[ http://tier10lab.com/2012/11/27/new-instagram-web-profiles/ ] To say Instagram has had a busy year is an understatement. From being awarded Apple's App of the Year, reporting over one million downloads on the Android Market on opening day and the blockbuster acquisition by Facebook, the team at Instagram is always making headlines. Instagram made waves again by launching Web Profiles.

1. The New Instagram
https://tier10lab.com/2012/11/27/new-instagram-web-profiles/
November 27, 2012
By Jordy Tropp
To say Instagram has had a busy year is an understatement. From being awarded Apple Inc.’s 2011 App
of the Year, reporting over one million downloads on the Android Market on opening day and the
blockbuster acquisition by Facebook, the team at Instagram is always making headlines. Earlier this
month, Instagram made waves again by launching Web Profiles, officially adding an online platform for
users beyond their smartphone.
This is a big step forward for members of the Instagram community as you no longer need to be on a
mobile device to manage your account and explore the accounts of others. The functions within the new
Web Profiles include the ability to edit your profile and follow other users, as well as like and comment on
photos. Another enhancement is that all accounts listed as public can be viewed by anyone online. You
no longer need to be a registered Instagram user. This is a great addition for people who do not actively
take photos within the mobile application, but enjoy viewing the collections of other members. However,
privacy is still maintained if your account is listed as private. One function that was purposely removed
from the new web platform is the ability to produce, edit and upload photos. For now, smartphones will be
the sole method of taking and uploading pictures. Instagram hints in its deployment letter that it chose to
remain focused on the mobile production of photos. This is a wise choice as Instagram’s success has
been due largely to the social network’s ability to share what we see in our daily lives in a way that no one
else has matched.

2. It makes sense for Instagram to continue developing Web Profiles since other online services such as
Statigram, Webstagram and INK361 have offered similar profile page experiences for some time now.
Statigram, for instance, provides on-the-fly analytics and infographics ranging from how many likes your
account has received, to favorite filters and most-used hashtags. To compete with the current market of
unique features each third-party alternative has to offer, Instagram will certainly have to provide more
features and customization to its users. It would be very useful to provide a method for editing which
photos appear in the Web Profile’s header animation. The “photos” “following” and “followers” icons
directly below the header animation appear to be clickable to reveal more information or another page but
are, in fact, static graphics.
You may already have a Web Profile without realizing it. Simply go to instagram.com/username to see.
The header image is a revolving scrapbook of your recent photos, and your collection follows
chronologically down the page. A great example page is the @Tier10Marketing Instagram account.
As Instagram looks for new and intuitive ways to enhance its photo-sharing network, be on the lookout for
updates enhancing Web Profiles in the near future. In the short time since Web Profiles have been made
public, a second update has been introduced: Web Badges.
As seen above, Badges are simple HTML code snippets available to promote your account with a simple
graphic on any website. Using this properly is a great way to promote your photographs through your
personal blog or website. Keep up with the latest updates as Instagram pushes further into web platforms
with its official blog or, as always, by following Tier10Lab.
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