Therefore it may be less desirable for libraries than Twitter or Facebook, being that it can only be used on one platform, without being able to link to other pages.
Instagram is definitely a more visual based social media like Pinterest, as you can only upload photos with added descriptions and hashtags except it is not used to bookmark pages, only to show followers the photo.
And as with Twitter, it's a quick way to reach follows about current events, thinks happening 'right here, right now' but there's no character limit so the description can be as long as you choose, with no limit on hashtags either.
There are however, many ways libraries can benifit from using Instagram, such as:
- Its 'right here, right now' updates are good for letting followers see events as they're happening as well as anything interesting that happens, like the State Library did on May 4th.
- Instagram can also be a good platform to run competitions, promotions throughout the library and to run surveys as the Monash University Library have done.
- Being that others can comment on any photo uploaded to Instagram, libraries can use this to show displays and ideas, getting useful feedback in the comments about what the community wants/thinks.
- Another great use, as shown by the British Library, is to showcase what the library has in its collection, letting followers know that a library is more than just books.
In conclusion, Instagram, although not a popular choice, has many advantages and uses in the library. Its 'right here, right now' updates are great for letting the community see events and its visual platform allows libraries to show off collections and get important feedback.
The only thing to keep in mind is to limit the use of hashtags in each post...if asked, most people will say they're not put off by it....
