Now I don’t know about you, but Instagram is pretty important to me. It’s a big part of my actual day job as a Digital Marketing Manager and an even bigger part of my side hustle – this blog. It also happens to be my personal favourite when it comes to social media channels. It’s the app that I check more than anything else and the place where I interact with people the most. And it seems a whole lot of my decisions are based on doing it for the gram.
I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but Instagram is a big influence on me. I find new places to eat, visit and shop through those squares. But that’s normal right? Instagram is a Utopia, we only share the very best versions of our lives there. Will I post a picture of myself in my comfy clothes with no makeup on, probably not. But will I post a picture of myself in some glamorous location – of course! Does how Instagramable a place look influence me to go somewhere – of course it does. I feel like as a generation, we’re heavily influenced by how something looks and feels. And whether it’ll make a good picture. I think we’re all guilty of doing it for the gram.
But rather than just being influenced by restaurants and pretty cafes, it seems we’re also heavily influenced by how instagramable our travel destinations are. A recent survey by Schofields Insurance has shown that for millennials, 40% of them will choose a destination based on how pretty the location is for Instagram. Now if that’s not doing it for the gram, I don’t know what is! But I’m probably guilty of this too. I’ve just come back from a week in Portugal at the most gorgeous hotel in the Algarve. Now I didn’t have to stay here, but the picture-perfect scenery, beautifully decorated rooms and the retro feel of the bars and restaurants certainly helped sway me.
Are you guilty of doing it for the gram when it comes to booking your next holiday?