Hello Android! Instagram, the social photo sharing app has just been released to the Android community. If you don’t already have the app on your Andriod device, you can download Instagram for Android here. As of the writing of this post there are over 27 million Instagram users. With the release of the Instagram App for Android that number is sure to get a whole lot larger.
If you are new to Instagram, check out my article “8 Rules for Rapid Instagram Growth” for pointers on growing a following quickly in the Instagram community. I also recommend you take a few minutes and read my “5 Thinks to Never Do on Instagram” for common mistakes to avoid when getting started. Once you have your feet wet and you are starting to build a following, come back and read my article “Instagram Popular Page Rules” for my theory and very active discussion on how the Popular Page on Instagram works.
The latest version of the app lets you find your friends from Facebook, Twitter, or even from your phone’s contact list. That’s a great way to get started with who you want to follow. Typically if you follow someone they are more likely to follow you back – just how the game is played. I talk a lot more about that in my previously mentioned articles. To find your friends just go to your Profile page (bottom right button) and click “Find friends” to get started.
Welcome Android Instagramers! If you’d like to look me up on Instagram my username is @Appdaptation. To add a new user go to your Profile page then click “Search Instagram” and enter either the person’s real name or their username. This is also available under the “Find friends” panel mentioned above. With 27 million plus users it becomes hard to find people with their real name so having their username is handy. Feel free to mention the blog and I’ll promise to poke over to your gallery and give you a follow back if I like what I see!
APR
Uhm…. “andrOId”
Oh well now that’s embarrassing. Thanks Jessica, fixed!
Hi Chris
I´m new on Instagram, and got the advice to follow, if I wanted to be followed.
I did so until I followed 7500, but now I can´t follow more than that.
Do you know why?
Thanks for a great blog
@tornehave
Yes, Instagram recently put a cap on the number of people you can follow. Here are the details:
http://help.instagram.com/customer/portal/articles/585788
Okay, I’m new to Instagram, ok I know how to follow my contacts, but isn’t there some sort of search bar that I can type in whatever name I want? Meaning, I want to follow people who are not on my Facebook/Twitter or in my contact list… Say, just for example, Oprah.. How would I follow her??
Got to the “Explore” page (2nd bottom from left on bottom of app) and then use the search box at the top of that screen. You can choose to search users or tags.
Hi, I have a Samsung Galaxy II and I am trying tofigure out how to tag and/or mention a user / reply to a comment etc. I have seen instructions that are relevant for iPhones but haven’t been able to figure out with an Android. Any help gratefully received as I currently am just observing rather than being able to get involved with some of the amazing feeds I am viewing.
Many thanks.
I assume that the functionality is basically the same for iPhone or Android. To mention a user you just type the @ sign and then their username. The latest version of the IG app (make sure you have updated) has a shortcut for this: hold your finger on the username of the person you want to mention (from a comments page) for a second or two and then release and the app will autofill their username into a comment for you. Single tap the persons name to go to their profile, tap and hold for a second or two to start a comment and autofill their username in your comment. Easy!
How do you promo someone or give someone a shout out
can i add a user onto my comment using an android phone?
Does holding your finger on the person’s username not automatically add them to your comment?
Hi Chris,
How can I motion someone on a comment but using galaxy s3.
I tried holding the user nickname for 2 seconds and It’s not working, do you have any idea How to do it on galaxy s3?
IG changed the way comments are left. Now you have to click the comment button (even on your own images) then use your finger to “slide” the user’s comment you want to mention to the right which will reveal a Trash or Reply button. Click the Reply (arrow) button and that will put the user’s name in your new comment.
i got an andriod phone,and i want to give someone a shoutout but i don’t know how to do it so i need help.
Can my phone contacts find me on instagram if I don’t put in my phone nummer?
I don’t want them to find out I have instagram hehe.
– jayda
Hi Jayda,
No, people can’t find you on Instagram if they have your phone number. The only way to find a specific person on Instagram is if you know their account name or if they are already your friend on Facebook. Anyone can follow you (assuming your profile is public) if they find your image through a hashtag search or if you happen to make it onto the “Explore” page. Or if someone tags your username in a comment.
Thank you Chris! but I had found this option on Instagram that says ”find friend” and then you can click on an option that says ”of my phone contacts”
If someone wants to find people on their phone contacts, are they only able to find people that have put in their phone nummers on Instagram?
Yeah I hadn’t seen that before. Thanks for pointing it out. For some reason I don’t like the feel of it so didn’t go beyond the point where it asked if it could send my contacts info to the Instagram servers. If you notice when you go to your profile there is a field for “Phone”. I assume that without that information the service can’t locate you by phone number. However, if the person has your email address associated with your Instagram account they COULD locate you.