5 Steps to get started with Instagram

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Robinson Meyer explained Instagram best in his I Like Instagram post when he said “Instagram is broadcast, but in its endless scroll, it achieves something like intimacy. […] You can savor the density of meaning in pictures from close friends and the surface beauty of posts from distant ones.

It is a great platform for showing off amazing photos of food, to travel adventures across the world, to keeping in touch with friends and family and new acquaintances. It’s a great way to meet people and make friends with complete strangers as well as inspire your creative spirit.

5 Steps to get started with Instagram

Instagram is a social media platform for photography that is meant to be used on a smart phone. While you can sign up for an account and view photos on a computer, you can only upload photos from a smartphone. For me it’s a chance to see the world through someone else’s eyes. The photography is gorgeous and the people are wonderful- but more on that later.

1. On your smart phone download the Instagram app.

The intention behind instagram is that it be ‘instant’ so you can only upload photos into Instagram through your mobile device, thus you need to have the app on your phone.

2. Sign up.

Come up with a user name and password (both of which can be changed in the future).

3. Fill in

Fill in any additional information that you want – or don’t. The app will ask for the information as part of the set-up process so no additional buttons to push here.

5 Steps to set up Instagram

4. Give yourself a profile photo.

Click on the grey circle in the upper left hand of the screen. Several options should pop up on the bottom of your screen to “change profile photo”. Click on the Choose from Library button. Your phone may then ask you to grant the Instagram app the ability to access your photos. Say yes and scroll through your photos to find the one you want to use. Select it and make it your profile photo.

5. Add friends.

At the bottom of your screen click on the person icon (a head on a set of shoulders). You are now at your main profile page. At the top of the screen is a gear, click on that- this will take you to “Options.”

Instagram options button

Under options the very first options are to find friends through Facebook and Twitter. Click on each line and sign into Facebook (or twitter) to find which of your friends are already connected. A list will display of all your Facebook friends that are using Instagram. You can go through the list and add who you want. Do the same for twitter. You have officially connected with friends.

find friends on instagram

Now find people you admire or accounts worth following. click on the icon that looks like a magnifying glass at the bottom of your screen. Click on the top where it says search and then select PEOPLE.

For example, if you’d like to follow me you can type in ‘Gretcholi‘ to search. Click on the link that pops up and then hit ‘Follow’. Repeat again for more friends.

You can also use this section to search different locations and hashtags. Have a passion for #foodporn? Look it up and find great accounts to follow that way.

Ready to learn more about instagram? Here are some more great tips!

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