographs. There's also nothing wrong with amateur photography minus the expensive camera equipment and filters. But if you really want to make your Instagram photos pop, do your viewers a favor, and put a little bit of effort into making them look really good.

Not only will the 100 pictures of your new puppy look so much better, but you'll also impress your contacts leaving them wondering how you pulled it off.

There's an app called VSCO Cam that user's say make your pictures look like they were taken with an old school, high-end film camera. It's become a viral hit to the point that on Instagram, there are more than 22 million hash tags related to the app.

The app requires some getting used to, say users, but once you get the hang of it, it becomes one of the easiest ways you can make your Instagram photos look great. The app is ideal for making pictures look better after they've been taken, but it can also be used to take better pictures.

Thanks to a number of different flash modes, VSCO Cam performs near miracles with lighting. There's a flash mode for almost every need. Remember those times where you look a sickly yellow because a picture was taken in low light? Well, this app has a special white balance locking system to prevent that unfortunate and unflattering yellow cast.

Other features of the app include a level to make sure your picture isn't crooked. Focus and exposure points can be controlled simply by tapping two fingers on your Smartphone screen.

A series of photo effects offer subtle ways to touch up your photos like highlighting natural colors and fading the edges of a photo with a vignette effect.

The app also has some preset filters that users are raving about, claiming that they're much more tasteful and toned down than Instagram's. Intensity of these filters is also easy to adjust. All you have to do is move the slider. Not sure if you like the filter? Simple tap and hold on the image and you'll get to see the original again.

VSCO cam is free. It includes 10 preset filters. For $6 more, you can get 38 more filters.

Another way to make your Instagram photo look great is another app called Litely. It doesn't have as many editing features, but it does have a number of filters that can make your picture stand out. The app is free, comes with 10 filters, and costs $1.99 for more in packs of 12.

If you want your printed Instagram photos and the ones that you keep digital to look the best they possibly can, leave the Instagram editing features behind and take advantage of these free apps.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8551382

How To Upload Video in INSTAGRAM Tutorial

Burbn to Instagram: A Right Name Change Can Earn You $1 Billion

It only took a year and a half for a mobile app to get millions of people's attention; and one of them was a very focal fan named Mark Zuckerberg. The famous mobile app's name is Instagram, which was founded by two 20-something-year-old graduates from Stanford University, Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger.

This illustrious app made a lot of noise early in April 2012 when the company's value was doubled and bought by an equally famed company, Facebook. The price tag on instagram was worth $1 Billion.

It was Systrom who initially came up with the inkling for the app and similarly holds a 45 percent picket in the corporation. Today, one question has been playing with the minds of many people: How did this one much-like-the-other-mobile-apps stand out from among the rest, and how did it capture the approval of many users that quick?

Instagram's original name was Burbn (the company's present start-up). They wanted to create a catchier name that somehow played with the thought of "right here right now" infused with the idea of recording the events and happenings of one's life, therefore the suffix "gram".

The new name instagram indeed caught many people's attention as it sounded so unique; additionally, it was memorable enough to make people remember it and share the experience of it with friends.

This huge deal between Instagram and Facebook was likened by many to Google's $1.6 Billion procurement of YouTube; which made Google a frontrunner in Internet video and permitted it to enlarge its publicity to new presentations and set-ups.

Many analysts were impressed by Instagram's quick rise to fame and fortune; they even see it as a gauge of how swiftly entrepreneurs can get things completed. With a prodigious company that is equipped with great teams, products and good company name, plus a extraordinary performance and implementation, achievement is within an arm's reach even in remarkable amounts of time

Changing your company name could be a bold step to take; Instagram knew that for sure, but they took that step anyway and look where they are now? Way far ahead than other companies who have been on the run to get to the spotlight. And now that Instagram is on the spotlight, people will surely criticize and question every change, flaw and decision they will undertake, and that is only one of the challenges they are about to undertake and part and parcel of the price fame has to pay.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7011392

Using Instagram for Internet Marketing

Hi there now it seems every day that goes bye there's something else in the internet marketing field you should be using, marketing through etc and you'd certainly be forgiven for thinking "what next - I haven't got the hours in the day". To a degree you'd also be right because it's very difficult weighing up where to productively spend your available time. But today all Sam & I want to do is flag yes yet another marketing opportunity that is still fairly new but growing rapidly - and if nothing else you should be aware of it, so here goes..

Yes, that's right - Instagram is another social media thingy to add to all the others. It'll take some time out of your busy schedule but if you use it right, it's well worth it.

Instagram has lots of users and the number is only growing. It's a photo sharing app that can be used across platforms. It enables even somebody who doesn't know which end of the camera to aim to take amazing looking pictures. Who wouldn't love it?

The question is - How can we use it for marketing purposes? Lots of marketers didn't know or care about it until Facebook bought it for a cool billion. Then, folks sat up and took notice.

To be honest, Instagram isn't going to be the cornerstone of your marketing. But if you can incorporate images into your marketing in any way, shape or form, Instagram is a great help.

Instant Image Sharing

With Instagram, you can take pictures with your smartphone and share these pics instantly on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and Foursquare. The app lets you post on multiple platforms at once, which saves you considerable time if you use images in your social media marketing.

Images are great for branding on social media sites. They won't get you sales, but they'll get you shares, comments, and lots of exposure.

Your photos will also show up on search engines if you post them there. Optimize the photos you take, putting keywords in their hashtags, names, and descriptions.

Get Your Comments Going

Instagram can be a great tool for engaging your audience. You can use it to get comments. Snap a picture of something new you're using or your business is offering and ask what they think.

Most folks use Instagram to do exactly this. The only difference is that they're not businesses; they're just sharing cool stuff with friends. Take this approach and you'll get the same results.

Creative Photo Contests

An even better way to get your customers or fans involved is to have contests. Choose a theme and have them send in their shots and post them on your social media site. Give the winner (the person with the most likes, etc.) a good reward.

Another cool contest idea is to have them name a new product. Show them what it is and they send in their ideas. The great thing about this is that you're also showing off a new product and this will means sales.

Visual Appeal

There's a lot that you can do with Instagram, but the only tricky part is deciding how to incorporate images into your marketing plan. For some niches this isn't so easy to do.

Just get creative. Find out what kind of images your audience likes to see. They don't have to be directly related to your business or what you offer.

Instagram is still uncharted territory for marketers. You won't find lots of products or articles on how to use it. But it is getting huge and you've got to add it to your arsenal. I recommend getting it and playing with it to get ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7126572

How to Use Instagram to Market Your Business

Photo sharing has been given a major social upgrade thanks to introduction of Instagram. The Instagram platform has become hugely popular with more than 80 million users, who enjoy altering their photos with special effects and cool filters before sharing them with friends and followers.

Businesses can start using this new type social media as a way to market their company and build up a following. People love strong visual images, so posting pictures of products and even employees will make them feel closer to you. This type of marketing is what helps forge brand loyalty.

So how can your business use Instagram for marketing? Here are some examples:

Geotagging

In Instagram's latest update, users now have the option to tag a specific location with their images, which are saved to a personal photo map. These can be shared with your followers.

This is great if you have a physical location or even if you travel around the city, state or country. If you have booths at local craft fairs or other vendor events, then you can snap a photo and tag your location to let your followers know where you can be found.

Inside Look

The whole idea behind social media is sharing. Your fans and followers are giving you a chance to reach them on a more personal level so make sure you are giving them the same. Take pictures of the staff in the office. Snap shots of upcoming products to give them a sneak peak. If you're on the road, take some pictures along the way. Give followers a real sense of how things are behind the scenes to help them feel like a part of the brand.

Use Hashtags

If you use Twitter, you know how effective hashtags can be at sharing. You can use the same on your Instagram photos. Use hash tags that relate to your business or industry to make it easy for people to find you. For instance, if you make jewelry, you can use hashtags like #rings, #customjewlery, or #necklaces. Look up popular hashtags that are being used by similar brands and add them to your images.

Encourage User Images

People who are already using your products should be encouraged to snap a photo of themselves using it and tag it with one of your hash tags. This will show people how to use your products and show how many people are happy with your company.

Hold Contests

People love a chance to win prizes and using Instagram to hold a photo contest is an exciting way to give them what they want. You can ask fans to send in a picture of them using your product and then choose a winner from among them. You could also go a different route by asking them to send in a picture that demonstrates something more abstract, like what represents summer to them.

There are any number of ways to get creative and get more followers by holding a contest using Instagram. Your followers will share with their friends who will also want to join in the fun.

Market Your Events

If you are going to be at a trade show or convention, take pictures and tag your location to let your followers know what is going on for your business. If you are holding a big sale, snap a shot of your sales flyer for your followers to see. This is also a good way to make your followers feel more special because you can offer them a VIP discount that only Instagram users can get. Get creative with them!

Instagram was acquired by Facebook for about $1 billion. That is a sure sign that this is an important part of social media. When you implement it in your marketing strategy, it is one more important tool to have.

People love getting involved and sharing with the businesses they love. Take part in this era of sharing and you can broaden your reach and strengthen your branding with a few snaps of the camera.

Are you signed up with Instagram yet? What are you doing to market your business with the latest social app?

Dawn Pigoni of Be Social Worldwide is a certified social marketing specialist and a social media virtual assistant. Dawn offers superb social networking, social marketing and social bookmarking to WAHMs, Small Business Owners, Internet Marketers, Affiliate Marketers, and Coaches who desire to bring stunning internet presence through social networking to their businesses. Get Dawn's free report, Social Networking today & see how she can assist you with being Social Worldwide!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7270933

How To Use Instagram On Your Computer

Must-Use Instagram Tools

Instagram has become a very popular photo sharing platform today with more than 150 million users and 16 million images shared. It has not only attracted individual users but as well as business organizations, business owners and has in fact made marketers rethink their strategies.

According to Google Trends, the volume of searchers for Instagram has grown tremendously and this trend is expected to continue this year.

Sharing photos on Instagram may be enough for some of you but there are tools you can still use to attract more people to your brand and convert them to clients or customers.

Statigr.am

This web-based management tool offers many functionalities that enable users to better interact with various content on the Instagram platform.

It has a Viewer that lets you see your feed and the people connected to you, add or remove new followers or do other actions on images/videos such as liking, sharing, commenting or reposting them.

The Statistics section lets you view stats on the most popular content, how engaging your content is and the number of your followers.

The Promote functionality allows Instagram users to promote their account even to people who are non-users of the platform. It lets non-Instagram users view and comment on photos on Facebook. Additionally, it allows the installation of an app on Facebook from Statig.ram to display photos on a separate tab or create a photo gallery that can be included in a blog or website.

The Manage feature, meanwhile, lets users interact with the most recent comments on various posts on the platform.

Repost

Repost is a mobile application ideal for Android and iOS devices. It lets users repost content from their community as well as like and comment on photos.

The advantage of this tool is it gives the full attribution to the person who posted the image. In fact, this part can be customized such as where to put the attribution and whether to darken or lighten the background for such attribution.

Postso

If you think that scheduling posts is only possible on Facebook or via a third party app, you can actually do so on Instagram through the Postso tool.

Most Instagram users have the habit of posting their newly taken photos on the platform right away. But you can always share your other photos at a later time and you can do this through Postso.

To use it, simply connect your Instagram account with Postso after logging in. You can even connect it to your Twitter and Facebook account.

After uploading and providing captions to your images and adding a location if you want, you can then specify a time you want certain photos to display on your Instagram account. The time is in 30-minute intervals.

Iconosquare

This is a very popular web interface for Instagram with several useful features. It showcases an individual photo viewer that lets you like, comment and share photos on different social networking sites.

Iconosquare also has a statistics tab that displays a user's activity and information on each activity in the last seven days. In addition, it provides a monthly stats on the number of photos posted, the engagement on those images and density of when you post together with tag, filter and geolocation usage.

The other features of this tool are the engagement section, optimization section and community analytics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8874542

Five Ways Brands Are Using Instagram to Increase Engagement

By now, you no doubt will have heard of the popular photo tool Instagram. This is an app available for smartphones that allows users to add visual effects to their pictures before sharing them through social media. Recently, Instagram has also emerged as a useful business engagement tool. It has excellent digital PR potential, so here are five ways brands can use the app to increase engagement.

Photo competitions

One great option for brands using Instagram is to hold photo competitions and encourage users to enter. The app is very easy to use and plenty of people have access to it, so there's every chance you'll get a good response - especially if there is an attractive prize on offer for the winner. This sort of competition can also lead to greater exposure, particularly if entrants share their photos on their own social media pages.

Brand marketing

Companies can also use Instagram pictures for their brand marketing. For example, as well as engaging a SEO agency to make sure a brand can be found in search engine results, a company could add extra appeal to their marketing with eye-catching Instagram pictures of products. These can be integrated into a social media strategy in order to encourage engagement.

Event promotion

Another way to encourage engagement using Instagram is to harness people power around upcoming events. By tying in with pre-defined and branded hashtags companies can invite users to upload their own photos of the event along with the relevant hashtag thereby igniting conversation amongst your target audiences.

User photos

At the start of 2012, Instagram had 15 million users. Now it has 50 million. This rapid growth, plus the fact that many people love to share photos through social media, means that you can easily find social media users who also use Instagram. Sharing cool user photos on Facebook and Twitter can be a good way for brands to engage with new people and let them know that they're appreciated. For instance, as well as running the more traditional photo competitions discussed above, you could get people to send in their favourite pictures on the understanding that you'll share the best - giving your users publicity as well as helping to promote your brand.

Behind-the-scenes info

Finally, some brands are also using Instagram to share behind-the-scenes pictures of their offices to give people more insight into what they do and help spread a more human image of their brand.

A growing number of social media agencies are using Instagram to promote their brand, and so it's definitely worth checking it out to see what the app could do for your company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7146614