Are you on Instagram?

An Emily in Paris Guided City Tour? In 2024, it was one of the most easily sold experiences in Europe. For most boomers, the Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, or the Arc de Triomphe were the must-do visit, but nowadays, tourists go to “La Place de l’Estrapade” to see Emily’s apartment, “Terra Nera,” which appeared as a restaurant called “Les Deux Compères,” or “La Boulangerie Moderne,” to eat the “best pain au chocolat” – as Emily said in the first chapter of the show. “The Emily Effect” is undeniable: In 2024, the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée found that 38% of the respondents to their survey considered that the series “was a reason for visiting the city.” But millennials and Gen Z not only want to know the locations but also share their experiences in social media and receive likes and comments about their experience. It doesn’t matter if you are a fan of Lily Collins or watched the four seasons, it is inevitable to want to take the picture or at least be admired by the new opportunities for tourist guides, restaurants, hotels, or boutiques. Hundreds of accounts and hashtags over the last four years highlight this phenomenon every day. Thousands of users all over the world visit pages, profiles, watch TikToks, and ask others to take their picture at the “Instagram point.”

However, this “spectacle” on Instagram is just one example among many others. In Mexico City, a landmark for youngsters is Tane’s wall in Masaryk. A luxury jewelry firm founded in 1942 with a fancy boutique in an exclusive neighborhood is the perfect spot to show Mexican culture, colors and “unique” posts. The firm has recognized the benefits of such a corner: They change the colors and plants on the corner, so you must visit to see the most recent scenario, probably twice a year. Phrases like “Mexico mi amor”, “Me quiere, no me quiere” or “Viva la Vida” are ideal for remarkable “instamoments.” Even though it is a competitive market, Tane has annual sales of more than US$2 million and is a recognized brand for young people and adults as the firm adapts to the digital era.

Instagram, as well as other social media platforms like LinkedIn or TikTok, is not just  another marketing channel, like an advertisement in a magazine or other conventional media. The impact of cyberspace is much more powerful. You don’t need to own a big company or spend millions on advertising, nor hire street spaces or give away flyers; today, one-to-one communication 24/7 is priceless. By the end of 2024, Instagram had 2 billion active users. Can your business afford to be out of that market? 

Obviously, to have an account doesn’t mean to be on it. You must identify your followers, the kind of reels, stories, or pictures that they like, schedule posts, answer comments, look for partnerships, and provide a brief glance at your products or services constantly. A full-time job? Possibly.

Even more, if you are an entrepreneur or a professional looking for a new job, social media is becoming more and more relevant and a complement to the traditional resume. Through your posts, managers and recruiters could know your hobbies, beliefs, religious and political interests, family and friends – all with just a pair of clicks. It is not only necessary to be aware of your studies or past jobs but to have a complete picture with your digital fingerprint. Currently, even the US government asks about the social media of citizens who request a VISA of any type. Did you notice these aspects before?

Almost 30 years ago, a Spanish lawyer became a “victim” of the “bad results” in a Google search. It all started in 1998, when his name appeared in two advertisements published in La Vanguardia, one of the oldest newspapers in that country, as the owner of a property put up for auction after being seized due to debts. The search engine indexed his name when the newspaper archive was digitized and many years later, he was divorced and out of debt but continued to appear at the top of the lists as a married person who owes money. He fought in the European courts to have his name retired from Google, alleging that he lost clients due to those results. He clearly knew the importance of the internet and how people look for lawyers. Have you searched your name on social media? Does your brand appear as you want it to? Do you know how to manage not only your privacy but also your image?

Now that we are beginning a new year, maybe one goal for all of us could be to learn more of the benefits of technology, and especially, to have more impact on Instagram. Do you accept the challenge?