At an Instagram event, the strangeness of social media comes to light

‘Shoot on a mobile phone rather than with a professional camera’ is one of the pieces of advice we’re given, even though that sounds counterintuitive

As head of audience at The Independent, my job involves tracking what’s popular with our current readers and investigating what other potential readers might want from the publication, as well as looking into global trends. Little wonder, then, that I’m often invited to events with social media companies like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

This week, it was Instagram who extended an invitation, welcoming me and a handful of others to the impressive Ham Yard Hotel in central London. The setting had been carefully chosen for its edgy, photogenic nature, which makes sense considering sharing imagery which stands out is Instagram’s bread and butter. Just in case we uploaded pictures to our own accounts, everything had been carefully branded with the company’s logo.

Often such events follow a similar pattern: the company tries to convince you that its way is the best way in terms of disseminating information; they remain studiously vague when giving answers to difficult questions; and then they send you away. But this one offered some interesting insights.