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On Monday, Nov. 5, Instagram announced on its blog the rollout this week of Instagram profiles on the Web. This new feature from the mobile photo sharing app is significant because it gives individuals and brand communicators another platform to share their photos other than through smartphones. As some tech blogs have pointed out, the Web profiles resemble Facebook Timeline in their ability to garner significantly more audience reach.
Here’s how Instagram profiles work: A Web profile of your Instagram account will be automatically created within the next few days. To see the profile, you go to instagram.com/[username]. For example, to see Nike’s profile (already up and running), you’d go to instagram.com/nike on the Web.
On the profile page, above your profile photo and bio, is a selection of your brand’s recently shared photos. You’ll be able to comment and like photos, and edit your profile right from the Web.
The Instagram blog points out that visitors don’t have to be Instagram users to view a public user’s Web profile. If your photos are set to private, however, they will be visible only to logged-in Instagram users you’ve allowed to follow you.
The $1 million question: Can you now upload photos from the Web to Instagram? The answer is no. For the moment, at least, Instagram will stay true to its roots and remain a predominately mobile platform—but with this new Web twist.
Follow Scott Van Camp: @svancamp01
I like this new development. But I hope Instagram remains to be a mobile platform. :)