Instagram activity on Thanksgiving set a new standard of usage for the social site.

Technology moves so fast that it’s hard to keep up with all of the social media platforms that regularly prove their worth as personal and professional resources. While networks like Facebook and Twitter dominate much of the talk surrounding social media marketing, newcomers like Instagram certainly have their fair share of advantages.

Instagram ThanksgivingInstagram stole the attention of Turkey-eaters
Visual media grabs consumers’ attention and compels people to engage with content, whether “liking” a photo on a social site or sharing it with friends and family. This trend led consumers to upload more than 10 million photos that mentioned Thanksgiving-themed words on Instagram on Turkey day. In an official post from Instagram, the social site noted that users posted more than 200 images every second on the network throughout Thanksgiving. The peak of posting occurred at approximately 12:40 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST).

Instagram states that Thanksgiving posting activity broke all previous records and more than doubled metrics from the day before. The uptick in usage over Thanksgiving asks the question: Could marketers take advantage of Instagram’s ability to affect the masses and develop campaigns that drive substantial interaction over the course of several days, or weeks or months?

Instagram unveils badges – helps integrate web profiles
In an effort to make Instagram a service that consumers access through web browsers, the network recently announced badges, a tool that helps promote Instagram web profiles. The add-on button is aimed at helping marketers, “showcase [their] brand and the content [they] share on Instagram,” says the company. The new feature makes it easier to incorporate Instagram branded content on any website, blog or online presence. Instagram users can access the badges feature by navigating to the drop down menu after clicking their profile names.

The Instagram update makes the social service a more recognizable network as internet users who don’t own smartphones or use the site can view and become familiar with the type of media typically posted on the network. Marketers might take Instagram’s efforts to integrate into the web as a sign of the network’s agility and ability to adapt, and developing content marketing strategies that include the picture-based site might be worthwhile moving forward into the new year.

Ted Karczewski is an Executive Communications Associate at Brafton. He works to develop his own voice and apply his passions to the evolving world of SEO and content marketing, but he doesn't shy away from writing for fun. After graduating from Suffolk University, Ted used his Communications degree to test out Sports Journalism before Marketing at Brafton.