6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Instagram | Drawbacks & Benefits of Instagram

Mostly, social media users are already of the term Instagram. Instagram is a social networking platform which allows users to upload and share photos, make stories and reels. It is owned by the tech giant Meta Platform Inc. Same company which operates Facebook. Hence, it resembles Facebook in many ways. 

Similar to Facebook, accounts on Instagram may be individual or business. Business accounts provides organizations many opportunities to interact with their consumers. In the recent years, Instagram reached immense popularity among internet users. According to statistics, Instagram has over 2.35 billion active monthly users. The numbers are slightly less than Facebook which has over 2.95 billion users. 

There are many features that makes Instagram attractive. Apart from the benefits Instagram offers to individuals, there are also negative aspects which restricts the app usage. If you know the pros and cons, you can use this platform wisely to the fullest potential.

This article tells you about 6 Advantages and Disadvantages of Instagram | Drawbacks & Benefits of Instagram. Through this post, you will know the pros and cons of Instagram. 

Let's get started,

Advantages of Instagram

1. Cost Effective

The services of Instagram is available entirely free of cost. Similar to other social networking sites, there is no subscription fee in Instagram. The official app is available to from the Play Store or App Store right away. Once downloaded, users can create their own account without any payments. 

2. Content Sharing

Content sharing is a useful feature of Instagram. People use Instagram to share contents like photos and videos. Besides uploading from device memory, Instagram also provides the option to create content directly. For an example, users can open the camera from the Instagram application and start taking pictures. Moreover, posted content can also be shared on other social networking sites simultaneously. 

3. Brand Awareness

Any business which is willing to create brand awareness can use Instagram as their prime strategy. Companies can create their own business profile so that they can reach out potential customers. Subsequently, you can find large number of Instagram profiles marketing their brands. Meanwhile, it also convenient for ordinary customers to identify satisfactory products conveniently instead of always walking down the stores.

However, the market prospect of a business account depends on the number of followers. More the followers, more the market opportunities.

4. Security & Privacy

Security and privacy policies of Instagram are very strict compared to other social networking sites. Instagram imposes age restriction for the creation of account. Children under the age of 13 years are not allowed to open account. This is due to the fact that contents on Instagram are not appropriate for everyone.

Furthermore, the accounts on Instagram are not accessible for the general public. Users are free to make their account private so that they can abstain from strangers. Known people should send a follow request which the account user has the authority to either accept or decline. Rejected requests will not be liable to view profile elements. Instagram also provides the option to unfollow people anytime or even block of they no wish to make interactions. 

5. Talent Exposure

When it comes to exposing talent, Instagram is one such great platform to consider. Instagram can be used as a tool for showcasing various talents like singing, painting, acting and photography. With such as a large number of active users, this platform makes it easy to reach the targeted audience. 

In addition to that, Instagram comes with variety of features which further facilitates the talent exposure process. Some of the features are tagging other users, location tags and hashtags.

6. Community Interaction

Since Instagram is a social networking platform, it is used as a means of communication. Anyone who is willing to stay in touch with their peer mates can use Instagram. Finding new friends is also easy. Direct Messaging feature is incorporated in Instagram to facilitate instant messaging. 

Moreover, business can interact with customers which is highly important to improve relationship. The professional network allows businesses to respond customer queries quickly. Either in direct messaging or through comments section. 

Disadvantages of Instagram

1. Addiction

Just like other social media platforms, Instagram too is highly addictive. Often, youngsters are affected to this addiction. Recent researches indicate that the use of Instagram releases a hormone called Dopamine from the human brain which is very much similar to consuming chemical substances. This hormone causes a pleasure sensation in the brain leaving people crave more. 

Features of Instagram like stories and feeds isolate people from reality. People mindlessly scroll through Instagram feeds without paying attention to friends and family. Apart from social confinement, this also negatively affects mental health with conditions like anxiety and depression. If not used with caution, the addiction can cause severe academic downfall among youngsters.

2. Image Theft

Photos posted on Instagram is always at a risk of being stolen. Even after implementing tight security measures, there is absolutely nothing Instagram can do to make the images private. Since the images are easily accessible for the existing followers, they can steal them for their own personal gain. To the worst, the users will not be notified that someone is stealing their image.

3. Desktop Friendliness

Instagram is primarily designed to be used on smartphones. Even though a desktop version for Instagram exists, still it lacks some of the features. The extra filters and editing tools are missing in the PC version. Video calling option is also completely omitted.

4. False Advertising

Not all the advertisements on Instagram are legitimate. Some people use Instagram as a medium for false promotions. This type of approach attracts more customers. If the platform is bombarded with irrelevant advertisements, the entire platform could be viewed as untrustworthy among users. 

5. OS Compatibility

Instagram imposes restrictions on mobile operating systems. Only major operating systems like Windows, Android and iOS are supported. Smartphones with Linux and Blackberry are not compatible.

6. Tools Limitation

Editing is an important part for image publication. Instagram offers various tools and filters to enhance the overall photo look without the need to install any professional editing software. However, the filters are very much limited. If users needed, they can download the additional filters from the web. But the option comes with a small fee.