Instagram opens many avenues toward fame
Instagram, Twitter, Vine and Facebook are all some of the most influential and effective platforms of social media. Whether they are posting funny videos and beautiful photos or tweeting witty quips, an individual can gain fame from social media.
Instagram is probably one of the most widely used of these platforms due to its aesthetically pleasing nature. A picture is worth a thousand words, and by that logic, one can share stories as long as War and Peace on the platform. Most people have a few hundred followers consisting of friends and acquaintances that like to share photos of their latest vacation or their fancy coffee of the day through pictures. Instagram also poses, however, as a platform to encourage and spark fame.
Many of the most popular Instagram accounts belong to celebrities such as the Kardashians and Taylor Swift. These stars get millions of likes on posts about mundane things in their lives. Despite the apparent celebrity takeover of Instagram, there are several individuals who have made themselves famous due to photographic talent that sets them apart from other users.
Though vanity seems like a superficial way to become famous, it is usually the first thing one would think of when listing those who are “Instagram famous.” Many models get their start on Instagram by racking up huge amounts of likes on their pictures, simply because of their good looks. Model heartthrob Matthew Noszka, for instance, was discovered on Instagram through his popularity among female users.
Other social media stars have gained notoriety through avenues other than looks, however. The MagCon boys, a group of young teenagers including Nash Grier, Jack Johnson and Jack Gilinsky (who perform as Jack and Jack), and Cameron Dallas, gained popularity on Instagram via their popularity on Vine, a social network that allows users to post six second videos. These boys all started small, posting funny videos of themselves doing silly things around their neighborhood. The videos on both Vine and Instagram soon developed into a display of the boys’ talent, such as the musical performances by Jack and Jack.
Humor is a powerful driving force in the art of becoming Insta-famous. Funny celebrities like comedian Chelsea Handler continue to rack up some of the highest number of likes on Instagram through their creative ways of making people laugh. Some accounts are based solely on humor like @PassengerShaming which shows pictures of rude things people do on planes. @BaddieWinkle is another famous Instagram account created by an older woman who embraces her younger side. This account features “Grannie” wearing Kanye West shirts and throwing up peace signs, a sure fire way to make your day better — and, at the same time, increase her likes.
Los Angeles-based artist Amalia Ulman was so interested in the phenomenon of Instagram fame that she decided to make herself part of “celebrities of social media.” She spent time studying and analyzing the most popular Insta-stars in order to create an alter ego that was the perfect prototype of social media popularity. In just a few months, her account, which was based off the most widely accepted and popular accounts on Instagram, quickly gained 65,000 followers, demonstrating just how cookie-cutter the path to becoming Instagram famous can be.
Being a human being is not a prerequisite for becoming a star on Instagram either. There are many animals that have become some of the most famous individuals gracing the Internet. Everyone knows Grumpy Cat and Boo the Dog, but there are even more animals that have more followers than some celebrities. Biddy the Hedgehog continued to be a favorite Insta-animal until he passed away this past March 1 leaving behind a legacy of more than 300,000 followers looking at pictures of him taking a bath and eating his daily meal of worms. Marnie The Dog, another new addition to the Insta-fame world, is a funny-looking little dog who has warmed the hearts of millions.
Cats have seemed to take over the Internet in the last couple of years, including the ever cranky Grumpy Cat. She even gets paid now for events and meet-and-greets. Pudge the Cat is also a contender for the most famous cat of Instagram award with 50,000 followers.
Whether you are a gorgeous model looking for a break, a talented teen with some cool skills or a cuddly creature that is just perfect at being adorable, Instagram fame is really about the viewers and fans. Without the rest of the Internet looking, liking and sharing pictures of these famous individuals, Instagram would be nothing more than a family photo album. Celebrities, Viners and pets alike are what make being Instagram-famous as part of our current era of internet takeover so unique.