We’ve been hearing a lot of talk about Instagram lately. Reportedly, something that started as an iPhone app is now an independent company valued at $1 Billion Dollars, and is becoming a bigger craze than the British Invasion. So what’s all the fuss about?

Instagram is part of a larger trend – engagement. Social media doesn’t serve its purpose unless attention is paid to the first part- social. Remember the professor who just lectured a lot in class? He wasn’t very popular. He didn’t interact. Social media is about interaction as much as it’s about crafting an image.

Instagram is great for interaction because it’s simple to use. It edits photos right then and there, taking away the need for future editing. It automatically syncs with your social networks, which in turn sends out edited, artistic, and time-relative photos to your followers. If you see something funny worth taking a picture, it becomes less effective when you post a picture up a day later. Social media is instant. Instagram makes that burden a lot easier on those who connect.

Instagram is unique in that it allows you to tell a story. You can connect with your followers and craft your “stream” to show your travels. While you’re uploading your latest journey, you can scroll through your timeline of followers and see where they’ve been. It’s simple, clutter-free, and effective.

So, not convinced? Give Instagram a try and see how simple it is to master. It adds a new angle to your media, and allows you to broadcast a visual perception of your reality. If you think that tweets and Facebook updates are going to dominate forever, think again.